Book of Occasional Services - pghpresbytery.org

1 book OFOCCASIONALSERVICESBOOK OFOCCASIONALSERVICESA LITURGICALRESOURCESUPPLEMENTING THEBOOK OFCOMMONWORSHIP, 1993 PREPARED BYTHEOFFICE OFTHEOLOGYANDWORSHIPFOR THEPRESBYTERIANCHURCH( )PUBLISHED BYGENEVAPRESSLOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 1999 Presbyterian church ( ), a Corporation for CongregationalMinistries Division, Office of Theology and rights part of this publication may be reproduced withoutspecial permission, except as portions of this book of Occasional Services may be reproduced withoutspecial permission for one-time use only, for worship and educational pur-poses, in an order of service for use by a congregation, or in a special pro-gram or lesson resource, provided that no part of such reproduction is sold,directly or indirectly, and that the following acknowledgment is included.

2 Reprinted by permission from the book of Occasional Services 1999 Presbyterian church ( ), a Corporation for Congregational MinistriesDivision, Office of Theology and concerning rights and reproductions not herein authorized should bedirected to Geneva Press, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY quotations from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible arecopyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the NationalCouncil of the Churches of Christ in the and are used by acknowledgment is made to the publishers for permission to quotefrom the following works:The prayer Guide us waking, O Lord (p. 183), 1988 EnglishLanguage Liturgical Consultation (ELLC). Prayer for illumination (p. 202) from A Service of Word and Table I, 1972 Methodist Publishing House; 1980, 1985, 1989, 1992 TheUnited Methodist Publishing 96 (pp.)

3 66 67) from the book of Common Worship, 1993 Westminster/John Knox by Geneva PressLouisville, KentuckyThis book is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American NationalStandards Institute standard. book Design by Susan E. JacksonInterior illustrations by Aavidar Design IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA246897531 Cataloging-in-Publication data for this book may be obtained fromthe Library of 0-664-50098-6 ISBN 0-664-50107-9 (Deluxe ed.)CONTENTSPREFACE1 ABBREVIATIONS3 ORDINATION ANDINSTALLATIONI ntroduction 6 Ordination and Installation of Deacons and Elders 11 Ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament 45 Installation of a Pastor 83 Scripture Readings for the Ordination and Installation ofDeacons and Elders 113 Scripture Readings for Ordination and Installation to theMinistry of Word and Sacrament 115 Hymns for Ordination and Installation Services 117 COMMISSIONINGI ntroduction 120 Commissioning to Ministry within a Congregation 123 Commissioning to Ministry outside a Congregation 129 Commissioning Delegates to a Governing Body 135 DEDICATIONI ntroduction 142 Groundbreaking 145 Order for

4 Laying of a Cornerstone 151 Dedication of a church Building and Furnishings 157 Dedication of the Baptismal Font or Pool160 Dedication of the Pulpit161 Dedication of the Pulpit/Lectern Bible162 Dedication of the Table162 Dedication of Communion Vessels163 Dedication of the Organ or Other Musical Instruments163 Dedication of the Sanctuary or Chapel164 Dedication of an Educational Facility164 Dedication of the Columbarium165 Dedication of a Christian Home 180 Dedication of a Health Care Facility 184 Dedication of an Educational Institution 187 Dedication of a Community Service Agency 191 MARKINGTRANSITIONSINACONGREGATIONI ntroduction 196 Constituting of a Congregation 199 Reception of New Members 229 Recognition of Departing Members 239 Recognition and Thanksgiving for Faithful Service 241 Dissolution of a Pastoral Call 244 Celebration of a Congregational Anniversary 249 Uniting of Congregations by a Presbytery 253 Vacating of a church Building [Including the Dissolutionof a church ]

5 257 INAGOVERNINGBODYI nstallation of Governing Body Officers and Staff 265 Receiving a Candidate under Care 270 Recognition of a Certified Christian Educator 272 Commissioning of a Lay Pastor 275 Recognition of Honorable Retirement from the Ministry of Word and Sacrament 279 INTERFAITHRESOURCESG uidelines for Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving 285 ADDITIONALPRAYERS FORVARIOUSOCCASIONSIn the Life of a Congregation 291In the Life of a Presbytery 294 SECTIONHEADINGCROSSES297 PREFACE/1 PREFACEB efore theBook of Common Worshipwas published in 1993, aprospectus was approved for a book of Occasional Services anda task force was established to develop a trial use resource, whichwill include ordination and installation Services , in harmony withthe Study on the Theology and Practice of Ordination, togetherwith other Occasional Services for use by congregations, presby-teries, synods and the General Assembly (minutes of the Theol-ogy and Worship Ministry Unit, January 28 30, 1993).

6 It was conceded that Services for ordination and installationshould not be included in the book of Common Worshipsince thesubject of ordination was under study by a special committee ofthe General Assembly. The preparation of such Services , there-fore, would be undertaken in concert with that first and perpetual issue throughout the development ofthis book was content. Occasional was the defining term, however, left leeway for a large number of liturgicalacts observed only occasionally. The prospectus outlined a sug-gested table of contents, and the task force received numerousadditional suggestions throughout the course of its work. Theproblem, ultimately, was one of space to respond to all theneeds for liturgical materials presented, the resource would beunwieldy, to say the and installation remain the primary Services pre-sented.

7 Ordination and installation, while not sacraments, standfirmly on the foundation of baptism. The Services offered here arebuilt on the foundation of diaconal service as found in the sacra-ment of Baptism. Baptism is the basic Christian ordination. Inbaptism, we are all claimed to be disciples of Jesus Christ and toserve him in the service of others. For this reason, the ordinationand installation Services begin with a reminder of our baptismsand include a reaffirmation of the baptismal baptismal foundation extends under the other servicesand materials in this book as well. Acts of commissioning andrecognition, even dedications and other celebrations, are waysthe whole church witnesses to its common baptismal commit-ment and the full Services throughout the book there are indicationsof appropriate liturgical roles of deacons and elders as well asministers.

8 These are intended to be suggestive and not exhaus-tive, to encourage the church to reclaim traditional liturgicalleadership by those in all ordained structure of the book is clearly outlined in the table ofcontents. Ordination and Installation set the pace, immediatelyfollowed by a section on Commissioning, both clearly relatedto the baptismal covenant. Dedication includes a wide varietyof resources for expression of the church s ministry relative to thephysical means employed to carry out that ministry. Transi-tions need to be marked in the church , and the resources offeredhelp us see our continuity with those who have gone before andthose who will follow. Interfaith Resources suggest that we asChristians can be faithful to the baptismal covenant even as weshare in the worship of God with on the task force to prepare this resource were Don-ald W.

9 Stake (Chairperson), Marney A. Wasserman, Newton , and Brenda Brooks. Dennis J. Hughes served as staff tothe task force from the Office of Theology and Worship, andlater as a task force member. Also serving as staff were Gl uciaVasconcelos Wilkey and Paul Detterman. J. Frederick Holperwas a consultant to the task force during the course of its editing and formatting was by Paul book of Occasional Servicesis offered to the church as acompletion of the book of Common Worshipproject, continuingthe fervent prayer for the renewal of the church s faith, life, of Common , Ky.: Westminster/John Knox Press, Presbyterian Hymnal: Hymns, Psalms, and , Ky.: Westminster/John Knox Press, Psalter Psalms and Canticles for ,Ky.: Westminster/John Knox Press.

10 In prayers, indicates a pause for silent prayer.[ ]Square brackets, or horizontal brackets extending thewidth of the page, are used to designate optional ele-ments or TOORDINATION ANDINSTALLATIONINTRODUCTION TOTHESERVICES OFORDINATION ANDINSTALLATIONO ccasions of ordination and installation have to do morewith the ministry of the whole church than with any indi-vidual. Those ordained and installed to office fulfill a par-ticular role in the larger ministry of the to different forms of ministry may have dif-ferent functional emphases, though none is exclusive ofthe others. Consistently the ordination of deacons isnamed first, followed by elders and ministers of the Wordand Sacrament. This is to emphasize the diaconal foun-dation of all ordained ministry as service of God andneighbor.