Dear Maranatha Family,
The Lord be with you.
Ordinarily we would be making preparations to gather together this evening to worship seeing that today is Maundy Thursday. As we are all too well aware by now, though, the times in which we find ourselves are anything but ordinary. Accordingly, we have once again prepared resources for this service that you can access by video while at home. The videos have been incorporated into a single playlist which you can find by clicking here.
As you make your way through the service, you'll note once again that a number of people contributed their time and efforts. We are, once again, grateful for their participation--and for the technology that allows us to see each other while apart.
Now, one note about an element of this service:
The second half of this service is a remembrance of the events Jesus endured after leaving the Upper Room. We will hear seven passages read from John 18-19. Following each reading, we will sing one verse of a hymn. At the end of each verse, we will be prompted to extinguish a candle--if you wish, of course. Candles are often included during this evening in Tenebrae services. "Tenebrae" means "shadows" or "darkness," and as a Tenebrae service proceeds, the darkness grows. If you so choose, we invite you to participate in this aspect of the service. What you will need are seven candles. They do not all need to match :) You could even use birthday candles if that's all you have at home! In any case, you might choose to light the seven candles at the beginning of the service (or, if they are shorter or fast burners, when we get to the hymn "Go to Dark Gethsemane"). Then, as you are prompted, extinguish one candle at a time. By the end of the service, all seven candles will be extinguished to remind us of the darkness Jesus endured on our behalf.
Whether you choose to incorporate the use of candles or not, we pray the Lord will bless you and draw you ever closer to himself as you pause to worship him on this Maundy Thursday.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor Matt