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KITCHEN TABLE GATHERING
Maundy Thursday
Connect + Pray + Be Fed
REMEMBRANCE OF GOD’S LOVE, MERCY, AND FORGIVENESS (InspiredbySt.Therese’sCanticleofLove)
HowgreatandtenderisourGod,whohassmiledonthelowly.Letourheartssinganewcanticleoflove.
Come,allwhohunger,whothirst,wholongforcomfort.TheGodofmercywaitsasamotherwithherchild.
Cometothelivingwaterandfearnotyourweakness.TrustinGod’smercifullove.
Throughtheshadowsofthisnight,lovewillbeourguidinglight.OurpathmayseemuncertainbutGod’spresenceremains.
Comewithjoyfulhearts;letusgiveourselvestothemysteryoflove.Comeforthinpeace,withhandsemptyandopentoreceiveGod’smercy.
AplaceissetforyoubytheOnewhoisfullofcompassionandgrace.Breadispreparedforthebroken,thesinner,thelost,themeek.
Listentothesewords.Evenwhenweweredeadinsin,WehavebeenmadealivetogetherwithChrist.
TransformedinLove’sconsumingKire,liftedupinglory.HerfragranceKillingalltheearth,drawingusafterher.
Hearthesewords!Bygracewehavebeensaved.OursinsareforgiveninthenameofJesusChrist.
LetusrejoiceinthisWorduntil,ineternitywejoininonechorus.ForeversingingofGod’smercifullove.
Amen.
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GREETING Graceandpeacetoyou,siblingsinChrist,andwelcometoMaundyThursdayaroundtheKitchenTable.Webeginourtimetogetherwithafootorhandwashing,aswepreparetofeastontheWordandourmeal.
FOOT/HAND WASHING Tonightwewashourownoroneanother’shandsinadeepspiritoflove,preparingourlivestoenterintotheserviceofGodwhocameamongusasaservant,andtoloveandserveoneanotherasChristlovesandservesus.
Hereyoumaywashyourownfeetorhands,usingthewaterinthebowl.WerecallJesuswashinghisdisciples’feet.Asyouwash,thinkoftheloveofJesuspouredoutoneachofusinthisdifDiculttime.
Ifyouarewashingsomeone’sfeet,holdtheheelofonefoot,pourthewater,anddrythefoot.Repeatfortheotherfoot.Ifyouarewashingsomeone’shands,placetheirhandsinyours,pourthewateranddrytheirhands.Pleasenotethatthisactionmaybeentirelyomitted,especiallyifsomeoneinyourhousehastestedpositiveforthevirus.
PRAYER OF THE DAY Letuspray:HolyGod,sourceofalllove,onthenightofhisbetrayal,Jesusgaveusanewcommandment,toloveoneanotherashelovesus.Writethiscommandmentinourhearts,andgiveusthewilltoserveothersashewasservantofall,yourSon,JesusChrist,ourSaviorandLord,wholivesandreignswithyouandtheHolySpirit,oneGod,nowandforever.Amen.
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 IlovetheLord,whohasheardmyvoice,andlistenedtomysupplication,fortheLordhasgiveneartome
WheneverIcalled.HowshallIrepaytheLordforallthegoodthingsGodhasdoneforme?IwillliftthecupofsalvationandcallonthenameoftheLord.IwillfulDillmyvowstotheLordinthepresenceofallGod’speople.Preciousinyoursight,OLord,isthedeathofyourservants.OLord,trulyIamyourservant;Iamyourservant,thechildofyourhandmaid;youhavefreedmefrommybonds.
IwillofferyouthesacriDiceofthanksgivingandcalluponthenameoftheLord.IwillfulDillmyvowstotheLordinthepresenceofallGod’speople,inthecourtsoftheLord‘shouse,inthemidstofyou,OJerusalem.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ForIreceivedfromtheLordwhatIalsohandedontoyou,thattheLordJesusonthenightwhenhewasbetrayedtookaloafofbread,andwhenhehadgiventhanks,hebrokeitandsaid,“Thisismybodythatisforyou.Dothisinremembranceofme.”Inthesamewayhetookthecupalso,aftersupper,saying,“Thiscupisthenewcovenantinmyblood.Dothis,asoftenasyoudrinkit,inremembranceofme.”Forasoftenasyoueatthisbreadanddrinkthecup,youproclaimtheLord’sdeathuntilhecomes.
rescuemefromthehandofmyenemies,andfromthosewhopersecuteme. Letyourfaceshineuponyourservant; savemeinyoursteadfastlove.”
READINGS
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John 13:1-17, 31b-35 NowbeforethefestivalofthePassover,JesusknewthathishourhadcometodepartfromthisworldandgototheFather.Havinglovedhisownwhowereintheworld,helovedthemtotheend.ThedevilhadalreadyputitintotheheartofJudassonofSimonIscariottobetrayhim.AndduringsupperJesus,knowingthattheFatherhadgivenallthingsintohishands,andthathehadcomefromGodandwasgoingtoGod,gotupfromthetable,tookoffhisouterrobe,andtiedatowelaroundhimself.Thenhepouredwaterintoabasinandbegantowashthedisciples’feetandtowipethemwiththetowelthatwastiedaroundhim.HecametoSimonPeter,whosaidtohim,“Lord,areyougoingtowashmyfeet?”Jesusanswered,“YoudonotknownowwhatIamdoing,butlateryouwillunderstand.”Petersaidtohim,“Youwillneverwashmyfeet.”Jesusanswered,“UnlessIwashyou,youhavenosharewithme.”SimonPetersaidtohim,“Lord,notmyfeetonlybutalsomyhandsandmyhead!”Jesussaidtohim,“Onewhohasbatheddoesnotneedtowash,exceptforthefeet,butisentirelyclean.Andyouareclean,thoughnotallofyou.”Forheknewwhowastobetrayhim;forthisreasonhesaid,“Notallofyouareclean.”
Afterhehadwashedtheirfeet,hadputonhisrobe,andhadreturnedtothetable,hesaidtothem,“DoyouknowwhatIhavedonetoyou?YoucallmeTeacherandLord—andyouareright,forthatiswhatIam.SoifI,yourLordandTeacher,havewashedyourfeet,youalsooughttowashoneanother’sfeet.ForIhavesetyouanexample,thatyoualsoshoulddoasIhavedonetoyou.Verytruly,Itellyou,servantsarenotgreaterthantheirmaster,noraremessengersgreaterthantheonewhosentthem.Ifyouknowthesethings,youareblessedifyoudothem.
“NowtheSonofManhasbeengloriDied,andGodhasbeengloriDiedinhim.IfGodhasbeengloriDiedinhim,Godwillalsoglorifyhiminhimselfandwillglorifyhimatonce.Littlechildren,Iamwithyouonlyalittlelonger.Youwilllookforme;andasIsaidtotheJewssonowIsaytoyou,‘WhereIamgoing,youcannotcome.’Igiveyouanewcommandment,thatyouloveoneanother.JustasIhavelovedyou,youalsoshouldloveoneanother.Bythiseveryonewillknowthatyouaremydisciples,ifyouhaveloveforoneanother.”
MESSAGE
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PRAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY
PEACE ThepeaceofChristbewithyoualways.Andalsowithyou.
Atthistime,Iinviteyoutotakeamomentandtextoneortwopeopleawordofpeace.
OFFERING Althoughwearenottogetherinpersonatthistime,wearestillchurchandourministrycontinues.YourcontributionshelpsupportourourworkandIamalsoheretowalkwithyouduringthesestrangedays.
THE MEAL WE SHARE (Youareinvitedtosingthisprayer)Bepresentatourtable,Lord;Behereandeverywhereadored;Thycreaturesbless,andgrantthatweMayfeastinparadisewithThee.Amen
Althoughourcommunityisscattered,God’sloveandgraceabounds!Jesuspromisesus:“Iamthebreadoflife.Whoevercomestomewillnevergohungry,andwhoeverbelievesinmewillneverbethirsty.”Letthismealwesharetogetherovercomethephysicaldistancebetweenusandremindusofourunity.
Listen to the words Jesus shared with his disciples at the table:
Inthenightinwhichhewasbetrayed,ourLordJesustookbread,andgavethanks;brokeit,andgaveittohisdisciples,saying:Takeandeat;thisismybody,givenforyou.Dothisfortheremembranceofme.
Again,aftersupper,hetookthecup,gavethanks,andgaveitforalltodrink,saying:Thiscupisthenewcovenantinmyblood,shedforyouandforallpeoplefortheforgivenessofsin.Dothisfortheremembranceofme.
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SHARE THE MEAL Takeabiteofwhatisinfrontofyou.Takeadrinkfromyourcup.RememberChristandhismercyforyou.RememberGodandthelovepouredoutforyou.ItisworthrememberingthatChristiswith,inthroughandunderus,aswehearthosewords"foryou.”
MEAL BLESSING Let this small act we share remind us of the power of Christ’sstrengthandknowthatyouarekeptinGod’sgrace.
CLEARING OF THE TABLE RememberingJesusgoingtohisarrestandhisdeath,theeventsfromwhichallthemercythat9illsthisnight9lows,wepraythisPsalmasthetableiscleared.Youareinvitedtoslowlyclearyourtableathomeuntilitisbareorremaininprayer.
Psalm88Lord,myGod,mySavior,bydayandnightIcrytoyou.Letmyprayerenterintoyourpresence;inclineyoureartomylamentation.ForIamfulloftrouble;mylifeisatthebrinkofthegrave.Iamcountedamongthosewhogodowntothepit;Ihavebecomelikeonewhohasnostrength;lostamongthedead,liketheslainwholieinthegrave,whomyouremembernomore,fortheyarecutofffromyourhand.Youhavelaidmeinthedepthsofthepit,indarkplaces,andintheabyss. (continuedonnextpage)
GatheredintoonebytheHolySpirit,letusprayasJesustaughtus,usingthewordsclosesttoyourheart.
OurFather,whoartinheaven,hallowedbethyname,thykingdomcome,thywillbedone,onearthasitisinheaven.
Giveusthisdayourdailybread;andforgiveusourtrespasses,asweforgivethosewhotrespassagainstus;andleadusnotintotemptation,butdeliverusfromevil.
Forthineisthekingdom,andthepower,andtheglory,foreverandever.Amen.
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Yourangerweighsuponmeheavily,andallyourgreatwavesoverwhelmme.Youhaveputmyfriendsfarfromme;youhavemademetobeabhorredbythem;Iaminprisonandcannotgetfree.Mysighthasfailedmebecauseoftrouble;Lord,Ihavecalleduponyoudaily;Ihavestretchedoutmyhandstoyou.
Doyouworkwondersforthedead?Willthosewhohavediedstandupandgiveyouthanks?Willyourlovingkindnessbedeclaredinthegrave,yourfaithfulnessinthelandofdestruction?Willyourwondersbeknowninthedarkoryourrighteousnessinthecountrywhereallisforgotten?Butasforme,OLord,Icrytoyouforhelp;inthemorningmyprayercomesbeforeyou.Lord,whyhaveyourejectedme?
Whyhaveyouhiddenyourfacefromme?Eversincemyyouth,Ihavebeenwretchedandatthepointofdeath;Ihaveborneyourterrorsandamhelpless.Yourblazingangerhassweptoverme;yourterrors|havedestroyedme;theysurroundmealldaylonglikeaDlood;theyencompassmeoneveryside.Myfriendandmyneighboryouhaveputawayfromme,anddarknessismyonlycompanion.
PEACE BE WITH YOU THIS NIGHT AsthePsalmconcludes,sodoesourtimetogether.Wedepartinpeace.YouareinvitedtogathertomorroweveningforourGoodFridayprayer
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