[3] The Prayers of the People

This third section of Holy Communion is introduced with the words said by the lay reader/minister:

Let us pray for the world and for the Church.

In most Anglican churches I've been in the prayers are prayed by a congregational member because these prayers are 'the prayers of the people'. Sometimes the pray-er will even stand at the back of the church or in the aisle a little towards the front to emphasise the fact that these prayers come from the congregation. The prayers are supplicatory in nature.

Various formats can be used and numbers of formats are given in the Prayer Book and other appropriate sources can also be used. Usually after each area of prayer is finished, the pray-er will say some like, 

Father, hear our prayer

[with the congregation responding with something like]

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer may then begin with  

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ has promised that you

will hear us when we ask in faith: receive the prayers we offer.

Four typical areas for prayer are: For the nations; for the Church; for those in need [often allowing a time of silence for private supplications for those in need]; and thanksgiving for the faithful departed. The latter category may seem strange for non-Anglicans but it is a time to remember those we have loved/who have loved her and influenced us for good but whom we see no more. The tenor of the prayer falls within the scope of Hebrews 12, the great crowd of witnesses who encourage us by their example to run the race with perseverance looking to Jesus (Heb 12.1-2).

Often the pray-ers may finish with:

Accept our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray,

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed by your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial*

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen

If you come from a tradition unused to publicly saying the Lord's Prayer you will notice the modernisation of the Prayer in this version. Additionally, you find a different translation in the fourth last line* and a different word order in second last line. (If a baptism, funeral or even wedding is held where people outside the church attend however, then the older, more familiar form of the Lord's prayer is often said.)

The change in the fourth last line* seems to be related to the difficulties many have with the idea of God 'leading us into temptation'. However, the new translation is still problematic because trials are part of this present life, just ask the apostle Paul!

A preferable rendering of these lines is: 'Do not allow us to fall into temptation but** deliver us from evil'. John Calvin (following Augustine of Hippo) says that the sense of the line is: That we may not be led into temptation, deliver us from evil. That is, the emphasis is on the second phrase, 'but deliver us from evil'. Deliver us from evil so that we may not be led into temptation.

**The translation of Greek 'alla' in the text should be but not 'and' because the Greek word means but or moreover and in this context transitions to the main point, see here.