Maundy Thursday April 17, 2014 8:00 p.m.
April 17, 2014 MAUNDY THURSDAY A SERVICE OF THE LAST SUPPER AND TENEBRAE *Those who are able may stand 8:00 p.m. VOLUNTARY Lamento Gabriel Fauré Marnie Kaller, cello (1845-1924) *CALL TO WORSHIP (responsively) The Rev. Dr. David C. Lawrence Leader: The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, This shall be a day of remembrance for you. Leader: We will celebrate it as a festival to the Lord throughout all generations The Apostle Paul wrote to the early church in Corinth, For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you. As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord s death, until he comes. *HYMN 215 What Wondrous Love Is This Wondrous Love CALL TO CONFESSION Jesus said, One who has bathed does not need to wash. In our baptism, we have been bathed by the grace of God. Trusting in the steadfast love of Jesus Christ, who has delivered us from sin and death, let us confess our sin. PRAYER OF CONFESSION (responsively) Leader: Lord Jesus Christ, how well you know our hearts, Leader: Leader: and still you love us you have loved us to the end. We have denied you, and we have denied our calling to serve one another. We have betrayed you, and we have betrayed your commandment to love one another. 2
Leader: Pour out your Spirit of grace upon us. Teach us to love and serve you faithfully and to love and serve one another by the example you have set for us; in your holy name we pray. Amen. KYRIE 437 You Are the Lord, Giver of Mercy Setting: Wetzel SILENT CONFESSION ASSURANCE OF PARDON (responsively) Now the Lord Jesus has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. Now the promise is fulfilled, and love s redeeming work is done: * In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! *from Hymn 245 by Charles Wesley, Christ the Lord Is Risen Today! in our hymnal, Glory to God PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION HYMN 288 Spirit of the Living God Living God SCRIPTURE READING Psalm 119: 1-2, 12-19 NRSV I love the LORD, because the Lord has heard the voice of my supplication and inclined an ear to me whenever I cried out. The cords of death entangled me; the grip of the grave took hold of me; I came to grief and sorrow. How shall I repay you, O LORD, for all the good things you have done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD. Refrain I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Precious in your sight, O LORD, is the death of your servants. 3
O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant and the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds. I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. Refrain I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. In the courts of the LORD s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! God our Redeemer, you have delivered us from death in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and have brought us to new life by the power of your Spirit. Give us grace to keep our promises to praise and serve you all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Refrain ANTHEM Ubi Caritas Maurice Duruflé The Chancel Choir (1902-1986) Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exsultemus et in ipso jucundemur. Timeamus et amemus Deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero. Where there is charity and love, God is there. The love of Christ has gathered us together. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us revere and love the living God. And from a sincere heart let us love one another. SCRIPTURE READING John 13: 1-17, 31b 35 The Message Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal. Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, Master, you wash my feet? 4
Jesus answered, You don t understand now what I m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later. Peter persisted, You re not going to wash my feet ever! Jesus said, If I don t wash you, you can t be part of what I m doing. Master! said Peter. Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head! Jesus said, If you ve had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you re clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you re clean. But not every one of you. (He knew who was betraying him. That s why he said, Not every one of you. ) After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as Teacher and Master, and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other s feet. I ve laid down a pattern for you. What I ve done, you do. I m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I m telling you, act like it and live a blessed life. Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God s glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified glory all around! Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I m telling you: Where I go, you are not able to come. Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples when they see the love you have for each other. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ! MEDITATION The Fifth Day of the Week in which He Was to Die Dr. Lawrence 5
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS TO GOD OFFERTORY Greater Love Hath No Man John Ireland The Chancel Choir (1879-1962) Scott Gothe, baritone & Elise Figa, soprano Many waters cannot quench Love, neither can the floods drown it. Love is strong as death. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Who his own Self bare our sins in His own Body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness. Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus; Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. That ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into marvelous light. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your service. SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION INVITATON TO THE TABLE HYMN 654 (seated) In the Lord I ll Be Ever Thankful J. Berthier (sung three times) THE COMMUNION PRAYER The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. Holy One, in the presence of your people we offer our heartfelt thanksgiving, our gratitude and praise. As we give our lives to you, show us how to love and serve you and how to love and serve one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Lord, we love you, for you have heard our cries. Therefore we will call on you as long as we live. 6
As you delivered our ancestors from slavery and led them to a land of promise and plenty, liberate all who are captive or oppressed and bring them to a place of abundant life. As you saved your people from death by the blood of the Passover lamb, redeem us from sin and death through Jesus Christ, our Passover. As Jesus our Savior and Lord stooped down to wash his disciples feet, teach us to love and serve one another with Christlike compassion and humility. As Christ the Lord has handed on to us this feast of grace, his body and blood, help us to share with all who hunger the gifts we have received from you. O Lord, we love you, for you have heard our cries. Therefore we will call on you as long as we live; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. THE LORD S PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. WORDS OF INSTITUTION *HYMN 466 Come and Fill Our Hearts Confitemini Domino SHARING OF THE LORD S SUPPER MUSIC AT COMMUNION Prayer (from Jewish Life, No. 1) Ernest Bloch Marnie Kaller, cello (1880-1959) 7
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION (Unison) God of grace, your Son Jesus Christ left us this holy meal of bread and wine in which we share his body and blood. May we who have celebrated this sign of his great love sow in our lives the fruits of his redemption; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. THE STRIPPING OF THE CHURCH HYMN 204 (seated) Stay with Me J. Berthier (continue to repeat the chant until the church has been completely stripped) WORDS OF THE PSALMIST (22:18) They divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots. ALL DEPART IN SILENCE. The Call to Worship, Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Pardon, and Communion Prayer are reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion. Copyright 2013. PARTICIPATING IN TONIGHT S SERVICE The Reverend Dr. David C. Lawrence and Deacons Karen Crooks, Patricia Cunningham, Frank Gaden, Molly Lawrence, Daria Lisco, Barbara Parke, Nancy Rossman, and Beverly Tignor. Matthew Webb is the Director of Music. Ryan Kennedy is the Organ Scholar. The Presbyterian Church in Morristown Sanctuary and Chapel: 57 East Park Place, Parish House and Offices: 65 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960 (973) 538-1776 www.pcmorristown.org 8