We will say Morning Prayer at both services on Sunday, July 24 instead of Holy Eucharist.
We made a similar change to our worship schedule on July 3 which caused a lot of questions (and some confusion!) Why didn’t we have Communion like normal? Has the rector lost his mind? Has the spirit of Thomas Cranmer commandeered our liturgical planning? Perhaps the altar guild went on strike? I’m happy to report that the reason is much simpler and less dramatic: We simply weren’t able to schedule a supply priest.
Now you may be thinking, “What about our new curate? Isn’t Rev. Cara clergy?” Yes, she most definitely is! Cara was ordained to the transitional diaconate in June, which is the next step in the long process to being ordained a priest. Cara, like all candidates for Holy Orders, will serve as a transitional deacon for a minimum of six months and then, God willing, she will be ordained a priest.
The theological reasons for the transitional diaconate are profound and complex, but I think of it this way. The primary duty of a deacon is to serve God, the Church, and the world. A priest doesn’t stop being a deacon once ordained to the priesthood. This core diaconal identity remains, serving as a constant reminder that servanthood is the basis of all ministry.
Liturgically, deacons are prescribed specific things to do. Deacons (both vocational and transitional) proclaim the Gospel, lead prayers, introduce the Confession, set the altar, and dismiss us into the world. Pronouncing God’s blessing, granting absolution, and consecrating Holy Communion are reserved for priests and bishops. Therefore, without the benefit of a supply priest, celebrating Holy Eucharist is not possible; so we revert to saying Morning Prayer.
For those of us who remember liturgical life prior to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, the return to Morning Prayer may seem like a visit from a long-lost friend. It’s also a reminder of our “fully catholic, fully reformed” way of understanding the balance in our worship. The Word of God is mediated through both the words of sacred scripture AND the sacrament of the altar. We’ll return to our usual practice of Holy Communion on July 31, but come to church on next Sunday to experience how the Holy Spirit continues to make the Word of God present to us through scripture, prayer, preaching, and singing.
