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AN ORDER OF SERVICE FOR THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH
OPENING HYMN
(Appropriate "Come, Thou Holy Spirit, come,"
A. and M. 156)
Minister:
LET US PRAY
O
GOD, our Heavenly Father, we beseech Thee to look
down upon Thy children gathered here, and to pour Thy
blessing and Thy strength into this Church, which we
present to Thee as an offering for service. Purify
the material structure, create within it vibrations
of tender and spiritual worth, and fill it with Thy
holy power. We dedicate ourselves as temples of the
Holy Spirit, and pray that we may co-operate in effort
and in harmony for the upliftment of humanity. O God,
our Father, let Thy Divine Spirit dwell not only in
this place made by men's hands but in our souls; so
that all who come within these doors may recognise
that this is Thy House, and go forth blessed and ready
to pass on the blessing to others. Amen.
OUR FATHER, Who art in Heaven, all hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is
in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive
us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us. When in temptation Thy love sustains us,
and deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom,
the Power and the Glory. For ever and for ever. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING
(Appropriate: Parable of the Vineyard, Matt. 25:14-30;
Sending forth the disciples, Matt. 10: 5-20 or 24-42;
Mark 6: 7-13; Luke 16: 15; Feed My sheep, John 21:
1-19).
HYMN
MINISTER:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit, this Church is now dedicated to all things
spiritual. Amen.
LET US PRAY
HEAVENLY FATHER, we thank Thee for all Thy goodness
in enabling us to bring about this happy realisation
of our efforts, and we pray that we may be worthy of
the sacred trust and responsibility reposed in us.
We thank Thee also for the generous gifts from friends,
for the labours of many hands, for the thought expended,
for the material means, and all the mental and physical
work which has made our Church possible. Grant that
the spiritual aspirations and high ideals we hold now
will ever be maintained.
An apology: Unfortunately, owing to copyright issues with the G.W.C.S.A., a portion of each Church Service has been removed.
However, it is possible to acquire a recent copy of the Services Book from:
The Greater World Christian Spiritualist Association
Bookshop
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