Good Friday - April 18, 2003
On Good Friday, the Christian faith confronts its most solemn moment.
To watch and wait with Jesus through these tragic hours, is to be able to celebrate more truly the dramatic triumph of Easter Sunday.
After the Blessing and Sending Forth, at the close of the service, the congregation is asked to leave in silence.
If you wish to make an offering it may be placed on the plate at the rear of the Sanctuary, either as you enter or leave.
Prelude: When on the Cross the Saviour Hung
Call to Worship
Good Friday is a challenging part of our faith.
Yet we gather to find meaning.
We remember Jesus' death upon the cross.
We also remember the power of pain and death that lives in our world.
We gather with many who live under the power of addictions,
Ones who are crucified with Christ.
We gather with those whose vocations are threatened; who live in uncertainty,
Ones who are crucified with Christ.
We gather with the aging ... who feel alone, neglected, and forgotten,
Ones who are crucified with Christ.
We gather with our children who fear what the future has in store for them,
Ones who are crucified with Christ.
We, too, are in pain from our own losses.
We too are crucified with Christ.
Let us now gather around the cross, which gave death,
For we know that in its mystery, God is also present.
Hymn #133 "Go to Dark Gethsemane"
Gathering Prayer (One)
God, this is not where we want to be, yet it is where your Spirit has led us. We do not want to be beneath your cross, yet we want to be with you. In the mystery of this day, help us find meaning. Amidst the pain of death, help us find your comfort. Send your Holy Spirit upon us as we gather in the darkness of this Friday we so boldly call Good. We ask this in the name of the one who hangs upon the cross. Amen.
Call to Healing
Here we are, two thousand years later, remembering the first Good Friday. We prepare to gather on a hill called Golgotha, "the place of the skull," where Jesus is raised up on the cross to die. As we remember Jesus' death, we know that many of the "values" that caused Jesus to be crucified are still at work in our world today. Let us gather together in a time of confession, to pray for our world and those ways of power that rule our world today.
Prayer for Healing (Unison)
God, we confess that our world still has far to travel in order to walk in your Way. We live in a world which no longer crucifies with the cross, but still lives under the power of death. We confess that your children are crucified when our world allows addictions to destroy lives....(silence)
We confess that your children are crucified when our world forgets the aging ....(silence)
We confess that your children are crucified when many walk the streets without food and shelter....(silence)
We confess that your children are crucified when countries battle over natural resources....(silence)
We confess that we, too, feel crucified and without hope ....(silence)
The Presence of Hope (one)
Friends hear the good news:
In times of suffering and pain ... God is there
In times of loneliness and fear ... God is there
In the time of death, even death upon the cross ... God is there
Thanks be to God.
Scripture
John 19:1-6; 16b-26; Luke 24:39-41
Sharing the Word
CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST
A time to reflect upon the nature of crucifixion in our world today
Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34)
Today, on Good Friday, we follow Jesus on the road to crucifixion. We accompany him to a hill called "Golgotha," which means the "place of the skull." It is there, on that hillside, that Jesus is raised up on the cross and left to die.
On our journey, we discover that Jesus is not alone. Two criminals are being crucified on either side of him, but they aren't the only ones. There are many people in our world who face crosses of suffering and pain. These are people, like Jesus, who are forced to endure torment and anguish. They, too, are being crucified.
As we travel with Jesus, we call to mind those who must daily carry a cross. We will pray and remember them with a symbol of the cross they carry. We will affirm that those who face a cross are not alone in their struggle. God is with them.
1. Gorges Ximenez
The first person we pray for is a poor Colombian farmer named Gorges Ximenez. He grows a little maize, a few beans, and coca, which the local drug lords turn into cocaine.
Gorges does not want to grow coca. He does not want to grow drugs that will destroy the lives of addicts in North America and other places. But he has no choice. He used to grow coffee, but the money he got from the coffee companies was too little to support his family. Then a rebel army took control of the region of Colombia where he lives, and drug lords demanded he grow coca instead. One of Gorges' neighbours defied the drug lords and was killed. So Gorges grows his coca. He knows he has made a deal with the devil, and it eats at his soul. Gorges is being crucified, and we remember him.
Sung response: (VU 148)
Symbol: an old hoe
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for all the poor people of our world who are trapped by forces beyond their control. We pray for the peasants who cannot grow enough food to eat, and those who have been forced off their land. We pray that you will be with them in their struggle. May they discover your strength. Amen.
2. Susie
The second person we remember today is a woman who goes by the name of Susie. Susie is a homeless person living on the streets of one of our large cities. Susie carries a bag which holds all her possessions. She wears cast-off clothing and shoes that are too small for her feet. Susie talks to herself as she walks down the street. Susie suffers from a severe mental illness.
Years ago, Susie would have been housed in a hospital for the mentally ill, but those hospitals have been closed, and today there is no alternative housing. So Susie walks the streets, alone and unloved. Susie is carrying the cross of mental illness, and we remember her.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: a shopping bag
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for the homeless people of our world. We pray for those who suffer from mental illness and those who are forgotten by society. We pray that they will sense you walking beside them and they will come to realize that they are not alone. Amen.
3. Matt Norman
The next person we remember is a young man with a drug addiction. Matt Norman came from a difficult home. When he was 12, he began to drink. When he was 16, he tried cocaine for the first time. Today he is an addict and an alcoholic. Matt has tried to quit on his own several times, but each time he has returned to his addiction. He really wants to quit using drugs because now he has a seven-year-old and a three-year old to look after, and he doesn't want his children to grow up like him. He has just heard about Narcotics Anonymous and he thinks he might give it a try. Matt Norman carries the cross of addiction.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: empty wine bottle
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for the drug addicts and alcoholics of this world. We pray for those who are trying to free themselves from the slavery of addictions. Give them the courage they need to make changes in their lives and help them to find the strength that comes from you. Amen.
4. Rick and Heather Johnson
Next, we remember Rick and Heather Johnson, members of a logging family in British Columbia. Rick is a fourth generation logger. There have been tough times before, but none quite as bad as the difficulties that Rick and Heather are going through today. They are on the verge of losing their home. Rick hasn't worked for six months. When he does work, it is only for short periods at a time. Heather takes whatever work she can get, but most places she goes aren't hiring. They have two young children and bills they can't afford to pay. They see no way out of their financial problems. Their marriage is under stress, and they are frightened for the future. They carry a cross of fear.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: hatchet
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for those who face a bleak and uncertain future. We pray for farmers, loggers and mill workers, and others who do not know where their next pay cheque will come from. Give them hope, God, that they will find a better future. Help us to provide what strength we can to encourage them and support them in their time of fear. Amen.
5. Mary Draper
We remember Mary Draper, who lives alone in a seniors' home in a big city. Mary's husband died years ago, and her children are often too busy to visit her. Mary spends most of her time looking out the window, thinking about the past, and wondering when God will come and relieve her of her earthly sufferings. Mary carries the cross of aging in a society which no longer turns to its elders for wisdom and community. Her mind is still active, but her eyesight and hearing have given out on her. She carries the cross of isolation and loneliness, and we remember her.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: a pair of old eyeglasses
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for those for whom aging is a trial and a burden and for those who are shut away from the rest of society: the disabled, the mentally challenged, the outcasts, and marginalized people whom society doesn't want to acknowledge or include in its life. Shower your love upon these people and open our hearts to include them when others shut them out. Amen.
6. Jasmine and Joshua
We remember Jasmine and Joshua and all the other children of the world who carry a cross. Jasmine lives in a Palestinian refugee camp. She has a necklace made out of shell casings from the bullets fired in her neighbourhood. Her older brother was killed in a shoot-out with the Israelis. Her friends spout hatred and contempt at their enemies. Jasmine plays in burnt-out buildings and craters made by bombs. She wishes she could have a "normal" life and grow up and have a family. But there is nothing "normal" about where she lives.
Joshua lives not far from Jasmine, but he lives in an Israeli village. His parents walk around scared, never knowing when the next bomb will explode or friend will be killed. Joshua would like to be friends with the Arab children playing not far away, but he knows there is a barrier of hatred between them. Joshua does not want to grow up to be scared like his parents, but he is not sure if that it is possible. Both Joshua and Jasmine carry the cross of fear and hatred, and we remember them.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: children's shoes
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for the children of the world. We pray for the children who go to bed hungry, and the children who have no love. We pray for children who face violence in their families and children who face violence in their countries. Send your healing spirit on all the children of the world. May they know your love, your reassurance, and your peace. Amen.
Anthem: “When I Think of the Nail Prints” by M.K. Beall
7. Sylvia
We'll call her Sylvia. Sylvia is one of the thousands of Canadians who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. By the time Sylvia realized she was sick, her cancer had already spread. Almost immediately she was plunged into a world of hospitals, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Today, she feels a pain in her back from the disease, and a pain in her soul. Sylvia is frightened about what her disease means and how long she has to live. She has a husband and teenaged children who need her. Sylvia carries a cross of fear, sickness, and grief. We remember her.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: dressing gown
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for people who are sick. We pray for those who face disability, disease, and death. May they know you in their time of trial. Help their illness become a time of learning and growth. Let your healing spirit flow through all of us, that we may become a healing presence in each others lives. We pray in the name of Jesus, the healer. Amen.
8. Wilma and Chris Staunton
We remember Wilma and Chris Staunton. Not long ago, life was great for the Stauntons. They had good jobs and were looking forward to a happy retirement, but all that fell apart recently when their eldest daughter was killed in a car crash. Now Wilma and Chris spend their days feeling overwhelmed by grief and despair. The Staunton's friends have rallied around to comfort and support them. And the love of their remaining daughter helps them to put one foot in front of another and keep going, but their hearts ache. They feel as though their spirits have been broken in two. Wilma and Chris Staunton carry the cross of grief.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: photo of a girl.
Let us pray
All: Loving God, we pray for all those who grieve. We pray for those who have lost loved ones, husbands, wives, children, parents, family, and friends. You know the pain they feel, God, as you too watched your son die on the cross. Be with all those who hurt. Send them your comfort and reassurance. Amen.
9. You and Me
We're included in this, too. We, too, carry crosses of sacrifice and suffering. We carry the cross of our own loss and pain. And we carry the cross of others whose burdens we share.
Jesus told us to take up his cross and follow him. Sometimes, the yoke feels easy, and the burden is light. At other times, the cross of Christ feels too heavy for us to carry. We want to throw it down and seek other, less painful goals. But how can we when we see Jesus go on before us, carrying his cross? And how can we when we look around and see others carrying their crosses? We must continue on our journey towards our own Calvary.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: a mirror
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for ourselves. You know the crosses we carry and the burdens we face. Help us to find strength to continue our journey as followers of Jesus. When we become discouraged, give us hope. When we become exhausted, give us your power to carry on. We pray in the name of Jesus, who goes before us and shows us the way. Amen.
10. Jesus
Last of all, we remember Jesus, whose death brings us together today. In some ways, Jesus' death was unremarkable. He was one of many tens of thousands crucified by the Romans long ago. His death was sheer agony, but no more so than many who have died in pain. For those who did not know Jesus, his death was like any other.
But in other ways, Jesus' death was unique. Jesus chose to go to the cross to show humankind God's love. He was put to death for the sake of the lowly and the humble who are crucified every day in our world. He died that we might be free.
The apostle Paul wrote, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." God knows our sufferings and trials because God was in Christ as he suffered on the cross. God stands beside us in our pain and humiliation because God stood beside Jesus in his pain and humiliation. And God brings victory out of our failures because God brought Jesus victory over death. Because Jesus suffered and died, we are not alone when we suffer and die. God is with us.
God is with us as we remember today each person who carries a cross in their lives. God is with them because God was with Jesus when he carried his cross. God was with Jesus when he was betrayed, arrested, tried, and beaten. God was with Jesus when a cross was placed on his shoulders and he was led to Golgotha. God was with Jesus when he was nailed to the cross and crucified.
Sung response: VU 148
Symbol: crown of thorns
Let us pray
All: God, we pray for all those who carry a cross like Jesus. We know the journey is difficult and filled with pain, but through Jesus you have shown us that those who suffer are not alone. You are with them.
We are grateful, God, for Jesus. He chose the path of crucifixion in order to show us your love. May that love shine out through all of us. May we know that love in our hours of darkness and despair. And may the love of Jesus grow and flourish until it embraces the entire world. We pray in Jesus' name, as we pray the prayer he taught us.
(The Lord's Prayer)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 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 trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever, Amen.
Hymn #144 "Were You There”
Blessing and Sending Forth
There is no pain known by the world that is not also known by the God who walks with us, loves us and who offers to encounter us anew in those we meet on the journey. Amen.
Postlude “Processional to Calvary”
David Wood, St. Andrew's U. C., Prince George, B. C.
Scott Turnbrook, Knox U. C., Prince George, B.C.
This service was offered last year at Knox United Church in Prince George, B.C. It was a very trying time for many in the community who were affected by the "softwood lumber dispute” as well as the aftershocks of some of the provincial government cuts to many important social programs. The service is a collaborative effort from the ministers of two churches who share worship together during the summers and on Good Friday. The writers saw this Good Friday as one where many are feeling a "crucifixion" in their own lives as people lose jobs and homes.
No names were printed in the Good Friday bulletin; nevertheless, “Thanks” are extended to all who contributed to the evening’s worship.