Good Friday Liturgy 2016

Good Friday Liturgy

You are encouraged to hold the stone in your hand throughout the service.   

Place your worries on it. 

Feel its weight. 

At the end of the service, leave your stone at the base of the tree.

The liturgy is structured around Jesus’ last words.  Each reading is followed by a short prayer, each prayer followed by silence, each silence ended with a song. The length of the silences will also increase through the service.

 Liturgy

One: All you who pass this way
Many: Look and see, the shadow of sin
One: All you who pass this way
Many: Look and see the weight of the world
One: All you who pass this way
Many: Look and see, the suffering of our Savior.
One: All you who pass this way
Many: Look and see, the sorrow of Jesus Christ
One: Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

Song:  Go to Dark Gethsemane – Louisa Flute

Shadow of Condemnation

Reading: Luke 23: 32-34 – Candace

Prayer – Alison

Forgiving Christ,
when the world condemns us, when wrong is done to us, when we carry the weight of things that are too much to forgive, come along side us in the darkness, and give us the grace to be forgiven and forgiving.

Silence – 30 seconds

Song: Before the World Began – Violin Solo

Shadow of Separation

Reading: Luke 23: 35-43 – Louisa

 Prayer – Alison

Reconciling Christ,
we are weighed down by sin and separation, a world that is not at peace, people who are not whole. You reached out to the thief, you welcomed him to God’s side. Come alongside us in the darkness, and bring grace and peace to everything that is broken.

Silence – 1 minute

Song: Jesus, Remember Me – All (Louisa Flute)

Shadow of Sorrow

Reading: John 19: 25-27 – Candace

Prayer – Alison

Loving Jesus,
we carry the weight of the people we love, concern for their sorrows and suffering. Our care for them is deep, and sometimes there is not much we can do. Come alongside us in the darkness, and cradle the ones we love in your strong hands.

Silence – 1.5 minutes

Song: Ah, Holy Jesus – Violin Solo

Shadow of Despair

Reading: Mark 5: 33-34 – Louisa

Prayer – Alison

Lord Jesus Christ,
you know what it is to feel that God is far away. You know what it is to call out for God’s presence. Come alongside us in the darkness, and help us call out for God.

Silence – 2 minutes

Song: Our Darkness – All (Candace Violin)

Shadow of Suffering

Reading: John 19: 28-30 – Candace

Prayer – Alison

Suffering Savior,
in all our thirst, in all our sickness, in all our longing, in all our pain, you are there. Come alongside us in the darkness, and walk with us through all our suffering.

Silence – 2.5 minutes

Song: I Want Jesus to Walk with Me – All (Candace Violin)

Shadow of Death

Reading: Luke 23: 44-49 – Louisa

Prayer – Alison

Dearest Jesus,
even in death, you are there. When we mourn, when we are afraid, when we come to our own end, you have been there, too. Come alongside us in the darkness, and carry us through death to life.

Silence – 3 minutes

Song: What Wondrous Love Is This – Solo Violin

When you are ready, leave your stone at the base of the tree. 

Leave behind your worries.  Let go of the weight.  Mark an encounter with God and honoring Jesus in his time spent in the grave until Easter morning.

Then break a piece of bread and instead of partaking, place the bread in the wine. 

Leave in silence.

Modified from The Young Clergy Women Project – Good Friday: A Service of Shadows and Stones