A house blessed

We have a new church home, Our Savior Lutheran Church. Our new pastor and his family came over last week for a home blessing; a rite that we became familiar with when we lived in Pittsburgh. We gathered in each room, read a scripture passage, and then prayed an appropriate prayer. The following is the hymn we sang at the conclusion:

Oh, blest the house, whate'er befall,
Where Jesus Christ is all in all!
Yea, if He were not dwelling there,
How dark and poor and void it were!

oh, blest that house where faith ye find
And all within have set their mind
To trust their God and serve Him still
And do in all His holy will!

Oh, blest the parents who give heed
Unto their children's foremost need
And weary not of care or cost!
May none to them and heaven be lost!

Blest such a house, it prospers well,
In peace and joy the parents dwell,
And in their children's lot is shown
How richly God can bless His own.

Then here will I and mine today
A solemn covenant make and say:
Though all the world forsake Thy Word,
I and my house will serve the Lord!

And, as promised, here are more pictures of the newly blessed abode: