Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Blessing for Leaving a Home (adapted by the Reverend Clint Schnekloth)


Farewell to a Home

In preparation for leaving a home, family and friends (C for "community") gather at the main entrances to homes or apartments (nursing home quarters, extended care facility, hospital rooms!), and ask God's blessing on their dwellings and on all who live or visit there, especially as they travel to a new location.

Leadership may be shared with a change of voice at each Leader's part (L).

L Peace be to this house and to all who enter here.

L A reading from Proverbs: "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."

L Let us pray: Gracious God, as a shining star once guided the magi to the birthplace of the infant Jesus, so enable those who dwell here to be your light in the world as we leave and prepare to move to a new home; through Jesus Christ we pray.

C Amen.

L May Christ bless the next family that lives here. (Make the sign of the cross)

Each person is afforded time to say something about the house and leave-taking.

People may join hands or extend their hands outward and upward (orans) for the prayers.

L Lord God,
you have called your servants
to ventures of which we cannot see the ending,
by paths as yet untrodden,
through perils unknown.
Give us faith to go out with good courage,
not knowing where we go,
but only that your hand is leading us
and your love supporting us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

C Amen.

L Lord, remember your children and teach us to pray (pray the Lord's Prayer from memory):

C Our Father...

People may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of their baptism.

L May the Lord watch + over our going out and our coming in, from this time forth and forevermore.

C Amen.

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