Octave of Prayer for General Convention

A Message from the Executive Officer of General Convention, the Rev. Dr. Gregory Straub

I would have no desire other than to accomplish thy will. Teach me to pray; pray thyself in me. Francois Fenelon

On behalf of the Presiding Bishop, the President of the House of Deputies and the 75^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, I write to encourage every Episcopal congregation and every Episcopalian to participate in an Octave of Prayer for our Church and for our coming meeting in Columbus.

Octaves of prayer last eight days. In previous editions of the Book of Common Prayer major feasts of the church, like All Saints’ Day and Epiphany, were celebrated on the feast day itself and for the seven days following. (A remnant of this custom is the present rubric that allows All Saints Day to be observed on the following Sunday.)

The Octave of Prayer for General Convention will begin on Pentecost (June 4^th) and end on Trinity Sunday (June 11^th). Materials, including scriptural passages, prayers and meditations, can be found on the General Convention website, one click from www.episcopalchurch.org. They are currently posted in English and Spanish. (A French translation will be posted before Pentecost.) Parishes and individuals can subscribe on line (for free) to the Episcopal News Service and receive a meditation each day, or they can download them from the Octave website.

We are encouraging parishes to pray the Octave day by day and to take and send an electronic photograph of worshipers on Trinity Sunday. These photos will be shown on giant screens in the House of Deputies to remind the members of General Convention of the congregations whose prayers are supporting them in their work.

The Octave of Prayer is a way for Episcopalians who cannot be present physically in Columbus to be present in spirit. Please pray the Octave