Lectionary Readings
Exodus 12:1–4 (5–10) 11–14
Before the Exodus, the Lord gives instructions for the Passover.
Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19
What shall I return to the Lord? I will lift the cup of salvation.
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
Paul recounts and interprets the tradition of the Lord’s Supper.
John 13:1–17, 31b–35
Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and gives a new commandment.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
Tonight we come to embrace the power of humble service.
Christ, teach us to honor the spirit of our neighbor.
Tonight we come to embrace with gratitude the offering of service.
In our worship, let us join together
to glorify God.
Prayer of the Day
God in Christ,
you came to be a servant among us.
You taught us how to love you
by serving one another with humility and tenderness.
We earnestly pray that you will wash us clean
so we may share your salvation story.
We pray to be known as your disciples,
not by reputation or stature,
but by our love for one another.
You call us to follow you.
May our works grow from your love,
that we may truthfully sing,
“They will know we are Christians by our love.” Amen.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Thanksgiving For Baptism
At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
O Lord our God, we give you thanks
for the mercy you so freely offer us
through the grace of our baptism—
safe passage through the sea,
justice rolling down like water,
deliverance from sin and death forever.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
poured out upon us in baptism,
teach us to love and serve you faithfully
and reconcile us to you and to one another
as members of one, living body;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Pardon
At the baptismal font:
In the name of Christ, I urge you:
Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
O Christ,
you washed the feet of your disciples
and shared a meal with people who would betray you.
As we prepare to share a meal with you,
we ask your forgiveness, O Lord,
for the ways we have betrayed you.
We, too, have denied your presence.
We, too, have let fear stand in the way of faith.
We, too, have been selfish or greedy.
We, too, are in need of your grace.
Forgive us, O Lord,
and empower us to follow your lead
in washing the feet of the world.
Lifting water from the font:
Listen, the time has come at last.
Look, now is the day of salvation!
2 Corinthians 6:2
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God.
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Eternal God, by your Word and Spirit,
you have given us a new commandment:
to love and serve one another in Jesus’ name.
Let the good news of your liberating love
be sealed in our hearts and shown in our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture
Before the readings:
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
Psalm 51:15
After the readings:
We proclaim Christ crucified—
the wisdom and power of God.
Thanks be to God.
1 Corinthians 1:23–25
Sermon
Ascription of Praise
After the sermon:
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
we bend our knees
and lift up our hearts,
giving glory to God forever. Amen.
Philippians 2:9–11
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Affirmation of Faith
Season of Lent
To be reconciled to God
is to be sent into the world
as God’s reconciling community.
This community, the church universal,
is entrusted with God’s message of reconciliation
and shares God’s labor of healing the enmities
which separate people from God
and from each other.
Christ has called the church to this mission
and given it the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The church maintains continuity
with the apostles and with Israel
by faithful obedience to his call.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.31
Footwashing
Prayers of the People
Out of the ashes, up from the dust
we bring our prayers to God, saying:
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.
God of all mercy, we pray for the church . . .
Make us bold in love and humble in service,
according to the example of Christ Jesus,
our teacher and Lord.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.
God of all mercy, we pray for the world . . .
Deliver the oppressed; set captives free.
Lead them safely out of bondage
into your land of promise, plenty, and peace.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.
God of all mercy, we pray for this community . . .
Keep watch in every heart and home,
so that we may live in peace and safety
and be delivered from all evil.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.
God of all mercy, we pray for loved ones . . .
Be near to all who are in trouble,
those who are sick, and those who face death.
Hold them close and love them even to the end.
In your steadfast love, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Restore in us, O God, the joy of your salvation;
renew and sustain our spirits,
so that we may live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ, our hope and strength. Amen.
— Eucharist —
Invitation to Offering
At the communion table:
Jesus says: Where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
Let us offer our lives to the Lord.
Matthew 6:21
Prayer of Dedication
At the communion table:
You have shown us, O God,
the sacrifice that you desire.
Now use these gifts—
and use our lives—
to liberate the oppressed,
to break the bonds of injustice,
to feed the hungry,
welcome the poor,
and unite the human family;
all in the name and for the sake
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 58:6–7
Great Thanksgiving
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 our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
With your people Israel, we remember how you have saved us—
sheltering us from the plagues of sin and death,
leading us through the waters to deliver us.
Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.
Blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior:
Kneeling down in humility to wash his disciples’ feet,
Jesus gave us a new commandment: to love one another.
By this love, the world will know that we are his disciples.
The words of institution are included here.
Remembering your goodness and grace,
we offer ourselves to you with gratitude
as we share this joyful feast.
A Memorial Acclamation (e.g., “Christ has died”) is sung.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and cup;
make us one in the body and blood
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Help us to hand on to others what we have received from you:
the gift of your grace and the promise of salvation in Christ.
As often as we do this, let our lives proclaim your love.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Spirit,
we bless you, God of glory,
now and forever.
An Amen is sung.
Lord’s Prayer
Breaking the Bread
Communion of the People
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer after Communion
At the communion table:
Holy God, we give you thanks
that you have claimed us as your own
and nourished us in this meal
as members of Christ’s body.
By the work of your Spirit within us
give us the grace to glorify you
as one, living body in the world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Corinthians 6:15–20
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
NOTE: In the service for Maundy Thursday, the Blessing and Charge may be omitted.
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
May the steadfast love of God,
the abundant grace of Jesus Christ,
and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit
be with you this day and always. Amen.
Psalm 51:1, 11
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus:
If any wish to be my disciples
let them take up the cross
and follow me. Amen.
Mark 8:34
The Lord’s Supper
JESUS MAFA, 1973
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- An Upper Room Did Our Lord Prepare (G) O WALY WALY GTG 202
- Deep In the Shadows of the Past (O) SHEPHERDS’ PIPES GTG 50
- Great God, Your Love Has Called Us Here (G) RYBURN ELW 358, RYBURN LUYH 153, DAS NEUGEBORNE KINDELEIN PH 353
- O God, in a Mysterious Way (OG) DUNDEE GTG 30
WORD
- Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love (G) CHEREPONI GTG 203
- What Wondrous Love Is This (G) WONDROUS LOVE GTG 215
- Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service (G) BEACH SPRING ELW 712; PLEADING SAVIOR LUYH 928, SSS 239; BLAENHAFREN PH 427
- Where Charity and Love Prevail (G) TWENTY-FOURTH GTG 316
EUCHARIST
- For the Bread Which You Have Broken (E) KINGDOM GTG 516
- In Remembrance of Me (E) RED GTG 521
- Sharing Paschal Bread and Wine (Shadows Lengthen into Night) (G) TENEBRAE GTG 207
- This Is the Night (G) MY NEIGHBOR GTG 206
SENDING
- Heaven Shall Not Wait (G) HEAVEN SHALL NOT WAIT GTG 773
- Let Us Build a House (OEG) TWO OAKS GTG 301
- Loaves Were Broken, Words Were Spoken (EG) BEACH SPRING GTG 498
- Stay with Me (G) STAY WITH ME GTG 204
Psalms and Canticles
Metrical
- What Shall I Render to the Lord [MARTYRDOM, ROCKINGHAM, MORNING SONG/CONSOLATION]; GTG 655, PH 228, PAS 116B, LUYH 871, PP 218 (with refrain)
- I Love You, Lord [GENEVAN 116]; PAS 116A, LUYH 735
- We Love You Lord [CMD]; SGP 170
- I Love the Lord Because He Heard [DETROIT, NEW FENWICK]; KU 70, TTSF 70
Responsorial
- I Love the Lord, Who (He) Heard My Cry [I LOVE THE LORD (Smallwood)]; PAS 116D, LUYH 152, SSS 343/4 (with Spanish translation)
- Demos gracias / Let Us Give Thanks [Alonso]; SSS 160/1
- I Love the Lord; He Is Filled with Compassion [I LOVE THE LORD (Aquino)]; LUYH 819
- I Will Call upon the Name of the Lord [LET US BREAK BREAD]; HTP1 116
- I Will Take Up the Cup of Salvation; SP 50
Organ Music
- “What Wondrous Love Is This,” God of Grace, Paul Manz, MSM (M)
- “Prelude on BEACH SPRING,” American Suite, Charles Callahan, MSM (E)
- “O WELT, ICH MUSS DICH LASSEN,” Augsburg Organ Library: Lent, AF (M)
- “Fugato on ‘In the Cross of Christ I Glory,’” Thou Art the Way, Grimoaldo Macchia, LOR (E)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “I Give You a New Commandment,” Peter Aston, GIA, 2 pt, org (E)
- “Let Us Break Together,” Craig Carnahan, MSM, SATB, org (M)
- “When We Are Tempted to Deny Your Son,” Zebulon Highben, MSM, SATB, ob, org (A)
- “Let Us Come,” Karen Marrolli, MSM, SATB, pno (E)
- “Lamb of God,” F. Melius Christiansen, AF, SATB, acap (M)
- “Peace I Leave with You,” Amy Beach, BH, SATB, acap (E)
Handbell Music
- “Fantasy on Beach Spring,” Michael Mazzatenta, 3–5 oct, AGEHR, 35352, Level 3
- “Nocturne,” Joel Raney, 3–5 oct, HOPE, 2998, Level 2+
- “Let Us Break Bread Together,” Michael Helman, 3–5 oct, GIA, G7044 Level 3
Art
- Last Supper, Australian Museum (VDL)
- Christ Washes Peter’s Feet, David Paynter (VDL)
- Last Supper, Cathedral of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba (VDL)
