From: HOMILIES BY EMAIL Worship Resources Holy Thursday RCL Readings: Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10), 11-14 Ps 116:1-4, 12-19 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-17, 31b-35 HYMNS Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast Go Down Moses Saranam, Saranam Let Us Break Bread Together One Bread, One Body Una Espiga O Love, How Deep O Sacred Head, Now Wounded O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done Go to Dark Gethsemane What Wondrous Love Is This Jesu, Jesu Lord God, Your Love Has Called Us Here Where Charity and Love Prevail CALLS TO WORSHIP/GREETINGS L: Gracious God, L: Your Anointed One, on the night before he suffered, L: Instituted the sacrament of his body and blood. L: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully L: In remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, L: Who in these holy mysteries L: Gives us a pledge of eternal life. ALL: Amen. OPENING PRAYERS Prayer of the Day: Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment: To love one another as he had loved them. By your Holy Spirit write this commandment in our hearts; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. OR O Merciful God, tonight we take our place at table with our Lord. When he predicts our betrayal, let us examine not our neighbors but ourselves. When he predicts our falling away, let us remember that the crow of the cock is more predictable than any of us. As we contemplate his imminent arrest, let us feel not only the pain of our great loss but the shame of our tragic guilt. Then, as we anticipate his impending death, empower us so to live that he shall not have died in vain. CONFESSIONS/PARDONS Eternal God, Your covenant with us is never broken: We confess that we have failed to fulfil Your will for us. We betray our neighbours and desert our friends, and run in fear when we should be loyal. Though You have bound Yourself to us, we will not bind ourselves to You. God, have mercy on us, weak and wilful people. Lead us once more to table, and, once more, unite us to Christ, who is bread of life and the vine from which we grow in grace, to him be all praise forever. Amen. Friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! THANKS BE TO GOD! OR Most merciful God, we, who are part of your church, confess that often our spirit has not been that of Christ. Where we have failed to love one another as he loves us, where we have pledged loyalty to him with our lips and then betrayed, deserted or denied him, forgive us, we pray; and by your Spirit make us faithful in every time of trial; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ. But Christ suffered and died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended on high for us, and continues to intercede for us. Believe the good news: in the name of Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen LITANIES L: Eternal and ever blessed God, You sent Your Son Jesus into the world to be an example to us. Help us to walk in his steps. L: Help us to walk in his humility: P: So that we too may be among our fellows as those who serve. L: Help us to walk in his forgiveness: P: So that we too may forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. L: Help us to walk in his courage: P: So that nothing may ever deflect us from the way we ought to take. L: Help us to walk in his endurance: P: So that nothing may daunt or discourage us until we reach our goal. L: Help us to walk in his loyalty: P: So that nothing may ever seduce our hearts from our devotion to him. L: Help us to share in the life that our Lord once lived on earth: P: So that we may also share the life He gives in his risen power. L: Grant that it may be our meat and drink to do the will of our Father, Who is in heaven. P: Grant us to take up whatever cross is laid upon us and gladly and gallantly carry it. L: Grant that: P: As we share his cross, so we may also share his crown; As we share his death, so we may also share his life. L: And so grant that having suffered with him, P: We may also reign with him. ALL: This we ask for Your love's sake. AMEN. (from a prayer by William Barclay) THE GREAT THANKSGIVING FOR HOLY THURSDAY EVENING The pastor stands behind the Lord's table. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. The pastor may lift hands and keep them raised. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty (almighty God ), creator of heaven and earth. From the earth you bring forth bread and create the fruit of the vine. You formed us in your image, delivered us from captivity, and made covenant to be our sovereign God. You fed us manna in the wilderness, and gave grapes as evidence of the promised land. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn: The pastor may lower hands. Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The pastor may raise hands. Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. When we had turned aside from your way and abused your gifts, you gave us in him your crowning gift. Emptying himself, that our joy might be full, he fed the hungry, healed the sick, ate with the scorned and forgotten, washed his disciples' feet, and gave a holy meal as a pledge of his abiding presence. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread, or touch the bread, or lift the bread. On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup. When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." The pastor may raise hands. And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. The pastor may raise hands. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father (God ), now and for ever. Amen. (from the UM Book of Worship) BENEDICTIONS Depart in peace. Go with the knowledge that Jesus gave his all because he loves you. Go with the Spirit of God, filling your heart with love for God and Jesus Christ. Go in peace. Amen. OR Leader: O Lord, You have said to us, "Peace I leave with you". But this peace that You give is not of the world: People: It is not the peace of order, when order oppresses; It is not the peace of silence, when silence is born of suppression; It is not the peace of resignation, when such resignation is unworthy. Leader: Your peace is love for all people, is justice for all people, Is truth for all people, the truth that liberates and stimulates growth. People: Lord, it is this peace we believe in because of Your promise. Grant us this peace, and we will give this peace to others. Amen. OR And now let your servants go in peace, to watch and wait with the Lord, in prayer and fasting, in silent reflection, and in thanksgiving. May God's blessing be with us tonight and in the morrow; through Christ our Lord. Amen. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Bass Mitchell, Hot Springs, VA HOMILIES & BIBLE STUDIES BY E-MAIL Check out my web site at www.homiliesbyemail.com bass.mitchell@homiliesbyemail.com