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Dedication
of a New Altar
For the past few months our Worship & Music Mission Team has been
brainstorming on altar designs along with one of our talented members
who has been building the ideas into the real thing. Our new altar is
in the table style, an altar style that emphasizes the holy meal, the
Lord’s supper that is served from this holy table. We will be dedicating
our new altar in a special prayer of dedication later in the service.
Prayers of The Church
We begin our prayers this morning with a prayer of dedication for
this our new altar.
Dear Father in Heaven,
At the altars of the Old Testament Prophets, unblemished lambs and other
animals were sacrificed in atonement for the sin of the people.
On the altar of the cross your only son, Jesus, the sinless lamb of God,
was sacrificed as a once and for all final sacrifice for the sins of the
whole world.
Jesus turned the table of the upper room into a new type of altar, one
on which a holy meal was served. “This is my body,” he said.
“This is my blood.” For the forgiveness of your sins, do this
in remembrance of me.
For 2,000 years now, in many times and many places, believers have gathered
around tables and altars to continue to celebrate your holy meal.
Bless this altar now, O Lord, as it now takes its place standing beside
all those other altars of the church through history so that your Holy
Supper many continue to be served here in this time and in this place.
Bless the hands that crafted and made this altar. Bless the hands that
will set this holy table and clean up afterward. Bless the hands that
will pray, praise, and serve your holy meal.
Bless those who will gather here in Christ’s name and who will receive
here Christ’s body and blood given for the forgiveness of their
sins.
May we who communion at this table find a foretaste of the eternal feast
to come that we will someday celebrate with you and all believers in heavenly
eternity.
This we pray through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever.
Lord, in your mercy . . . “hear our prayer.” |