Commontide
Almighty Father, who inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God: Keep your Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
BCP 2019, p. 626
Preface of Apostles
Through the great shepherd of your flock, Jesus Christ our Lord, who after his resurrection sent forth his apostles to preach the Gospel and to teach all nations, and promised to be with them always, even to the end of the ages.
Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.
Composed by the Episcopal Church's Standing Liturgical Commission around 1973, this collect is a scriptural meditation on Matthew 16, the scene where Peter names Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God. It asks that the whole Church hold fast to Peter's confession as the foundation of its unity, and is observed on January 18 in connection with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.