What Is A Penitential Order Of Service?

Christ the King Church uses a Penitential Order of Service during Advent and Lent. A Penitential Order of Service is a liturgical rite used at the beginning of a worship service, particularly the Holy Eucharist, to prepare the congregation through a focused emphasis on repentance and confession of sin; designed to set a tone of humility and contrition before proceeding to the celebration of the Word and Sacrament.

It reflects the Anglican tradition’s commitment to acknowledging human sinfulness and seeking God’s mercy as a foundation for worship. A Penitential Order of Service is especially fitting In the context of Advent and Lent, this practice fits perfectly: Advent calls us to prepare for Christ’s coming by living faithfully, and Lent urges us to repent and renew our commitment to him. Learn more below.

Structure of the Penitential Order in the ACNA

Based on the 2019 ACNA Book of Common Prayer, the Penitential Order generally includes the following elements:

Opening Acclamation: The service begins with a call to worship, often a versicle and response between the officiant (priest or deacon) and the congregation. For example, a common acclamation might be:

Officiant: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

People: His mercy endures for ever.

This establishes the theme of forgiveness and God’s grace.

The Decalogue (Optional): The Ten Commandments may be recited, with responses from the congregation after each commandment, such as “Amen. Lord, have mercy.” This practice, rooted in earlier BCP traditions, underscores the moral law and human inability to keep it perfectly, prompting reflection on sin.

Exhortation: The officiant may offer a brief exhortation, calling the congregation to examine their consciences and repent. This might include words like: “Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God… to make our common supplications to him, confessing our sins with a humble and obedient heart.”

Confession of Sin: A general confession is said by all, kneeling if able, acknowledging both specific and general sins. An example from the 2019 BCP is:

1. • “Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone…”
   • This is a corporate act, reflecting the communal nature of worship in Anglicanism.

Absolution: The priest pronounces absolution, declaring God’s forgiveness to the penitent. For instance:

1. • “Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins…”
   • If a deacon or layperson leads, they instead pray a modified form, asking God to grant forgiveness rather than declaring it authoritatively.

Comfortable Words (Optional): Following absolution, the officiant may read one or more scriptural assurances of pardon, such as Matthew 11:28 (“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden…”) or John 3:16, reinforcing the gospel’s promise of grace.

Transition to the Eucharist: The Penitential Order concludes, often flowing into the Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy”) or the Collect for Purity, signaling the shift to the main body of the Eucharistic liturgy.

In short, a Penitential Order of Service, contains many of the same elements we use on a Sunday morning, and a few extra elements, just in a slightly different order, bringing the focus of our need to repent and receive forgiveness to the beginning of the service.