Bible Dictionaries
Bidding Prayer

The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

The 55th canon of the English Church in 1603 enjoined a Bidding Prayer in the form of an Exhortation to be used before all sermons, each petition or exhortation beginning, "Let us pray for," or "Ye shall pray for," to which the people responded. The term "Bidding" is from the old Saxon word "Bede," meaning prayer. The Litany and, also, the Prayer for the Church Militant in the Communion Office bear some resemblance to the Bidding Prayer, especially in the enumeration of the objects prayed for. The Bidding Prayer is now very rarely used, although attempts have been made to revive its use, especially in purely preaching services.

Bibliography Information
Miller, William James. Entry for 'Bidding Prayer'. The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​acd/​b/bidding-prayer.html. 1901.