Whether your church has always observed the Lenten season or is among the growing number now choosing to recover this aspect of Christian tradition, here’s a twist on the usual midweek service—a worship service designed to be used in people’s homes.
In years gone by it was customary to invite the clergy to bless your home sometime during the weeks before Easter. The following worship service is based on one written around 1914, and it can be used over and over again in various families’ homes. It works really well if families host a potluck supper and invite others to their blessing service.
You Will Need:
• Brand-new Bible (still in the wrapper)
• Bible belonging to the family (the more history the better)
• Candle
• Dish of water
• Flower or small plant from the family’s yard (If the season doesn’t permit doing this, the pastor may bring flowers.)
• Communion elements (If possible use the bread and beverage from the meal.)
Music Suggestions:
• “Hard Times Come Again No More”—This is a wonderful song for a house blessing. There are a number of excellent versions out there. Two of the best are Eastmountainsouth’s self-titled CD and James Taylor’s Appalachian Journey.
• Johnny Cash: My Mother’s Hymn Book—Recorded toward the end of his life, this collection of classic hymns is made more poignant by Cash’s frail, often faltering voice.
• David Crowder Band—If you’re dealing with a younger congregation try something off of DCB’s CD All I Can Say. There’s an excellent version of “Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing.”
• Lost and Found: The song “Fruit We Bear” from the Something CD and “Because He Lives” from Pronto both make nice closers, but they have opposite moods, so it depends on how you want to end your service.
The Service
After supper gather everyone in the center of the living area. Give a brief introduction and publicly thank the family who’s opened their home during Lent. Light the candle.
Music: Use “Hard Times” or a song of your own choosing.
Opening Prayer: Creator God, as we enter into this season, we ask that you keep our minds, hearts, and souls focused on the reason we’re gathered. While Advent is a time of waiting, Lent is a season of preparation. We must prepare our lives, we must prepare our homes, and we must prepare ourselves for the crucifixion and resurrection of your Son. Let us feel your presence now in this place, in this home. Amen.
Responsive Reading: Instruct those in attendance to repeat the phrase “We will open our hearts” after you read each of the following lines:
Almighty God, you gave us your Son as a gift.
You gave us your Son as a sacrifice.
With his hands your Son healed body and soul.
With his words your Son healed our broken lives.
The gates of the city opened to receive him.
The tomb opened to set him free.
The tomb opened to set us free.
Scripture: Have a household member read Psalm 46 from the family Bible.
Prayer: God we ask that you take these words read from your Word and let their meaning have meaning in our hearts as they have had in the hearts of generations before.
Scripture: Read Psalm 128 from the new Bible.
Prayer: (While placing the new Bible on the table or mantle) God, as we place your Word in this house, we know that it will be a light in this family, a place of comfort in times of pain, a compass when they feel lost, a binder of your presence and their presence, and a connection between you and them forever. Amen.
Blessing with water: (You will need to lightly dip the end of the plant or flower into the dish of water. Take care not to throw the water on the people or on any nearby fancy-looking wood furniture. This is symbolic gesture not a shower.)
Responsive reading: (Toss the water in four different directions from where you’re standing.) Instruct people to repeat the phrase “Bless this house” after you read each of the following lines.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The stone will be rolled away.
The presence of Christ be in these walls.
The presence of Christ be in your hearts.
Amen.
At this time the pastor can lead a service of communion with the bread and wine or beverage left over from the dinner.
Music: At the end of the communion service, play a selection from the music suggestion list or a hymn chosen by the host family.
Closing Prayer: Let us pray. We ask that you bless this house and all who live here. We ask that your presence be alive in them and alive in us. As Christ prepared for his death, help us to be prepared for our own trials and hard times. Let us die to ignorance. Let us die to hatred. Let us die to the pain we carry around in our souls. Let us be resurrected and be new along with your Son. Amen.
STEVE CASE is a longtime youth minister and author of God Is Here: Connecting Him With Everyday Life (Relevant Books). He lives in Florida.
copyright © 2009 Group Publishing Inc.
