Round Hill Community Church

ORDER OF SERVICE Maundy Thursday Service of Tenebrae

Sacrament of Holy Communion April 2, 2015

PRELUDE Adagio Albinoni

WORDS OF GATHERING

*HYMN 196 Go to Dark Gethsemane

PRAYER OF CONFESSION O God, you have searched us and known us, and all that we are is open to you. We confess that we have sinned: we have used our power to dominate and our weakness to manipulate; we have evaded responsibility and failed to confront evil; we have denied dignity to ourselves and to each other, and fallen into despair. Forgive us, O God: renew us with your tender mercy, make us fully alive, and give us strength to love in the way of Jesus Christ.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS*The Congregation is invited to stand

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

*HYMN 425 Let Us Break Bread Together

SCRIPTURE LESSON Luke 22:1, 8-13 Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

INVITATION TO THE TABLE

WORDS OF REMEMBRANCE

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

THE LORD’S PRAYEROur Father who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come.Thy will be doneon earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread,and forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us,and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.For Thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,forever and ever. Amen.

SHARING OF THE BREAD AND CUP

All are invited to come forward, as directed by our Ushers, to receive the bread and cup standing in a semi-circle in front of the

communion table, dipping the bread into the cup and remaining until the words of blessing.

Communion Music Almighty and Everlasting God Orlando Gibbons

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

THE SERVICE OF TENEBRAE

*HYMN 210 Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended

WORDS OF INTRODUCTION

THE SHADOW OF BETRAYAL Matthew 26:20-25 When it was evening, Jesus took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”

THE AGONY OF THE SOUL Luke 22:39-44 Jesus came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Then he

withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.

SPECIAL MUSIC ‘Tis Midnight, and on Olives’ Brow Bradbury

THE UNSHARED VIGIL Matthew 26:40-46Then Jesus came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”

THE BETRAYAL Mark 14:43-50Immediately, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I was with you in the temple

teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” All of them deserted him and fled.

MUSIC Christ, Be Thine the Glory! Heinrich Schutz Christ, be Thine the Glory though in deepest woe the cross didst suffer for us this bitter death, and reignest with the Father in eternity. Help us fainting sinners. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, kyrie eleison.

BEFORE PILATE Mark 15:1-5As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS Mark 15:16-20Then the soldiers led Jesus into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

MUSIC God So Loved the World StainerGod so loved the world,that he gave His only begotten Son,that whoso believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

THE TOLLING OF THE BELL

*THE CONGREGATION DEPARTS IN ABSOLUTE SILENCE

Thank you to Nancy Gray and Martina Halsey for serving as readers during tonight’s service. We also thank Joe Huley for serving as usher this evening.

REFLECTIONSometimes we know in our spiritual journey that an hour has come when a word has to be said, a position stated, an allegiance revealed, even though the word may be rejected, the position challenged, the allegiance ridiculed. Such hours come in personal lives and in the life of institutions. Sometimes the church must ask unwelcome questions about the systems around it, asking in the name of the kingdom of God, even if the questions are dismissed as utopian, naïve, unrealistic. Tension brings exhaustion. We see our Lord taste the exhaustion that we sometimes know – the tension of being on guard among others, of wondering who can be trusted and who cannot, the heartbreak of offering utterly and being rejected, the mental drain of endless argument. When we take all this to Him in mumbled and desperate prayer, we take it to One who knows it in his own experience.

Herbert O’DriscollA Certain Life: Contemporary Meditations on the Way of Christ

Senior Minister: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. HorstmannMinister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph Ahlberg

Minister of Music: Christopher KabalaChurch School Coordinator: Connie Blunden

Round Hill Community Church395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831203.869.1091

roundhillcommunitychurch.org