Ministration to the Sick

A pastoral office of the church. In its basic form the service is an abbreviated eucharist, including a rite for laying on of hands and anointing. The priest may suggest the making of a special confession if the sick person's conscience is troubled. The form for the Reconciliation of a Penitent is used. The BCP also includes various “Prayers for the Sick” (pp. 458-460) and “Prayers for use by a Sick Person” (p. 461) after the form for Ministration to the Sick. If one or more of the “Prayers for the Sick” are used in the service, they may follow the reading and precede the confession (p. 454). The service emphasizes the healing power of Christ and the connection between the worshiping community and the sick person. Communion may be administered from the reserved Sacrament, using the form beginning on p. 398 of the BCP. In many places, lay eucharistic ministers bring communion directly from the Sunday service to the sick or shut-in.