Acts 8 Movement

The Acts 8 Movement is once again offering videos Episcopal churches may use for free to advertise their Easter liturgies. You may download the video below to post to your own Facebook page, or just link to one of the YouTube videos found here, or to the Facebook videos posted on the Acts 8 Movement … Continue reading Your Choice of two FREE Easter Invitation Videos →

Your friends at the Acts 8 Movement have two Christmas videos Episcopal churches can use for free. We created these multi-language videos (for the many of the languages in which Episcopalians worship) in the previous two years and offer them here anew for your use. Watch the video we launched in 2016 on YouTube in … Continue reading Two FREE Christmas Invitation Videos →

We belatedly announce our summer break and pray for its good use. Also, major #catdisclaimer. This week’s text (BCP p. 825): O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our … Continue reading The Collect Call: For the Good Use of Leisure →

Pentecost is the untamed Christian feast that secular culture has no interest in appropriating. Those who are not Christian will often observe Christmas in some way and will even dye Easter eggs. Yet the coming of the Holy Spirit in power to turn disciples into apostles will never foster Pentecost cards or other secular traditions. … Continue reading Your free Pentecost video →

We interrupt this Holy Week to talk about the Nunc Dimittis, and interrupt it even more with Britney. You’re welcome. This week’s text (BCP p. 93): Lord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you … Continue reading The Collect Call: Nunc Dimittis →

Unearthing a gem of a prayer from the seldom used Order of Worship for the Evening. This week’s prayer (BCP p. 111): Almighty and most merciful God, kindle within us the fire of love, that by its cleansing flame we may be purged of all our sins and made worthy to worship you in spirit … Continue reading The Collect Call: Lent Collect from the Order of Worship for the Evening →

 A set of prayers so good you can say them twice a day – we take a look at Suffrages A from Morning & Evening Prayer. Featured link: St. Bede’s Breviary, an excellent resource for daily prayer: www.stbedeproductions.com/breviary/ BCP p. 97 V. Show us your mercy, O Lord; R. And grant us your salvation. V. Clothe … Continue reading The Collect Call: Suffrages A →

Our Lenten series continues with the Kyrie Pantokrator, including the burning question – how do you pronounce Pantokrator anyway? Featured Link: Songs in the Desert – a Collaborative Lenten Devotional This week’s prayer – BCP p. 90 O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, * God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of all … Continue reading The Collect Call: Kyrie Pantokrator →

As Lent approaches, we shift into a more penitential gear, looking at the prayer of confession in Morning Prayer, Rite 1. We also fail to act like adults. This week’s prayer (BCP page 41) Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much … Continue reading The Collect Call: Confession (Morning Prayer Rite 1) →

It’s a double-feature! We pray for courts of justice, for local government, and at long last, we meet George Albert Zabriskie, who achieved the hat trick in collects for the branches of government. This week’s prayers (BCP p. 821 and 822) For Courts of Justice Almighty God, who sittest in the throne judging right: We … Continue reading The Collect Call: For the Judiciary & Local Government →

With Lent fast approaching, your friends at the Acts 8 Movement are offering two ways to promote this season of preparation. The video above can be used as is or those with the ability to edit the video may download a version with a longer ending suitable for adding your congregation’s name or logo and … Continue reading A Free Lent Video for Your Congregation →

Your friends at the Acts 8 Movement want to offer resources to assist your congregation in inviting your neighbors to join you for worship. This year, we are offering a Lenten video to encourage a Lenten Reboot. We are also offering the Episcopal Church the customizable video for congregations to promote their Ash Wednesday liturgies first … Continue reading Create your own Ash Wednesday invitation video →

As our series on praying for the government continues, we look at the BCP’s collect praying for Congress or a state legislature. Also, we begin our campaign to get a Kindle edition of Hatchett. We need your help! This week’s prayer (BCP p. 821) O God, the fountain of wisdom, whose will is good and … Continue reading The Collect Call: For Congress →

We look at the prayer for our country on page 820, and find at least one good reason to look at prayer book revision. Also, lectors – take note of a name that might trip you up this Sunday. This week’s prayer (BCP p. 820) Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for … Continue reading The Collect Call: For Our Country →

On praying for those in authority, plus, taking Paul out of context when he’s cranky in this week’s lectionary. This week’s prayer (BCP p. 820) O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in … Continue reading The Collect Call: For the President and All in Civil Authority →

Thanks to a super-fan, we’re embarking on a new exploration of the Book of Common Prayer, starting with the prayer for those who influence public opinion. Plus – what’s in the lectionary this week? This week’s prayer (BCP 827): Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, … Continue reading The Collect Call: For Those Who Influence Public Opinion →

If you pay attention the liturgical calendar, it won’t let you sentimentalize Christmas, but will force you to come to grips with what the calling of a Christian really is. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/299362313″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] How to listen â– Â iTunes ■ Stitcher ■ Soundcloud ■ RSS Feed â– Blubrry How to Connect â– Twitter ■Facebook The Collect Call is … Continue reading The Collect Call: Christmas Roundup →

We finally come back after our Halloween break (and then some) for an Advent roundup and how to deal with this #spoileralert of a Sunday lectionary. This week’s prayers: First Sunday of Advent Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in … Continue reading The Collect Call: Advent Roundup →

We don’t presume to know how you voted, nor do we even care. But we do know that a lot of people are hurting and scared right now, and we all have to live with each other now that the election is over. We have a homework assignment for you: tell us about ways you … Continue reading The Collect Call: #collectlove →

On hearing that God is more ready to hear than we are to pray, Holli observes that she always asks her daughter how her day was, and mostly all she has to say is that things are fine. This week’s prayer: Proper 21 (BCP p. 234) Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more … Continue reading The Collect Call: It’s Fine (Proper 22) →