Cambridge Prayer Book on Alexa

The Cambridge Prayer Book is a new skill, developed by Cambridge Bibles, and made available on Amazon Alexa. Through this skill, you will be able to take part in prayers and services from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer in the comfort of your own home.

How to get the skill

To use this service you will need an Amazon Alexa device. Launch the skill by saying to Alexa:
“Alexa, open the Cambridge Prayer Book”  This will allow you to use any number of functions provided by the skill. Alternatively, you can ask for one function by saying: “Alexa, ask Cambridge…”

What to expect

Once inside, you can take part in the full Morning or Evening Prayer services, or even components of these services such as the Lord’s Prayer. You can also hear more about the Book of Common Prayer and its creator, Thomas Cranmer, or information about Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Bibles.

The 1662 Book of Common Prayer (also known as the ‘BCP’ or ‘Prayer Book’) remains an official liturgy of the Church of England to this day. Its words and phrases have made a major contribution to the English language and remain central to Anglican worship.

We hope that, by providing this skill, you can enjoy the beautiful language of the BCP and perform your devotions whenever you like and from wherever you are.

Reverend James Shakespeare and Reverend Chris Campbell from St John the Evangelist Church Cambridge, will each lead the services. You can also choose to read along with the voices of the Press choir for the congregational responses, as if you are part of a church congregation.

To skip through the Morning and Evening Prayer services, say “next” at the end of each 4 minute segment. You can choose to skip a segment or start from where you left off by saying, for instance, “Alexa, give me part 3 of Morning Prayer”. The services are supported with 14 Bible readings, two for each day of the week. The Bible readings will alternate, as will the officiant. 

What can I ask for?

Here is a list of what you can ask the Cambridge Prayer Book:

• Say Morning Prayer
• Say Evening Prayer
• Pray the Lord’s Prayer
• Give me the Apostles’ Creed
• Recite the Grace
• Tell me more about the history of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
• I’d like to learn about Thomas Cranmer
• I want to know more about Cambridge Bibles
• Tell me about Cambridge University Press