Thank readers, choir, Eric for the Tenebrae Service

Instructions (Communion by Intinction, Tenebrae - WHISPERING the Lord's Prayer)

Call to Worship:

Jesus said: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

On this day,

Christ the Lamb of God

gave himself into the hands of those who would slay him.

On this day,

Christ gathered with his disciples in the upper room.

On this day,

Christ took a towel and washed the disciples' feet,

giving us an example that we should do to others

as he has done to us.

On this day,

Christ our God gave us this holy feast,

That we who eat this bread and drink this cup

May here proclaim his holy sacrifice

and be partakers of his resurrection,

and at the last day may be with him in heaven.

Call to Confession:

Tonight is a night to recall the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf,

and yet we still deny him, we still betray him.

And instead of following his commandment to love one another as he loved us,

we find ever increasing ways to alienate ourselves from each other.

Tonight, God, let our walls come tumbling down in confession.

Purify our hearts, soften our eyes, and make us open to being changed by your Spirit.

Hear the confession we make together now, and hear the confession of our hearts throughout this service as we are moved by the events of Jesus' tragic last day and night as one of us.

Invitation to the Offering/ Dedication of Gifts:

Invitation to the Lord's Table

There is a traditional story told by Chinese Christians that when we die and go to heaven, Christ will be there to welcome us. He will be kneeling. In front of him will be a basin of water and in his hand will be a towel. As we come forward, he will invite us to sit and he will say to us, "You have had a long hard journey. Sit and let me wash your feet."

At this last supper, Jesus knew one would deny him, one would betray him, and all would run scared at his death. We all fall short of what God has in mind for us. But even then, Jesus showed a tremendous love for his disciples. In an act of complete surrender, Jesus took a towel and a basin of water and bent to wash each of their feet. Like Peter, we are embarrassed. How often do we shy away from Christ's gifts that seem "too much" for us? How often do we cower on the edge of despair? How often do we falsely expect that our own merits will be "enough"?

The journey is long. The road is hard. There won't be many along the way who offer to wash and rub our feet at the end of the day. We can choose to live with the disappointment, or we can choose to follow the path that leads to Christ, a path that is not met with plans and purpose but with our total surrender.

In worship we are reluctant to look eye to eye. Our sanctuary is designed to be face forward and provide blinders to any event that might wash over our hearts. We shelter our real selves from one another too often. We want to look like we have it all together - but we don't.

There are those here today who are holding it together by a thread. There are those here who are being consumed by a judgment they can no longer bear. Then there are those who couldn't come tonight because of embarrassment or loneliness or illness. But at this table, all are invited. Jesus invites us not because of who we are or because the party wouldn't be the same without us. Jesus invites us to love and be loved. So come to this table and hear Jesus saying to you, "You have had a long hard journey." As we prepare to be fed, and healed, and forgiven - let us recommit ourselves to feeding, and healing, and forgiving each other in a moment of silent prayer before we give thanks.

Great Thanksgiving

Prayer