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The Book of Common Prayer | ||||||
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| THE FORM OF CONSECRATION
OF A CHURCH OR CHAPEL;
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Omitted in 1892 BCP. |
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¶ The Bishop is to be received at the entrance of the Church, or Chapel, by the Church-wardens and Vestrymen or some other persons appointed for that purpose. The Bishop and the Clergy who are present shall go up the aisle of the Church, or Chapel, to the Communion Table, repeating the Twenty-fourth Psalm alternately, the Bishop one verse and the Clergy another. Psalm xxiv. THE
earth is the LORD’S, and all
that therein is; the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein.
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Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; |
Bracketed
section appears in the 1892 BCP only |
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¶ The Bishop shall go within the rails, with such of the Clergy as can be there accommodated. The Bishop, sitting in his chair, shall have the instruments of donation and endowment, if there be any presented to him; and then turning to the Congregation, shall say, DEARLY beloved in the Lord; forasmuch as devout and holy men, as well under the Law as under the Gospel, moved either by the express command of God, or by the secret inspiration of the blessed Spirit, and acting agreeably to their own reason and sense of the natural decency of things have erected houses for the public Worship of God, and separated them from all unhallowed, worldly, and common uses, in order to fill men’s minds with greater reverence for his glorious Majesty, and affect their hearts with more devotion and humility in his service; which pious works have been approved of and graciously accepted by our heavenly Father: Let us not doubt but that he will also favourably approve our godly purpose of setting apart this place in solemn manner, for the performance of the several offices of religious worship, and let us faithfully and devoutly beg his blessing on this our undertaking. ¶ Then the Bishop, kneeling, shall say the following Prayer. O ETERNAL God, mighty in power, and of majesty incomprehensible, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, much less the walls of temples made with hands; and who yet hast been graciously pleased to promise thy especial presence, wherever two or three of thy faithful servants shall assemble in thy Name, to offer up their praises and supplications unto thee; Vouchsafe, O Lord, to be present with us, here gathered together with all humility and readiness of heart, to consecrate this place to the honour of thy great Name; separating it henceforth from all unhallowed, ordinary, and common uses; and dedicating it to thy service, for reading thy holy Word, for celebrating thy holy Sacraments, for offering to thy glorious Majesty the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving, blessing people in thy Name, and for [the performance of]* all other holy offices: accept, O Lord, this service at our hands, and bless it with such success as may tend most to thy glory, and the furtherance of our happiness both temporal and spiritual; through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. |
* omitted in the 1892 Book.
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REGARD O Lord, the Supplications of thy servants, and grant that whosoever shall he dedicated to thee in this house by Baptism, may be sanctified by the Holy Ghost, delivered from thy wrath and eternal death, and received as a living member of Christ’s Church, and may ever remain in the number of thy faithful children. Amen. |
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Grant, O Lord, that they who at this place shall in their
own persons renew the promises and vows [which
they made or which were made for them by their sureties at]*
their Baptism, and thereupon shall be Confirmed by the Bishop, may receive
such a measure of thy Holy Spirit, that they may be enabled faithfully to
fulfil the same, and grow in grace unto their lives end. Amen.
Grant, O Lord, that whosoever shall receive in this place the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, may come to that holy ordinance with faith, charity, and true repentance; and being filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, may, to their great and endless comfort, obtain remission of their sins, and all other benefits of his passion Amen. Grant, O Lord, that by thy holy Word which shall be read and preached in this place, and by thy Holy Spirit grafting it inwardly in the heart, the hearers thereof may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and may have power and strength to fulfil the same. Amen. Grant, O Lord, that whosoever should be joined together in this place in the holy estate of Matrimony, may faithfully perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made, and may remain in perfect love together unto their lives’ end. Amen. Grant, we beseech thee, blessed Lord, that whosoever shall draw near to thee in this place, to give thee thanks for the benefits which they have received at thy hands, to set forth thy most worthy praise, to confess their sins unto thee, and to ask such things as are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as for the soul, may do it with such steadiness of faith, and with such seriousness, affection, and devotion of mind, that thou mayest accept their bounden duty and service, and vouchsafe to give whatever in thy infinite wisdom thou shalt see to be most expedient for them: All which we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. |
* replaced by "of" in 1892 BCP.
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¶ Then, the Bishop sitting in his chair, the Sentence of Consecration is to be read by some persons appointed by him, and then laid by him upon the Communion Table; after which the Bishop shall say, BLESSED be thy Name, O Lord, that it hath pleased thee to put it into the hearts of thy servants to appropriate and devote this house to thy honour and worship; and grant that all who shall enjoy the benefit of this pious work, may show forth their thankfulness, by making a right use of it, to the glory of thy blessed Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶
After this, the Minister appointed is to read the service for the day.
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The initial comma in this rubric is as shown in the 1892 Book; in others it may be as shown, after "Bishop", or absent. | ||
| 1789: PROPER PSALMS, 84–122–132. FIRST
LESSON. 1 Kings 8th, verse 22 to verse 63 |
From 1832 : PROPER PSALMS Psalm lxxxiv. Psalm cxxii Psalm cxxxii. PROPER LESSONS. FIRST.
1 Kings, chap. viii. verse 22 to verse 63[; or Genesis
28, at v. 10]*. |
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Additional Lessons introduced in 1883. |
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¶ Morning Prayer being ended, there shall be Sung from the Book of Psalms, in Metre, Psalm xxvi, verses 6, 7, 8, with the Gloria Patri. ¶ The Bishop shall then proceed to the Communion Service. The following shall be the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the occasion. The Collect. O MOST gracious Lord, we acknowledge that we are not worthy to offer unto thee any thing belonging unto us; yet we beseech thee, in thy great goodness, graciously to accept the Dedication of this place to thy service, and to prosper this our undertaking; receive the prayers and intercessions of all those thy servants who shall call upon thee in this house; and give them grace to prepare their hearts to serve thee with reverence and godly fear; affect them with an awful apprehension of thy Divine Majesty, and a deep sense of their own unworthiness; that so approaching thy sanctuary with lowliness and devotion, and coming before thee with clean thoughts and pure hearts, with bodies undefiled, and minds sanctified, they may always perform a service acceptable to thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle. BE YE not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The
Gospel. AND
the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and
found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the
changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords,
he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen: and
poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; and said
unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s
house an house of merchandise, And his disciples remembered that it was
written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. |
This rubric removed in 1883. | ||
| 1789: ¶ Then shall be said or sung the Hundredth Psalm. ¶ Here shall follow the Sermon. ¶ The Sermon being ended, the Bishop shall proceed in the Service for the Communion, if it is to be administered at that time. ¶ After the Communion, or, if it is not administered at that time, after the Sermon and immediately before the final Blessing, the Bishop shall say the following Prayer. |
1892: ¶ For the last Collect, immediately before the final Blessing, the Bishop shall say this prayer: |
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| BLESSED be thy Name, O Lord God, for that it hath pleased thee to have thy habitation among the sons of men, and to dwell in the midst of the assembly of the saints upon the earth; bless, we beseech thee, the religious performance of this day, and grant that in this place now set apart to thy service, thy holy Name may be worshipped in truth and purity through all generations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
BLESSED be thy Name, O Lord God, for that it hath pleased thee to have thy habitation among the sons of men, and to dwell in the midst of the assembly of the saints upon the earth; Grant, we beseech thee, that in this place now set apart to thy service, thy holy Name may be worshipped in truth and purity through all generations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
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| A PRAYER TO BE USED AT THE MEETINGS OF CONVENTION. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, by thy Holy Spirit didst preside in the Councils of the blessed Apostles, and hast promised, through thy Son Jesus Christ, to be with thy Church to the end of the world; we beseech thee to be present with the Council of thy Church here assembled in thy name and presence. Save them from all error, ignorance, pride, and prejudice; and of thy great mercy vouchsafe, we beseech thee, so to direct, sanctify, and govern us in our present work, by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost, that the comfortable Gospel of Christ may be truly preached, truly received, and truly followed, in all places, to the breaking down the kingdom of sin, satan, and death; till at length the whole of thy dispersed sheep, being gathered into one fold, shall become partakers of everlasting life; through the merits and death of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. |
This prayer appears with the Prayers and Thanksgivings from 1845; it appears here in most earlier editions I have seen. |
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| Web author: Charles Wohlers | U. S. • England • Scotland • Ireland • Wales • Canada • World |