I love Common Worship. Now, I know speaking positively about a liturgical product is going to come as something of a shock to regular readers so I had better explain.

What I don't love is a straight down-the-line, by-the-numbers, right off the page Common Worship communion service. Communion's not that big a deal for me anyway and doing it word for word as it's found on the page just kills it stone dead as far as I'm concerned.

What I do love is the resource that the whole Common Worship family provides. By that I mean the basic service texts, Daily Prayer, and New Patterns for Worship.

I was leading the 11.15 service at church yesterday. It was a service of the word but I like to use a few vaguely familiar bits of liturgy. The standard collect for yesterday, Second Sunday of Easter, is deadly. Common Worship alternative collects to the rescue with a much better option. Then it was New Patterns with a quality Kyrie confession (that's "Lord have mercy") and Absolution for the time of year and theme of service.

So, all in all, hooray for Common Worship for helping me put together a familiar yet fresh semi-liturgical service for my family at St Luke's.