Litany of Decommissioning

Litany Of Decommissioning

To the glory of God, our Father and Creator, to the glory of Jesus Christ the Son, our Lord and Savior, to the glory of the Holy Spirit, our Counselor and Guide, with thanks and with praise, with warm remembrance holding lightly to the things of this world,

we decommission this building.

For the shared ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church, for the facilitation of the proclamation and living out of the gospel of Jesus Christ through Covenant Churches and ministries around the world,

we decommission this building.

With thanksgiving for good work accomplished for God’s work in these offices and hallways, for meetings and conversations, for phone calls and faxes, for visions dreamed and plans executed, for long days and difficult tasks, for joys and victories, for clear visions of the fruit of labor given and hard work rewarded,

we decommission this building.

With thanksgiving for people who have served God in this place, for Harry and Dotty, for Karen and Cliff, for Ingrid and for Tim, for Doris and for Muriel, for this cloud of witnesses that cheer us on and celebrate our sacrifice and call us toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,

we decommission this building.

With gratitude for chapel services and prayer, for bag lunches and picnics, for baby showers and tearful farewells, for very good friends, for laughter and support, for reconciliation and forgiveness and all the ways your people live out your call in their life together,

we decommission this building.

With a clear understanding that our God is not confined to buildings made by hands, and as we move to a new building and a new place to serve and share, we now, the people of this church, grateful for our heritage and mindful of the sacrifices of those who have gone before, consecrate ourselves anew to the service of God in spirit and truth, and to the service of all people in the spirit of Christ, we  decommission this building in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us pray together using words from the Breastplate Prayer of St. Patrick:

We bind unto ourselves today, The power of God to hold and lead, His eye to watch, his might to stay, His ear to hearken to our need; The wisdom of our God to teach, His hand to guide, his shield to ward; The word of God to give us speech, His heav’nly host to be our guard. Christ be with us, Christ within us, Christ behind us, Christ before us, Christ beside us, Christ to win us, Christ to comfort and restore us, Christ beneath us, Christ above us, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love us, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. We bind unto ourselves the Name, The strong name of the Trinity; By invocation of the same, The Three in One, and One in Three. Of whom all nature hath creation; Eternal Father, Spirit, Word: Praise to the Lord of our salvation, Salvation is of Christ the Lord.