THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY OFFICES IN THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF WORSHIPPERS

(A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE 2025 CLERGY WORKSHOP FOR LAGOS METROPOLITAN DIOCESES ON WEDNESDAY, 15^TH JANUARY, 2025 HELD AT THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JUDE, EBUTE-METTA, LAGOS, BY THE RT. REV’D DR. JAMES OLUSOLA ODEDEJI, PhD, M.A., B.A. (Hons), Dip. Th., J.P.)

Introduction

The Anglican tradition has a rich history and liturgy. One of its features is its strong commitment to daily prayer within the life of the church. The Book of Common Prayer places significant emphasis on the practice of the Daily Office. This practice stands as a cornerstone of Anglican spirituality, offering a constant observance of prayer and reflection that nurtures the soul and connects worshippers to God.The intentionality and commitment of the Anglican Church to the spiritual growth of members is evident in the methods employed by the church in expressing her faith, particularly in worship. The content of theDaily Offices aims at enhancing members’ relationship with God and is an important feature of enhancing members’ spirituality. The Anglican worship is in itself a practice of the scripture. Hence, there is no way an Anglican faithful can claim to be ignorant of the word. This is because each of the items of theDaily Offices is designed for the spiritual growth of members since it ispredicated on the scripture. The beliefs and practices of the Anglican Church are reflected in its prayer and spirituality. In other words, the Anglican belief is demonstrated in its worship and prayer. The church upholds and believes in scripture and corporate prayer which are pivotal to the spiritual growth of worshippers.

What is the Daily Office?

The Daily Office for Anglicans is a practice that uses daily prayers to mark the times of the day. This comes in the form of the four offices of Daily Morning Prayer,Midday Prayer, Daily Evening Prayer (called Evensong, especially when celebrated chorally), and Compline,as provided for in the Book of Common Prayer.The two principal services are Morning and Evening Prayers. The others are the shorter services of Midday Prayer and Compline said at noon and before bed respectively. Either the clergy or laity can use the Daily Office.

The name “Office” comes from the Latin word officium, which means “duty” or “service”. The Daily Office therefore represents a sacred duty or service of prayer and worship offered to God at various intervals of the day.In other words, the Daily Office refers to a set of structured, regular prayers and Scripture readings that are assigned for specific times throughout the day.They are prayers that draw us into the presence of God, simply to be with Him. The prayers are full of deep theological meaning and depth, biblical and straightforward usage.

By the name “Daily Office”, it emphasizes the regularity of this act of worship. It therefore serves as a means of sanctifying time, drawing individuals closer to God through continuous prayer and reflection throughout the day. It offers a structured framework for daily prayer and reflection.

The Purpose of the Daily Office is twofold:

1. A reminder that all time is sacred since all-time belongs to God.
2. It is a sanctification of the individual – a way to draw individuals closer to God.

The Daily Office allows individuals tofellowship with other fellow Christians (Heb. 10:25). Participation in the Daily Office is at the heart of Anglican spirituality. While individual faith and relationship with God are of vital importance, it is a reminder that we are part of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27).

The Morning and Evening Prayers

The Morning and Evening prayers, also known as Mattins and Evensong respectively, are essential aspects of the Daily Office. These provide wonderful platform for daily devotion.The Morning and Evening prayers bring people together to read the word of God and pray.Common practice is to refer to the choral or sung version of the service as Mattins and the spoken version as Morning Prayer. The term Choral Mattins refers to a service in which a choir sings composed settings of the responses, psalms, canticles and anthems.

The order of morning and evening worship are to be used for either private or public worship and anytime the Eucharist is not being celebrated on Sundays. Ordained Ministers are to pray daily either privately or publicly using either of the two forms (First and Second orders) provided for in the Book of Common Prayer. An ordained or lay minister can lead in every congregation.The service is led from the prayer desk. The service begins with the opening hymn which serves the purpose of inviting the presence of God. This is followed by the call to worship which employs the use of scriptural references and quotations. The corporate confession and absolution immediately follow. Other aspects of the service like the reading of the word of God; which include the Psalms (Psalms are usually sung following a practice known as “Anglican Chant”), Canticles or hymns follow the two readings from the Bible (known as Lessons). There are options for each. After the Old Testament Lesson, either Te Deum, Benedicite or “A Song of Creation” or “Great and Wonderful”; for evening worship:Magnificat or “Bless the Lord”, may be sung. After the New Testament Lesson, the options are Benedictus or the Jubilate Deo; and for evening worship: Nunc Dimittis. Although these canticles always retain their Latin titles, they are often sung in English. The sermon later serves to offer spiritual guidance for the people to reach and navigate through the world.

The congregation then bring their prayers to God by first affirming their belief in God with the Apostles’ Creed. The lesser litany, versicles and responses follow. The Collect summarizes the theme of the day, season and scripture. These Collects or prayers are directed to God during any worship service. The Collects, which are short prayers composed for use at different seasons, are all rooted in the Bible. It is important to state that after the third Collect, other prayers called state prayers, which includes a variety of prayers for different categories of people also follow. Prayer, which is a key part of the Daily Offices, is therefore central to the Anglican worship experience.

The Morning Prayer (Mattins) helps:

1. Renew worshippers’ commitment. This helps worshippers begin the day with a renewed commitment to God and a focus on worshippers’ Godly values in their endeavors.
2. Prepare worshippers for challenges. The service prepares every participant to face the challenges of the day with faith, courage, and wisdom.
3. Set a positive tone for the day. The Morning Prayer sets a positive tone for the day. In other words, it provides the platform for worshippers to be reminded of God s guidance and presencethroughout the day (Isaiah 48:17; Matthew 28:20).

The Evening Prayer (Evensong) helps:

1. Prepare worshippers for rest. Evening Prayer prepares worshippers for rest. It helps calm the minds of worshippers as they entrust themselves to God s care.
2. Worshippers reflect on the day. It is an opportunity for members to reflect on the day s activities, thank God for the successes, and seek God s forgiveness for their shortcomings.
3. Encourage a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving. It provides an opportunity for participants to thank God for the blessings of the day and seek His continued presence and protection.

The Mid-day Prayer

This can be led either by the clergy or laity. As monasticism evolved, the third, sixth and ninth hours of the day became the hours for the “Little Offices” referred to as “Terce”, “Sext” and “Nones”. These hours have been linked to the events of the Passion.

Some of the key elements of Mid-day prayer include:

1. Hymns
2. Psalms and Scripture readings
3. Exposition/Meditation (Optional)
4. Collect for the day
5. Prayer biddings

The importance of the Mid-day prayer includes:

1. It encourages humility and gratitude. Mid-day prayer encourages worshippers to express gratitude to God for His blessings and acknowledge their dependence on Him for the rest of the day.
2. It encourages the need to acknowledge God as the giver of every hour.

• Helps renew worshippers’ focus. The Mid-day prayer assists worshippers pause in the midst of their daily busy schedules, seek God s face, and realign their priorities.

1. Offers spiritual nourishment. Every aspect of the Mid-day prayer provides spiritual nourishment to worshippers’ souls, which helps sustain them for the rest of the day.
2. It is a reminder and commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at noon, and also serves as a reenactment of Jesus’ prayer for the sinners on the cross on Good Friday.

The Compline

The Compline, otherwise known as the night prayer, is often said to round off the day and prepare us for a restful sleep. In other words, it marks the end of the day. This service can equally be led by the clergy or laity and may be said privately or publicly. The Compline often includes:

1. Prayers
2. Psalms and Scripture readings.
3. A Hymn
4. The Nunc Dimittis(This is also known as the Song of Simeon, taken from Luke 2:29-32). It is often sung or recited during Evensong in the Anglican Church).

The Compline is significant for the spiritual growth of worshippers in many ways, but not limited to the following:

1. Assures worshippers of the presence of God. The Compline reminds worshippers of God s love and presence, even in the quietest moments.
2. Guides worshippers into stillness. The service helps worshippers transition from the activities of the daytime to a peaceful and quiet evening, calming worshippers’ minds and hearts (Psalm 46:10).

• Provides comfort and protection. The prayers and intercession used during Compline reassure worshippers of God s protection and care, especially during the unguarded hours of night.

Brief Historical Roots and Evolution

The Daily Office has its origins in the monastic traditions of early Christianity, where communities would gather for prayer multiple times a day. This was referred to as the Liturgy of the Hours or the Divine Office. It was prayed initially in monastic communities. The day was divided into seven liturgical hours — three major (Matins, Lauds and Vespers) and four minor (Terce, Sext, None and Compline) — a seven-fold to sanctify the day with prayer and to give it structure and purpose.

After the Reformation, the first version of the Book of Common Prayer (1549), the brainchild of then Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, reduced the services to two, combining the first three hours into a single morning service and the last two into an evening service (Evensong). The other three hours were abolished.Cranmer further accommodated prayers among Psalms, canticles and readings of the Bible; the Kyries were now placed after the Creed together with the other prayer material instead of before it.In addition to simplifying the monastic pattern, Thomas Cranmer observed that as the Daily Office was the prayer of the whole church, i.e. the Common Prayer prayed by everyone, Mattins and Evensong were to be public services in the church for which the doors had to be open and the bell rung; still the practice in most English churches. Thus, the ancient Benedictine practice of the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours became embedded in Anglican spiritual practice as the backbone of our approach to prayer, and making this spiritual discipline accessible to both clergy and laity.The Anglican Daily Offices reformed the medieval Office books heavily, but in ways that were nonetheless very traditional.  The result was so satisfactory, that it has survived many centuries.

There were a number of clear pastoral and theological principles at work behind the reform of the Office. First, the Prayer Book sought to make the Office more pastorally useful.  In the medieval Church, the Offices were almost exclusively the preserve of the clergy. The Office, in other words, changed from a specialized activity for religious professionals to a central element in the devotion for both the clergy and the laity. Secondly, the Prayer Book Offices allowed the Scripture to become integrated into the devotional life of Anglican clergy and laity. For Anglicans, the Bible is read daily with the Church in the Office, as well as in the Eucharist, and the Office is as widely available to the laity as it is to the clergy. Thirdly, the Prayer Book, given the original scheme for reading the Psalter monthly and the Bible annually, made the Offices more orderly.  The Prayer Book establishes daily, weekly, monthly, and annual patterns, which order and structure time, both secular and sacred. 

The Significance of Daily Offices in the Spiritual Growth of Worshippers

1. It is a reminder that our times are in God s hands; our entire day belongs to God. The use of the Daily Office at the start and end of the day trains us to give each day into God s hands. Beginning and ending each day with Scripture and prayer also reminds us that the day and night belong to God.
2. Scriptural Engagement. The lectionary, guiding the scripture readings in the Daily Office, presents an opportunity for a comprehensive engagement with the Bible. Over time, members read through large portions of the Old and New Testaments, grounding their spiritual lives in God s Word. This exposure to the Bible enhances understanding and fosters a deeper understanding of God s Word.It is also a reminder that scripture and prayer are our daily food. “But He answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).The Bible and prayer are brought together in harmony in the daily offices.It is therefore a helpful reminder that Scripture and prayer are our daily food.
3. Consistency and Discipline. The use of the Daily Office instills a sense of spiritual discipline in members. In a world filled with distractions, setting aside time for prayer and reflection anchors the soul. This regular and consistent practice helps members develop the habit of communing with God throughout their day, creating a steady practice of worship and reflection.
4. The Daily Office helps cultivate a disciplined prayer life in members. It empowers individuals to navigate life s challenges with renewed spiritual strength.
5. The practice of corporate prayer is a movement of people from isolation toward the community of faith.They are useful in helping us to understand our relation to the body of Christ, the Church, which is particularly valuable at a time like this.In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus promised His followers that when two or three are gathered in His name, He will be present (Matthew 18:20). The Daily Offices were intended to be said in community in the local church: not alone, but with others. The title “common prayer”, shows it is prayer for everyone, and not just the clergy. The practice goes back to the New Testament where believers met daily with one accord to break bread, pray, and to intercede for others (Acts 2:42-47). Hence, these prayers unite the Anglican community worldwide, creating a sense of shared worship and communal identity. The Anglican worship is corporate, and impacts the spirituality of its members.
6. It shows that prayer is not the preserve of the clergy but is a practice common to clergy and laity alike. The whole Prayer Book is designed to enable the laity to fulfil their priestly vocation of prayer: the responses are participatory; the Collects are short and are simple to understand.
7. The Daily Offices help cultivate intimacy with God. The ultimate goal is to meet God in his Word and be blessed and transformed by that encounter.  The use of the Daily Office holds profound significance in nurturing a deeper spiritual life and fostering a stronger connection with God. The core of the Anglican Daily Office services is almost entirely based on praying using the words of the scripture itself, and hearing readings from it. The Book of Common Prayer itself can be described as the Bible re-arranged for public worship.
8. It encourages self-examination and reflection. The Daily Offices, through its various aspects, prompts worshippers to reexamine and reflect on their relationships, actions, and attitudes and make amends where necessary.
9. The Daily Offices offer a means of growing in Christian virtue and character such as love, kindness, and service to others.
10. Wholistic Worship. The Daily Office incorporates various forms of prayer such as adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. This approach to prayer nurtures a balanced spiritual life. Worshippers adore God, seek forgiveness, offer gratitude, and present their needs and the needs of others before the Lord. This wholistic engagement ensures that no aspect of life remains untouched by prayer.

Conclusion

The Anglican worship is based on the scripture and is well-organized. The object of worship is God and hence, worship is characterized by orderliness, reverence and awe. The Anglican church is a place where God answers prayers. The church encompasses thanksgiving, praise, confession, absolution, prayer, the word, and mission in its worship. The church was designed to meet the spiritual needs of its members. The Daily Office stands as a vital practice within Anglican spirituality. It offers a disciplined, communal, and scripturally rooted framework for prayer and worship. By embracing this tradition, membersembrace a rich heritage, deepen their relationship with God, and foster a sense of unity. The Daily Office offers a timeless rhythm of prayer, grounding members in the eternal presence of God.Incorporating the Daily Office into our lives not only honors our Anglican heritage but also enriches our spiritual journey, drawing us closer to God and to one another. Let me therefore challenge us all to embrace this ancient practice with renewed commitment, allowing it to shape and sustain us in our walk of faith.

REFERENCES

Stephen Fagbemi, Celebrating the Anglican Heritage (Nigeria: Capstone Communications Ltd., 2019).

Peter Toon, The Anglican Formularies and Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia: Preservation Press of the Prayer Book Society of the United States, 2006).

Walker, A. S., The Usage, Understanding and Theology of the Daily Office amongst Anglican Clergy today (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 2004).

The Prayer Book, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Lagos, 2002.

The Book of Common Prayer, 1662.