Prayer of Dedication for the new Wilson Chapel

May 18, 2007

(People spread out from ends of rows to touch walls and hold hands with others)

O God, this hour we call upon you anew
In this place:
Father, Word and Holy Spirit;
Mother, Wisdom, Breath of Fire;

You who spoke in light to frame the worlds,
And meet us in their wonder,
wonder at what we understand and wonder at what we do not;
You who dove to the depths of manger and of cross
To bear the world of those you made,
And meet us in the face of Christ;
You who dwell by every heart,
The promised guest of every gathered two or three,
And meet us in our neighbor;
Who remake us in communion by communion,
You who are communion,
Draw near to us,
who have made this place to draw near to you.

Holy One, who dispose of every manner of appearing--- in earthquake, wind, and fire, still small voice and vision dreams---- keep the many appointments you have already made for this place, beginning now. Make us the first who will not leave these walls the same as we entered.

With our hands we touch the future,
This building that will be here when we are gone,
That will witness what we will not,
That will hold what we cannot imagine.
Blessed are those who will see what it will see.

Send your spirit to us, through us, now.
Send your spirit to us from that future.
Give us a foretaste of your glory.

Give us unity with those who will come,
That we may dedicate this place for their blessing
And the blessing of all those they will serve.

In the sweep of your time and your purpose
This place is but a passing tent of pilgrimage,
An arc of refuge.

But this we pray:
May your name always be hallowed here,
May the gospel of Christ always be heard here,
May the hope of your justice always be kindled here,

May the open face of this building be a window to the world you love,
that we may never turn away from seeing its suffering,
its need, and your tears.
May these walls be aged by prayer,
Steeped in song,
Tempered by grief and anger and joy,
Until the practice of your presence is a habit here
That bends the time, and space, and hearts of all who enter.

May everything that comes out of our classrooms, and studies, and homes and churches, everything in our school, be brought into and through the fire of this place,
Tried, refined, perfected and renewed to grow up into the fullness of your purpose, so in our generations we shall see yet much more of your wisdom, power, goodness and truth than we have known before.
Take this place. Make it yours. For Christ's sake. Amen.

S. Mark Heim
Samuel Abbott Professor of Christian Theology