Daily Office
Pray the Daily Office with us
Participation in the Daily Office is at the heart of Anglican spirituality. The offices of Morning & Evening Prayer include prayers, a selection from the Psalter, readings from the Holy Scriptures, one or more biblical songs, and the Lord's Prayer. The officiant in the Daily Office may be a member of the clergy or a lay person.
When & Where
Morning Prayer M-F, 8:00 a.m., Church
Evening Prayer M, Th, F, 5:30 p.m., Chapel
Leaders
Mary Miller, Trent Palmer, Julie Schultz
What is the Daily Office?
The Daily Office is an ancient practice that uses daily prayers to mark the times of the day. For Anglicans, this generally comes in the form of the two main offices of Daily Morning Prayer and Daily Evening Prayer. They may be led by lay people and are said communally or individually. Other offices as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer include Noonday Prayer and Compline (an office said before going to sleep).
“The idea of some set form of Office…is based on a realistic assessment of human beings and of our prayer potential… The Office is a form of prayer which is independent of our feelings, though, of course it is often accompanied by, and arouses, deep feelings and emotion.” Kenneth Leech, True Prayer, p. 187-188.
The Purpose of the Daily Office is twofold. First, it is a sanctification of time, a reminder that all time is sacred since all time belongs to God. Second, it is a sanctification of the individual – a way to draw a person closer to God.
The Daily Office allows you to join your prayers with those of fellow Christians. This is a vitally important aspect with several corollaries. While individual faith and relationship with God are of vital importance, we are part of the larger body of Christ. That's why the language of the office is usually first-person plural, "we" not "I." If it feels strange to pray "we" by yourself, remember that you are praying in union with countless other Christians around the world. Your daily prayers join with those of others in other time zones to weave a continuous tapestry of prayer and praise to God, one that never ceases.
How to Pray the Daily Office
Set your space. Get out your Book of Common Prayer and a Bible. Perhaps light a candle or set a home altar with religious symbols, a cross or icon.
Find and mark the readings appointed for the day in your Bible. An outline of the Daily Office Lectionary can be found on page 934 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Look through the office. select, and mark the prayers or other portions you will opt to read when the rubric requires a choice.
Begin and end with at least 30 seconds of silence: use to focus thoughts on praise of God
Speak office aloud in a reverent but not overly slow way.
Develop your own personal piety and a system of prayer positions including sitting, standing, and kneeling for different portions of the office.
Follow the order of worship. You might feel compelled to add additional prayers or spiritual practices. Save these for a time outside of the office.
As You Practice
Pray as you can, not as you can't. Find a pattern and rhythm that works for you, one size does not necessarily fit all. Some prefer contemporary language, some traditional. Some find it easier to pray in the morning or evening.
Seek to pray whether you feel like it or not. Some days you just won't feel like praying. And it is on these days that the fixed pattern of the Office is most helpful.
Be kind and forgiving with yourself—the Daily Office is all about marinating yourself in prayer, scripture and worship—it's not about saying exactly the right number of prayers or trying to be a "Super" Christian.
If for some reason you get off track, don't try to play "catch up." Simply jump back in the stream and continue on.
