Virtual Worship – Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2020

First Presbyterian Church

Delavan, Illinois

April 9, 2020

Maundy Thursday

Welcome and Announcements

Good evening everyone. We are doing a new thing in this time of social distancing. We are still a community of faith, even though we are separated for the safety of ourselves, our families, our congregation, and our communities. We will be meeting like this on through the end of April. The community Easter Sunrise Service will be celebrated virtually. Watch for a link on the firstpresdelavan.org/virtualworship page! 

In this bulletin, you will find links to the hymns which also show the lyrics. If you get an ad (and you likely will) you can skip the ad by clicking the SKIP AD usually found in the lower right corner of the video. There are also links to the Gospel reading and the sermon.

For inclusion in upcoming worship services, please email or phone the church or Pastor Jean (who can also receive texts) with any prayer requests. Let us begin!

Call to Remember

On this day Christ the Lamb of God gave himself into the hands of those who would slay him. On this day Christ gathered with his disciples in the upper room. On this day Christ took a towel and washed the disciples’ feet, giving us an example that we should do to others as he has done to us. On this day Christ our God gave us this holy feast, that we who eat this bread and drink this cup may here proclaim his holy sacrifice and be partakers of his resurrection, and at the last day may reign with him in heaven. 

We offer praise and prayer to God

^Call to Worship

Jesus said: I give you a new commandment,

that you love one another.

Just as I have loved you,

you also should love one another.

LET US WORSHIP GOD!

^ Prayer of the Day

O God, your love was embodied in Jesus Christ, who washed disciples’ feet on the night of his betrayal. Wash us from the stain of sin, so that, in hours of danger, we may not fail, but follow your Son through every trial and praise him always as Lord and Christ, to whom be glory now and forever. Amen.

^Hymn “Jesus, The Very Thought Of Thee” #102 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF1cFxJ2Yhw

Call to Confession

The proof of God’s amazing love is this: while we were sinners Christ died for us. Because we have faith in him, we dare to approach God with confidence. In faith and penitence let us confess our sin before God and one another.

Confession of Sin

Eternal God, whose covenant with us is never broken, we confess that we fail to fulfill your will. Though you have bound yourself to us, we will not bind ourselves to you. In Jesus Christ, you serve us freely, but we refuse your love and withhold ourselves from others. We do not love you fully or love one another as you command. In your mercy, forgive and cleanse us. Lead us once again to your table and unite us to Christ, who is the bread of life and the vine from which we grow in grace.

Time of Silent Confession

(Lord, have mercy on us) #300

Assurance of Pardon

The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. May the God of mercy, who forgives you all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

^Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father) #35

^Passing the Peace

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another. The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Peace be with you.

We listen to God’s Word

Prayer for Illumination

Eternal God, whose word silences the shouts of the mighty: Quiet within us every voice but your own. Speak to us through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ that by the power of your Holy Spirit we may receive grace to show Christ’s love in lives given to your service. Amen.

First Reading                  Exodus 12:1–14       Pew Bible, OT, pg.

(The institution of the Passover)

¹The 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 neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. ⁵Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. ⁶You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. ⁷They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. ⁸They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ⁹Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. ¹⁰You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 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 judgments: 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.

¹⁴This 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.

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19 (Thanksgiving is offered to the LORD) Responsive

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.

What shall I return to the LORD for all his bounty to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,

I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.

O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your serving girl. You have loosed my bonds.

I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the LORD.

I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,

in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Gospel Reading            John 13:1–17, 31b–35   Pew Bible, NT, pg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u30Ja4cClbU

(Jesus washes His disciples’ feet and gives a new commandment)

¹Now 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. ²The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, ⁴got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵Then 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. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰Jesus 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.” ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹²After 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? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

“Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³²If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³Little 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.’ ³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Sermon The Path To The Cross – The Servant King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa3y-RGvP5w

^Affirmation of Faith  Apostle’s Creed 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come again to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

^Hymn “Jesu, Jesu” # 600  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvQz513Jl8M

Prayers of the People

Almighty God, you have promised to hear when we pray in the name of your Son. Therefore in confidence and trust we pray for the church.

O God, enliven the church for its mission that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world. Breathe fresh life into your people. Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action. We pray for the world.

Creator of all, lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace, that we may respect one another in freedom and truth. Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it. Teach us to care creatively for its resources. We pray for the community.

God of truth, inspire with your wisdom those whose decisions affect the lives of others, that all may act with integrity and courage. Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours. May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us. We especially pray for those making decisions in this time of crisis – our president Donald, our vice president Mike, members of the covid-19 task force and those working to find a cure or vaccine or treatment, our senators and representatives, our governor J.B., our state government, our county and town governments. We also pray for health care providers in any place, for their safety and for the healing touch which you provide. Do not let any become weary of doing good.

We pray for those in need.

God of hope, comfort and restore all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. May they know the power of your healing love. Make us willing agents of your compassion. Strengthen us as we share in making people whole. 

We remember those who have died and those who mourn.

We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone. Loving God, into your hands we commend them. Give comfort to those who mourn. Fill the emptiness of their loss with your never-ending peace. We praise you for Pete and Raymond and all your saints who have entered your eternal glory. May their example inspire and encourage us. We pray for ourselves and our ministries.

We pray for the miracle of growth in this congregation; we pray for the miracle of revitalization of main street and we pray for the miracle of your blessing on this community and its schools.

Lord, you have called us to serve you. Grant that we may minister in your name, with your love in our hearts, your truth in our minds, your strength in our wills; until, at the end of our journey, we know the joy of our homecoming and the welcome of your embrace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Offering Invitation 

It might seem a bit strange to see an invitation to offering in this time of social distancing and virtual worship. Some of you might be financially affected as well. I would like to remind you that offering of ourselves is always a three-part process – our time, our talent and our treasure. So I invite you to offer yourself in whatever way(s) are most appropriate to our heavenly Father.

^Doxology (Praise God from Whom all blessings flow)     #46

^Prayer of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to The LORD our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Great God, we thank you for Jesus, who was punished for our sins and suffered shameful death to rescue us. We praise you for the trust we have in him, for mercy undeserved, and for the love you pour out on us, and on all. Give us gratitude, O God, and a great desire to serve you, by taking our cross and following in the way of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen

Lord’s Prayer

We depart to serve Christ in the world

Stripping of the Church

(As the church is stripped, please join together in singing “Were You There?” #198)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJUX733ovGI    

The service for Maundy Thursday concludes with the stripping of the sanctuary, which is done in an unhurried, orderly fashion.  The practice dates from the seventh century and originally served the practical purpose of cleaning the sanctuary in preparation for Easter, when all things are made new.  In time, however, the practice became ceremonial in its own right.  Candles are extinguished.  Communion vessels, tablecloths, pulpit and lectern hangings are sensitively removed.  The Bible is shut.  All these actions dramatize the desolation, abandonment and darkness of the passion and death of our Lord.  The sanctuary remains bare until the beginning of the Easter celebration.  Ordinarily there is neither a blessing nor a postlude at the conclusion of the service.  The church remains in semi-darkness, and all exit in silence.  Symbolically, Christ, stripped of his power and glory, is now in the hands of his captors.

[Adapted from a description written by John Paarlberg, pastor of First Church (Reformed Church in America), Albany, New York]

^Charge

Go in Peace. As Christ loved you, love one another.

There is no benediction as the service continues on Easter Sunday

All depart in silence

Please remember in your prayers: 

Crystal Hack, Marian Allen, Marge Donley, Helen Hopkins, Barb Day, Verbie Hoffman, Susan (Sinn) Funke, Glenn Holmes, Meryl (Pastor Jean’s cousin) and Dick Place, Diane Schlosser, Joyce Culbertson, Mardelle Neumann (Apostolic Christian Skylines), Donna Diekhoff, Dick Temple, Dick Watts, Myrna and Don Brose, Margaret Altine, Fran (Alzheimer’s), Val (new cancer diagnosis), Alex Rich and his family, Blake Renner (son of Diane Allen Renner),  Joy Heaton and Lyndee Lewis’ niece

The families and friends of Pete Timm and Raymond Woodrow

All affected by the Covid-19 virus, those caring for them in any way, and those working to find a cure.

Calendar:

Thurs., 4/9: Virtual worship

Fri., 4/10: Good Friday readings will be on our VIRTUAL WORSHIP page

Sun., 4/12:  Community Easter Sunrise Service, VIRTUAL WORSHIP

Sun., 4/12: Virtual Worship

Sun., 4/19: Virtual Worship

Sun., 4/26: Virtual Worship

First Presbyterian Church

P.O. Box 602, 201 W. Fourth Street, Delavan, IL 61734

(309) 244-7105

E-mail: firstpresdelavan@gmail.com

www.firstpresdelavan.org

Rev. Jean Sparks, Pastor

Linda Clauser, Organist