Collects are short, structured prayers used in Christian liturgy, particularly within the Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic traditions. The term "collect" is derived from the Latin "collecta," meaning "gathering," as these prayers are often recited during the gathering of the congregation. Collects serve to collect the thoughts and prayers of the people, focusing them on a particular theme or petition.

Structure and Purpose

A typical collect follows a specific structure, often consisting of five parts: the invocation, the acknowledgment, the petition, the aspiration, and the conclusion. The invocation addresses God, often highlighting an attribute or title. The acknowledgment recalls God's past deeds or attributes relevant to the petition. The petition is the main request or theme of the prayer. The aspiration expresses the desired outcome or purpose of the petition. Finally, the conclusion often includes a doxology or a Trinitarian formula, ending the prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.

Collects are designed to be concise yet profound, encapsulating theological truths and communal needs in a few sentences. They are used to guide the congregation's focus, aligning their hearts and minds with the themes of the liturgical calendar or specific services.

Biblical Foundations

While the specific format of collects is not found in the Bible, the practice of structured prayer is evident throughout Scripture. The Psalms, for example, often follow a pattern of invocation, petition, and praise. Jesus' teaching on prayer, particularly the Lord's Prayer, provides a model for structured prayer that includes adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication (Matthew 6:9-13).

The Apostle Paul also emphasizes the importance of prayer in the life of the believer, encouraging the church to pray "without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to present their requests to God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). These biblical principles underpin the use of collects in Christian worship, as they provide a means for the congregation to corporately express their dependence on God.

Historical Development

The use of collects can be traced back to the early church, where they were employed in the liturgies of both the Eastern and Western traditions. The Roman Rite, in particular, developed a rich tradition of collects, many of which have been preserved in the Roman Missal. The Book of Common Prayer, first published in 1549, adapted many of these collects for use in the Anglican tradition, where they continue to play a central role in worship.

Collects have been valued for their theological depth and poetic beauty, often reflecting the doctrinal emphases of the church. They are used in various services, including the Eucharist, Morning and Evening Prayer, and special occasions such as weddings and funerals.

Theological Significance

Collects serve as a means of catechesis, teaching the congregation about the nature of God, the work of Christ, and the life of the Spirit. They often reflect the themes of the liturgical season, such as Advent, Lent, or Easter, helping the congregation to enter more fully into the mysteries of the faith.

Through the repetition of collects, worshippers are reminded of the constancy of God's character and the ongoing need for His grace. They provide a framework for communal prayer, uniting the voices of the congregation in a shared expression of faith and dependence on God.

In summary, collects are a vital component of Christian liturgy, offering a structured and theologically rich means of prayer that draws the congregation into deeper communion with God.622. asaph -- to gather, remove
... 1), assemble (9), assembled (12), assembling (1), attached (1), bring (1), brought
(2), brought together (1), collect (1), collected (2), collects (1), cure (4 ...
/hebrew/622.htm - 6k

Collects the Ectene and the Litany of the Deacon
... COLLECTS THE ECTENE AND THE LITANY OF THE DEACON. These Collects hold a
most important place in the services of the Eastern Church. ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the greek church/collects the ectene and the.htm

He Collects More Witnesses of the Same Fact.
... Book VII. Chapter X. He collects more witnesses of the same fact. But why am
I lingering so long over one instance, as if many were wanting? ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter x he collects more.htm

Of the Silence and Conciseness with which the Collects are Offered ...
... Prolegomena. Chapter X. Of the silence and conciseness with which the Collects
are offered up by the Egyptians. When, then, they ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter x of the silence.htm

1 to Pray is as it were to be on Speaking Terms with Me...
... 4. Just as the bee collects the sweet juice of the flowers and turns it into honey
without injuring their colour or fragrance, so the man of prayer gathers ...
//christianbookshelf.org/singh/at the masters feet/section iii 1 to pray.htm

The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New
... It was to teach us this that the special services, lessons, collects, epistles,
and gospels of this week were chosen. The second ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xi the god of.htm

Good Friday
... the living God? The three collects for Good Friday are very grand and very
remarkable. In the first we pray:-. 'Almighty God, we ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon v good friday.htm

Appendix i. In the Gallican Liturgy.
... Collects post nomina. ... The Communicants approach the Altar. Two Collects, one post
communionem, the other consummatio Miss??, with which the Service closed. ...
/.../luckock/studies in the book of common prayer/appendix i in the gallican.htm

Advent Lessons
... But I do not think that we shall understand those collects, or indeed the meaning
of Advent itself, or the reason why we keep the season of Advent year by year ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon v advent lessons.htm

How to Use the Prayer-Book
... You will find many of the Collects"such as that for the First Sunday after Epiphany,
or the Second Sunday after Easter, or the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity ...
/.../regester/the worship of the church/how to use the prayer-book.htm

The Phoenix
... Hence she collects juices and odours, which the Assyrian gathers from the rich wood,
which the wealthy Arabian gathers; which either the Pygm??an [2036] nations ...
/.../lactantius/of the manner in which the persecutors died/the phoenix.htm

Collects (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Collects (2 Occurrences). Hebrews 7:9 We can say that
through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, (See NIV). ...
/c/collects.htm - 6k

Collector (8 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) One who collects things which are separate; esp., one who makes a business
or practice of collecting works of art, objects in natural history, etc.; as ...
/c/collector.htm - 9k

Cream (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The rich, oily, and yellowish part of milk, which,
when the milk stands unagitated, rises, and collects on the surface. ...
/c/cream.htm - 8k

College (2 Occurrences)

/c/college.htm - 9k

Kishon (6 Occurrences)
... The Kishon collects the streams from the western slopes of Gilboa in the
rainy season; and the water from the strong spring at Jenin. ...
/k/kishon.htm - 12k

Kabzeel (3 Occurrences)
... kab'-ze-el, kab'-zel (kabhtse'el "(whom) God collects"): One of the "uttermost cities"
of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South (Negeb) (Joshua 15:21). ...
/k/kabzeel.htm - 8k

Gatherer (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) One who gathers or collects. 2. (n.) An attachment
for making gathers in the cloth. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/g/gatherer.htm - 8k

Revenue (10 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) The annual yield of taxes, excise, customs, duties, rents, etc., which a
nation, state, or municipality collects and receives into the treasury for ...
/r/revenue.htm - 10k

Collector's (2 Occurrences)

/c/collector's.htm - 7k

Cistern (21 Occurrences)
... Cisterns, belonging to the common natives, are rarely cleansed, and the inevitable
scum which collects is dispersed by plunging the pitcher several times ...
/c/cistern.htm - 29k

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