Maundy Thursday
‘While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying,
“Take and eat, this is my body.”
Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them saying,
“Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
(Matthew 26:26-29)
This narrative was at the very heart of the Maundy Thursday service at St. James’ church led by Rev. Dyllis. The gathering of almost forty church family members, collective prayer and a shared supper echoed what happened when Jesus’ closest friends came together in the Upper Room where bread was broken and wine was shared.
The altar table was set in the front of church for Holy Communion and the tables were laid out in the meeting room for a simple, symbolic meal. Both featured the staples of bread and wine. Both were for invitations to share. Both were sustaining and life-giving.
Prayerful, reflective songs were sung by the congregation and readings listened to before heading into the meeting room for supper…and stepping further into ‘that’ story. The aroma of wine, the smell of warm bread and the waft of roast lamb – the usual Passover meal, awakened senses. Friends chatted animatedly as they served each other, beaded bubbles winked at the brim of glasses, and there was an unspoken, implicit feeling of just wanting to be drawn in even closer to the narrative.
When supper was ended, all got up from the meal, and made their way back into church for the gospel reading (John 13: 1-15). They listened to the most familiar words of how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, before watching the same words re-enacted, when Rev. Dyllis took a bowl of water and a towel and washed a parishioner’s feet. It was a powerful, thought-provoking moment.
The breaking of bread and the sharing of wine from one to another immersed every person in the story…a story of love, sacrifice and service…in the most graceful way.
To end, the altar was stripped bare, cloths were removed and candles were snuffed out. Visually, all looked stark, dim and bleak, setting the scene for the brutality of the next stage in the Easter journey.
Good Friday
A joint choir, two readers and Director of Music, Paul Buckmaster led the faithful through the agony of Jesus’ last hour on earth in song and word, each section interspersed with periods of silence for personal meditation.
Following the opening prayer and collect for Good Friday, the ‘story’ began with the hymn, ‘There is a green hill, far away’, which, combined with the austere backdrop of a simple wooden cross and an unadorned altar, set the tone and scene.
The readings worked through the Passion narrative, reminding listeners of the anguish, torment and suffering endured by Jesus from betrayal to crucifixion.
Anthems were sung beautifully by the choir: ‘Of the glorious Body telling’ (words by St. Thomas Aquinas), ‘A purple robe’ and the dazzling Mozart, ‘Ave verum corpus’. All were rich in sound and symbolism. Chorales included, JS Bach’s ‘O Lord, who dares to smite thee’, and ‘Tis I, whose sin now binds thee’. Familiar, mournful hymns such as, ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’ and ‘My song is love unknown’ invited congregational participation.
Reverence, reflection and resonant music all came together to provide a Jesus-worthy worship for the penultimate stage of the sky-shattering, heart-breaking, soul-stirring Easter journey. Onwards now, to Easter Day…
Easter Family Church
The advertising for Easter Family Church promised some ‘science eggs-periments’ alongside some sensory activities to explore the Easter narrative. In fact, the event delivered so much more than that! It was eggs-cellent, eggs-hilerating, eggs-citing and really, quite eggs-tra-ordinary.
St. Oswald’s Parish Hall transformed into a space where creativity met with science, and together, under the leadership of Rev. Naomi and her amazing volunteers, they revealed the true meaning of Easter.
Open to all age groups, with or without families, there was something for everyone to participate in and enjoy.
There was an opportunity to leave footprints in paint and then have feet washed clean and hard-boiled eggs were just waiting to be painted and decorated. Some ‘empty tombs’ were created using croissant dough, filled with a giant marshmallow dipped in butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar…during baking, the mallow melts and upon breaking open the flaky pastry, there is nothing inside! Crosses were nailed in wood and aromatic potions were developed, reminiscent of those taken by the mourning / morning women who visited the tomb of Jesus on Easter Day. The ‘test the strength of an egg’ challenge proved irresistible. Youngsters were fascinated by the 20+ book-tower which was supported only by four fresh eggs! Equally engaging, was the game which aimed to catch an egg (placed on top of a cardboard tube) in a cup of water underneath it, by whipping away the supporting paper plate! Not only did you have to eggs-pect the un-eggs-pected, in undertaking the mission, but you also had to be prepared for disaster!
Overall, those gathered, learned that eggs were actually strong, despite their fragile appearance…much like Jesus, in the face of conflict, hostility and opposition.
Rev. Naomi chatted animatedly, linking the activity stations to the Easter story and then led the singing and dancing to, ‘God can do anything’.
Naturally, chocolate Easter eggs also featured. Their hollow, tomb-like appearance, and the need to crack them open, reinforced the message of that first Easter Day discovery. The chocolate ‘good news’ was then shared and appreciated by all.
This special Easter service with a difference, did eggs-actly what it promised…and so much more besides. The Easter story had been eggs-plored in unimaginable ways.
Easter Day Ecumenical Dawn Communion
Storm Dave was still making his presence felt, as a small, but significant number of parishioners from across the Over Wyre churches gathered at Pilling Amenity Area as dawn was breaking on Easter Day.
The strong winds were bitterly cold and hopes of watching the sunrise were fading fast, but never-the-less, the transition from darkness to light, was as mesmerising as ever, underlining the Christian message of how ‘death hath lost its sting’.
At the foot of the cross, and drawing warmth from the nearby bonfire, those gathered shared prayers and a communion of bread and dried fish, immersing themselves in age-old customs.
This Ecumenical service, off the beaten track and at 6:30am, is both powerful and prayerful. Rich in symbolism and reminiscent of those women, who also set out in darkness to visit a tomb, before seeing the light, its participants are always profoundly moved, and the memory of it lasts a lifetime.
He blesses every love which weeps and grieves
And now he blesses hers who stood and wept
And would not be consoled, or leave her love’s
Last touching place, but watched as low light crept
Up from the east. A sound behind her stirs
A scatter of bright birdsong through the air.
She turns, but cannot focus through her tears,
Or recognise the Gardner standing there.
She hardly hears his gentle question, ‘Why,
Why are you weeping?’, or sees the play of light
That brightens as she chokes out her reply
‘They took my love away, my day is night,’
And then she hears her name, she hears Love say
The Word that turns her night, and ours, to Day.
(Malcolm Guite)
Easter Day Holy Communion
Stepping into the porch of St. James’ church felt very different from the past six weeks. Adorned with abundant fresh flowers in golden hues and spring blossom, the place seemed instantly lighter and brighter, providing a glorious welcome on crossing the threshold into church.
Once inside, the building exuded life. Excited and animated chatter hung in the air as parishioners, friends and neighbours exchanged ‘Happy Easter’ greetings whilst admiring the many artistic and lovingly-constructed floral arrangements. The cross, placed at the foot of the chancel steps had undergone its own transformation. Gone was its bleak, bare, austere appearance, enrobed now with a swath of pristine white fabric and majestic long-stemmed lilies. Death had given way to life…and a glorious one at that.
Rev. Dyllis led the Holy Communion service, extending the warmest of welcomes to both new and familiar faces. “Today, we rejoice,” she exclaimed.
The readings, music and homily all complemented each other, reinforcing the message of hope, joy and peace – all promised in abundance and for eternity.
The youngsters also enjoyed their Sunday Club, engaging in themed crafting and creative activities. After re-joining the service in time for Communion, they were invited to share their creations, which they did with both enthusiasm and pride, earning congratulatory applause from the congregation.
On leaving church, the little ones, much to their delight, were given a chocolate egg by Rev. Dyllis…and one lucky youngster, managed to receive the ‘golden’ one!
Celebrations of Easter Day continued in the meeting room after the service. Wine and home-baked treats were shared with all, bringing a joyful morning to a very happy conclusion.
‘Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won;
angels in bright rainment, rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won…’
(Edmund Budry)