May You Be Blessed As You Worship Our Good And Faithful .

reflect upon the life that ended on a cross. We recognize in ourselves the strengths and weaknesses ofJesus’ disciples: although they loved him, they disappointed and failed him.L: And yet, gathering with these imperfect friends at this last meal Jesus washed their feet in service, and thenextended the bread and cup to each. Jesus called them to love one another, and invited them to share in his verylife and in his acceptance of the road ahead.O: We are humbled, honored and inspired by the deep love Christ extended to the world, and we takeseriously the calling to be the body of Christ today. Grant us the vision to see the world as you see it, withlove and compassion for each creature and all of your creation.L: We ask this in the name of Jesus.O: Amen.WORDIn this service, the Word is shared as a drama. Invite different people in your home to take different parts ORjust read it as a story.NARRATOR: The Holy Gospel according to St JohnNow before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go tothe Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put itinto the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Fatherhad given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table,took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to washthe disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who saidto him,PETER: “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”NARRATOR: Jesus answered,JESUS: “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”NARRATOR: Peter said to him,PETER: “You will never wash my feet.”NARRATOR: Jesus answered,JESUS: “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”NARRATOR: Simon Peter said to him,PETER: “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”NARRATOR: Jesus said to him,JESUS: “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you areclean, though not all of you.”NARRATOR: Then Jesus washed Peter’s feet.6

NARRATOR: Tonight we are going to participate in a hand washing. You are invited to have your handswashed and to wash someone else’s hands. But, we do this only as a symbol of what we are called to do asdisciples of Jesus Christ. As follows of Jesus, we are called to go out into the world and serve our neighborsand be their servants. This hand washing that we are about to do is done as a reminder of what Jesus did for thedisciples and for us so that we can go out and wash the world’s feet throughout our lives.(Take turns washing and drying one another’s hands. After everyone is done, begin the drama again)NARRATOR: After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said tothem,JESUS: “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord — and you are right, for that iswhat I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants arenot greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things,you are blessed if you do them. “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. IfGod has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children,I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where Iam going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have lovedyou, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have lovefor one another.”NARRATOR: The Gospel of the LordO: Praise to you, O Christ.L: Let us pray. O Jesus, in this Holy Week you prayed that we would love one another as you have loved us.Tonight, we have tried to practice what you have taught us as we washed one another’s hands! Let the love, joyand humility we have known here with our families continue to bless us, and let us share that blessing withworld you love and gave your life for. May the peace we feel together in this place point us toward the hope ofEaster.O: Amen.REMEMBERING THE LAST SUPPERL: Tonight we remember that on the night in which Jesus was betrayed he took bread, broke it and gave for allto eat saying, “Do this and remember me.” After, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks and praise, gave the cup toHis disciples and said, “This is a new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins.Do this and remember me.”L: Just as we think about and remember the Last Supper, we also remember to pray as Jesus taught us.THE LORD’S PRAYERALL: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, onearth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgivethose who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is thekingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. AmenSTRIPPING OF THE ALTARL: Mauday Thursday is the night we would strip the altar at church. We would remove everything from thecandles to the paraments to the worship book. Tonight we can not do that, but we can still remember. As weremember, we experience the humiliation and nakedness that Jesus felt by stripping the altar. First, we need toremember all that was taken from Jesus this very night. Not only was Jesus stripped of his clothes once he was7

arrested, he was also stripped of his dignity, his safety, his humanity, and finally Jesus was stripped of his lifehere on earth. There was nothing humane that happened to Jesus after he left the room with his disciples – sowe strip the altar as a symbol of what happened to Jesus.L: We believe the time is now, with the taste of bread fresh on our lips, to go into the world and face thedarkness.O: We believe the moment is right, with the bitterness of the wine sharp in our mouths, to face thepowers of the world with the love of heaven.L: We believe the place is here, with the sound of covenant echoing in our ears, to endure the suffering towhich love calls us.O: We believe the path is before us, with the crumbs of heaven still scattered across the table, to sidewith truth in a deafened world.L: We believe the hour is come, with the table conversation a turmoil in our minds, to conspire with Christ andmove against injustice.O: We believe the gospel is this, with bread lying broken and a goblet left empty, love is betrayed butdeath shall not have the final word.SENDINGL: We go in peace, into the darkness of the night to await the dawn.O: AMEN.8

GOOD FRIDAY WORSHIPL: On Good Friday we remember the day Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimatesacrifice for our sins.A LITURGY OF LOSS AND LAMENTReader1: As if it were not enough, Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, that You should, through the powerof Your Word, call into being all that is known and all that remains to be discovered: As if that werenot enough, You continue to hold the majesty of the heavens in the hollow of Your hand.(Silent Prayer)Reader 2 : And we, creatures made of clay, hold ourselves as gods – believing ourselves to be the center of theuniverse greater than the God who created all things.Reader1: As if it were not enough, Almighty God, that in the fullness of time you called into being a blue-greenjewel of a planet to shimmer and to delight; As if that were not enough, You peopled it with creaturesmade in Your own image and likeness, creating an oasis of life in the vastness of space.(Silent Prayer)Reader 2 :And we, the creatures made in Your image, Your likeness, treat the gift of life with arrogance –holding ourselves as overlords of creation rather than stewards entrusted with our Master’s treasure.Reader1: As if it were not enough, Almighty and Loving God, that You should create men and women; As ifthat were not enough, You chose to reveal - generation by generation, to wanderers in deserts andinhabitants of ancient cities, the Truth of Your Godhead.(Silent Prayer)Reader 2: And we, heirs to the great Story are forgetful and dismissive of our heritage.Reader1: As if it were not enough, Almighty and Loving God, that You revealed the promise of eternal lifeand entered into covenant with Your Chosen People. As if that were not enough, when the hearts ofhumanity were hard and rebellious, You sent Your Son, the Only-Begotten, to enter our history and toredeem it.(Silent Prayer)Reader2: And we, the people who know of Your great covenant till harden our hearts against You. We placethe cross – the sign of Your great sacrifice of love-before our eyes but we do not see it – we refuse torecognize what it means.Reader1: As if it were not enough, Almighty and Loving Father, that through the Death and resurrection ofYour dear Son, our Beloved, all creation should be redeemed; As if that were not enough, Heestablished His Church to be Witness and Prophet, Teacher and Healer, endowing the church throughHis Spirit with gifts to be His sacrament of love in the world.(Silent Prayer)Reader2: And we, the people of Your Church are afraid to witness to what we know. We are timid and fearful –We hide the gifts so freely given – We refuse to be Your sacrament of love in the world.Reader1: As if it were not enough, Almighty and Loving God, that You should, through the power of YourWord, call into being all that is known and all that remains to be discovered; As if that were notenough, You continue to hold all things in the hollow of Your hand. No universe, no atom exists9

without Your knowing; but Your greatest love and most tender care are bestowed upon the frailest ofYour creatures. In Your mighty work of creation You never lose sight of the least of your children:those sick in mind and in body; those oppressed and downtrodden; those who are hungry, naked andcold; those who struggle and those who despair; those who suffer and those who die alone,uncomforted. You who hold the stars in being, hold these children closest to Your heart.(Silent Prayer)Reader2: And we, Your people, do not see in these little ones The image of Your Son. We say words – but donot transform our lives. We offer sympathy – but do not transform the lives of our brothers andsisters, co-heirs of the great story of salvationWORDThe Passion of Christ: John 18:1-19:42Narrator: At dawn's first light, the high priests, with the religious leaders and scholars, arranged a conferencewith the entire Jewish Council. After tying Jesus securely, they took him out and presented him to Pilate.Pilate asked him,1st Reader: "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?"Narrator: He answered,2nd Reader: "If you say so."Narrator: The high priests let loose a barrage of accusations. Pilate asked again,1st Reader: Aren't you going to answer anything? That's quite a list of accusations."Narrator: Still, he said nothing. Pilate was impressed, really impressed. It was a custom at the Feast to releasea prisoner, anyone the people asked for. There was one prisoner called Barabbas, locked up with theinsurrectionists who had committed murder during the uprising against Rome. As the crowd came up andbegan to present its petition for him to release a prisoner, Pilate anticipated them:1st Reader: "Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?"Narrator: Pilate knew by this time that it was through sheer spite that the high priests had turned Jesus over tohim. But the high priests by then had worked up the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas. Pilate cameback,1st Reader: "So what do I do with this man you call King of the Jews?"Narrator: They yelled,Congregation: "Nail him to a cross!"Narrator: Pilate objected,1st Reader: "But for what crime?"Narrator: But they yelled all the louder,Congregation: "Nail him to a cross!"10

Narrator: Pilate gave the crowd what it wanted, set Barabbas free and turned Jesus over for whipping andcrucifixion. The soldiers took Jesus into the palace (called Praetorium) and called together the entire brigade.They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thorn bush on his head. Then they began theirmockery:Congregation: King of the Jews!"Narrator: They banged on his head with a club, spit on him, and knelt down in mock worship. After they hadhad their fun, they took off the purple cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they marched out to nailhim to the cross. There was a man walking by, coming from work, Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexanderand Rufus. They made him carry Jesus' cross. The soldiers brought Jesus to Golgotha, meaning "Skull Hill."They offered him a mild painkiller (wine mixed with myrrh), but he wouldn't take it. And they nailed him tothe cross. They divided up his clothes and threw dice to see who would get them. They nailed him up at nineo'clock in the morning. The charge against him – THE KING OF THE JEWS - was printed on a poster. Alongwith him, they crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the roadjeered, shaking their heads in mock lament:Congregation: "You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days - so showus your stuff! Save yourself! If you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!"Narrator: The high priests, along with the religious scholars, were right there mixing it up with the rest ofthem, having a great time poking fun at him:Congregation: "He saved others - but he can't save himself! Messiah, is is he? King of Israel? Then let himclimb down from that cross. We'll ALL become believers then!"Narrator: Even the men crucified alongside him joined in the mockery. At noon the sky became extremelydark. The darkness lasted three hours. At three o'clock, Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly,2nd Reader: "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"Narrator: Which means,2nd Reader: "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"Narrator: Some bystanders who heard him said,Congregation: "Listen, he's calling for Elijah."Narrator: Someone ran off, soaked a sponge in sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying,Congregation: "Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down."Narrator: But Jesus, with a loud cry, gave his last breath. At that moment the Temple curtain ripped rightdown the middle. When the Roman captain standing guard in front of him saw that he had quit breathing, hesaid,1st Reader: "This has to be the Son of God!"(time of silence)11

CLOSING REPONSER: They looked upon the One they had pierced.O: And we too, look on the one who died and wonder. We wonder why.R: They looked upon the One they had pierced and saw blood flowing from His hands – His feet – His side.O: And we look upon the One who died and wonder. We wonder that such an offering had to be made –the blood of a spotless lamb. Was God so angry with His people?R: They looked upon the One they had pierced and saw water flowing from the wound in His side.O: And we too, look upon the One who died and wonder. We wonder at the greatness of this gift: waterfrom his side – that washed our sins away – water from the one who died offering us a way to new life.R: They looked upon the One they had pierced and thought that they had won – the Word of God was silenced– the Light of the World was extinguished – the Way was blocked – the Truth questioned – the Life was dead.O: Father, forgive them, they did not know what they were doing. Father, forgive us, for often we do notknow what we are doing.R: They looked upon the One they had pierced and thought that they had judged rightly – the Son of God whochallenged their gods was wrong and they had defeated Him.O: But God did not send His son into the world to judge it, to condemn it. God sent his Son, the Beloved,into the world to save it to save us!R: They looked upon the One they had pierced and saw death and emptiness.O: And we too, look upon the one who died and wonder. We wonder at so great a love – a love that doesnot count the cost of loving – a love that offers its very self so that we might live – a love that would havedone the same had I been the only one who needed it.R: The sacrifice of love stretched out His arms on the cross O: and sent forth his spirit into the outstretched arms of the Father.R: So great a love, so great a sacrifice 12

EASTER SUNDAY WORSHIPLeader: Jesus Christ is risen!Others: He is risen indeed!CALL TO WORSHIP: Marvelous ThingsL: Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm haveworked salvation for him. Psalm 98:1L: We give thanks to you, Lord,O: for you have done marvelous things!L: When we were walking in darknessO: you were there.L: When we were kneeling in weaknessO: you were there.L: When we drew near feeling worthlessO: you were there.L: When we were needing forgivenessO: you were there.L: When we were searching for your graceO: you were there.ALL: We give thanks to you, Lord, for you have done marvelous things!GATHERING PRAYERL: Lord of Life and Power,O: through the mighty resurrection of your Son, You have overcome death and opened the gate ofeverlasting life. Grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him inglory, who with you and the Holy Spirit is alive, One God, now and forever. Amen!SHARING THE PEACE AND JOY OF EASTER MORNINGL: The peace and joy of Easter morning be with you all!C: And also with you.THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTERThe Easter Story Begins: Matthew 28:1–2L: After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went tosee the tomb where Jesus had been laid. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord,descending from heaven, came and rolled back the great stone that had sealed the tomb – and sat on it.Reflection (feeling Easter):L: How many people here have ever felt an earthquake?Sometimes an earthquake just shakes gently for a second or two.Maybe the dishes rattle but nothing more.Other times, a strong earthquake shakes buildings, cracks them open and causes a lot of damage.You’ll see pictures on the news when a big earthquake happens.But whether it’s big or small, whenever you feel an earthquake, even a small one, you remember that people arenot really in charge of the earth.There are powers in the earth stronger than we are.So at Easter, we feel a power stronger than we are; a power as strong as an earthquake.13

We feel the power of God’s angel rolling the huge stone away from the mouth of the cave where they’d buriedJesus. It takes a power as strong as an earthquake to move big boulders! At Easter we feel power beyond ourcontrol. We feel the power of new life shake our hearts with excitement because something mysterious ishappening; something that brings joy back to our hearts today because we know God’s amazing power is still atwork in the world.Prayer Response:L: God of Eas

in these worship services. If neither of these seem to fit your needs, you can worship on your own knowing that God meets all of us in worship right where we are. May you be blessed as you worship our good and faithful God; may your Holy Week be a time to draw closer to God, our Savior Jesus Christ, and one