Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Communion Service - April 1, 2010

Prelude:  ................................Handbells &Chimes

Call to worship:

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you know it completely, O LORD.        Psalm 139:3-4

HYMN:  You Are Before Me, Lord............No. 248 vv1-5

Prayer of Confession:

Guide:             Lord Jesus, as we remember Your betrayal on this sacred night, remind us of the times that we have betrayed You.

People:            When we have disappointed or hurt other people, Lord, forgive us.

Guide:             When we have diminished the power of Your Word through the selfishness of our actions, Lord, forgive us.

People:            When we have made promises that we do not intend to keep, or said something that grieves our loved ones, Lord forgive us.

Guide:             When we have acted rashly and have cast aside those who need our help; when we have been distracted by the world and remain unattracted to Your Spirit, Lord forgive us.

People:            When we have twisted Your words to justify our choices, Lord, forgive us.

Guide:             When we hide our faith or avoid being known as Christians, Lord, have mercy;

People:            Remove our sins with Your precious blood, and graciously restore us to Your service; for Your sake and God’s greater glory.  Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING:                       John 13: 1-11

HYMN:  Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee.............No.310

SCRIPTURE READING:...........................John 13:12-21

CHOIR ANTHEM: 

SCRIPTURE READING:........................... John 13:22-30

HYMN:  Beneath the Cross of Jesus........................No. 92

SCRIPTURE READING:                             John 13:31-38

SACRED DUET…..PIE JESU……………

HOMILY:        Just Another Passover                                    

OFFERING & DEDICATION

All:      Lord Jesus, You willingly lay down Your life so that we may have forgiveness and be restored to God’s everlasting love. Without Your Sacrifice, there would be no grace. Humbly, we bring before You our gifts and ask that You will receive and bless them for the continuing work of the Gospel and Your ministry here on Earth.  In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

COMMUNION  - at the appropriate time, the congregation come forward to receive the bread and wine. After this, the elders will come to those who wish to take communion where they are seated.

Congregational Prayer:         God our Father, Your Son Jesus Christ has left to us this meal of bread and wine in which we share His body and His blood. As we keep the feast of His redeeming love may we feed on Him by faith, receive His grace, and find fullness of life: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HYMN:  Go to Dark Gethsemane..........................No. 97

NEW TESTAMENT READING:                   John 14:1-6

Congregation Exits Silently

Other Maundy Thursday services on this site

http://beardofaaron.blogspot.com/2009/04/maundy-thursday-tenebrae-service.html

http://beardofaaron.blogspot.com/2007/04/another-maundy-thursday-tenebrae.html

http://beardofaaron.blogspot.com/2007/04/maundy-thursday-tenebrae-service.html

Sunday prayers: Passion Sunday 2010 - Palm Sunday March 28

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Gathering & Prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Lord of all the Earth and King of every nation, we applaud Your glorious deeds and exalt Your Name above all others. Your power has been praised by every generation. You have enhanced our lives with hope and faith.

People:  Glorious God of the Universe, we seek to serve You in this sacred sanctuary; we look to laud and honor You with our hearts and lives. You know everything about us. You have seen us sin and have watched us yield to temptation. We crave Your forgiveness of all our faults and we plead for pardon of our past mistakes. Hear us now as we silently confess to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Gracious Lord, Your sovereignty extends over all our lives. You are above and beyond all that we can ever experience or know. Without Your mercy, our lives are meaningless. Without Your Son, we have no salvation. We make these petitions in the Name of Jesus, the Holy One whose sacrifice cleanses our sins. In His own words, we now pray, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  We can only go to Jesus for forgiveness, for He alone has the authority to restore us to God; He alone has the words of eternal life. So let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus is our Savior and Lord forever. Amen.

Gloria Patri(sung in unison): Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students come forward)

Encountering God

Choir Anthem

Minute for Mission: One Great Hour of Sharing

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor: O LORD, You teach us lessons of faith in times of trouble. Hear us now as we pray. O God, grant us relief from sickness and suffering; help us to hold on to hope and courage.

People:                        In the face of fear, never forsake us. In times of isolation, be our Comforter. Help us and heal us, O Lord. Strengthen and support us, console our spirits and lighten our burdens.

Pastor:              Loving Lord, when we are overcome with worry or weariness, grant us peace of mind and rest for our souls. When we are anxious about our families and friends, bring them wholeness and healing to generation joy in their lives. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Pastor: The LORD is our fortress of faith and the rock, in whom we take refuge. In Jesus’ Name, we pray.  Amen.

                        (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 94)

Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw Me Close’

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, may we continue to praise God for all that happens in these scriptures. May these stories and events draw us closer to His ways and enable us to share our faith with other people. In Jesus’ Name, we ask. Amen.

Scripture Readings

Sermon

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, You have clearly called us to be here today. We have learned of Your ways and studied God's Word. Bless these offerings and tithes to Your continuing work in this world. May our gifts enhance Your mission to spread the Gospel throughout our community and all over the earth. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. 

Hymn:

Benediction(unison):  May Christ enable us to live each day for Him alone; may the Father free us from fear and keep us in His constant care; and may the Holy Spirit bolster our faith, so that we may belong to the One, Triune and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude

Sunday Worship Prayers - 4th Sunday in Lent - Lent 4 - March 14

Approaching God

Welcome & Church Announcements

Gathering Song & Prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Lord of Life and Creator of the Universe, we proclaim You as our One, True and Holy God. We serve You as Your called and chosen people. We adore Your wonderful ways and are constantly amazed by Your powerful deeds.

People:  Heavenly Father, we seek to please Your heart and to follow Your will, however we allow pride and bitterness, prejudice and anger to hurt other people, in order to get our own selfish and sinful ways.

When we fall into temptation, we separate ourselves from Your Love and deaden our spirits to Your commands. Forgive us for rejecting Your words. Hear us now as we humbly confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Merciful God, You have the power to judge our faults and punish our sins. Instead, You graciously gave us Your Son Jesus to die for our failures, faults, and fallen ways. By His wounds, we are healed. By His sacrifice, we are forgiven and restored. We bring our confessions in Christ’s Name and through His own words, we unite our hearts with Him, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  Jesus saves us from sinful destruction and the eternal wrath of God. He wants us to choose life over death, faith over fear, and obedience over defiance. When we sincerely come to Him for forgiveness, He grants us mercy and grace. Let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus our Savior rescues us both now and forever. Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung in unison): Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students come forward)

Encountering God

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor: The LORD reigns, He is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. He establishes our world and sustains our lives.

People:                        Eternal God, we are finite and frail, in need of help, healing, and wholeness. We lift up our voices of prayer to You, from within our fearful hearts and troubled minds.

Pastor:              Mighty Redeemer, have mercy upon us and heal us of all that harms us in body, mind, heart and spirit. We also bring to You our families and friends, colleagues and neighbors who need Your Loving touch and holy healing. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Pastor: The LORD is merciful and holy; just and faithful. He hears our prayers in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

                        (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 93)

The Message: Part #1

Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw me Close.’

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, help us to see what Christ is doing amongst us. Enable us to hear His words from these holy passages. Teach us His ways so that we may tell others of His ministry, mission, and kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message Part #2 & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication: Lord Jesus, we have worshipped You in song and praised You with our music. We have gathered our tithes and offerings and placed them before Your throne. Take these lifeless tokens and bless them, so that we may bring life to Your words by ministering in our congregation, across our community, and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.

Hymn:

Benediction:  May Christ remind us that our lives are not our own, but chiefly belong to Him; may the Father bestow His favor upon all that we do; and may the Holy Spirit reside in our hearts so that we may die to sin and live for faith in the One, Triune and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology         Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude

Sunday Worship prayer: 3rd Sunday in Lent - Lent 3 - March 7 2010

Approaching God

Welcome and announcements

Gathering Song & prelude

Hymn:

Confessional Prayer

Guide: Sovereign Lord of the Universe and Gracious God of our hearts, we praise Your glorious ways and bless Your wonderful deeds. You are the One, True and Living God. We are honored to be called into Your Holy Presence. We feel favored to gather in Your Holy House.

People:  Loving Lord of Life, You rule over the earth and see all of our ways. You know that we are sinful and selfish, foolish and faithless, proud and pitiless at times. Forgive our faults and pardon our past mistakes. We have neglected to do good and disappointed other people. We have followed our own self-centered ways and allowed temptation to tarnish our souls. Hear us now as we humbly confess our sins to You alone.

- SILENCE -

Guide: Heavenly Father, enable us to honor Your Name by placing Christ at the center of our lives. May His Passion free us from our sins. May His sacrifice restore us to Your Favor. In Christ’s Name and through His own words, we unite our hearts in prayer, saying, “Our Father”…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:  Jesus wants us to turn away from sinful ways and return to Him. He calls us to follow Him and witness to His mercy. Our past sins are forgiven because He loves us and we honor His authority over our lives by asking for His grace. So let us rejoice and be glad, for Christ is our Savior and we are restored to God’s favor and blessing, both now and forever. Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung unison): Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students come forward)

Encountering God

Choir Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:             Lord, we proclaim Your love this morning and thank You for Your faithfulness to us. You make us glad with Your wonderful deeds; we rejoice in the work of Your healing hands.

People:                        Loving Lord, we know that You understand us perfectly and that You think about us constantly. May we flourish by Your grace; may we be healed through Your mercy.

Pastor:             In the midst of our sickness, be our salvation. During times of depression or despair, be our defender and deliverer. Look after our loved ones and heal them of all that harms them in body, mind, heart and soul. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit

Pastor:             The Lord is our righteousness, our peace and strength. He loves and restores us in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

                        (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 92)

The Message: Part #1

Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw Me Close’

Prayer for Illumination:

Reader:             Holy Spirit, enable us to judge between right and wrong through the guidance of these scriptures. Open our hearts and minds to Christ’s teaching so that we may obey God every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message: Part #2 & The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory:

Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, You have revealed to us Your ways through the Living Word of the scriptures. In response, we gather together our tithes and offerings, placing them into Your keeping. We ask that You will bless these tokens and enable us to use them for the many ministries and missions You have called us to pursue and fulfill. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. 

Communion

Hymn:

Benediction (unison):  May Christ help us to regard each day as special; may the Father continue to supply our needs and satisfy our souls; may the Holy Spirit teach to live our lives in thankfulness to the One, Triune and Living God, both now and always. Amen.

Doxology        Praise God, from whom all blessings flow  & Postlude