COLLECTS
and
POST COMMUNION PRAYERS

For use with the Lectionaries authorised for experimental use by the House of Bishops from Advent 1995

These prayers are used on the Sunday determined by the Calendar. Those between the Second Sunday after Pentecost and the Ninth Sunday before Christmas are not linked to a particular set of readings but should be used consecutively in any given year. The prayers not required from those provided immediately before the Ninth Sunday before Christmas are omitted.

COLLECTS AND POST COMMUNION PRAYERS
for Sundays, Seasons and Principal Holy Days

An asterisk against a collect indicates that the prayer may be recited in the form in the Book of Common Prayer 1926

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Collect*
Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ
came to us in great humility;
that on the last day
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 1#

This collect may be used as the Post Communion on any day from the Second Sunday of Advent until Christmas Eve instead of the Post Communion provided.

Post Communion
O Lord our God,
make us watchful and keep us faithful
as we await the coming of your Son our Lord;
that, when he shall appear,
he may not find us sleeping in sin
but active in his service
and joyful in his praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord .1996

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Collect*
O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power
and come among us,
and with great might succour us;
that whereas, through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered
in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honour and glory, world without end. 1 Advent 4#

Post Communion
Father in heaven,
who sent your Son to redeem the world
and will send him again to be our judge:
give us grace so to imitate him
in the humility and purity of his first coming
that when he comes again,
we may be ready to greet him
with joyful love and firm faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 15#

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Collect*
O Lord Jesus Christ,
who at your first coming sent your messenger
to prepare your way before you:
grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries
may likewise so prepare and make ready your way
by turning the hearts of the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just,
that at your second coming to judge the world
we may be found an acceptable people in your sight;
for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. 1#

Post Communion
We give you thanks, Lord, for these heavenly gifts,
kindle us with the fire of your Spirit
that when your Christ comes again
we may shine as lights before his face;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 4#

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Collect
God our redeemer,
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 8#

Post Communion
Heavenly Father,
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary
be the mother of the promised saviour:
Fill us your servants with your grace,
that in all things we may embrace your holy will
and with her rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 7#

CHRISTMAS EVE

Collect
Almighty God,
you make us glad with the yearly remembrance
of the birth of your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as we joyfully receive him as our redeemer,
we may with sure confidence behold him
when he shall come to be our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.1#

Post Communion
God for whom we wait,
you have fed us with the bread of eternal life:
keep us ever watchful.
that we may be ready to stand before the Son of Man,
Jesus Christ our Lord. 16#

CHRISTMAS

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD

At Night

Collect
Eternal God,
who made this most holy night
to shine with the brightness of your one true light:
bring us, who have known the revelation
of that light on earth,
to see the radiance of your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2

Post Communion
God our Father.
in this night you have made known to us again
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;
confirm our faith and fix our eyes on him
until the day dawns
and Christ the Morning Star rises in our hearts.
To him be glory both now and for ever. 8#
In the Day

Collect
Almighty God,
you have given us your only-begotten Son
to take our nature upon him
and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin:
grant that we, who have been born again
and made your children by adoption and grace,
may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1#

Post Communion
God our Father,
whose Word has come among us
in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:
may the light of faith illumine our hearts
and shine in our words and deeds;
through him who is Christ the Lord. 16#

FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS

Collect
Almighty God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 7

Post Communion
Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son shared at Nazareth
the life of an earthly home;
help your Church live as one family
united in love and obedience,
and bring us all at last to our home in heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 7#

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS

Collect
Almighty God,
in the birth of your Son
you have poured on us the new light of your incarnate Word,
and shown us the fullness of your love:
help us to walk in this light and dwell in his love
that we may know the fullness of his joy;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 2 Christmas Day #

Post Communion
All praise to you,
almighty God and heavenly King,
who sent your Son into the world
to take our nature upon him
and to be born of a pure virgin:
grant that, as we are born again in him,
so he may continually dwell in us
and reign on earth as he reigns in heaven
with you and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. 7 Christmas Day

EPIPHANY

THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD

Collect*
O God,
who by the leading of a star
manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:
mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith,
may at last behold your glory face to face;
through Jesus Christ our Lord 1#

Post Communion
Lord God,
the bright splendour whom the nations seek:
may we who with the wise men
have been drawn by your light
discern the glory of your presence
in your incarnate Son,
who suffered, died, and was buried,
and who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. 8 revised

THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST

This provision is used on the FIRST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY or, when the Epiphany is itself a Sunday, on the Second Sunday of Epiphany (13 January).

Collect
Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus
revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
Grant to us, who are born of water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 7#

Post Communion
Lord of all time and eternity
you opened the heavens and revealed yourself as Father
in the baptism of Jesus your beloved Son:
by the power of your Spirit
complete the heavenly work of our rebirth
through the waters of the new creation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 11 after Lancelot Andrewes

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

When the Epiphany is a Sunday, this provision is used on the THIRD SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY (20 January).

Collect
Almighty God,
in Christ you make all things new:
transform the poverty of our nature
by the riches of your grace,
and in the renewal of our lives
make known your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 7 Epiphany 4

Post Communion
God of glory,
you nourish us with your Word
who is the bread of life:
fill us with your Holy Spirit
that through us the light of your glory
may shine in all the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. 8

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

When the Epiphany is a Sunday, this provision is used on the FOURTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY (27 January).

Collect
Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 7#

Post Communion
Almighty Father,
your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
is the light of the world:
may your people,
illumined by your word and sacraments,
shine with the radiance of his glory,
that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed
to the ends of the earth;
for he is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 16 Epiphany 2

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

On very rare occasions when Easter Day is very late in April this provision is used on the Twelfth Sunday before Easter

Collect
Creator God,
who in the beginning
commanded the light to shine out of darkness:
we pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief,
shine into the hearts of all your people,
and reveal the knowledge of your glory
in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord. 8#

Post Communion
Generous Lord,
in word and eucharist we have proclaimed
the mystery of your love:
help us so to live out our days
that we may be signs of your wonders in the world;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. 8 much modified

THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE 2 February

or may be observed on the Sunday nearest to 2 February.

Collect*
Almighty and everliving God,
clothed in majesty,
whose beloved Son
was this day presented in the Temple
in the substance of our mortal nature:
may we be presented to you
with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1#

Post Communion
Lord,
you fulfilled the hope of Simeon and Anna,
who lived to welcome the Messiah:
may we, who have received these gifts beyond words,
prepare to meet Christ Jesus when he comes
to bring us to eternal life;
for he is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 8#

ORDINARY TIME

The number of Sundays required depends on the date of Easter. The provision for the Eleventh Sunday before Easter is always used on weekdays after The Presentation of Christ.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER FIFTH BEFORE LENT

Collect
Almighty God,
by whose grace alone we are accepted
and called to your service:
strengthen us by your Holy Spirit
and make us worthy of our calling;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Epiphany 2

Post Communion
God of truth,
we have seen with our eyes
and touched with our hands the bread of life:
strengthen our faith
that we may grow in love for you
and for each other;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 8

TENTH SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER FOURTH BEFORE LENT

Collect*
O God,
you know us to be set
in the midst of so many and great dangers,
that by reason of the frailty of our nature
we cannot always stand upright:
grant to us such strength and protection
as may support us in all dangers
and carry us through all temptations;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Epiphany 4 #

Post Communion*
Go before us, Lord, in all we do
with your most gracious favour,
and guide us with your continual help;
that in all our works
begun, continued and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name,
and finally by your mercy receive everlasting life:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 as modified APB

NINTH SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER THIRD BEFORE LENT

Collect*
Almighty God,
who alone can bring order
to the unruly wills and passions of sinful humanity:
give your people grace
so to love what you command
and to desire what you promise;
that, among the many changes of the world,
our hearts may surely there be fixed
where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Easter 4 #

Post Communion
Merciful Father,
you gave Jesus Christ to be for us the bread of life,
that those who come to him should never hunger:
draw us to our Lord in faith and love,
that we may eat and drink with him
at his table in the kingdom,
where he is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever 2 Easter 1 #

EIGHTH SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER SECOND BEFORE LENT

Collect
Almighty God,
you have created the heavens and the earth
and made us in your own image:
teach us to discern your hand in all your works
and your likeness in all your children;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit
reigns supreme over all things,
now and for ever. 7#

Post Communion
God our creator,
by your gift the tree of life was set at the heart of the earthly
paradise,
and the Bread of life at the heart of your Church:
may we who have been nourished at your table on earth
be transformed by the glory of the Saviour's Cross
and enjoy the delights of eternity;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 8

SEVENTH SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER SUNDAY BEFORE LENT

Collect
Almighty Father,
whose Son was revealed in majesty
before he suffered death upon the cross:
give us grace to perceive his glory,
that we may be strengthened to suffer with him
and be changed into his likeness,
from glory to glory;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever 7 Lent 4

Post Communion
Holy God
we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ:
may we who are partakers at his table
reflect his life in word and deed,
that all the world may know
his power to change and save.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. 16#