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Holy Week

confession: when we ___…

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“A servant woman saw Peter sitting in the firelight. She stared at him and said, ‘This man was with Jesus too.’ But Peter denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I don’t know him!’” Luke 22:56-57

When we deny you, Christ, forgive us.

“All his disciples left Jesus and ran away.” Mark 14:50

When the risks of following you are high, and we are nowhere to be found, Christ, forgive us.

“Pilate took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I’m innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. Then he handed Jesus over to be crucified.” Matthew 27:24, 26

When we wash our hands of responsibility, Christ, forgive us.

“Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I turn Jesus over to you?’ They paid him thirty pieces of silver.” Matthew 26:14-15

When we side with powerful oppressors and seek to buy freedom, Christ, forgive us.

“When the women returned from the empty tomb, they reported everything to the Eleven and all the others. Their words struck the apostles as nonsense, and they didn’t believe the women.” Luke 24:9, 11

When fear keeps us from witnessing to your truth, or prejudice keeps us from believing it, Christ, forgive us.

(Silent prayer)

Tender God, raise us in your love so that, with joy, we may witness to the good news of Easter, in the name of Jesus the Risen One. Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Daniel Hayward, Ingleside-Newington Pastoral Charge, South Stormont, Ontario, The United Church of Canada, adapted from a prayer in The United Church of Canada worship resource Celebrate God’s Presence.

 

Aside/idea from your LiturgyLink admins: this would be a really interesting prayer to “build up” throughout Triduum–the first to sections on Maundy Thursday, add the next two on Good Friday, and then add the final sections at the Easter Vigil or on Easter morning…

Maundy Thursday opening prayer

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Gracious God, we give you thanks this night for the privilege of gathering together to remember, to celebrate, and to share.  We give you thanks for the journey we have been on with you—from manger to Temple, from Egypt to Galilee, from darkness to light.  Tonight we feast, as you did on a night like this so long ago, remembering your promises, your mighty deeds, your rescue of your people, your saving grace.  As we share this meal tonight, make us mindful of those who are hungry.  As we celebrate together, make us mindful of those who sorrow and those who are alone.  As we remember once again all you have done and all that you are, form us once again into your people.

May all who hunger come to rejoice in the feast of your kingdom.  Let all the human family sit at your table, drink the wine of deliverance, and eat the bread of freedom.  We pray these things in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church, Crystal Lake IL.

Maundy Thursday invitation

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It was a feast night, much like tonight. It was the time of celebration—celebration of God giving freedom, celebration of life and light and love being stronger than the powers of oppression and violence that seem to rule the world.

It was a feast night, a dinner party, with storytelling and laughter and more food than anyone knew what to do with.

And at this feast, a meal with traditions and family jokes and songs of hope, Jesus called his friends to see the world differently.

To see not just bread, not just wine, not just a traditional meal, but to allow their eyes to be opened to see the kingdom of God—the kingdom of abundance, love, sharing, hope…the kingdom of LIFE—laid before them.

So tonight, we are invited to share this same feast, to break bread and let our eyes be opened, to share the cup and know the power of a life poured out in love and obedience.

let us pray…

Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church, Crystal Lake IL.

holy week confession

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Call to Reconciliation
Confident of the hope received by the death of Christ, we bring our hearts –
broken, stained with sin, filled with failings – to the One who sprinkles
them with grace, cleansing them with the waters of life.

Unison Prayer of Confession
Like little children who can wander off in a crowded store, we have lost our
way, God of the grim day. We betray you when we do not befriend the poor; we
deny you when we are afraid to speak up for the voiceless; we turn our backs
on you when we do not do good for others; we crucify you when we harm our
family and friends.

At the foot of the cross, we stand with all who have forgotten you and
forsaken the way which you offer to us. Forgive us, Lamb of God, and fill us
with the mercy, the hope, the grace you poured out for us, as you gave your
life for the sins of the world.

Extended silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:  Christ has lifted our suffering onto his shoulders, carrying all our
hurts and rejections into God’s heart. There, God casts them away into the
sea of forgetfulness, so we may be restored to hope and live as new people.
P:  Fed with grace, carried in God’s arms, we know that we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Submitted by Rev. Thom Shuman, author of Lectionary Liturgies.

Good Friday–the 1 hour 24 hour story

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A complete Good Friday service, remembering Jesus’ last 24 hours (in a one hour service)

 

(Note: Some believe the Passion Story in Mark’s Gospel was written to serve
as an Easter Vigil, telling the story as early Christians ‘re-lived’ the
last 24 hours of Jesus’ life as they prepared to celebrate our Lord’s
Resurrection. Today’s service ‘reduces’ those 24 hours into one, as we
remember the final hours of our Lord’s life.)

The people gather in silence

Call to Worship
L:  Into the shadows of chaos
P:  the Light of the world steps;
L:  from the silence of death
P:  the Word of God breaks free;
L:  for the emptiness of our souls,
P:  the Bread of the world is broken.

First Three Hours (6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday)

Eating with Friends – Mark 14:17-25

Response
L:  it was at table
that the story began:
a people longing
for freedom;
P:  a meal to prepare them
for the journey
into the wilderness;

L:  it was at a table
that the story was re-told:
a teacher and students
wondering what
the coming hours
would bring;
P:  a meal to prepare them
for the journey
into death;

L:  it is at the Lord’s Table
that the story is remembered:
by people struggling
to be faithful;
P:  a meal to prepare us
for the journey
into resurrection.

Second Three Hours (9:00 p.m. – midnight Thursday)

Running Away – Mark 14:26-50

Response
L:  we convince ourselves
that we would not
act as Jesus’ friends do in this story,
but lest we forget:
P:  we are the ones
who slip quietly away
when asked to stand
beside the poor and oppressed;

L:  lest we forget:
P:  we are the deniers
of Jesus
when we turn our backs
on those whom
our world does not recognize;

L:  lest we forget:
P:  we are the greedy
who cling to our possessions
we never use
when they could bless others;

L:  lest we forget:
P:  we are the comfortable
who can sleep
through the cries
of hungry children;

L:  lest we forget:
P:  let us remember
who we are
and who we can become.

Third Three Hours (midnight – 3:00 a.m. Friday)

The Troublemaker – Mark 14:53-65

Unison Prayer

rock star,
politician,
pro athlete:
of all the people
you could have been,
you chose to become
a servant –
for us.

Power,
wealth,
divinity:
of all the privileges
you might have grasped,
you chose to take hold
of a cross –
for us.

Paris,
Cancun,
Los Angeles;
of all the roads
you might have taken,
you chose the one
running through Jerusalem –
for us.

Of all the people
you might have died for –
you did.
Amen.

Fourth Three Hours (3:00 – 6:00 a.m. Friday)

“I do not know him” – Mark 14:66-72

Reflection

Fifth Three Hours (6:00 – 9:00 a.m. Friday)

Trial – Mark 15:1-24

Response
L:  no one asked him . . .
not the chief priest
P:  or his bought judges
though
fear would
have deafened them;

L:  not the governor,
P:  balancing
political options
on
his
decision;

L:  not the mob:
P:  pockets full of nightmares,
stomachs full of poverty,
voices brimming with bile
no goodness or mercy
flowing over
their cupped hands;

L:  no one asked him
(but don’t you think)
Jesus himself
would have said
(maybe he whispered
it to himself . . .)
P:  give them Barabbas!

Sixth Three Hours (9:00 a.m. – noon Friday)

Crucified! – Mark 15:15-32

Response
L:  Ridiculed by his enemies,
outcast of his kin,
deserted by his friends,
God-forsaken:
P:  the Morning Star of Creation
hangs
covered with the grit
of the sins of the world.

L:  Nailed to the cross,
the Carpenter of Calvary
P:  repairs our brokenness
so we might be
restored to God’s kingdom.

Seventh Three Hours (12 noon – 3:00 p.m.)
Mark 15:33

Silence is observed for 4 minutes

Eighth Three Hours (3:00 – 6:00 p.m.)

From the Cross to the Tomb – Mark 15:34-47

Response
L:  feet that danced
through the streets
of Jerusalem
welcoming the Messiah
P:  now softly pad
the back alleys
in search of shadows;

L:  hearts that leapt
with joy at the sight
of David’s true son
P:  are thrown out
with Golgotha’s
garbage;

L:  hands that wrapped
a new born son
in bright bands of cloth
P:  now shroud
his broken body
and lay him
gently,
tenderly,
softly
in death’s manger.

L:  where glad hosannas
rang out
P:  there is now only the silent,
weeping heart of God.

The Service is Concluded.
Please depart in silence.

 

Submitted by Rev. Thom Shuman, author of Lectionary Liturgies.