Parish Church of St Jude-on-the-Hill
Hampstead Garden Suburb
Thursday 8 July 2021
Blessing of the Weathervane
Introduction
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Dear brothers and sisters, today is a joyous and happy day for all of us as the new weathervane is blessed and installed on our church.
A weathervane shows the direction of the wind, and we look to it for safety, guidance and direction, in order (as St Jude warns) that we are not “carried by the winds [like] the wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame”, but are rather like those who on the Day of Pentecost heard “a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind” and were filled with the Holy Spirit”.
St John saw “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth” and reminds us that “the wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes”.
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to safety, and direct and guide us in the ways of love and peace, from the cock crow of morning until the evening of our final peace and rest.
The Word of the Lord
Brothers and sisters, listen to the words of the holy gospel according to Mark. [4.35-41]
Jesus Stills a Storm
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
Psalm 29
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.
1 Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. doth every one speak of his glory.
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.
The Blessing
Almighty God pour out you grace upon this weathervane and extend the gift of your help to all who look to you, that the power of you word and the witness of this community may grow your people into your loving embrace.
The weathervane is sprinkled with holy water.
In this visible house that you have let us build and where you never cease to show favour to the family on pilgrimage to you in this place, you wonderfully manifest and accomplish the mystery of your communion with us. Here you build up for yourself the temple that we are and cause your Church, spread through the world, to grow ever more and more as the Lord’s own Body, till she reaches her fullness in the vision of peace, the heavenly city of Jerusalem. Lord breathe your spirit into this place crowned with these images of your creation, the cock and the fish, and renew its holiness.
Your house is a house of prayer, and your presence makes it a place of blessing.
May all who worship here or are inspired by the beauty of this place joyfully enter into your city of peace.
The weathervane is censed.
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.
May the light of your truth shine forth among your people that we may constantly adore you in your holy temple and glory in your sight with Blessed Mary, Jude our patron, and all your saints.
May God the Lord of heaven and earth who has gathered us together today for the blessing of this weathervane and the rededication of this spire make you abound in heavenly blessings and, with Saint Jude pray, “to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.”
And may almighty God bless you all, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.