James Tissot - Washing the Feet
Welcome to Worship - Maundy Thursday
The Thursday of Holy Week
Opening Prayer: |
Circle us, O Lord
breathe faith within and breathe out all our doubts Circle us, O Lord breathe hope within and breathe out all our fears Circle us, O Lord breathe love within and breathe out all our misunderstanding |
Entrance Hymn:
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When Jesus wept, the falling tear
in mercy flowed beyond all bound. When Jesus groaned, a trembling fear seized all the guilty world around. |
Prayer for Understanding |
Expectantly we enter this evening
like your friends cloistered epochs ago Waiting for the sign of your kingdom Watching for the wink for when you would ascend the throne and put all things to right and we’ve waited how long, O Lord? And you say rest with me eat with me sing with me pray with me and so we will without any answers amidst all the confusion outside our cloister we will we will fall asleep on you tonight we will forget about you we will deny you in some way we will hide we will wonder what we’ve done with you and run the cost-benefit analysis Love us still, O Lord Stay faithful to us, O Lord Have mercy on our fear-based behaviors We wish to be yours We wish to understand Hold us close even though we should be holding you close this night Amen |
Scripture Reading: John 12 |
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Prayers of the People: |
We gather in your Gethsemane
great Teacher and join you in profound prayer surrounded by the darkness shadowless murk but we see you your light draws us into the center of sorrow for the suffering of this world we linger with you in the loneliness laboring in the homes of hundreds of millions this night we bow at the burden of fear and fright felt across the cosmos and we attempt not to resolve it but to feel it to sense the suffering to perceive the pain to deal with death and to know the night for all its darkness For to deny the depths of the dark spills lamp oil on desert sand We shall wait and rest until another day when perhaps you will heal these hurts come, Lord Jesus amen Please use the above form to submit your joys and/or requests for prayer. Your submission will be sent directly to Rev. Phil.
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Recessional Hymn: Go to Dark Gethsemane |
1 Go to dark Gethsemane,
You who feel the tempter's pow'r; Your Redeemer's conflict see; Watch with Him one bitter hour; Turn not from His griefs away; Learn of Jesus Christ to pray. 2 Follow to the judgment hall; View the Lord of life arraigned; O the worm-wood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained! Shun not suff'ring, shame, or loss; Learn of Him to bear the cross. |
3 Calv'ry's mournful mountain climb
There' adoring at His feet, Mark the miracle of time, God's own sacrifice complete: "It is finished!" Hear the cry; Learn of Jesus Christ to die. 4 Early hasten to the tomb Where they laid his breathless clay; All is solitude and gloom; Who hath taken Him away? Christ is ris'n! He meets our eyes: Savior, teach us so to rise. Author: James Montgomery (1825) |
Benediction: Thursday |
Night hastens
chasing the few bars of the bird before rest of day it will not do to hold onto the light it must go out but for a fermata not the fine. Caked feet cry out for oil and water towel and basin and tears shame and guilt awkward thoughts and roles being played out in real time love gets naked then wrapped in just a cloth meant for those indebted to serve but what is this? this debt of love? Will you love each other? Please? a final pleaful prayer and sorrow and song tearsalt that touches the wine as morsels mingle in the moment of mindfulness night hastens the hand who hands over how hopeless he hurries how heartbreakingly he hurts himself his hero songsung toward a gardenscape to tarry and to tiredness Dad, there’s no other way to love is there? willing Wind of God weak wills of flesh friends who fall fast witness the flames poking torchholes in the twilight I am I will I have already loved all always |