Rededication Service

Service for Palm Sunday and the Rededication of St James’ Finchampstead

Conducted by The Rt Rev’d John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford,

and The Rev'd Dr Richard Warden, Priest in Charge.

28th March, 2010

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Our ThanksIt has been a long and sometimes frustrating road bringing the building of St James’ to how it is today, conserving as much as we could of almost a millennium of history, but at the same time sensitively updating it to serve as the home of a growing community of Christians in the twenty-first century, and on into the future. However there are a number of people to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude, and it would not be right to let this moment pass without mentioning them.

Firstly we must thank the many people both from the church community, the wider community of Finchampstead and beyond who have freely given both their time and money to raise the more than £½ million to bring the project to fruition.

We would also like to thank those who have served on the various committees that have guided the project, and who organised and participated in the monumental operations to move out and back into the building.

Finally we would like to thank the many skilled tradesmen and craftsmen to whom we entrusted our much loved building last summer and who stripped the building back to bare stone and beams - beyond in places, and who have now put it all back together again, retaining the character of our building in the process. There is not the space here to thank everybody, but we in particular would like to thank the team from our main contractor Farr and Roberts who have looked after the building for the past thirty weeks. Also as anybody who had looked at some of our stonework before, and looks at it now would agree - we must thank the team from Cliveden Conservation for the many hours of work they put in, in particular on the east window in the North Aisle.

Unfortunately whilst we would love to be able to fit everybody in, we are physically unable to accommodate the entire congregation in St James’ itself. The remainder of the congregation will be seated in the Church Centre where a video and audio link has been provided. Whilst we know people will be disappointed, we would ask for your co-operation with the sidespeople if they are unable to seat you in the church building.

Bishop John will join this part of the congregation for the distribution of communion, and both parts of the congregation will join together outside for the final dismissal liturgy. There will also be ample opportunity for everybody to view the completed work in the church building after the service.

Practical Matters

¶ The Gathering

Processional HymnAll people that on earth do dwell,sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;him serve with fear, his praise forth tell,come ye before him and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;without our aid he did us make;we are his folk, he doth us feed,and for his sheep he doth us take.

O enter then his gates with praise,approach with joy his courts unto;praise, laud, and bless his name always,for it is seemly so to do.

For why? The Lord our God is good;his mercy is for ever sure;his truth at all times firmly stood,and shall from age to age endure.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,the God whom heaven and earth adore,from men and from the angel-hostbe praise and glory evermore.

The president will say

In the name of the Father,and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit.

All Amen.

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The GreetingThe president greets the people

O Lord, open our lipsand our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

O God, make speed to save us.O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Praise the Lord.The Lord’s name be praised.

cf Psalm 51.15; 70.1

IntroductionDear brothers and sisters in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing by works of love and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.

The people hold up their palms while this prayer is said  

God our Saviour, whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and to die;let these palms be for us signs of his victoryand grant that we who bear them in his name may ever hail him as our King, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

All Amen.

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Prayers of Penitence

Invitation to confessionCome to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

God shows his love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Let us then show our love for himby confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

cf Romans 5.8

All Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbourin thought and word and deed,through negligence, through weakness,through our own deliberate fault.We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,who died for us, forgive us all that is pastand grant that we may serve you in newness of lifeto the glory of your name.Amen.

The president says

Almighty God,who forgives all who truly repent,have mercy upon you,pardon and deliver you from all your sins,confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,and keep you in life eternal;through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Amen.

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The CollectAlmighty God,to whose glory we celebrate the dedication of this house of prayer:we praise you for the many blessingsyou have given to those who worship you here:and we pray that all who seek you in this place may find you,and, being filled with the Holy Spirit,may become a living temple acceptable to you;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.

All Amen.

¶ The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading1 Chronicles 29.6-196The leaders of ancestral houses made their freewill-offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, and the officers over the king’s work. 7They gave for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, into the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with single mind they had offered freely to the LORD; King David also rejoiced greatly.10Then David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly; David said: ‘Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, for ever and ever. 11Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.

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12Riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. 13And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.14But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to make this freewill-offering? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15For we are aliens and transients before you, as were all our ancestors; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. 16O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. 17I know, my God, that you search the heart, and take pleasure in uprightness; in the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. 18O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors, keep for ever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts towards you. 19Grant to my son Solomon that with single mind he may keep your commandments, your decrees, and your statutes, performing all of them, and that he may build the temple for which I have made provision.’

At the end the reader will say

This is the word of the Lord.All Thanks be to God.

Second ReadingEphesians 2.19-2219You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

At the end the reader will say

This is the word of the Lord.All Thanks be to God.

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Gradual HymnRide on! Ride on in majesty!Hark! All the tribes hosanna cry!O Saviour meek, pursue thy roadwith palms and scattered garments strowed.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!In lowly pomp ride on to die:O Christ, thy triumphs now begino’er captive death and conquered sin.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!The winged squadrons of the skylook down with sad and wondering eyesto see the approaching sacrifice.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!The last and fiercest strife is nigh:the Father on his sapphire throneawaits his own anointed Son.

Ride on! Ride on in Majesty!In lowly pomp ride on to die;bow thy meek head to mortal pain,then take, O God, thy power, and reign.

Gospel ReadingPraise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death,even death on a cross.Therefore God has highly exalted himand given him the name that is above every name.

All Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

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When the Gospel is announced the reader says

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St Luke.All Glory to you, O Lord.

Luke 19.28-4028Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.29When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, 30‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this, “The Lord needs it.”’ 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ 34They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ 40He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.All Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

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The president says

Let us declare our faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The CreedDo you believe and trust in God the Father?

All I believe in God, the Father almighty,creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?All I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the Virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried;he descended to the dead.On the third day he rose again;he ascended into heaven,he is seated at the right hand of the Father,and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?All I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.Amen.

Prayers of IntercessionThe risen Christ is here in the midst of us.We bring our prayers to him as Lord of the Church.

For the Church universal,of which these buildings are a visible symbol,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

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For this congregation,as we remember your promisethat when two or three are gathered in your nameyou are there in the midst of them,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For this place, that we may be still and know that you are God,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For the fulfilling of our desires and petitions as you see best for us,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For your blessings in the past and for a vision for the future,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For the gift of the Holy Spirit and new life in baptism,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For the pardon of our sins when we fall short of your glory,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For a foretaste of your eternal kingdomin the sacrament of the Eucharist,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For the blessing of our vowsand the crowning of our years with your goodness,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For the faith of those who have gone before usand for grace to persevere like them,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

For the benefactors of this place who have died in thepeace of Christ and are at rest,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

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For a sense of our fellowship with St James our patron and all your saints,Lord, receive our thanks and prayer.

O God, from living stonesyou prepare an everlasting dwelling-place for your majesty.Grant that in the power of the Holy Spiritthose who serve you heremay always be kept within your presence.This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

¶ The Liturgy of the Sacrament

The PeacePeace to this house from God our heavenly Father.Peace to this house from his Son who is our peace.Peace to this house from the Holy Spirit, the life-giver.

The peace of the Lord be always with youAll and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

All may exchange a sign of peace.

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Preparation of the Table

Taking of the Bread and Wine

Offertory HymnDuring which the gifts of the people will be gathered and presented.

My song is love unknown,my Saviour’s love to me,love to the loveless shown,that they might lovely be.O, who am Ithat for my sakemy Lord should takefrail flesh, and die.

He came from his blest throne,salvation to bestowbut men made strange, and nonethe longed-for Christ would know.But O, my friend,my friend indeed,who at my needhis life did spend.

Sometimes they strew his way,and his sweet praises sing;resounding all the dayhosannas to their King.Then ‘Crucify!’is all their breath,and for his deaththey thirst and cry.

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Why, what hath my Lord done?What makes this rage and spite?He made the lame to run,he gave the blind their sight.Sweet injuries!Yet they at thesethemselves displease,and ’gainst him rise.

They rise, and needs will havemy dear Lord made away;a murderer they save,the Prince of life they slay.Yet cheerful heto suffering goes,that he his foesfrom thence might free.

In life, no house, no home,my Lord on earth might have;in death, no friendly tomb,but what a stranger gave.What may I say?Heav’n was his home;but mine the tombwherein he lay.

Here might I stay and sing,no story so divine;never was love, dear King,never was grief like thine!This is my friend,in whose sweet praiseI all my dayscould gladly spend.

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The table is prepared and bread and wine are placed upon it.

All Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,the glory, the splendour, and the majesty;for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.All things come from you,and of your own do we give you.

The president takes the bread and wine.

The Eucharistic PrayerThe Lord be with you

All and also with you.

Lift up your hearts.All We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.All It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,always and everywhere to give you thanks,almighty and eternal Father,enthroned upon the praises of your people.We thank you for this house of prayer,in which you bless your familyas we come to you in pilgrimage.Here you reveal your presence in sacramental signsand make us one with you through the unseen bond of grace.Here you build your temple of living stonesand bring the Church to its full statureas the body of Christ throughout the world,to reach its perfection at lastin the heavenly city of Jerusalem,which is the vision of your peace.Therefore, in union with the heavenly Jerusalem,with angels in joyful assembly,with all whose names are written in heavenand with the spirits of the righteous made perfect,we lift up our voices to join in the triumphal song of praise:

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All Holy, holy, holy Lord,God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.

Accept our praises, heavenly Father,through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,and as we follow his example and obey his command,grant that by the power of your Holy Spiritthese gifts of bread and winemay be to us his body and his blood;

who, in the same night that he was betrayed,took bread and gave you thanks;he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;do this in remembrance of me.

All To you be glory and praise for ever.

In the same way, after supperhe took the cup and gave you thanks;he gave it to them, saying:Drink this, all of you;this is my blood of the new covenant,which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.Do this, as often as you drink it,in remembrance of me.

All To you be glory and praise for ever.

Therefore, heavenly Father,we remember his offering of himselfmade once for all upon the cross;we proclaim his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension;we look for the coming of your kingdom,and with this bread and this cupwe make the memorial of Christ your Son our Lord.

All Christ has died:Christ is risen:Christ will come again.

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Accept through him, our great high priest,this our sacrifice of thanks and praise,and as we eat and drink these holy giftsin the presence of your divine majesty,renew us by your Spirit,inspire us with your loveand unite us in the body of your Son,Jesus Christ our Lord.

All To you be glory and praise for ever.

Through him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,with all who stand before you in earth and heaven,we worship you, Father almighty,in songs of everlasting praise:

All Blessing and honour and glory and powerbe yours for ever and ever.Amen.

The Lord’s PrayerStanding at the foot of the cross,as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

All Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptationbut deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yoursnow and for ever.Amen.

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Breaking of the BreadThe president breaks the consecrated bread.

We break this breadto share in the body of Christ.

All Though we are many, we are one body,because we all share in one bread.

Agnus DeiAll Jesus, Lamb of God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins,have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the world,grant us peace.

Giving of CommunionThe president says the invitation to communion

Jesus is the Lamb of Godwho takes away the sin of the world.Blessed are those who are called to his supper.

All Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

The president and people receive communion.

The Bishop will join the congregation in the Church Centre.

Authorised words of distribution are used and the communicant replies

Amen.  

During the distribution hymns and anthems may be sung.

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Prayer after CommunionSilence is kept.

Father in heaven,whose Church on earth is a sign of your heavenly peace,an image of the new and eternal Jerusalem:grant to us in the days of our pilgrimagethat, fed with the living bread of heaven,and united in the body of your Son,we may be the temple of your presence,the place of your glory on earth,and a sign of your peace in the world;through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Father of all,we give you thanks and praise,that when we were still far offyou met us in your Son and brought us home.Dying and living, he declared your love,gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory.May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life;we who drink his cup bring life to others;we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world.Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us,so we and all your children shall be free,and the whole earth live to praise your name;through Christ our Lord.Amen.

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¶ The DismissalDuring the final hymn the congregations from both the church building led by the choir and the Church Centre led by the Bishop will process outside to the grass area on the south side of the building overlooking the village

Recessional HymnAll glory, laud, and honourto thee, Redeemer, King,to whom the lips of childrenmade sweet hosannas ring.

Thou art the king of Israel,thou David’s royal son,who in the Lord’s name comest,the King and blessed one.All glory...

The company of angelsare praising thee on high,and mortal men and all thingscreated make reply.All glory...

The people of the Hebrewswith palms before thee went:our praise and prayer and anthemsbefore thee we present.All glory...

To thee before thy Passionthey sang their hymns of praise:to thee now high exaltedour melody we raise.All glory...

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Thou didst accept their praises:accept the prayers we bring,who in all good delightest,thou good and gracious King.All glory...

Thy sorrow and thy triumphgrant us, O Christ, to share,that to the holy citytogether we may fare.All glory...

For homage may we bring theeour victory o’er the foe,that in the conqueror’s triumphthis strain may ever flow:All glory...

The Dismissal Liturgy

How awesome is this place.This is none other than the house of God,and this is the gateway of heaven.

I saw a ladder which rested on the groundwith its top reaching to heaven,and the angels of God were going up and down it.This is none other than the house of God,and this is the gateway of heaven.

You will see greater things than this.You will see heaven wide open, and God’s angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.This is none other than the house of God,and this is the gateway of heaven.

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You are the temple of the living God,and the Spirit of God dwells in you.The temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.This is none other than the house of God,and this is the gateway of heaven.

The Dismissal Gospel

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.Glory to you, O Lord.

John 4.23,24

Jesus said, ‘The hour is coming, and is now here, whenthe true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit andtruth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him.God is spirit, and those who worship him must worshipin spirit and truth.’

At the end the reader says

This is the Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, O Christ.

The Blessing

God has given you the citizenship of heaven,with his blessed and beloved,and the whole company of the redeemed.Amen.

God give you the will to live each day in life eternal.Amen.

God bring you to the homethat Christ prepares for all who love him.Amen.

And the blessing …

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The Dismissal

Like living stones, precious in his sight,go in peace to proclaim the mighty acts of God.Thanks be to God.

Please join us in the Church Centre for refreshments

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Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):

Invitation to Confession (5th Sun Lent until Weds of Holy Week) © 1988 Continuum (Mowbray) (Adapted)

Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Intercessions (Dedication Festival) © Anglican Church of Canada

Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000

Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2002

Extended Preface (Dedication Festival) © The Archbishops' Council

Greeting (General) © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662) (Adapted)

Post Communion (Dedication Festival) © Westcott House, Cambridge