CELEBRATION FOR A HOME SERVICE FROM THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

The Book of Occasional Services is a wonderful depository of services for a wide variety of situations not mentioned in the Book of Common Prayer.  One of these is for the “Celebration for a Home”.  For this service a priest assembles with the members of the household and their friends in the living room of the home to be blessed.  The service’s beginning can be elaborate (with Bible readings) or extremely simple.  After the opening ceremony, the group (with one of the household members carrying a candle) move from room to room in the home - concluding in the living room.  In each room, the priest reads an antiphon followed by a short prayer followed by a blessing and sprinkling of the room with Holy Water.  There are specific prayers for a child’s room, a guest room, a bathroom, a workroom, a kitchen, a dining room, a terrace or garden, and a living room or family room.  When the group has returned to the living room, a final prayer and blessing are given.  Afterwards the people greet one another in the name of the Lord, Eucharist may be celebrated, and a dismissal is given.  Convivial festivity follows.

​~ Dr. Gil Haas