Induction Service 29/8/21

Call to worship

Hymn: Great is thy faithfulness

Song: Above all powers

Song: Elijah

Prayer

Welcome to Hani from the London Baptist Association will take over for this part of the service. Thank you Hani.

1 Welcome and Introduction

After opening worship, the presiding minister greets the congregation and introduces the service

You, the members Oldfield Free Church

have called Ian Thomas to be your pastor,

and believing this call to be of God,

he has accepted,

and comes now to be inducted into this office.

At this significant time

in the life of both church and minister

I invite you all to renew your commitment

to Christ and this Church,

as together you share in God’s mission

of saving love to the world.

First we shall hear how God has led

both church and minister

to issue and accept this call.

2 Telling the Story

First, Martin Smith will come and describes how the church came to call Ian to be its minister.

Second, Ian gives an account of the call to this particular ministry.

How did God lead me here? Well, it was a calling away from a Church that the Lord had led me to and in that case it was for a relatively short period of time, just four years. I found out that quite a number of my prayer supporters had been praying for me and got the sense that they should be praying for new opportunities for me.

So, I put my name on the list with the regional minister to get a sense of where God may be leading as it did seem to be away from Swansea and maybe Wales where we had been for 18 years.

Other factors in this were at work. Irena had no job at the time. My parents are too far away. And it appeared the future in Swansea had an imminent end date.

Irena had expressed a desire to move to London and we concentrated our search there. And that is when we were sent the profile for Oldfield. Actually, I asked for my profile to be sent to them. And Covid happened.

In the midst of this another Church said they wanted to explore further and I was relieved in the end that it did not pan out.

During this time Oldfield also went through changes especially because of the going to the Lord of Reginald and because of Covid.

But I got back in touch to say I was available again to talk if the search team were inclined to do so. And I was relieved that there was a desire to do so.

A few zoom meetings later and a call during Covid restrictions to which we were gladly able to say ‘Yes’.

It took over a year from the first time my profile was sent to arriving in North Greenford. God’s timing is His and He knows best. But this is the place God has called us to. Covid could not stop it from happening!

3 Confessing Faith and Promising Faithfulness:

The Minister

The presiding minister questions the minister elect

All Christians are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ

and to follow in his way.

Ian, as a Christian minister,

you are first a disciple of Christ,

and so I ask you to affirm afresh

your faith and trust in God,

a faith which you have already confessed in baptism.

Do you believe in one God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

and do you confess Jesus Christ

as your Saviour and Lord?

I do.

Ian, you have been called to be the pastor of this church and congregation.

Do you accept the charge from Christ to care for his people with all diligence and compassion?

Will you care for the weak, bring Christ’s healing to the brokenhearted, lift up the downcast,

and pray regularly for those committed to your care?

I will, God’s Spirit empowering me.

Will you ‘equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ’?

Will you lead and enable God’s people in their mission to the world, seeking God’s kingdom,

proclaiming the gospel in word and deed and seeking to make Christ known in every way?

I will, the risen Christ inspiring me.

Will you ‘make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’?

By your example, will you lead this church in all godly living and devotion to Christ through prayer and the reading of scripture?

Will you be faithful in the leading of worship, in presiding at the table of the Lord and in preaching the word of God?

In the name of God who is the Father of all, the living Word and the Spirit of unity, I will.

The presiding minister addresses the minister’s wife

Irena, you have heard the promises made by Ian today.

Will you join in that commitment to Christ and his people,

promising to support and encourage him in his ministry

in this church and community?

I will.

The Church

The presiding minister addresses church deacons

Do you believe you have been called by God to work together humbly and willingly in serving this church and community? We do.

Do you promise to honour and respect one another, ‘doing nothing from vain conceit, but in humility regarding others as better than yourselves,’

and do you promise to work with the members of this church in its calling to seek the kingdom of God? We will.

I invite the members of this church to stand.

My sisters and brothers, a new chapter in the life of this church is opened today. I invite you now to renew your commitment to Christ and this church, to affirm again the vows of your baptism.

Do you believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and do you confess Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? We do.

Do you accept and welcome Ian as your minister, and do you promise to honour and support him with your love and prayers, working together with him in your shared calling to witness to Christ in this place? We do.

Paul, the apostle, says ‘You were bought with a price.’ Will you serve Jesus Christ as Lord, bearing witness to him and daily taking up your cross to follow him? We will.

Would the whole congregation please stand.

As representatives of the wider church and community, will you offer your support at this new beginning in the life of church and minister, and will you join in praying for them all? We will

4. Prayers

If you are a minister, pastor or church leader, please come and join us as we lay hands and pray for Ian

5. Declaration and Blessing

The presiding minister then says

Ian, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

in the name of the Baptist Union of Great Britain

and on behalf of this church,

I declare you inducted to the pastorate of this church and congregation.

As you lead the people of God and care for them,

as you serve and pray for this community,

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face to shine upon you

and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you

and give you peace. Amen.

Song: Take my life (3min)

Reading and Sermon (Ande Mullin)

Song: Be thou my vision

Benediction