Offices of Instruction

As we headed off to church this morning it was a typically blustery, wet, grey Pacific Northwest autumn day. During the service all the candles on the altar made quite a warm contrast to the dark day outside the windows. (We've just added six service candles to the two original communion candles on the altar -- when all lit they make a nice circle of light spanning the altar.)

We'd expected to attend the last of the summer 9 AM Bible study classes, before 10:00 Mass, but when we arrived (a wee bit late) Fr. Daniel was starting a class with the four folks about to be received into St. Bartholomew's. He invited us to join, and we did.

Some of the session focused on the "Offices of Instruction," Second Office (1928 BCP, pp. 290-291) -- mostly review, I think, because at least three of the four come from a longtime Anglican/Episcopalian background. But it was not a waste of time to review the catechism therein, it being decades since I last read it (probably in my own Confirmation Class). I wonder if any churches ever incorporate this, even if only occasionally, into a Sunday service; like the monthly reading of the Decalogue during Holy Communion in the rubrics, this seems like a good and helpful reminder to the congregation. Sometimes maybe less than welcome, to wit:

Question. What is your bounden duty as a member of the Church?

Answer. My bounden duty is to follow Christ, to worship God every Sunday in his Church; and to work and pray and give for the spread of his kingdom.