Unless stated otherwise, texts on this page are allowed for use within The Anglican Church of Canada as authorized by the General Synod.
Questions about publications and copyright can be directed to the General Synod’s publications email account.
Common worship in the Anglican Church is rooted through the Book of Common Prayer, unifying liturgical practices since the 16th century. Over the centuries, the prayer book has evolved and been adapted to reflect local contexts and theological developments, maintaining its foundational role while embracing diversity across the Anglican Communion.
The Book of Alternative Services (BAS)
Introduced in 1985, the BAS offers modernized liturgies and
contemporary language, compared to the 1962 Book of Common Prayer.
Despite its name “alternative,” the BAS has become the primary
worship text of the Anglican Church of Canada. Portions of the BAS
are also available in other languages on this page.
The Book of Alternative Services (BAS)
The Book of Common Prayer (BCP)
The BCP (1962) is a revision of the 1918 Canadian Book of Common Prayer.
Moveable feast dates from 2021‑40 can be found here.
The Book of Common Prayer (BCP)
A Disciple’s Prayer Book
What began as a pastoral adaptation of the Book of
Common Prayer is now a well-known, well-established
resource in the Anglican Communion. A Disciple’s Prayer Book
is popular among Indigenous Anglicans and commended
for use by the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples.
A Disciple’s Prayer Book
Pray Without Ceasing
Introduced in 1985, the BAS offers modernized liturgies
and contemporary language, compared to the 1962 Book
of Common Prayer. Despite its name “alternative,” the BAS
has become the primary worship text of the Anglican Church
of Canada. Portions of the BAS are also available in
other languages on this page.
Pray Without Ceasing
Inclusive Language Liturgical Psalter
Introduced in 1985, the BAS offers modernized liturgies and
contemporary language, compared to the 1962 Book of Common Prayer.
Despite its name “alternative,” the BAS has become the primary
worship text of the Anglican Church of Canada. Portions of the BAS
are also available in other languages on this page.
Inclusive Language Liturgical Psalter
There are more than 3,000 versions of the Bible known to exist, in over 2,000 languages. The versions approved for use in public worship in the Anglican Church of Canada are noted in this list (PDF, updated in 2011).
Sing A New Creation (2022)
A collection of 174 hymns and songs and 50 service music items, this
resource is a supplement to Common Praise (1998). In addition to
many traditional-looking hymns, Sing a New Creation includes:
short songs, songs that can be taught and sung “paperlessly,”
lead sheets, and songs from around the globe.
Sing A New Creation (2022)
Psalms and Hymns in Cree
Download PDFs of the following resources by clicking their title.
- Psalms and Hymns (John Horden)
-
Psalms and Hymns in the Language of Cree of the Diocese of
Saskatchewan (J. A. Mackay) -
Hymns in the Cree Language (R. Faries)
for Western Hudson’s Bay, Northern Manitoba, and Saskatchewan
Psalms and Hymns in Cree
A number of liturgical resources are supplemental to the BAS and BCP.
The following texts are unrestricted to a specific time of year, and are generally considered for everyday use.
- Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the Revised Common Lectionary and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion
-
For All the Saints accompanies the Calendar of Holy Persons in the BAS. It includes propers for memorials, commemorations, and saints’ days, along with biographical information and primary source readings. Additions since the latest edition of For All the Saints (2007) are as follows:
- February 26: Florence Li Tim-Oi
- April 5: Emily Ayckbowm
- April 5: Memorializing the Covenant, 1994
- June 21: National Indigenous Day of Prayer
- August 6: Memorializing the Apology, 1993
- Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a devotional lectionary based on the Sunday three year cycle of The Revised Common Lectionary.
Listed below are texts for specific liturgical seasons, ordered from Advent to Reign of Christ.
- Advent Festival of Readings and Music from Occasional Celebrations
- Advent Wreath from Occasional Celebrations
- Christmas Festival of Readings and Music from Occasional Celebrations
- Thanksgiving Over the Water for the Baptism of the Lord
- Gathering Rites for the Paschal Cycle for the Paschal Season (Lent and Easter), a particularly important time in the liturgical calendar to focus on the process of initiation-into-Christ, as our communities reaffirm their own baptismal vocation and prepare to initiate new members into baptismal living in community.
- Easter Festival of Readings and Music from Occasional Celebrations
- Alternative Old Testament Readings for Eastertide
- Thanksgiving Over the Water for All Saints’ Day/Sunday
- Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage Between a Christian and a Person of Another Faith Tradition
- Deconsecration of a Sacred Space
- Ecumenically Agreed Liturgical Texts from the English Language Liturgical Consultation. Rites and prayers supplemental to the Book of Alternative Services.
- Family Prayers compiled and translated into syllabics for Moosonee Cree (J. A. MacKay)
- Occasional Celebrations, a collection of resources for certain pastoral and seasonal occasional services, including additional funeral rites, celebrations of new ministries, and home blessing rites.
- Pastoral Liturgies for Journeys of Gender Affirmation and Transition
- Prayers for Reconciliation with the Jewish Peoples
- Public Distribution of Holy Communion by Deacons and Lay People is a collection of guidelines and liturgies prepared by the Doctrine and Worship Committee of the Anglican Church of Canada. This resource provides a temporary solution to the growing need for weekly gathering around book and table, word and sacrament, when a priest is not available.
- Supplementary Eucharistic Prayers, Services of the Word, and Night Prayer is an addition to the BAS and contains additional rites for Sunday services.
The following PDFs are available as excerpts from the BAS and from BAS supplementary resources.
Chinese liturgical texts were translated by Bishop Patrick Yu for use in the Anglican Church of Canada. Suggestions to help improve the flow of the prayers are welcome.
- Ash Wednesday to Easter Vigil services (Traditional and Simplified)
- Burial Office (Traditional and Simplified)
- Holy Baptism (Traditional and Simplified)
- Holy Eucharist (Traditional)
- Holy Eucharist (Simplified)
- The Proper of the Church Year (Chinese and Simplified)
The Diocese of Montreal has additional liturgical resources available in English and French.
- Le baptême (Holy Baptism)
- Le propre des dimanches et des jours saints de l’année liturgique (The Proper of the Church Year)
- Prières universelles (Litanies)
- L’ordination d’un évêque ou une évêque (The ordination of a bishop)
- L’ordination des prêtres (The ordination of a priest)
- L’ordination des diacres (The ordination of a deacon)
- Le service de la Parole II (A Service of the Word, from Eucharistic Prayers, Services of the Word, and Night Prayer)