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This month will mark another milestone in our faith journey as Big Spring United Lutheran Church. On March 30, 2008, we celebrated our Groundbreaking; on August 30, 2009, we dedicated the Cornerstone; finally, we will celebrate the Dedication of the new building at 4:00 p.m. on November 15, 2009. Earlier that same day, we will gather at 10:30 a.m. for the Closing Service at our old building, the former St. James Lutheran Church in Bloserville. Some of you may recall when we celebrated the Closing Service for St. Paul, Newville, in the spring of 2006. The liturgy for closing a congregation gives thanks for faithful ministry through the years in this particular place, and also affirms the contininuity of God's work and mission. As a sign of that continuity, the liturgy ends with a ceremony in which the worship furnishings and sacramental vessels--cross, candles, Bible, ewer and baptismal bowl, paten and chalice--are lifted up and carried in procession from the old worship space. That same afternoon, as we gather for the dedication of the new building, those same holy things will be brought in procession into the new worship space. To further emphasize the continuity, the final hymn at the closing service and the opening hymn at the dedication will be one and the same. While I have been blessed to participate in a couple of re-dedication services on the occasion of congregational anniversaries, this will be the first actual dedication service in my experience--as it may also be for you. The dedication liturgy begins with prayers and a ceremonial presentation of the keys and unlocking of the door at the entrance of the church. Then the congregation processes into the new worship space, at which time the presiding pastor dedicates the baptismal font, the pulpit, and the altar--the central symbols of Word and Sacrament, around which we gather as Christ's Church. The dedication of a new church building is an occasion of joy and hope, not only for this congregation, but for the whole church. It is fitting that our synodical bishop, the Rev. B. Penrose Hoover, will be the guest preacher at the dedication, and that we will be joined by many guests from our synod and from the larger community. It is also fitting that the Rev. Melvin Dick, assistant to our synodical bishop, will preside at the closing rite at the morning service, as a sign that we share our burdens and our tears, our hopes and our joys, not only with one another, but with the whole body of Christ. It is fitting too that our guest preacher at the closing service will be the Rev. Dr. Robert Seibold, who is not only a member of BSULC, but who served as interim pastor of St. James for many years. It should come as no surprise that this milestone day will also include good food and fellowship! There will be a luncheon at the new site following the closing service, and following the dedication, there will be cake and ice cream. There will also be time for informal fellowship (and yes, refreshments)at our Open House, Saturday, November 14, 1:00-3:00 p.m. I'm look forward to celebrating these milestones with all of you. Thanks be to God for his abiding faithfulness on the journey! Your sister in Christ, Pastor Jean
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