Formulary Friday: Being ‘Churched’
Recently, our daughter turned one. In the days leading up to her birthday, I spent time looking back over her first year, going through copious photos and wondering how the time can have gone so quickly! Just over a year ago, we were excitedly (as well as a little apprehensively) preparing for the birth of our first child. Whilst I wasn't particularly looking forward to the 'giving birth' bit, I was looking forward to meeting our new baby, discovering whether it was a 'he' or a 'she', and proudly introducing him or her to our family and friends. As well as all of these things, my husband, being an Anglican clergyman, and a big fan of the Book of Common Prayer, was also looking forward to 'churching' his wife... I was somewhat less convinced, and secretly hoped that he would forget all about it in the excitement of the new arrival. However, as it turned out, I discovered that the service known as ‘The Churching of Woman', or ‘The Thanksgiving of Woman after Child-birth’ is not what I had imagined it might be, but can be both relevant and helpful today.
It begins:
“Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his goodness to give you safe deliverance, and hath preserved you in the great danger of child-birth: You shall therefore give hearty thanks unto God…”
Without going into any gory details, Phoebe's birth was less than straightforward, and could well have placed mother and/or baby in ‘great danger’. As it was, we were in good hands and I at no point felt particularly at risk (though if you ask Mark, he may have a slightly different perspective on things!) I was incredibly thankful for God's provision of skilful doctors and midwives for us and for the very many answers to the very many prayers before and during labour. I really appreciated it when Mark did the Churching service with me in hospital a day or so later - it is a short and simple service, but having the time and opportunity to reflect on this and to thank God was really important.
The service continues with Psalm 116, which begins:
“I am well pleased: that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer;
That he hath inclined his ear unto me: therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
The snares of death compassed me round about: and the pains of hell gat hold upon me.
I found trouble and heaviness, and I called upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous: yea, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserveth the simple: I was in misery, and he helped me.
Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul: for the Lord hath rewarded thee.
And why? thou hast delivered my soul from death: mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord: in the land of the living.” (vv. 1-8)
The psalm reflected my own experience: that God had heard my prayers, and that he had delivered me and my baby from any physical dangers. This was also an encouraging psalm to remember as I continued to call to God in the weeks and months that followed, as we set out on our new family life together.
The service finishes with:
"O Almighty God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliver this woman thy servant from the great pain and peril of child-birth: Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that she through thy help may both faithfully live and walk according to thy will, in this life present; and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
I liked the way that this brought the focus back to my own relationship with God, which will be so important as Mark and I seek to raise Phoebe to know Him for herself.
Childbirth, whilst a wonderful and exciting time, can also be scary, and not without its risks. Just as in Cranmer’s day, the safe delivery of a child is still something that is very much worth thanking God for, and I found that the Churching service was a really helpful way of doing just that.