Christians have a solemn duty to pray every day, and the history and conviction of the Church is that prayer is best offered according to a set form.

The form the Church has developed over her twenty centuries is the Office: services of canticles, collects, psalms, and Bible readings. Parts of the Offices are fixed; others vary day by day and season by season.

For 'religious' (monks and nuns and friars), there are seven Offices, spread throughout the day and night, because prayer is their primary business.

In the Anglican tradition, the laity are also invited to join in the cycle of ordered divine praise, this scheme has been simplified to two: Morning Prayer (or Matins), and Evening Prayer (or Evensong).

Anglican priests have an obligation to 'say' these two Offices every day, and all laity are encouraged to do so too - to make the sweet, orderly and gentle rhythm of the Offices part of their lives, too.

It can be a bit hard at first to get the 'hang' of how the Offices work; but try looking at this site, which does most of the calculating for you.

Or you can find the daily Offices of the 1928 American Prayer Book online: Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer.

Click here for the Daily Office according to the 1979 Prayer Book.

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