A Service of Shadows –
Moving Us Through
Amistad Chapel Morning Prayers
Anticipating the Holy Triduum
The United Church of Christ
Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
~ The Easter Triduum is the period of three days in Holy Week from Maundy Thursday and Good Friday through Easter Sunday celebrating the resurrection ~
GATHERING
(We gathered in the meditation alcove of Amistad Chapel at the national offices of the United Church of Christ, centered around the lit Christ candle, singing the response.)
One: Jesus said: I am the Light of the World.
All: Anyone who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life; sustenance for the journey!
One: If I say, “Let the darkness cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not a sign of your absence, O God.
All: Just as a child cries out, “Mande! Mande!” in Spanish, the mother
comes; she responds, “What is it child, say your command, what do you need?!”
One: The night is as bright as the day; our God is with us in the time of trial.
All: Jesus proclaims a new commandment: “Love one another, as I love you, love one another. By this all shall know that you too are my disciples, that you love one another.”
One: “Dark is drawing night – how long the road is.”
All: We remember. We re-member! We remember love and love one another!
One: We put back together the community that sustains the Christ light of love for one another in every time and place, across peoples and species and habitats of God’s earth…
All: …with regard for the beauty and dignity of each particle of creation, we remember, we love one another.
Lighting of the Christ candle taper
(The light from the Christ candle was moved to a taper,
which became the Christ candle.
Singing the response, the congregation processed to the center of
the Amistad Chapel and gathered around the communion table.)
PROCESSION and SERVICE OF COMMUNION
All proceed, following the bearer of the Christ candle taper to the Communion Table.
All sing as we process: Remember Me, Love One Another
(There were tapers candles on the communion table which were lit with the Christ candle taper. Then, the Christ candle taper was placed in the center of the table.)
All: May the light we kindle inspire us to use our strength which you so freely give us to help and not to hinder, to love and not to hate, to bless and not to curse, to serve and worship you, O God!
All sing: Remember Me, Love One Another
SERVICE OF COMMUNION
One: Holy God, our loving Creator, close to us as breathing, close to us as the call “Mande, Mande,” – we thank you for your constant love for us and your charge for us to do the same in the bitter and the sweet of life, ever holding the memory and anticipation of your promise of deliverance, your quiet alchemy of freedom.
All: Come Holy Spirit, remember us, help us to love one another.
One: Remembering the sweet of the Song of Songs calling the beloved to arise;
Remembering the bitter of exile and violent disregard,
Remembering the light of hope of deliverance through Christ’s Love:
We remember Christ at this last Passover supper, gathered with friends –
taking, blessing, offering this bread and cup.
We take this bread of Christ, and dip into the cup, and take a spoon of the sweet of apples and a spoon of the bitters of horseradish, and then eat together.
(Each worshipper moved to the communion table, taking a large hunk of bread, dipped it in the grape juice, then took a spoonful of cut, sweetened apples, and a small portion of a bitter spread and applied it to the bread. The sweet apples and bitter herbs are from the Passover Seder tradition. While people were gathering the elements, spontaneous singing of the response began, then the response was quietly hummed. When all were ready, we partook of the bread together.)
Prayer: In the moments of silent meditation we heard the water of life as it flowed in the Amistad baptismal font which brought us to this time of communion. Now we embrace these elements, symbols of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, reminders of the bitterness and sweetness of life, and we partake together as the body of Christ.
Communion Refrain: Remember Me, Love One Another
(After communion, all were seated
as we moved into the readings.
The Tenebrae readings were abbreviated for this service.)
TENEBRAE (SERVICE OF SHADOWS) READINGS
I Shadow of Betrayal: Luke 22:14-23
One: When the hour had come, Jesus took a place at the table with the apostles. Jesus said to them, “I’ve longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. I tell you, I will not eat it again until everything is fulfilled in the reign of God.”
ALL: After taking a cup of wine and bread, giving thanks and sharing, Jesus said, “Look! The hand of my betrayer is at this table with me. Then they began to argue among themselves as to which of them would do such a deed.
The first candle is extinguished.
II Agony of the Soul: Luke 22:39-46
One: When they reached the place of prayer at the Mount of Olives, Jesus said to them, “Pray that you not be put to the test.” Then Jesus withdrew about a stone’s throw from them, knelt down and prayed, “Abba, if it’s your will, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done.”
ALL: Jesus rose from prayer and found them sleeping, exhausted with grief. He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Wake up, and pray.”
The second candle is extinguished.
III Arrest in the Garden: Luke 22:47-54
One: While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd suddenly appeared with Judas, one of the Twelve, at their head. Judas came over to Jesus to embrace him
ALL: They arrested Jesus and led him away, arriving at the house of the high priest.
The third candle is extinguished.
IV Shadow of denial: Luke 22:54b-62
One: Peter denied and then again more, and said, “I don’t know him!”
ALL: Then Peter remembered Jesus saying, “Before a rooster crows today, you’ll deny me three times.” Peter went out and wept bitterly.
The fourth candle is extinguished.
V Trial, from Luke 22: 65-23:16
One: Meanwhile, those who held Jesus in custody were amusing themselves at his expense. They blindfolded and slapped him, and then taunted him.
ALL: Pilate said, “You have brought this person before me as someone who incites people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for any charge against him arising from your allegations. Obviously, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish Jesus, but then I will release him.”
The fifth candle is extinguished.
VI Shadow of the Mob: Luke 23: 17-25
ALL: But they demanded that Jesus be crucified, and their shouts increased in volume. Pilate decided that their demands should be met. So he released Barabbas, the one who had been imprisoned for rioting and murder, and Jesus was handed over to the crowd.
The sixth candle is extinguished.
VII The Way of the Cross: Luke 23: 26-32
One: As they led Jesus away, they seized Simon—a Cyrenean who was just coming in from the fields—and forced him to carry the cross behind Jesus. A large crowd was following, many of them women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.
All: At one point, Jesus turned to these women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me! Weep rather for yourselves and for your children!
The seventh candle is extinguished.
VIII Shadow of the Cross: Luke 23:33-46
One: When they had reached the place called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there—together with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Abba forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”
ALL: One beside him said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your glory.”
Jesus replied, “The truth is, today you’ll be with me in paradise!”
One: It was about noon, and darkness fell on the whole land until three in the afternoon, because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the curtain in the sanctuary was torn in two, and Jesus uttered a loud cry and said, “Abba, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Saying this, Jesus breathed for the last time.
Silence for a moment
ALL: The centurion who saw this gave praise to God, saying, “Surely this one was innocent.”
(The lit Christ candle taper was carried back to the meditation alcove followed by a procession of the congregation accompaniment by a solemn drum beat.
Once all had processed to the alcove, the Christ candle taper was used to relight
the standing Christ candle. )
Sabbath Rest: Luke 23: 48-56
One: The crowds that had gathered returned home, weeping. The acquaintances of Jesus and the women who had come with him from Galilee stood looking on. Joseph from Arimathea approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph took the body down, wrapped it in fine linen and laid it in a tomb cut out of rock, where no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
ALL: The women who accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and watched as the body was placed in the tomb. Then they went home to prepare the spices and ointments. But they rested on the Sabbath, according to tradition.
DEPARTURE IN SILENCE
Awaiting God’s Quiet Alchemy, we commit Jesus to the Tomb on the Sabbath.
Everything stops. God silently and quietly acts as we cannot fully understand, and for this resurrection, we wait.
Go now, in peace, remembering Christ, and loving one another.
Those who wish may remain in prayer. All are asked to depart in silence.
The service was the vision of:
Rev. Susan A. Blain, Minister for Worship, Liturgy, and Spiritual Formation
Rev. Felix Carrión, Stillspeaking Coordinator
Rev. Scott A. Ressman, Minister for Worship, Music, and Liturgical Arts
Dr. Kimberly Whitney, Minister for Community Life and Assistant to the Collegium
The choral response was composed by Kimberly Whitney and Scott Ressman.
