Here is the prayer of blessing:
Lord God,
all-powerful Creator of light,
source and origin of us all,
look with kindness upon your servants
who will use this equipment to produce electricity.
Grant that by continuing to seek your face
they may, after the darkness of this world,
find you, the unfailing light,
in whom we live and move and have our being.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
As an ecumenical gesture, I concluded the blessing of the tunnel with the lovely Advent Collect from the Alternative Prayer Book of the Church of Ireland:
Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness,
and put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ
came to visit us in great humility;
So that, on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal,
through him who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
Let us now listen to a splendid Advent hymn.
Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding;
“Christ is nigh,” it seems to say,
“Cast away the works of darkness,
O ye children of the day.”
Wakened by the solemn warning
Let the earthbound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all ill dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
Lo, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from Heav’n;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiven.
That when next He comes in glory,
And the world is wrapped in fear,
With His mercy He may shield us,
And with words of love draw near.
Honour, glory, might, and blessing
Be to God: the Father, Son
And the everlasting Spirit,
While eternal ages run.
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