The Thanksgiving of Women
after Child-birth

Commonly called the Churching of Women

¶ This Service, or the concluding prayer alone, as it stands among the Occasional Prayers and Thanksgivings, may be used at the discretion of the Minister.
¶ The Woman, at the usual time after her delivery, shall come into the Church decently apparelled, and there shall kneel down in some convenient place as hath been accustomed, or as the Ordinary shall direct.
¶ The Minister shall then say unto her,

FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God, of his goodness, to give you safe deliverance, and to preserve you in the great danger of Child-birth; you shall therefore give hearty thanks unto God, and say,

¶ Then shall be said by both of them the following Hymn, the Woman still kneeling.

Dilexi, quoniam. Psalm cxvi.

MY delight is in the LORD; because he hath heard the voice of my prayer;
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me; therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
I found trouble and heaviness; then called I 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.
What reward shall I give unto the LORD for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?
I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the LORD'S house; even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Minister say the Lord's Prayer, with what followeth: but the Lord's Prayer may be omitted, if this be used with the Morning or Evening Prayer.

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Minister. O Lord, save this woman thy servant;

Answer. Who putteth her trust in thee.

Minister. Be thou to her a strong tower;

Answer. From the face of her enemy.

Minister. Lord, hear our prayer.

Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.

Minister. Let us pray.

O ALMIGHTY God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve, through the great pain and peril of child-birth, this woman, thy servant, who desireth now to offer her praises and thanksgivings unto thee. Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that she, through thy help, may faithfully live according to thy will in this life, and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then may be said,

GRANT, we beseech thee, O heavenly Father, that the child of this thy servant may daily increase in wisdom and stature, and grow in thy love and service, until he come to thy eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ The Woman, that cometh to give her Thanks, must offer accustomed offerings, which shall be applied by the Minister and the Church-wardens to the relief of distressed women in child-bed; and if there be a Communion, it is convenient that she receive the Holy Communion.