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Maundy Thursday Service
Norman Wilkins has provided this service which has been used on Maundy Thursday.
Call to Worship
On this autumn night, as darkness falls, we gather to remember the events of the evening when Jesus shared his last supper with his friends.
What then, shall we give to God for all his bounty to us?
We will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
Ps 116 v13
Hymn 453. “An upper room did our Lord prepare …” [vs 1,2,3]
Prayer of Confession
God’s love for the world has been revealed in Jesus Christ, who certainly loved us to the uttermost; Jesus - Saviour and God - who at his last meal with his disciples gave them, and us, that new commandment - “Love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Merciful God, we confess that so often our discipleship has been weak, when we have failed to serve as Jesus served.
Forgive us
When we have failed to love one another as Jesus loves us
Forgive us
When we have been happy to proclaim our devotion to Jesus with our lips and then denied him by our actions.
Forgive us
Merciful God, empower us by your Spirit to be steady and true to you in every time of trial; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of forgiveness
Jesus said “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” and “having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end”. The good news therefore is this: In Jesus Christ we are loved and we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God!
John 13: 1-17, 31b-35
Hymn.VU 357 “Tell me the stories of Jesus …
Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear
Things I would ask him to tell me
If he were here
Scenes by the wayside
Tales of the sea
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me
First let me hear how the children stood round his knee
And I shall fancy his blessing
resting on me
Words full of kindness
Deeds full of grace
All in the love light of Jesus’ face
Tell me in accents of wonder how rolled the sea
Tossing the boat in a tempest
On Galilee
And how the Master, ready and kind
Chided the billows
And hushed the wind
Into the city I’d follow the children’s band
Waving a branch of the palm tree
High in my hand
One of his heralds, Yes, I would sing
Loudest hosannas
Jesus is king.
Show me that scene in the garden of bitter pain
And of the cross where my Saviour
For me was slain
Sad ones or bright ones, so that they be
Stories of Jesus,
Tell them to me.
Mandatum
Jesus, I would like you to wash my feet
I’ve come a long distance to ask you this
Although I’ve frequently gone from my house to yours
With my boxes of fragrant ointments and my tears
Sincerely believing that this was the best I could offer you
That it was my love which mattered
I was eager, but I didn’t know much about discipleship
Or the true nature of love, and you, always gentle
Never told me I was wrong, but patiently waited
For me to grow in understanding
It has taken a long time, Lord,
But now I fling open the door to my house
And invite you in to cleanse my feet
Of the dust of many wanderings
I will not feel shame to have you kneel before me,
But will gladly receive the mastery of your love
For in receiving I learn the truth of giving
And I become your servant in being served
Lord Jesus, please I would like you to wash my feet.
Foot washing
Before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come and having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end, at supper with them, he washed the disciples’ feet and gave them the new commandment “love one another as I have loved you.”
Hold up the basins and towels for a moment.
Hymn WOV 561 “Kneels at the feet of his friends”
You do not need to feel you have to take part in this, but if you do, come up to an empty chair where the last person to have one of their feet or hands washed will be waiting to wash yours. After they have done this they will return to their seat, and you will rise from the chair and wait for someone else to take their place in the chair and ask you to either wash their hands or their feet.
Hymn 257. “My song is love unknown …”
The Last Supper
Jesus said “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be
hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty, and anyone who
comes to me I will never drive away.”
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Living and loving God, we lift our hearts to you in gratitude and joy for all your gifts to us.
You made us in your own image and set us in this world of contrasting beauty
In your great love you delivered your people of old from slavery and you have delivered us from the power of evil and death through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.
We praise and honour you, holy God
Heaven and earth are surely full of your glory
Blessed is He whose supper we share this night
And blessed are we - renewed by his life.
He took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, [break the bread] and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me”.
After supper he took the cup, and again giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples saying “Drink from this all of you, this is my blood of the new covenant which is poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. [Pour the wine] Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Be present, Lord Jesus, by your Holy Spirit as you were in that upper room with your disciples when you shared this last supper with them, make yourself known to us as we share among us this bread and this wine - your life in us. Amen
Hymn AA 100 “Now to your table spread …”
Breaking of the bread
As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
We eat and drink with thanksgiving, remembering all that Jesus has done for us.
The Distribution
The bread of life broken for you.
Amen
The cup of blessing poured out in love for us all.
Amen
The Peace
The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all
And also with you.
Hymn 261. “Were you there when they crucified my Lord? …”
The organ plays for the first verse, then we sing the rest quietly and unaccompanied.
As we feel ready we leave in silence.