The Book of Common Prayer | |||||||
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THE THANKSGIVING OF WOMEN AFTER CHILD-BIRTH COMMONLY CALLED, THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN.¶ This service, or the concluding prayer alone, as it stands among the Occasional Prayers and Thanksgivings, may be used at the discretion of the Minister. ¶ The Woman, at the usual time after her delivery, shall come into the Church decently apparelled, and there shall kneel down in some convenient place, as hath been accustomed, or as the Ordinary shall direct: And then the Minister shall say unto her, FORASMUCH
as it hath pleased Almighty God, of his goodness, to give you safe deliverance,
and to preserve you in the great danger of Child-birth; you shall therefore
give hearty thanks unto God, and say, 1789 BCP: ¶
Then shall the Minster say the following Hymn, taken from the 116th
Psalm. 1892 BCP: ¶ Then shall be said by both of them the following Hymn, the woman still kneeling.
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Dilexi quoniam. I
AM well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer;
¶ Then shall the Minister say the Lord's prayer, with what follows: but the Lord's Prayer may be omitted, if this be used with the Morning or Evening Prayer. OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.
O ALMIGHTY God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve, through the great pain and peril of Child-birth, this woman thy servant, who desires now to offer her praises and thanksgivings unto thee. Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that she, through thy help, may both faithfully live, and walk according to thy will, in this life present; and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶
The woman, that cometh to give her Thanks, must offer accustomed offerings,
which shall be applied by the Minister and the Churchwardens to the relief
of distressed women in child-bed; and if there be a Communion, it is convenient
that she receive the Holy Communion. |
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