The Parish Church of St. Wilfrid, Bognor Feast of Dedication 7:00pm Friday 23rd April, 2010 1 St. Wilfrid’s Church was dedicated on 23rd April 1910 and built as a daughter church to St. John’s church, London Road to meet the growing needs in the west of the town. The original design by the architect George Fellowes Prynne (see below) were for a much larger 900 seat church, but three of the five bays, the bell tower and baptistery were sadly never completed. St. Wilfrid’s became the Parish Church on 25th of May 1971, when St. John's Church was closed and subsequently demolished in 1972. We give thanks to God for his blessings over the last 100 years and pray for grace to continue this ministry to the people of Bognor Regis. 2 Feast of Dedication Celebrant & Preacher The Bishop of Chichester, the Right Reverend John Hind Clergy: The Revd. Andrew Wadsworth, Parish Priest Revd. Raymond Whelan Revd. Mark Everitt Director of Music: James Kirkpatrick Organist: Rex Latter Centenary Prayer Heavenly Father, pour down your spirit on St Wilfrid’s Church in our Centenary Year. Grant us a new vision of your glory, a new experience of your power, a new faithfulness to your Word and a new consecration to your service, that through our renewed Witness your Holy name may be glorified and your kingdom advanced through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 3 Choir Introits Gloria in Excelsis - Shaw O taste and see how gracious the Lord is - Vaughan Williams Hymn (Processional) Hail thee, Festival Day! Salve Festa Dies; R. Vaughan Williams Hail thee, Festival Day! Blest day that art hallowed for ever; Day when the Church, Christ’s bride, is to her bridegroom espoused. This is the house of God, a place of peace and refreshing; Solomon here to the poor offers a treasure untold. Scion of David is he who has called us to share in his glory; here in his Father's house God we shall find him and man. Here, at his holy font, does the heav’nly King and the righteous grace for their cleansing and growth grant to his people on earth. Tower of David is this; here are pledges of life and salvation, if with unwavering feet swift to this stronghold we run. Here is the ark of God, a refuge of grace to the faithful; safe to the haven it bears mariners tossed by the waves. Ladder of Jacob, by none but by thee we can mount to the heavens; grant that thy people, O Lord, thither ascending may reign. The Bishop: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. and also with you. The Bishop introduces the liturgy 4 The Collect for Purity Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen The Bishop invites all to confess our sins: Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God’s commandments and to live in love and peace with all. Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in 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 past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen The Bishop: Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and keep us in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Kyries Lord have mercy; Lord have mercy; Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy; Christ have mercy; Christ have mercy Lord have mercy; Lord have mercy; Lord have mercy Gloria Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, 5 Almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen Collect The Bishop: Almighty God, to whose glory we celebrate the dedication of this house of prayer: we praise you for the many blessings you 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. Amen All sit: Reader: A reading from the First Book of the Chronicles (1 Chronicles 29.6-19) Then the 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. They gave for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darks of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, into the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because these 6 had given willingly, for with single mind they had offered freely to the LORD; King David also rejoiced greatly. Then 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. " Yours, 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. Riches 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. And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name. 'But 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. For 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. O 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. I 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. O 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. Grant 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.' This is the word of the Lord Thanks be to God Psalm 122 (verses from) Responsorial Congregation Response “I rejoiced when I heard them say,” Let us go to God’s house” 7 I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Response Jerusalem is built as a city Strongly compact. It is there that the tribes go up, The tribes of the Lord. Response For Israel’s law it is, There to praise the Lord’s name. There were set the thrones of judgement of the house of David Response Reader: A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2,19-22) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with I the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God. This is the word of the Lord Thanks be to God All stand Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! I have chosen and sanctified this house, says the Lord, That my name may remain in it for all time. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! The Lord be with you; And also with you 8 Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St.