A New Maundy Service: God Calling

Order of service: Cover or back cover quote: God Calling

A New Maundy Thursday Service

Entering In…. Taking A Place At The Table…

The Upper Room:

The Calling of the Disciples

A Maundy Thursday Remembrance

Setting The Scene

Recalling The Essential Teachings: (Readings from the five Gospels)

The Beatitudes

True Riches

The Freedom of the Truth

The World Within

The Greatest Commandment

Song: “Day By Day” Godspell

The Setting of the Communion Table… (silence…)

The Vine and The Branches

The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus’ Prayer for the Disciples

Music: “I Don’t Know How The Love Him” Jesus Christ Superstar

The Passover/Communion Rite:

Music: “To Be An Apostle” Jesus Christ Superstar

(to be sung as the bread and wine are distributed…)

Benediction:

Hugs? Discussion? Chants? Dances? Leaving in silence and peace?

INSIDE PAGE

Notes on the Communion:

The wine is nonalcoholic, and the bread is unleavened, whole wheat… When the bread and wine come around to you, for health reasons, please use the method called intincure… That is, please hold on your bread, and when the cup comes around to you, dip it in to wine, and then eat it…

Lifespan- Upcoming Events and Announcements:

A Maundy Thursday Service

of Blessing and Remembrance

A Prayerful Preface… Before the service begins… Cover Quote

I lay My loving hands on you in blessing…

Wait in love and with longing to feel their tender pressure, and as you wait, feel a sense of courage and hope flow into your being… You can be filled with the warmth of My presence.

Let it all go this Easter time. Loosen your hold on earth, with all of its cares, its worries, even its joys. Unclasp your hands, relax, let the Eastertide of blessings wash over you, and fill you… In the quiet, let Joy come to you…

Put aside all those fervent thoughts about the future, and release all those remorseful thoughts of the past. Relinquish all so that you may receive the Easter Sacrament of Spiritual Life.

So often, or so it seems, we humans are in want, in need, of a blessing, some reassurance… Yet we refuse to let go of some earthbound treasure so our hands are never truly open, and our hearts receptive

So tonight, hold your hands out, and keep your hearts open Easter, being together on this night, is a blessing for the taking Sacrifice all to that… Peace be with you…

Adapted from the poem, God Calling…

Selected Readings given/shared by those sitting around a Passover Table…

Setting The Scene

Close your eyes… Picture, if you will, a simple, rustic room… Shorn of any adornments… Bare of everything but the essentials… The simplest of furniture and some chairs, some basic food…

Imagine that you are there, as a witness to this event,

that there is a place for you among the chosen others…

You, too, can easily partake of the feelings and the moods..

You can experience how his disciples , as his cherished friends, gathered around their teacher, one last time…

A Maundy Thursday Remembrance

It was the night of The Passover, a time when all believing Jews were to gather together to share the Paschal meal. It was the time of remembrance and for thanksgiving when families and friends became a bonded unity as they gratefully shared in the telling of our cultural story of freedom and release.

In the Exodus story, we recall how the Israelites had been delivered by God, released from slavery in Egypt… This shared, symbolic meal recognized the supernal trust and covenant between God and humanity. It is a bond between the divine and the human that serves to defeat any earthy powers or terrors.

Remembrance II

As it was the custom of his day, and in accord with the Scriptures ( Ex.12) Jesus gathered his disciples together and arranged to celebrate the Passover meal with them in a remote, out of the way, upper room… It was a room, that for the time being, was free… Away from prying eyes, wanting crowds, and out of the reach of the vindictive Pharisees or the legions of Roman indifference.

There… In that simple room, that he sat down with his beloved friends for one last time. The meal, and its aftermath were to be the climax of three intense years of living, teaching, and sharing together. Years when common men witnessed an uncommon love. Years when each person, in their own way, became dedicated to the eternal spirit, and the lived truth

That they had found in their Rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth.

The Calling Of The Disciples

Jesus first went to Capernaum, and there he taught a small crowd that had gathered there for the Sabbath. They were astonished at what he said to them! His words, his reality held authority.

And when it was time for him to leave, the people lingered, but Jesus said to them, “ I must go now, to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God… For this is the purpose of my life… (Matt 5:1-11;27)

At Lake Genaeseret, Jesus saw fisherman cleaning their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and began to speak to them. Soon, he was gathering a crowd…

When he stopped, he motioned to Simon to put out from the shore, and to let down their nets for another catch. Simon’s reply was ”Rabbi, we have toiled all night and we have caught nothing!” But at your word, , I will try again… Soon, a great school of fish entered the nets, and filled the boats to almost sinking! Simon signaled for help from the other boats…

With Simon were James and John, Andrew and Phillip, and Jesus said to them,” do not be afraid! Come, follow me, and I shall make you fishers of men! When the new disciples heard this, they left everything… And followed him…

The Beatitudes

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside, and there he sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them, saying:

Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the

children of God.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you, because of me. Rejoice and be glad! Great will be your reward in heaven, for it was the same way when they persecuted the prophets who were before you…

The Greatest Commandment

Jesus taught: Love your enemies, seek to do good for those who hate you; Bless those who would curse you, and pray for those who would abuse you…. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadduces, the priests Pharisees, the lawyers, got together to plan out a strategy… One of them, an expert in the Torah or Law of Moses, tested him with this question:

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?

Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, and with your whole mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second, goes like this:

Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the writings of the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Remember, whatever measure of good or evil you give out to others, shall return to you, full and overflowing…

True Riches ( Matt. 6-19; 24-33)

“Do not store up treasures on earth, where moth and rust can corrupt, or where thieves can break in and steal it from you. But store up for yourselves, the treasures of heaven… For where your heart is, there will be your treasure, too.

No one can serve two masters. For a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth, or material possessions. Whatever you serve, that will become your master.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you shall drink, what you shall eat, what you shall put on… Is not life more than food, drink, and clothing? And who among you, by worrying, can add even a single hour to your lives?

For it is the Gentiles or the non-spiritual who worry and strive about all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows what you need and will give it to you. But first strive for the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, then all these things shall be added unto you….” Ask, and it shall be given to you; search and you will find; knock, and the door will open.

If you continue in my word, my reality, then you are truly my disciples, and then as you continue, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!

The World Within (Thomas)

Love your brother and your sister like your soul; protect them from evil as you would protect the pupil of your eye. Do not strain to see the mote in your brother’s eye, and miss the beam that is in your own eye.

Fast from this world and all its cares. Without fasting, you will not have room for the Kingdom to grow in your hearts. That which you have or believe about yourself that is from outside yourself will kill you, but that which will save or heal you comes from within you;

Become like passers by; for you live in this world but a brief time- and remember, What you do for your soul and the souls of others is forever.

Jesus’ Prayer For The Disciples ( John 15)

My command to you is this: That you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than the one who lays down his life for his friends…. And you are my friends, if you do as I command.

For I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his mater’s business. Instead, I have called you my friends, because everything I have learned from my Father, I have given you and made known to you.

You did not choose me, but I chose you… To go out, to bear witness, to bear fruit… Fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask, in my name…

This is my command: That you love one another. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, you would love it as you very own.

As it is, you do not belong to the world… That is why the world hates you.

Remember the words I have spoken to you: “ No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obey my teachings, and followed my example, they will obey and follow yours…

MUSIC:

The Vine And The Branches

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.

Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it might bear even more fruit.

Abide in me, as I will abide in you. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you abide in me, and my reality, you can ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

By this, my Father is glorified, that you will bear much fruit, and thereby prove yourselves to be my disciples.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will stay in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands, and I remain in his love.

These things… These things I have spoken to you are for the purpose that my joy will remain in you, and that your joy will be full.

The Lord’s Prayer

It is in his spirit, and it is with this special joy, and with these words of love and trust, that I now invite you to unite our hearts in the prayer given to us as the Prayer of Jesus or the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever, and ever… Amen….

The Personal Communion Rite

Adapted and enlarged from Matthew 26: 26-29

On the night of his arrest, Jesus had earlier gathered his disciples around him at the Passover table. …

After they had eaten, Jesus took the bread, blessed it (Hebrew) (Baruch Ata Adonai Elehenu Adonai, Moluch Azaret…) and then he broke it, and then giving it out to his disciples saying:

“Take and eat, this is my body… This communion is and will forever be a symbolic of our unity and our bond with each other… (the bread is now passed out …)

And then after the bread, Jesus took the wine cup… Poured in some new wine, and blessed it (Hebrew- Baruch Ata Adonai Elehenu Adonai Pirz Hav Goffen…) and then he symbolically declared that the wine was his blood- the substance of the new and ever lasting covenant which will be poured out for all.

The wine is the inspiration of discipleship that will now live and flow through you… Therefore, drink of it with care, and with clear intention… This bread and this wine, my substance and my inspiration, are the portions of suffering and release, acting as nourishment and support for your soul. …

These simple elements are transformed in your heart so that they can satisfy your hunger and sustain you throughout life’s many trials. …

Drink and eat out of love… Putting your desires below the needs of others… Work from now on, to heal the wounds of the people as you have seen me do. From this night on, become my apostles always, in every way you understand and can do…

For every time you do this, you renew the continuing and everlasting covenant between us.

Do this in remembrance of me.

(He then walked around with the cup, offering it to each person, Sharing the traditional and contemporary words of blessing:

In the Christian tradition, the bread is “Corpus Christi”

The Body of Christ… And I say to you this night, this is the bread of our humanity, the bread of our community that we share in search of equality and justice…

In the Christian tradition, we are given the wine as

“Sanguina Christi” The Blood of Christ… This night, this wine is the flowing Spirit of inspiration, from which we are strengthened and charged to offer hope and healing to our world… As I walk around with this cup, I ask that you receive it in the Spirit of Jesus, and to say in return, Amen or Thanks be to God…

All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I have said to you, that the Holy Spirit will take from what is mine, and make it known, and give it to each of you…

In a little while, you will see me no more… And then, after a little while, you will see me again…

So, the time has now come… Now will begin your time of grief… But fear not, for I will see you again, and you will rejoice! In the meantime, let no man take your joy or your inspiration from you…

Benediction:

May this night be the beginning of our self-forgetting…

Let us go forth renewed, ready to serve, forsaking our egos, and by following, finding truth and spirit…

In Christ’s Name…

In The One Holy Reality we share… AMEN

Possible events for May and June:

Pentecost: What is the Spirit? How the Spirit is known to us? The Coming Age of the Spirit? 2012 and beyond! ( Homily, meditation, music, and discussion…)

A Forum/Discussion: All you ever wanted to know about God, heaven, prayer, etc., but were afraid to ask in Sunday school! Where did all those ideas come from? What value do they hold for us today?

For Buddha’s Birthday: An Open discussion of the essential teachings… Or Siddhartha remembered… (Homily, meditations, music, discussion…)

Celebrating The Solstice: What it means, and how the Sun

The Soul, and the Solstice are connected in our lives…