Today and tomorrow will be among the most special days in our church's history. Redeemer was "particularized" (Presbyterian lingo for becoming official) in November of 1994. This weekend, almost 13 years later we will endeavor together, as a church, to dedicate our new sanctuary to the glory of God.I have very much enjoyed crafting the liturgy for tonight's service and tomorrow's final dedication during the morning worship service. In putting together the liturgy, I used Scripture, portions of the Westminster Confession and shorter catechism, our Book of Church order, The Book of Common Prayer, and a quote from Martin Luther on music. I'll post the liturgy for tonight's partial dedication here, hoping it will be a blessing to you.
Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Service of Partial Dedication
October 6, 2007
Service of Partial Dedication
October 6, 2007
Prelude
*Call to Worship Pastor Nathan Currey
*Hymn of Adoration Give Praise to God by James Boice
Give praise to God who reigns above, for perfect knowledge, wisdom, love; His judgments are divine, devout, His paths beyond all tracing out. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
No one can counsel God all-wise, or truths unveil to his sharp eyes; He marks our paths behind, before; He is our steadfast counselor. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
Nothing exists that God might need, for all things good from him proceed. We praise him as our Lord, and yet we never place God in our debt. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
Creation, life, salvation too, and all things else both good and true, come from and through our God always, and fill our hearts with grateful praise. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
*Invocation
Choral Anthem
Praise the Lord. Let songs of joy break forth, sing alleluia. Praise His name forevermore. Shout, sing and dance, come dance and celebrate. Rejoice; let all within us praise His name. O praise His name forevermore.
“What do these things mean?” Pastor Anthony Felich
Dedication of the Pulpit Elder Galen Mussman
Elder: The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation. In every age God has spoken through the voices of prophets, pastors, and teachers.
Congregation: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Elder: For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Congregation: Purify the lives and the lips of those who speak here, that your word only may be proclaimed, and your word only may be heard.
Elder: Your word is a light to our feet and a light upon our path.
Congregation: We dedicate this Pulpit in the Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Baptismal Font Elder Michael Preston
Elder: Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, does signify and seal our ingrafting in to Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.
Congregation: There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Elder: For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Congregation: We dedicate this Baptismal font in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Communion Table Elder Robert Albright
Elder: The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.
Congregation: For as often as we eat this bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Elder: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Congregation: We dedicate this Communion Table in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Pews Elder Benjamin Vos
Elder: The visible church consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation. The people of God are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God. These pews represent the gathering of God’s people each Lord’s Day for the purpose of worshiping Almighty God in Spirit and in Truth.
Congregation: We dedicate these pews in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Organ and Piano Elder Joel Thomas
Elder: Martin Luther said- “I wish to see all arts, principally music, in the service of Him who gave and created them. Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I wouldn't for the world forgo my humble share of music. Music makes people kinder, gentler, more staid, and reasonable. I am strongly persuaded that after theology, there is no art that can be placed on a level with music, for besides theology, music is the only art capable of affording, peace and joy of the heart - the devil flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God.” Father, your people worship you with many voices and sounds, in times of joy and sorrow.
Congregation: Heavenly Father, move us to express the wonder, the power, and the glory of your creation in the music we make and in the songs we sing.
Elder: Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise him with strings and pipe.
Congregation: We dedicate these instruments in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Steeple Elder Scott Creecy
Elder: A church steeple towering upwards toward the Lord can give us and the community a sense of our spirits reaching upwards toward God. And since our church, with its steeple, is centrally located, it is easy to make the conceptual leap to seeing our church and its steeple as representing the entire community's need and hopeful willingness to look upward to God for guidance and strength. The significance of our steeple is more than mere symbolism; it is correspondence. The very structure of our steeple, pointing upward toward the sky, suggests the greatness of our God as we gaze heavenward, and it represents a call for people to come unto Him and worship. The book of Isaiah records a longing for the Temple to draw people to God, so also we desire the steeple to be a lasting invitation to all.
Congregation: It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills;
*Call to Worship Pastor Nathan Currey
*Hymn of Adoration Give Praise to God by James Boice
Give praise to God who reigns above, for perfect knowledge, wisdom, love; His judgments are divine, devout, His paths beyond all tracing out. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
No one can counsel God all-wise, or truths unveil to his sharp eyes; He marks our paths behind, before; He is our steadfast counselor. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
Nothing exists that God might need, for all things good from him proceed. We praise him as our Lord, and yet we never place God in our debt. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
Creation, life, salvation too, and all things else both good and true, come from and through our God always, and fill our hearts with grateful praise. Come, lift your voice to heaven’s high throne, and glory give to God alone!
*Invocation
Choral Anthem
Praise the Lord. Let songs of joy break forth, sing alleluia. Praise His name forevermore. Shout, sing and dance, come dance and celebrate. Rejoice; let all within us praise His name. O praise His name forevermore.
“What do these things mean?” Pastor Anthony Felich
Dedication of the Pulpit Elder Galen Mussman
Elder: The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation. In every age God has spoken through the voices of prophets, pastors, and teachers.
Congregation: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Elder: For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Congregation: Purify the lives and the lips of those who speak here, that your word only may be proclaimed, and your word only may be heard.
Elder: Your word is a light to our feet and a light upon our path.
Congregation: We dedicate this Pulpit in the Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Baptismal Font Elder Michael Preston
Elder: Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, does signify and seal our ingrafting in to Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.
Congregation: There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Elder: For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Congregation: We dedicate this Baptismal font in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Communion Table Elder Robert Albright
Elder: The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.
Congregation: For as often as we eat this bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Elder: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Congregation: We dedicate this Communion Table in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Pews Elder Benjamin Vos
Elder: The visible church consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation. The people of God are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God. These pews represent the gathering of God’s people each Lord’s Day for the purpose of worshiping Almighty God in Spirit and in Truth.
Congregation: We dedicate these pews in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Organ and Piano Elder Joel Thomas
Elder: Martin Luther said- “I wish to see all arts, principally music, in the service of Him who gave and created them. Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I wouldn't for the world forgo my humble share of music. Music makes people kinder, gentler, more staid, and reasonable. I am strongly persuaded that after theology, there is no art that can be placed on a level with music, for besides theology, music is the only art capable of affording, peace and joy of the heart - the devil flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God.” Father, your people worship you with many voices and sounds, in times of joy and sorrow.
Congregation: Heavenly Father, move us to express the wonder, the power, and the glory of your creation in the music we make and in the songs we sing.
Elder: Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise him with strings and pipe.
Congregation: We dedicate these instruments in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dedication of the Steeple Elder Scott Creecy
Elder: A church steeple towering upwards toward the Lord can give us and the community a sense of our spirits reaching upwards toward God. And since our church, with its steeple, is centrally located, it is easy to make the conceptual leap to seeing our church and its steeple as representing the entire community's need and hopeful willingness to look upward to God for guidance and strength. The significance of our steeple is more than mere symbolism; it is correspondence. The very structure of our steeple, pointing upward toward the sky, suggests the greatness of our God as we gaze heavenward, and it represents a call for people to come unto Him and worship. The book of Isaiah records a longing for the Temple to draw people to God, so also we desire the steeple to be a lasting invitation to all.
Congregation: It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills;
Elder: and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say:
Congregation: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”
Elder: For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Congregation: We dedicate this Steeple in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Handing of the Keys to the Deacons
- Elder Robert Reymond Jr. to Deacon Todd Vesper (Chairman)
Elder: Our Book of Church Order states that a particular church consists of a number of professing Christians, with their children, associated together for divine worship and godly living, agreeable to the Scriptures, and submitting to the lawful government of Christ's kingdom. Its officers are it’s teaching and ruling elders and its deacons.
Deacon: The elders jointly have the government and spiritual oversight of the Church, including teaching. Only those elders who are specially gifted, called and trained by God to preach may serve as teaching elders. The office of deacon is not one of rule, but rather of service both to the physical and spiritual needs of the people.
Elder: It is the duty of the deacons to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. It is their duty also to develop the grace of liberality in the members of the church, to devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed. They shall have the care of the property of the congregation, both real and personal, and shall keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings belonging to the congregation. I hereby entrust the keys to this sanctuary to the diaconate of Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
*Closing Hymn O Bless Our God with One Accord (Psalm 134) arr. L.J. Lamberts
O bless our God with one accord, ye faithful servants of the Lord, who in this house do stand by night; and praise him there with all your might.
Lift up your hands, and prayer draw nigh unto his sanctuary high; bless ye the Lord, kneel at his feet, and worship him with reverence meet.
Jehovah bless thee from above, from Zion in his boundless love, our god, who heav’n and earth did frame; blest be his great and ho-ly name.
*Benediction
Postlude
Soli Deo Gloria
3 comments:
That is exciting! What a wonderful time in the history of Redeemer. May our gracious King continue to bless your ministry Tony.
Awesome!
Wish I could have been there to enjoy such a beautiful liturgy. God bless your proclaiming the Truth.
We were there in spirit and prayed for this holy gathering of His saints!
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