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HOLY WEEK SERVICES 2008 - 2009

MAUNDY THURSDAY

A happy, small change in form, at this year (2009) in that a more 'normal' Communion service was held on Maundy Thursday and it was good to see such an encouraging turn-out from the choir. The ceremony of washing of the feet was extended this year in that there were two 'washing stations - plastic bowls, manned this year by - not just clergy- but by the Editor of the Sunderland Echo no less! We look forward to reading his report and enjoying the pictures taken at this 'celebrity event'.

 GOOD FRIDAY

Despite the forecasts, we were blessed with mild, almost wind-free weather for our annual pilgrimage/procession of witnesses to the faith, and the threatening rain clouds kept a respectful distance from the hill.

This ecumenical gathering, inaugurated by St Cecilias RC church a number of years ago and still arranged by those good folk, gave us a chance to get together in our shared penitence and gratitude to again recognize the tremendous sacrifice of love made for all folk.

It was good to see priests, moinisters and laity rubbing shoulders in their shared experience, and we were particularly blessed to share much of our journey with the well-loved Canon Alec Barrass of St Mary's RC church.

The usual format of a short service at East farm, followed by the procession and erection of the cross on Tunstall Hill, with further prayers, reading and hymn becomes more enriching year by year. Hopefully even more folk will make this an essentialk part of their witness year by year.

     ......................  and after our joyous Easter Day, came the news in Monday's "Sunderland Echo" that on the evening of Good Friday, the Cross on the hill was vandalised and cut down - apparently by chainsaw. (I had looked for it over the weekend as I went about and was surprised that I could not see it - I thought that I must be at the wrong angle and was looking 'side-on'). I anticipate that many folk will write to the paper but felt moved to add my contribution, as follows:-

 

2008

The format of the 2007 services was followed in 2008, and this church thus did NOT have a Choral Eucharist, or other traditional/modern Anglican service to offer "parishioners" and intending visitors on the evening of Maunday Thursday Instead, the Minster again staged a Seder Meal, in church, before moving on to celebrate Eucharist, in some form or other.

The Seder Meal as taken at the Minster apparently has the form of the Meal celebrating the Passover celebrated by folk at family gatherings - at home.  'Re-enacting' this can help children and others understand the full meaning of the sacrifice in Jewish terms. Some folk regret that  it should replace the Maundy Day services that most Christians of the Anglican tradition normally expect to find. For a resume of the ritual, read on - details can be found under SEDER MENU  on the web

     "It is still uncertain when Christians first began to make an annual (as opposed to the, modern, weekly) memorial of the death and resurrection of Christ. This Pascha (a word derived indirectly from pesach, Hebrew `Passover') was at first a night-long vigil, followed by the celebration of the Eucharist at cock-crow, and all the great themes of redemption were included within it: incarnation, suffering, death, resurrection, glorification. Over time, the Pascha developed into the articulated structure of Holy Week and Easter. Through participation in the whole sequence of services, the Christian shares in Christ's own journey, from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the empty tomb on Easter morning.

This solemn season preserves some of the oldest texts still in current use, and re­hearses the deepest and most fundamental Christian memories. The procession with Palms, which was already observed in Jerusalem in the fourth century, is accompanied by the reading of the Passion Narrative, in which the whole story of the week is antici­pated. Maundy Thursday (from man datum, `commandment,' cf. John 13.34) contains a rich complex of themes: the Passover meal carries on the tradition established by God through Moses when he commanded his people to commemorate his loving kindness towards them in the Exodus.

The lesson of God's freeing the Israelites from slavery was to be taught with an open­ness of heart surrounded by loved ones, family and friends. For centuries people have been following traditional Seder services. The small book which gives the text for this order of service (Seder) is called Haggadah, which means "the telling" as prescribed in Exodus 13:8. From the Jewish order of ancient ceremonial events, and the story of sal­vation from the exodus onwards, we follow a running commentary of prayers and scripture readings as people of God celebrating our Judeo-Christian heritage.

The meal, symbols and actions are designed to help us thank God for his goodness to us through­out salvation history, and remember the cost. For Christians the Passover finds fulfilment in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and we end our Seder with a celebration of the Eucharist, as instituted by Christ at the Last Supper. The night ends with the traditional stripping of the altar, identifying with Christ's loving obedience through the agony of Gethsemane."   

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In order to mark the day, I went to the Minster at 7pm to read the old services, which I would have so enjoyed to share with my fellow "parishioners, but, of course, I was on my own in this regard.

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GOOD FRIDAY 2008

....We congregated, as usual, at Tunstall Farm for the procession to Tunstall Hill, where we joined in with the simple, brief, but extremely moving ecumenical service, led this year by Canon Alec Barrass of St Mary's. Our thanks to him for a service conducted with wonderful depth and gravitas which at last made the season meaningful to me ! This was far more akin to the Bishopwearmouth service of old, when the Word was mainly all-important and emotions did not need Videos and the like to stimulate them.

EASTER SUNDAY

We had a very  moving beginning to this glorious day, which started at 5:30 am, congregating outside the church where a fire had been set and ignited. From this fire, the Easter Candle was lit and we moved into the church for the service. This was a very atmospheric setting and my only regret was that I was not able to take a full part in the service itself, but stayed on the periphery. I was, however able to take much comfort in being able to witness the joy of the full participants, and this also enhanced my own tremendous feeling of anticipation for the 8:00 Holy Communion service held mainly in compliance with the Book of Common Prayer -- the celebrant not being so minded, the  BCP readings were replaced by those appointed by "Common Worship".      It would be good to have the 5:30 service next year (if it is to take place) with the Book of Common Prayer settings, then all Anglicans could take part, whatever their preferences - but please- no photographers this time once the service has started, albeit outside ?

...  and I cannot leave this subject without congratulating (and thanking) the folk of St Gabriel's Church who constructed the Easter Garden (left) outside their church this year. This follows on from their efforts at Christmas when they set up a simple Nativity scene in their South porch.

Their enterprise in tackling both ventures should yield them a rich harvest, because in there different ways, both scenes must surely have struck a chord with a number of passers-by, whether believers or non-believers, and demonstrated that there is an active faith being lived out here, on their doorstep.

Hopefully, the Minster will consider doing likewise at some time in the future !

 

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