English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC) — What It Truly Is (Not a Language School)
“More than 40 years uniting voices through shared texts, not teaching grammar—but shaping how English-speaking Christians pray together.”
What ELLC Is / Its Mission
- Founded in: 1985, during a meeting at Boston University. englishtexts.org+2englishtexts.org+2
- ELLC stands for English Language Liturgical Consultation. It is not a school for learning English as a second language. Rather, it is an ecumenical body that works on developing, revising, and promoting shared liturgical texts in English for Christian worship. englishtexts.org+2englishtexts.org+2
- Core work includes:
- Revising prayers, creeds, and worship texts so churches from different denominations can use common English texts. englishtexts.org+2englishtexts.org+2
- Producing and supporting the use of common lectionaries (reading schedules for Sundays and festivals). englishtexts.org+2commontexts.org+2
- The publication Praying Together (1988) is one of its major works — a revised edition of earlier texts first issued by ICET (the International Consultation on English Texts). englishtexts.org+2englishtexts.org+2
What ELLC Does Not Offer
To prevent students being misled:
- It does not provide courses, lessons, or classes to teach English language skills to non-native speakers (speaking, listening, grammar, etc.). No public evidence of general English or exam preparation being offered.
- It does not have a schedule of classes, student registration for language tuition, or student reviews in the usual language school sense.
- It is not accredited as a language teaching institution. Its accreditation and recognition relate to liturgical scholarship and ecumenical worship texts.
Historical Background & Key Milestones
- Rooted in earlier ecumenical liturgical efforts. Predecessor: ICET (International Consultation on English Texts), active from about 1969 to 1975. ICET produced Prayers We Have in Common. englishtexts.org+2englishtexts.org+2
- In 1985 at Boston, ELLC was formally established to build on ICET’s work but with a broader and more formal structure among national/r egional liturgical bodies. englishtexts.org+1
- Published Praying Together in 1988, revising the ICET texts. englishtexts.org+1
- Later work includes surveys, studies of usage, and (in 2011) the “Reims Statement.” englishtexts.org+2englishtexts.org+2
Location & Structure
- Headquarters / Contact: 39 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PL. The British Language School+1
- Membership / Structure: Composed of national or regional liturgical associations, ecumenical in makeup (Anglican, Methodist, Reformed, etc.), plus ICEL (or formerly ICEL) from the Roman Catholic tradition. englishtexts.org+1
- ELLC meetings (plenary) occur every few years; between meetings, a standing committee handles ongoing tasks. jlg.org.uk+1
Why Some Listings Mistakenly Show ELLC as a Language School
- Because of its name “English Language Liturgical Consultation,” some directories (like The British Language School) list it under “language schools in London,” “Business English,” “Language Immersion,” etc. Those listings appear to be errors or misclassifications. The British Language School
- These listings often include generic offerings like “Business English,” “Exam Preparation” which ELLC does not provide. Those are likely placeholders or mistaken copy-ins.
How To Present ELLC Appropriately in a Learning Directory
If you must include ELLC in a directory of schools, here is how to do it correctly:
- Name: English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC)
- Founded: 1985 englishtexts.org+1
- Type: Ecumenical liturgical text body (not a teaching or language instruction institution)
- Mission: Developing, revising, and promoting shared English texts for Christian worship; providing resources for liturgy and lectionary texts. englishtexts.org+1
- Offerings:
- Publications (e.g. Praying Together) englishtexts.org+1
- Guidance for the use of liturgical texts (creeds, prayers, common lectionary) englishtexts.org+2jlg.org.uk+2
- What to check if interested in language courses: Contact them directly and clarify they do not teach English; if someone wants to learn English, suggest reputable language-school alternatives.
Imagining What a Student Might Think
“I saw ELLC listed in a directory of language schools. I contacted them hoping to improve my English for work. When they explained their work, I realized they publish worship texts and set liturgical readings—but don’t teach English classes. So I ended up looking elsewhere for a school. However, I appreciated their clarity and historical contribution: many of the prayers I hear in church now come from their texts.”
SEO & Student Friendly Summary
- Keywords clarified:
If you are writing about “language schools in London” or “learn a second language,” make sure ELLC is not presented as offering language learning; otherwise you risk misleading students searching for ‘best English schools’ or ‘Exam Preparation English’. - Use phrases like “liturgical text body,” “ecumenical consultation,” “Common Prayers in English,” when describing ELLC.
Final Thought
English Language Liturgical Consultation is a respected, long-established ecumenical organisation dedicated to shaping how English is used in Christian worship. While it carries “English Language” in its name, it does not provide English language teaching or certification. If you’re a student wanting to learn English as a second language, it’s better to look at verified language schools that specialise in ESL / EFL, exam preparation, conversation practice, etc.
