Order for the Blessing
of a New Home

From the Book of Common Order 
of the Church of Scotland.

INTRODUCTION

The minister says:

Peace be to this house and with all who live here.
When Christ took flesh and dwelt among us, 
he made his home in Nazareth;
and by his life with Mary and Joseph,
he sanctified the life of home.
When he came to Jericho
he said to Zacchaeus,
'I must stay at your house today. 
Today salvation has come to this house.'

PRAYERS

The minister says:

Let us pray
that Christ will be at home in this house 
and bless it with his presence.
May Christ always be here with you. 
May he share in your joys,
and comfort you in your sorrows.
May he inspire and help you
to make your home
a dwelling-place of love,
offering the kindly hospitality of God.
Peace and joy be to this house.
Amen.

All say:

Guide us, Lord,
in all our doings with your gracious favour, 
and further us with your continuing help: 
that in all our works,
begun, continued, and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name,
and by your mercy attain everlasting life; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Our Father. . .

SCRIPTURE READING

The minister says:

Listen for the Word of God
in the Holy Gospel according to St Luke:

By this time they had reached the village
to which they were going,
and Jesus made as if to continue his journey, but they pressed him:
'Stay with us, for evening draws on,
and the day is almost over.'
So he went in to stay with them.
And when he had sat down with them at table,
he took bread and said the blessing;
he broke the bread, and offered it to them.
Then their eyes were opened,
and they recognized him;
and he vanished from their sight.
They said to one another,
'Did we not feel our hearts on fire
as he talked with us on the road
and explained the scriptures to us?'

Luke 24: 28 – 32

All say:

Stay with us, Lord,
and dwell in this home;
that we may honour you as our Friend, 
and serve you as our Saviour.
Amen.

PRAYERS

The minister says:

God our Father,
your presence makes every dwelling
a holy temple. ;
Enter this home,
to hallow it in pureness and beauty of love, 
and surround itwith contentment and joy.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you taught us to build
the house of our life
upon the solid rock of your truth.
Grant that your servants; A . . . and B . . . ,
may hold fast to your teaching, 
and be built up in faith,
in hope, and in love.

Holy Spirit of God,
you desire to find a home in each of us. 
So dwell with A. . . .and B . . .
that you will be their shelter when at home, 
their companion when away,
and their welcome guest when they return.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God, blessed for ever:
expel and put away from this house
all power and presence of darkness. 
Watch over and defend this home,
and let no evil come near your servants, 
that they may be guarded by your angels 
and folded in your eternal love.
Amen.

BLESSING

The minister says:

The peace and blessing of almighty God, 
rest upon this house,
upon all who enter it and go out from it, 
and upon all who dwell under this roof.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.