Maundy Thursday Gathering - April 14

Trinity United Church
April 14, 2022
Maundy Thursday
Worship

Worship Leader: Rev David Cathcart
Music Leader: David Rogers
Scripture Reader: 
Zoom Hosts:

Welcome:
May the Peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

Welcome to Trinity United Church in Port Coquitlam. We are grateful you have joined us for worship this morning. 
Trinity United Church in Port Coquitlam resides on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish People the Kwikwetlem First Nations. Our acknowledgement of unceded traditional territory is a first step in reconciliation between settler cultures and indigenous peoples and the decolonization of western systems that continue to oppress and exploit indigenous peoples and land.
If you are joining us on YouTube, please check out our website at ucpoco.ca. We would also appreciate it if you would subscribe to our channel and like and share our services, those buttons are just below the video. It does help our reach when you do so.
    I invite you to take a deep breath, and let it go. I invite you to take another breath, and let it go. And one more time, take a deep breath and let it go. Let us prepare our hearts and minds for worship.

Prelude: David Rogers

Tenebrae Candles:

“I love you, God, because you heard my voice when I made supplication, 
because you turned your ear to me, 
when I called upon your name.
The cords of death entangled me, 
and the pangs of the Grave laid hold on me; 
I suffered distress and anquish.
Then I called upon the name of God:
‘O God, I pray, save my life.’” (Psalm 116, VU 836)

The darkness sets in. The Messiah who came would not use the power violence or coercion, but the power of self-emptying and humility, surrender and trust. He will for there to be another way, for this cup to be removed. But he will give all, for all.

We extinguish this candle, remembering that God disrupts our expectations and hopes, delivering us from pride to service.

[extinguish a candle]

Response: “The Light Still shines” WorshipCollective    CLICK HERE

The light still shines the light is still there
Disrupted but delivered, it’s there
The light still shines the light is still there
We tread this lonely landscape
Following, transforming, surrendering 
we are yours we are yours
The light still shines

Friends sharing at table 
one aware, alert 
betrayer and denier 
learning of their worth

The light still shines the light is still there
Disrupted but delivered, it’s there
The light still shines the light is still there
We tread this lonely landscape
Following, transforming, surrendering 
we are yours we are yours
The light still shines

* WorshipCollective

Opening Prayer:
Holy One, 
Our vigil begins.
The disciples will share a meal.
Jesus will wash their feet 
and give them a new commandment.
Give us strength and courage to follow Christ 
and serve as he served, 
that we might rise with him on the third day.
In his name we pray.
Amen

Hymn: “O God Our Help in Ages Past” VU 806  CLICK HERE

Reconciliation Meditation:
I invite you to make yourself as comfortable as you can in the pew and draw your attention to your breathing. Maybe close your eyes. You do not need to control your breath, just notice it.

Some of us are most ware of our breath on our upper lip on in our nostrils, perhaps in our sinuses, or on the back of our throat, Maybe you feel your shoulders rising and falling or your upper back. And some of us will be more aware of the rising and falling of our chest. And some will most notice our breath down in our bellies. Wherever you feel your breath is just fine. Once again, you do not need to control your breath, just become aware of it. Maybe as you exhale, let your body feel a litter heavier on the pew. Trust the pew to hold your weight.

Imagine feeling satisfied following a meal. Not so full that you are uncomfortable, just satisfied, content. You’ve shared time with people you love and who make you feel loved. You’ve laughed together, maybe sung, maybe played some games, prayed and connected meaningfully. Imagine that kind of contentment.

I will read a few words from this evening’s scripture, then we will sit silently in God’s reconciling love for several minutes. If you find your thoughts becoming distracted or busy, repeat the words of scripture silently to yourself and return your attention to God’s reconciling love.

Psalm 116:1 “You heard my voice”

[90 sec silence]

“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.” Amen.

Reading: Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14

2The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbour in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it.
11This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the LORD. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the LORD. 13The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.
Please join us in reciting Psalm 116. The choir will sing the refrain twice, then we invite you to join with the responses:

Psalm 116 VU 836

Reading: Maundy Thursday John 13:1-35 (WorshipCollective)  CLICK HERE

Hymn: “Love Divine” VU 333    CLICK HERE

Guided Meditation: "Jesus washes the Disciples’ feet"

The passage is familiar, but how often have we let our imaginations guide us through the last supper and the washing of the disciples’ feet.

I’m inviting you into a guided meditation in which we will actually let Jesus wash our feet.

So lets return to that relaxed state we were in during the Reconciliation. Become aware of your breathing again, maybe close your eyes. Let your body become heavy.

Imagine that post meal satisfaction. After eating a meal with people you love, feeling of comfort, maybe some joy. One of the disciples is described as resting their head on Jesus’ chest at one point. Maybe after the meal you are cuddling comfortably with a grandchild, or a partner, or a pet.  Just enjoy that comfort for a moment.

Imagine that room long ago, we often refer to it as “The Upper Room.” It is dimly lit by oil lamps. You can probably smell olive oil, or fish oil. Maybe bees wax, though that would probably be a luxury. The room might be incensed with sandalwood, cedar, or pine to cover the fish smell.

There are many people in the small room. Maybe as few as a dozen, but possible as many as 20 or more. And you trust all of them, they are close to you. Even those who are new to the group feel like family.

Maybe a beverage is being passed around the room and individuals are taking turns giving toasts, or giving thanks. Every once in a while someone says something funny and the whole room erupts with laughter.

Among you, and the reason for your gathering like this, is the teacher. He has been a mentor, a friend, a guide. He is held in reverent admiration by everyone gathered. When he speaks, everyone listens. He’s just the son of a poor carpenter from a small rural village, which makes him all the more remarkable, for the power of what he has had to say.

Really imagine this teacher. Imagine how he is dressed as you all recline after supper. Imagine his hair, his face. Imagine his eyes and how he looks at you. Imagine how he might say your name.

He gets up, and takes a towel, a jug and a great basin and he starts doing something that alarms some of the other people in the room. He starts washing peoples’ feet. And the room falls utterly silent.

He kneels to the floor placing the bowl beneath their feet and lifting up the hem of their robes. He pours water on their feet and wipes them tenderly with the towel until their feet are clean. Then he moves on to the next.

He comes to Peter. Imagine that interaction. Peter is a bit of a pompous twit and everyone knows it. Peter is mortified that Jesus intends to wash his feet and resists. Jesus insists saying, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” And Peter resigns himself to letting the teacher wash his feet as well.

The teacher continues to work his way around the room of stunned disciples.

Now Jesus comes to you. He looks into your eyes as he lifts your feet into the bowl.

Let Jesus serve you as he has served the disciples.

Does he maintain eye contact with you as he wipes your feet? Or does he focus on the job? How does it feel to let your feet rest in his hands? How does it feel to have Jesus handling your bare feet? Do you feel resistance? Do you want to pull away? Do you want to change positions? Do you just not want to participate? 

Whatever your impulses or resistance, let Jesus continue. Feel the water, hear the trickling, feel the strength in his hands and the roughness of the towel.

Let Jesus continue to wipe your feet until they are clean and dry.

Jesus continues around the room until all have had their feet cleaned.

He returns the towel, the jug and the basin.

He turn to the group and says, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. And I have washed your feet. I have set an example. You also ought to serve one another.”

“Whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me.”

[brief silence]

Take a few intentional deep breaths.

Wiggle your toes and your fingers and give yourself a stretch and open your eyes.

Let us join together in praying the words that Jesus taught us.

Disciples’ Prayer

Hymn: "O Sacred Head" VU 145   CLICK HERE

Blessing:

Jesus has set an example for us: 
to serve others as he has served us, 
and to love one another as he has loved us.
Go and do likewise 
so that everyone can tell 
that we are his disciples.

May God, 
who led Israel out of slavery into freedom, 
may Christ, 
who led us out of death into life, 
and may the Holy Spirit, 
who leads us out of fear into boldness, 
abide with you this Holy Thursday, 
in the holy days ahead, 
and forevermore.  Amen.*

*Feasting on the Word: Liturgies for Year B Vol 1, p136 ff

Postlude: David Rogers