Maundy Thursday Holy Communion
Maundy Thursday Holy Communion
followed by the Watch
Our worship this evening is the first of three services that takes us through the drama of the last events in Jesus’s earthly life. Through the liturgy we join the disciples at the last supper where Jesus washed his disciples feet and gives us the commandment that we should love one another.
The celebratory tone of the beginning of the service is left behind after we have received communion. To echo the night time of anguish that Jesus faced in the garden of Gethsemane we place the sacrament on the altar in the chancel and, like his disciples, we are invited to watch and pray in the hours that follow. You are welcome to stay for just a short while or to keep watch until midnight when the church will be closed.
Incense will be used during this service, which is an expression of prayer and of the holiness of this place. It is mostly used in the centre and front of the church so please sit in towards the back or the side aisles if you prefer to enjoy it from a distance!
The washing of the feet will be led this evening by our deacon the Revd. Liz Piki as she prepares to be ordained as priest later in the year. Liz first came to All Saints as an ordinand in 2020 and was ordained deacon and began her curacy with us last summer.
Our preacher is Kath Lewis. Kath has been part of All Saints for just over a year having previously been an active member of the congregation at St Botolph’s in Shepshed. She can often be found welcoming people as part of the steward team and is currently studying the scriptures through her reading connected to the Journey in Faith course.
We are still asking members of the congregation to wear a face mask (unless exempt) when entering and moving around the building and to consider leaving it on throughout the service. If you wish to remove it please sit in the outer aisles and towards the back of church. This is to support members of our congregation who would otherwise feel unable to attend worship, so thank you for your help. Our choir and ministers take a LFT prior to the service.
The Gathering
The choir sings the introit A new commandment by Shephard
Processional Hymn 460 O thou, who at thy Eucharist didst pray
All stand to sing the hymn as the servers and ministers process and the altar is censed.
O thou, who at thy Eucharist didst pray
that all thy church might be for ever one,
grant us at every Eucharist to say
with longing heart and soul, ‘Thy will be done’:
O may we all one bread, one body be,
through this blest sacrament of unity.
For all thy church, O Lord, we intercede;
make thou our sad divisions soon to cease;
draw us the nearer each to each, we plead,
by drawing all to thee, O Prince of Peace:
thus may we all one bread, one body be,
through this blest sacrament of unity.
We pray thee too for wanderers from thy fold;
O bring them back, good Shepherd of the sheep,
back to the faith which saints believed of old,
back to the church which still that faith doth keep:
soon may we all one bread, one body be,
through this blest sacrament of unity.
So, Lord, at length when sacraments shall cease,
may we be one with all thy church above,
one with thy saints in one unbroken peace,
one with thy saints in one unbounded love:
more blessèd still, in peace and love to be
one with the Trinity in Unity.
The Greeting
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father.
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you
and also with you.
The service is introduced and people are invited to sit or kneel.
Confession
Our Lord Jesus Christ says:
‘If you love me, keep my commandments.’
‘Unless I wash you, you have no part in me.’
Let us confess to almighty God our sins against his love,
and ask him to cleanse us.
Silence is kept
Have mercy on us, O God,
in your great goodness;
according to the abundance of your compassion
blot out our offences.
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Against you only have we sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Purge us from our sin and we shall be clean;
wash us and we shall be whiter than snow.
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
We remain seated or kneeling as the choir sing Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.
May the Father forgive us by the death of his Son and strengthen us to live in the power of the Spirit all our days.
Amen.
We stand as the choir sings a setting of the Gloria in Excelsis
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you,
we give thanks for your great glory.
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world:
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
The Collect
Let us pray that we may love one another as Christ has loved us
Silence is kept
God our Father
you have invited us to share in the supper
which your Son gave to his Church
to proclaim his death until he comes:
may he nourish us by his presence,
and unite us in his love;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
We sit and listen to the first reading from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Here ends the reading
Thanks be to God
Gospel Reading
We stand and sing together as the Gospel book is carried to the middle of the church and the congregation turn to face the reader. The choir sing a verse and then we repeat the chorus Praise to you…
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
Glory to you, O Lord.
The Gospel book is censed
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
We sing Praise to You, O Christ, Our Saviour and then sit after the introductory prayer.
Sermon
Anthem Ubi Caritas by Duruflé
God is love, and where true love is, God himself is there.
The Washing of Feet
The deacon assisted by the priest washes the feet of members of the congregation. At the end of the foot washing the following prayer is used:
Lord Jesus Christ,
you have taught us
that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters
we do also for you:
give us the will to be the servant of others
as you were the servant of all,
and gave up your life and died for us,
but are alive and reign, no and for ever.
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
All sit or kneel for the prayers.
In the power of the Spirit let us pray to the Father through Christ the saviour of the world.
Father, on this, the night he was betrayed,
your Son Jesus Christ washed his disciples’ feet.
We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service.
Lord, hear us
and humble us.
On this night, he prayed for his disciples to be one.
We pray for the unity of your Church.
Lord, hear us
and unite us.
On this night, he prayed for those who were to believe through his disciples’ message.
We pray for the mission of your Church.
Lord, hear us
and renew our zeal.
On this night, he commanded his disciples to love,
but suffered rejection himself.
We pray for the rejected and unloved.
Lord, hear us
and fill us with your love.
On this night, he reminded his disciples
that if the world hated them it hated him first.
We pray for those who are persecuted for their faith.
Lord, hear us
and give us your peace.
On this night, he accepted the cup of death
and looked forward to the new wine of the kingdom.
We remember those who have died in the peace of Christ.
Lord, hear us
and welcome all your children into paradise.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
The Peace
Jesus says: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
We offer a sign of peace to one another from our seats.
Offertory Hymn 165 An Upper Room did our Lord prepare
During this hymn the table is prepared. The president takes the bread and wine and says a prayer as she receives them. The gifts and altar are then censed followed by the minsters and the congregation. The president washes their hands symbolising our desire to come together at the Lord’s table with pure hearts and minds.
An Upper Room did our Lord prepare
for those he loved until the end:
and his disciples still gather there
to celebrate their Risen Friend.
A lasting gift Jesus gave his own:
to share his bread, his loving cup.
Whatever burdens may bow us down,
he by his Cross shall lift us up.
And after Supper he washed their feet,
for service, too, is sacrament.
In him our joy shall be made complete —
sent out to serve, as he was sent.
No end there is! We depart in peace.
He loves beyond the uttermost:
in every room in our Father's house
he will be there, as Lord and Host.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The prayer is intoned using a chant that has its origins in the early centuries of the life of the church. The choir will lead in singing the responses, please join in as you wish.
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
The priest praises God for His mighty acts and all respond
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he, O blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest,
Hosanna in the highest.
The priest recalls the Last Supper and then this acclamation is used:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus:
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life:
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
The prayer continues leading into the final words of praise
. . . for ever and ever.
Amen.
We kneel or sit and observe a period of silence
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
While the the communion assistants come to the front we sing the ancient prayer known as the Agnus Dei.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
Giving of Communion
Jesus is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.
Blessed are those who are called to his supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.
We share communion in silence. When you have received please go and take a seat in the chancel.
The Conclusion
Once we are all gathered in the chancel the reserved sacrament is carried to the altar-table in our symbolic garden of Gethsemane, as the choir sing the anthem Ave verum corpus by Byrd
Ave verum corpus, Hail, true body,
natum de Maria Virgine: born of the Virgin Mary,
Vere passum, immolatum who truly suffered, sacrificed
in cruce pro homine, on the cross for mankind,
Cujus latus perforatum whose pierced side
unda fluxit sanguine: flowed with water and blood;
Esto nobis praegustatum be unto us the foretaste
In mortis examine. in the trial of death.
O dulcis, O pie! O gentle, O holy one!
O Jesu Fili Mariae. O Jesu, Son of Mary.
Miserere mei. Amen. Have mercy on me. Amen.
The Stripping of the Sanctuary
We remain seated or kneeling. You are welcome to come and kneel at the communion rail if you wish. Psalm 88 is read as the ministers and servers strip the nave altar-table and the rest of the church of decoration. The following chant is then sung:
The Watch
When the disciples had sung a hymn, they went out with Jesus to the Mount of Olives. Let us keep watch and pray.
Silence is now kept until midnight interspersed with readings. The chant Stay with me will be sung prior to each reading. You are welcome to leave whenever you wish but when you do please leave in silence.
Reading One
John Chapter 14
Reading Two
John Chapter 15
Reading Three
John Chapter 16
Reading Four
John Chapter 17
Reading Five
The Gospel of the Watch
Matthew 14:26-end
The Dismissal
Christ was obedient unto death. Go in his peace.
We depart in silence.
‘Jesus said to them, I am deeply grieved, even to death;
remain here, and stay awake with me.’
What should I do tonight?
There is no correct answer for to how to use this time. You can remain in the chancel, our ‘Garden of Gethsemane,’ sitting or kneeling as you wish. Simply being still in the silence is enough or you might find it helpful to recite the Lord's prayer quietly to yourself or to reread the words from the service this evening. The silence will be punctuated with music and readings.
Feel free to take a break. You can walk around the nave or sit in a pew or go and lie down in the side chapel. There will always be someone sitting by the door to both welcome any late comers and to open the door for those wishing to leave or go for a cigarette break! Please ensure that whatever you choose to do you respect the silence and stillness of the occasion.