A service at the beginning of a new ministry

23rd April 2005, 3 pm, at the Parish Church of St Paul, Grange-over-Sands

(click here to see the photos or for banners!)

This act of worship has a number of distinct elements:

Before the service begins you may wish to spend some time in prayer:

The Readers and Clergy enter in procession as the Choir sings the Anthem ‘This joyful Eastertide’ by Charles Wood

Bishop: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be always with you,
All: And also with you.
Bishop: There are different gifts,
All: But it is the same Spirit who gives them.
Bishop: There are different ways of serving God,
All: But it is the same Lord who is served.
Bishop: God works through different people in different ways,
All: But it is the same God who achieves his purpose through them all.
Bishop: Each one of us is given gifts by the Spirit,
All: To use them for the common good.

Bishop: The ministry of the Church belongs to all the baptised for they have the privilege and responsibility of sharing in Christ’s work in the world. From God’s faithful people some are called to be ordained. Today we have gathered to institute Ian who has been chosen to be the Team Rector of the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry. We celebrate all that his coming among us will mean.

Rural Dean: Bishop Graham, I present to you Ian, who has been chosen to serve as the new Team Rector of the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry.
Representative of the Team Council: On behalf of the Team Council, I confirm that we have willingly shared in this choice.
Bishop: Ian, are you willing to commit yourself to this new responsibility?
Ian: With the help of God, I am.

Members of the congregations of all the Team Parishes stand
Bishop: Members of the Team, after due consultation Ian has been chosen to be your Team Rector. Will you care for him and support him in his ministry among you?
All: With the help of God, we will.

All sit

Bishop: God our Father, Lord of all the world, we thank you that through your Son you have called us into the fellowship of your universal Church: hear our prayer for your faithful people that in their vocation and ministry. each may be an instrument of your love, and give to Ian now to be instituted the needful gifts of grace: through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.  Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

At the end of the reading This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

The Prayers led by two Readers in the Team

God our Father, you give us gifts that we may work together in the service of your Son: bless those who lead, that they may be firm in faith, yet humble before you. We pray for Bishop Graham and those who share with him in leadership in this Diocese. Jesus, Lord of your Church,
All: In your mercy, hear us.

Bless those who teach, that they may increase our understanding and be open to your word for them. Jesus, Lord of your Church,
All: In your mercy, hear us.

Bless those who minister healing, that they may bring wholeness to others, yet know your healing in themselves. Jesus, Lord of your Church,
All: In your mercy, hear us.

Bless those through whom you speak, that they may proclaim your word in power, yet open their ears to your gentle whisper. Jesus, Lord of your Church,
All: In your mercy, hear us.

Bless all those who work in your world today that in the complexity of their daily lives they may live for you, fulfil your purposes, and seek your kingdom first. Jesus, Lord of your Church,
All: In your mercy, hear us.

Bless those who feel that they have no gifts of value and those who are powerless in this world’s eyes, that they may share their experience of the work of your Spirit. Jesus, Lord of your Church,
All: Hear our prayer, and make us one in heart and mind to serve you with joy for ever. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Bishop: God of all grace, you have called us to be the servants of Jesus Christ, and to share in his ministry of love to all:

Hymn (during the hymn the Archdeacon on behalf of the Patronage Board brings Ian to stand before the Bishop)

Archdeacon: Bishop, I present to you Ian Gladstone Coomber, and ask that you will institute him to this charge.

Bishop: I will gladly do so. But first the Declaration and Oaths must be administered.

Bishop The Church of England is part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church worshipping the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It professes the faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds, which faith the Church is called upon to proclaim afresh in each generation. Led by the Holy Spirit, it has borne witness to Christian truth in its historic formularies, the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordering of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.

In the declaration you are about to make, will you affirm your loyalty to this inheritance of faith as your inspiration and guidance under God in bringing the grace and truth of Christ to this generation and making him known to the people in your care?

Ian: I, Ian Gladstone Coomber, do so affirm, and accordingly declare my belief in the faith which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds and to which the historic formularies of the Church of England bear witness; and in public prayer and administration of the sacraments I will use only the forms of worship which are authorised or allowed by Canon.

The Oath of Allegiance (Ian, holding the Bible, faces the people)

Ian: I, Ian Gladstone Coomber, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law: so help me God.

The Oath of Canonical Obedience (Ian, holding the Bible, faces the Bishop)

Ian I, Ian Gladstone Coomber, do swear by Almighty God that I will pay true and canonical obedience to the Lord Bishop of Carlisle and his successors, in all things lawful and honest: so help me God.

Bishop: Ian, receive this charge, a cure of souls which is both yours and mine, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.

Bishop: God give you the spirit of holy discipline, the spirit of faithfulness, the spirit of love for all; and the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with you, and remain with you, always.
All: Amen.

Bishop: Archdeacon, having admitted Ian as Rector of the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry, I ask you now to induct and install him.

Archdeacon: Ian, I induct and install you as Team Rector of the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry. May the Lord bless your going out and your coming in, now and for ever.
All: Amen.

Rural Dean: As a sign of the ecumenical relationship we value, I ask you to greet ...

• Revd Jo Daley – Methodists

• Father Alf Parker – Roman Catholics

• Rt Revd Bishop Hugh Lindsay – Boarbank Hall

• Sister Emelda, Prioress, Boarbank Hall

• Deacon and Mrs George Farnworth, Roman Catholics

• Hazel Smith – Society of Friends

• Rev Eileen Sambrooks – United Reformed Church

Rural Dean: As a sign of the communities you will serve, I ask you to greet ...

• Cllr Robert Leach, Mayor of Grange

• Cllr James Bertlin, Parish Councillor

• Cllr Reg Parker, District Councillor

• Cllr Bill Wearing, County & District Councillor

Rural Dean: As a sign of our relationship with the local schools, I ask you to greet …

• Mrs Ruth Wall – Head, Allithwaite Primary School

• Mr Clive Peaple – Head, Cartmel Priory School

• Revd Robert Bailey – Chairman of Governors, Cartmel Primary School

• Mrs Ann Chatburn – teacher, Flookburgh Primary School

• Mr John Miller – Chairman of Governors, Cartmel Priory School

• Mr Colin Milner – Head, Grange Primary School

• Mr Jon Thedham – Chairman, Grange Primary School

Rural Dean: As a sign of Windermere Deanery in which we work, I ask you to greet …

• Mr Donald Wroe – Lay Chairman

• Mrs Penelope Ward – Deanery Secretary

 Ian and Jill greet the representatives of the Deanery

Rural Dean: On behalf of the clergy in the Deanery, I greet you both.

Rural Dean: And finally I invite you all to greet Ian and Jill.
All: In the name of the Lord, we welcome you.

All join in applause

Ian: Let us remember the words of St Paul: ‘Agree with one another, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you.’ .  The peace of the Lord be always with you,
All: And also with you.
Ian: Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Baptism and Mission - Ian is handed a large jug of water by a representative from the parish of Allithwaite
Representative: Baptism is a sign of new life in Christ. It is the token of our unity with all Christian people. Ian, will you care for the Lord’s household and strive to build it up? And in the power of the Holy Spirit will you lead us in our mission to seek the unity of the Church for which he prayed?
Ian: With the help of God, I will.  By the waters of baptism and through faith in Christ we have been born again:
All: That together we may proclaim the saving power of God.
Ian: Let us pursue all that makes for peace,
All: And builds up our common life.

Service in the Community - Ian is handed the keys from all churches in the Team by a representative of the parish of Cartmel
Representative: Christ came among us, not to be served but to serve. Ian, will you do all in your power to be an example of care and concern to the whole community? Will you search for the lonely and the disadvantaged and will you work alongside other local groups and agencies so that, in the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s compassion can be known in the world?
Ian: With the help of God, I will. Help us, Heavenly Father, to welcome friend and stranger alike that others may see the good we do,
All: And give praise to our Father in heaven.

Children and Young People - A piece of children’s work is presented to Ian by children from the Team
Representative: This picture and these large banners have been made with the help of the primary schools on the peninsula as well as the parishes you have recently left, and are a reminder to us of the life of the whole people of God.
Head of In Jesus, God came into the world as a child. He challenges us to affirm the place of children and young people in our Christian life and worship. Ian, will you join with us to ensure children are always welcome in our Team and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, help us to enable them to grow in the faith of Jesus Christ?
Ian: With the help of God, I will. Let the children come to God through Jesus Christ,
All: For theirs is the Kingdom of God.

Prayer and Worship - Ian is handed a prayer book by a representative of the parish of Field Broughton
Representative: God has entrusted his Church with the vision of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Ian, will you set time aside for prayer and reflection, will you lead us in worship and help us to pray, so that in the power of the Holy Spirit we may be changed into the Lord’s likeness, from glory to glory?
Ian: With the help of God, I will.  Let us never cease praying for the Church and for the world,
All: Thanking God for his goodness.

The Word of God - Ian is handed a Bible by a representative from the parish of Flookburgh
Representative: Our Lord Jesus Christ has revealed the Father’s will and fulfilled his promises. Ian, will you open the Scriptures to us, so that together we may know God’s purpose for this Team? And in the power of the Spirit will you lead us in spreading the Good News of God’s love in word and deed?
Ian: With the help of God, I will.  May the Lord be in our hearts and on our lips,
All: That together we may proclaim his holy Gospel.

Pastoral Care - Ian is handed an oil stock by a representative from the parish of Grange-over-Sands
Representative: At your ordination you were reminded that you are called to search for God’s children in the wilderness of the world’s temptations and to guide them through its confusions so that they might be saved for ever. Ian, in the power of the Holy Spirit, will you bless us in the name of the Lord; will you minister to the sick and care for the dying?

Ian: With the help of God, I will.  May Christ bring us wholeness of body, mind and spirit,
All: That he may deliver us from every evil and give us his peace.

The Eucharist - Ian is handed a chalice and paten by representatives from the parish of Lindale
Representative: Our Lord Jesus Christ has left us a memorial of his saving death until he comes again, and he makes himself known in the breaking of the bread. Ian, will you preside faithfully at the Eucharist so that in the power of the Holy Spirit, our lives may become a living sacrifice, to God’s praise and glory?
Ian: With the help of God, I will.  Let us take bread and break it, let us take the cup and give thanks over it,
All: That together we may proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Archdeacon: The Body of Christ is made up of many parts and many ministries so that the Church may proclaim the Good News of salvation to all. Ian, God has called others to serve as pastors alongside you in this place. Will you work with your colleagues in the service of Christ and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, support them in their ministry?
Ian: With the help of God, I will.
Bishop: Ministers of the Team, will you support Ian? Will you work with each other, learning from each other’s special skills, and be ready to share your own?
Colleagues: With the help of God, we will.
Bishop: Almighty God, who has given you the will to undertake all these things, give you also the strength to perform them; that he may complete the work which he has begun in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

5. Honour, glory, might and merit
thine shall ever be,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
blessed Trinity!
Of the best that thou hast given
earth and heaven render thee.

Bishop: The Spirit of truth lead you into all truth, give you grace to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and to proclaim the wonderful word and works of God;
and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.
All: Amen.
Team Rector: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
All: In the name of Christ. Amen.