Towards the end of the Covid-19 lockdown, Roy Butler, Wendy Peacock and I formed a church work party. Besides tackling such jobs as preparing the church for the next quinquennial inspection and clearing the gutters and drains, we also sorted and filed twenty-plus years of crated documents which had been left in the upstairs office. Among these, we found two vinyl disc recordings of the Consecration Service held at All Saints on 31st October 1965. The discs had previously been owned by Ken Lawley, All Saints’ Choirmaster at that time.
When the recording plays, the listener is transported back to that era with its high church traditions and distinct accents. Though the condition of the discs is not of the best, I have managed to make a digital recording of much of the service and the address. You can access the recordings here.
The Right Reverend Father in God Gerald, Lord Bishop of Chester officiated at the consecration. At 9.30 in the morning, the Bishop’s procession left the Vicarage and was met at the main door by the Churchwardens F Meakin and J Gibson, the Architect, representatives of the Building Contractor Bovis, the Rural Dean and the Archdeacon. During the procession, the choir and congregation who had already assembled in church, stood to sing Psalm 24: The Earth is the Lord’s and all that therein is.
The Bishop struck the door three times with his staff and led some responses before being admitted. All present then recited The Apostles Creed and knelt to pray with the Bishop in silence for the church and all who would worship there. Still kneeling, they sang Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire.
Following the Prayers of Consecration, the Bishop processed around the church to bless the key fixtures, led by the Crucifer and accompanied by some of the church officials. They visited the font, the entrance to the sanctuary, the pulpit, the priest’s stall, and the altar, while the choir sang appropriate verses of the hymn We love Thy Place, O God. This was followed by the Act of Consecration itself. The Bishop dressed the altar as the congregation sang, Once, only once, and once for all. He read the Sentence of Consecration and marked the Consecration Stone in the Sanctuary to show that the church had been consecrated. The congregation responded by singing Praise God from whom all blessings flow to the tune Old Hundredth.
The Parish Communion followed the consecration, during which the following hymns were sung:
Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore Him
Christ is our corner-stone
Just as I am, without one plea
Bread of Heav’n, on Thee we feed
At the name of Jesus
Several copies of the order of service for the Consecration are on file in our church office. Do ask if you would like to see one.
All Saints' Church 