The Prayer Book Society

Pray Together

Prayer is encouraged consistently in all circumstances throughout Holy Scripture. Prayer was a daily practice for Jews in the time of Christ, and has continued as such for Christians in every age since. Sometimes, however, we do not know how to put into words the desires of our hearts. Sometimes our words feel inadequate to the task of articulating our desires and petitions to God.

One of the virtues of the Prayer Book is that it provides numerous prayers for any circumstance that allow us to pray with confidence that the words we say reflect our intentions to God. Perhaps even of greater benefit is that when we pray through common prayers, our desires and petitions become united with other Christians throughout time and space who have offered up these same Prayer Book prayers to God, and as St Chrysostom’s prayer reminds us, God has promised, “that when two or three are gathered togetherin thy Name thou wilt grant their requests,” (BCP, 15).

Beyond simply becoming a Member of the Society or even contributing financially, prayer is one of the most practical tools any person can use to support the work of the Prayer Book Society. We encourage you to consider adopting the regular Cycle of Prayer listed below to the left, as well as praying for the Special Prayer Requests noted below to the right.

Cycle of Prayer

The Prayer Book Society maintains a regular cycle of intercessory prayers. We encourage all members to join together in reciting these prayers throughout the week, as we lift our petitions for renewal and evangelisation to God.

Prayers are organized by the Sundays in a week, or the first full calendar week of the month. You may pray one prayer in a given day, praying through the list throughout the week, or more frequently as your personal prayer practice permits.

Week of the First Sunday


The first week we highlight Christ’s Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and the Anglican Church of Canada as well as its leadership.

A Prayer for the Church Universal
MOST gracious God, we humbly beseech thee for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth; in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where any thing is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen and confirm it; where it is in want, furnish it; where it is divided and rent asunder, make it whole again; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for the Unity of the Church
O LORD Jesus Christ, who didst say unto thine Apostles, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: Regard not our sins, but the faith of thy Church, and in particular that part of it known as the Anglican Communion, and grant unto it that peace and unity which is agreeable to thy will; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

A Prayer for the Anglican Church of Canada
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully hear our prayers, and grant to the Anglican Church of Canada all things needful for its spiritual welfare: ministers to labour in this portion of thy vineyard and churches complete in the beauty of holiness. Strengthen and confirm the faithful; protect and guide the children; visit and relieve the sick; turn and soften the wicked; arouse the careless; recover the fallen; restore the penitent. Remove all hindrances to the advancement of thy truth; and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within the fold of thy holy Church, to the honour and glory of thy blessed Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Week of the Second Sunday


Pray for the clergy in particular of the Anglican Church of Canada, for their right teaching and preaching, for their education in seminaries and for God’s grace to work through them to bring true knowledge of himself to all his faithful children.

A Prayer for our Archbishop and Clergy
ALMIGHTY God, we humbly beseech thee to lay thy grace upon thy servant Greg, our Archbishop, and all priests and deacons in the Diocese of Calgary, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth thy true and living Word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Theological Colleges
ALMIGHTY Father, grant that our schools of theology may be homes of faith and fruitful study; and that all their students may so learn truth as to bear its light along their ways, and so learn Christ as to be found in him; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

A Prayer for the Proclamation of the Gospel
GRACIOUS God, prosper, we pray thee, all those who proclaim the Gospel of thy kingdom among the nations: And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy Word; truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Week of the Third Sunday


We lift up the work of the Prayer Book Society of Canada, the Prayer Book Society in Calgary and its missional goal of evangelism.

A Prayer for the Prayer Book Society of Canada
ALMIGHTY Saviour, who, being exalted by the right hand of God, didst receive gifts for men: Send down the grace of thy Holy Spirit upon thy people, and grant that they may give cheerfully of their substance for the evangelizing of the world. Bless all those who are banded together for the spread of the Gospel, and especially the Prayer Book Society of Canada; make them faithful and true witnesses in proclaiming thy glorious Name; and prosper the work of their hands upon them, that the light of thy truth may shine into the darkest corners of the earth. Hear us, O merciful Saviour, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

A Prayer for the work of the Prayer Book Society—Calgary
O GOD, our heavenly Father, we humbly pray thee to bless abundantly the efforts that are now being made by the Prayer Book Society to turn thy people in the Diocese of Calgary to sincere repentance and a more lively faith through understanding of the Book of Common Prayer. Prepare all hearts to receive the seed of thy Word. Grant that it may take deep root, and bring forth fruit to thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for the Extension of the Church
O GOD, who hast made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and didst send thy blessed Son Jesus Christ to preach peace to them that are afar off and to them that are nigh: Grant that all peoples of the world may feel after thee and find thee; and hasten, O Lord, the fulfilment of thy promise to pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Week of the Fourth Sunday


We pray in thanksgiving for the mission of the Church and for the Book of Common Prayer, for its role in the revival of the faith of the Church.

A Prayer for the Mission of the Church
WE thank thee, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to build thy Church in many lands. We praise thee for the light of the Gospel, the labours of thy servants, and the ministrations of thy Church. We also bless thy holy Name for those who have lived, and suffered, and died for thy sake; beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that with them we may at last attain thy heavenly promises ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for the Book of Common Prayer
ALMIGHTY and eternal God, by Whose providence this Church and people have received the Book of Common Prayer for the ordering of their prayers and praises; grant that, being ever thankful for the same, they may receive the help of Thy grace to worship Thee with understanding and with holy fear, in spirit and in truth, and in the blest communion of Thy saints; through Christ our Saviour, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

A Prayer for Revival
O GOD, who didst promise thy Holy Spirit for our comfort, revive thy Church in the power of thy Spirit, through the work of the Prayer Book, that in faithfulness and witness to thy Word, we may be transformed in the power of thy Grace to live more fully in thy will; through Christ our Saviour, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

 

Week of the Fifth Sunday


Where there is a fifth week in a month, we ask that you pray the prayers appointed for the week of the Third Sunday of the month.

Special Prayer Requests

  • AGM of the National Prayer Book Society

    March 31, 2016
    The Annual General Meeting of the Prayer Book Society of Canada will be happening Friday the 29th and Saturday the 30th of April at St. Barnabas, Ottawa. The AGM will cover both the activity of the society as well as fulfilling all legal obligations of a charitable society under Canadian law. Please pray for the safety of representatives as they travel to Ottawa, and for the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide the discussions of the Society particularly as it discusses the work of the Society and its continuing goals for promoting traditional Anglican theology within the Anglican Church of Canada.

    A Prayer for the AGM of the National Society
    ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who by thy Holy Spirit didst preside in the Council of the blessed Apostles, and hast promised, through thy Son Jesus Christ, to be with thy Church to the end of the world: We beseech thee to be present with the AGM of the Prayer Book Society about to be assembled in thy Name. Save its members from all error, ignorance, pride, and prejudice; and of thy great mercy vouchsafe so to direct, govern, and sanctify them in their deliberations by thy Holy Spirit, that through thy blessing the Gospel of Christ may be faithfully preached and obeyed, the order and discipline of thy Church maintained, and the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour enlarged and extended. Grant this, we beseech thee, through the merits and mediation of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • A Prayer for Envangelism at Pentecost

    March 26, 2016

    During Lent 2016, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York expressed a longing to see, “to see a great wave of prayer across our land, throughout the Church of England and many other Churches” in the week prior to Pentecost, from 8 - 15 May 2016. This longing is supported by a major initiative in the Church of England to see this happen, called Thy Kingdom Come. While the initiative is centred on the Church of England, the sentiments expressed by the Archbishop are welcomed by the Society, and we encourage everyone to join in praying for Evangelism during the week prior to Pentecost.

    A Prayer for the Extension of the Church
    O GOD, who hast made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and didst send thy blessed Son Jesus Christ to preach peace to them that are afar off and to them that are nigh: Grant that all peoples of the world may feel after thee and find thee; and hasten, O Lord, the fulfilment of thy promise to pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • A Prayer for General Synod 2016

    March 17, 2016
    The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada will be meeting in Toronto from 7 - 12 July 2016. The focus for this meeting of the synod has been its debate over the issue of amending the Anglican Church of Canada's marriage canon (the Church rules governing Holy Matrimony) to allow for the blessing of same-sex marriage. This has been a contentious issue for some time within the Church, with the Society having stated in a submission to the Commission on the Marriage Canon that the proposed change would be inconsistent with the definition of Holy Matrimony provided for in the Book of Common Prayer.

    A Prayer for the General Synod
    ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who by thy Holy Spirit didst preside in the Council of the blessed Apostles, and hast promised, through thy Son Jesus Christ, to be with thy Church to the end of the world: We beseech thee to be present with the General Synod about to be assembled in thy Name. Save its members from all error, ignorance, pride, and prejudice; and of thy great mercy vouchsafe so to direct, govern, and sanctify them in their deliberations by thy Holy Spirit, that through thy blessing the Gospel of Christ may be faithfully preached and obeyed, the order and discipline of thy Church maintained, and the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour enlarged and extended. Grant this, we beseech thee, through the merits and mediation of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.