The creation of the Church of England's seminal Common Worship volume in 2000 involved a remarkable act of proactive design, with key figures John Morgan and Derek Birdsall arriving at their first meeting with a fully realised sample booklet before they had even been officially commissioned.
The Proactive Pitch: A Booklet Before the Job
This pivotal liturgical design project was overseen by a specialised design and format group. The committee was chaired by the renowned Sir Christopher Frayling, with the author of the original letter serving as a member. Morgan and Birdsall's preparatory work demonstrated their deep commitment and vision for the project from the very outset.
Their preliminary sample had already established several defining features that would endure in the final publication. Notably, the now-iconic red pages were in place, which Derek Birdsall poetically explained were intended "for joy". The typographic choice of Gill Sans typeface had also been selected, providing a clean, modern, and distinctly British aesthetic for the new liturgical texts.
Clarity Through Typography: Bold for the Congregation
A key typographic innovation was their use of font weight to guide worship. Bold text was designated for the parts of the service spoken collectively by the entire congregation, while regular weight text was reserved for the sections led by the individual presiding minister. This simple yet effective system brought unprecedented clarity to the complex structure of Anglican services.
John Morgan and Derek Birdsall saw the project through to completion in collaboration with Church House Publishing. The finished volume was a significant milestone, culminating in a special service at Westminster Abbey in the year 2000. There, the completed work was presented to Queen Elizabeth II.
A Royal Introduction and a First Tie
In a memorable personal detail, both designers were introduced to Her Majesty before the ceremony. This formal occasion prompted a rare sartorial purchase for John Morgan, who reportedly told colleagues that the event led him to buy his first ever tie, an item he had not previously owned.
The legacy of this collaborative work endures, with the Common Worship books remaining a central feature of Anglican practice across the country. The thoughtful design choices made by Morgan and Birdsall, from the symbolic red pages to the functional typography, continue to shape the experience of worship for countless individuals, demonstrating the profound impact of considered design on spiritual life.
