Book of Common Worship

Minutes, General Assembly  | May 25, 1951, p. 51| Committee Reports

The Report of the Special Committee on The Book of Common Worship in the absence of any member of the Special Committee was presented through the Recording Clerk. The Report was received and approved as follows:

During the ecclestical year, your Committee lost the leadership of its Chairman, Rev. Hugh Thomson Kerr, whose death occurred June 27, 1950, at the age of 79.

Dr. Kerr succeeded Dr. William Chalmers Covert in 1943, and under his efficient chairmanship, the Committee undertook the revision of The Book of Common Worship, Revised, and published in 1946. Dr. Kerr was peculiarly fitted for this important undertaking of our Church by his long interest in liturgics, his familiarity with the literature in this field, and his unusual literary gifts.

The 162^nd General Assembly adopted certain Overtures which called for the insertion of a new first question in connection with all ordinations. This required corresponding changes in the forms for Ordination in The Book of Common Worship. These changes were approved by the Office of the Stated Clerk, and for the convenience of those who have the edition of 1946, slips were prepared by the Board of Christian Education, as publishers, for insertion at the proper places in The Book of Common Worship.

The Committee has thus been continuing to render such service as is required of it as a Special Committee appointed “to act in collaboration with the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly.”