The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music presented its Report #44 on Resolution A013 (A Plan for Clarifying the Calendar of The Episcopal Church) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A013)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the 80th General Convention approves a process to establish a “clear and unambiguous” Calendar of the Church, organized as follows:

1. The Calendar of The Book of Common Prayer, to include the authorized Principal Feasts, Feasts of Our Lord, Major Feasts, Holy Days, Days of Special Devotion, and saints of the Apostolic Age;

and

2. The Expanded Calendar of Feasts and Fasts, which expands commemorations into the post-apostolic age with authorized feasts and fasts;

And be it further

Resolved, That the following criteria shall be used for commemorations.

I. The Calendar of The Book of Common Prayer (Principal Feasts, Feasts of Our Lord, Major Feasts, Holy Days and Days of Special Devotion):

Received Tradition: Grounded in the witness of Holy Scripture and the received tradition, this Calendar includes Feasts of our Lord, Holy Days, and Days of Special Devotion, as described in “The Calendar of the Church Year” in The Book of Common Prayer 1979 beginning on page 15. Most of these have been observed ecumenically for centuries.

Extended Tradition: Grounded in the witness of Holy Scripture, this Calendar should be enlarged to diversify the extraordinary, apostolic-age witnesses currently in the tradition; authorized by The Episcopal Church during the process of Prayer Book revision; and possibly including anonymous or pseudonymous, and commonly acknowledged, witnesses whose words or example have formed Christian faith and practice.

Current Use of the Calendar: As described in The Book of Common Prayer 1979, Principal Feasts, Sundays and Holy Days have primacy of place in the Church’s liturgical observance.

II. The Expanded Calendar of the Church: Lesser Feasts and Fasts, revised and authorized by The General Convention of the Church;

And be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission for Liturgy and Music (SCLM) shall evaluate and periodically review the best place to display the Calendar so that it may most effectively support the formation and devotion of the Church, both in consideration of and in conjunction with ongoing revision of The Book of Common Prayer;

And be it further

Resolved, That the SCLM makes specific provisions to support and encourage local commemorations as part of the continuing expansion of the Calendar.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the 80th General Convention affirm and commend use of the following taxonomy for organizing and displaying the Calendar of the Church in the next edition of the Book of Common Prayer:

1. The Book of Common Prayer will explicitly list:

• Principal Feasts (Easter Day, Ascension Day, The Day of Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, All Saints’ Day, Christmas Day, and The Epiphany),
• Sundays and Seasons with their proper titles (e.g., The First Sunday of Advent, The First Sunday in Lent, Monday in Holy Week, Monday in Easter Week),
• Feasts of Our Lord (The Holy Name, The Presentation, The Annunciation, The Visitation, Saint John the Baptist, The Transfiguration, and Holy Cross Day),
• Major Feasts of the Church (All Feasts of Apostles, All Feasts of Evangelists, Saint Stephen, The Holy Innocents, Saint Joseph, Saint Mary Magdalene, Saint Mary the Virgin, Saint Michael and All Angels, Saint James of Jerusalem),
• Major Fasts (Ash Wednesday, Good Friday),
• Ember Days (traditionally observed on the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays after the First Sunday in Lent, the Day of Pentecost, Holy Cross Day, and December 13), and
• Rogation Days (traditionally observed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Day);

2.  A separate volume entitled Lesser Feasts and Fasts will explicitly list all additional Days of Optional Observance duly authorized by this Church, along with their authorized Collects, Psalms, Lessons, and Biographies/Descriptions; and be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music make specific provisions to support and encourage the local development and commemoration of days of optional observance.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #88)