Revision of
At the end of calendar year
2005, the Episcopal Council, nothing that none of the Synod’s local churches
were utilizing the Divine Liturgy of St. Timothy for Sunday worship, discussed
the following questions:
1. Should we continue to
employ it as our synodical Eucharistic rite, or should we instead, ‘when in
2. Should we simply provide
for a common/synodical Justinian outline/pattern for Eucharistic worship,
requiring simply that local-use rites match the pattern?
In responding affirmatively
to the above questions, the Episcopal Council endorsed the following synodical
pattern/outline:
1. The local churches
accept the following general considerations inasmuch as humanly possible per
local circumstances:
a. adoption
of the Synodical Liturgical Calendar
b. adoption
of the Synodical Propers and Lectionary
c. respect
for applied differences between Lord’s Day and weekday liturgies (e.g., fewer
Scripture readings, omission of creed, etc., on weekdays).
2. The local celebration of
the Divine Liturgy includes the following elements:
a.
Liturgy of the
Word
i.
Old Testament
ii.
Psalm
iii.
New Testament
iv.
Gospel
v.
Nicene Creed (sine Filioque)
vi.
General Intercessions
b.
Liturgy of the
Eucharist
i.
Institution Narrative
ii.
Invocation of the Holy Spirit (Epiclesis)
iii.
Lord’s Prayer
iv.
Communion Rite
3. In addition, the local
churches accept the following general considerations otherwise.
a.
Adherence solely
to synodical Ordinal and to synodical rites of Christian Initiation (i.e., for
the catechumenate, baptism,
sealing/chrismation/confirmation, and first eucharist)
b.
Ensuring the use
of an epiclesis in all of the sacramental rites.
c.
Reliance on the
synodical Worship Commission for development and revision of general rites (as
endorsed by the Episcopal Council) for synodical use and for development of
particular rites for local use.