Good Friday
VISUAL ARTS (PARAMENTS, GENERAL DECORATIONS, SPECIFIC DECORATIONS)
Brim: Creative Overflow in Worship Design
Banner Designs for the Church Year
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CALL TO WORSHIP
One: Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice!
Many: Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
One: If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
Voice 1: But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
One: I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits
Voice 2: and in God’s word I put my hope.
One: I wait for the Lord
Voice 1: More than watchmen wait for the morning.
Voice 2: More than watchmen wait for the morning.
One: People, put your hope in the Lord,
(add Voice 1) For with the Lord is unfailing love
(add Voice 2) And with God is full redemption.
Many: The Lord will redeem the people from all their sins.
–adapted from Psalm 130 (NIV)
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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INVOCATION
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MUSIC (HYMNS, SONGS, ANTHEMS)
What Wondrous Love Is This
Go to Dark Gethsemane
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Jesus, Remember Me
Were You There?
He Never Said a Mumbalin’ Word
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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CALL TO CONFESSION
For our sins, Christ died. He was God Incarnate yet he chose to die so we might live. Let us remember our sins and by confessing them, turn back to God.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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PRAYER OF CONFESSION
All-giving God, on this day we remember the sacrifice of Christ, how he willingly gave up his life so that we might live. So that our sins might be washed away. And yet, we wonder if we deserve such a sacrifice. The truth is that we don’t. We have it only because of your wondrous love and grace. Because we are a sinful people and are aware of that sin, we come to you repeatedly and say we are sorry—sorry for our unkindness to others, sorry for our selfishness when we have plenty, sorry that we do not live up to the example set for us by Jesus Christ. We offer ourselves again to you and ask that you would cleanse our hearts and lives. Help us to be more grateful for this precious gift. Help us to love you more. In the name of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, your son. Amen.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Is there one single person that can condemn us? Only Christ and Christ loves us, Christ died for us and Christ lives for us in the glory of the Lord. Friends believe this wonderful news. In Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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CHILDREN’S SERMON
Today is a very quiet time in the church. Did you notice that the sanctuary is bare? All the banners are taken down. All the cloths on the pulpit and the communion table are taken off and, in some places, a black cloth is put on the altar. I wonder why we do that? It might have to do with it being Good Friday. It’s kind of weird to call this Friday good when we are remembering that Christ died on this day and that he took away all the sins of the world. Maybe it’s called good because through his death, he saved all of us. And maybe we take down all the things in the sanctuary to remember that Christ died on an old, rough, barren cross. And maybe we use the black cloth like we dress in black for funerals of people who died to remember death and sadness. This is a good day to remember Jesus Christ.
(Of course, you will need to tailor this children’s sermon to the things you do in your church on Good Friday. If you have a source for a cross necklace, a wooden cross, or a cross made of dried palm leaves, you might want to give the children one to remember this day. As much as you may want to, it is appropriate to leave the image of Jesus on the cross rather than jumping ahead and reminding them of his being raised from the dead. They will hear that story on Sunday).
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Open our minds and our hearts Lord. Let our minds hear and understand your word and our hearts feel and internalize your word. Amen.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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SCRIPTURE TEXTS/SERMON IDEAS
- Matthew 27:11-61
- Mark 15
- Luke 22:47-23:56
- John 18:1-19:30
–Elinor Swindle Brown
Whichever gospel you decide to read the crucifixion from, it is important to leave the story at the sad end of Jesus being put into the tomb. It is good for us to put ourselves in the place of the Marys and the disciples: to feel the loss and sadness. It is important to reflect on just how horrible this day was so that Sunday is even more glorious.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS (VIDEOS, TAPED SONGS)
The Resurrection of Jesus: Luke 24 – YouTube
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PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
God beyond belief, we are humbled that you allow us to still come before you. Your sacrifice for us is so great—giving your beloved child—so we Christians in 2021 can live and live life abundantly. This is how we know truly that we are your children and we too are beloved by you.
Just as Jesus on the cross was hurting, we know there are those who are hurting in our world. And so, we pray for them…
- For those who are suffering with COVID-19 and those who have lost loved ones to this deadly virus
- For those who would have never dreamed that they wouldn’t have a job to support their families and yet find themselves evicted and living on the streets or with family
- For those who don’t have the necessities of food and water in a country that is considered one of the richest in the world
- For those who are lonely and some even to the point where they wonder if anyone would miss them if they took their own life
- For those who hide their true selves, selves suffering with depression, addiction, oppression, domination, and abuse
For these people for whom we pray and want to help, give us the courage and skills to serve them. Give us the strength to make hard, sacrificial decisions to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, heal the sick and set those who are chained free.
Give us a sense of abundance to believe that through you we can do all these things and more. Just as you and your son sacrificed all for us, let us sacrifice for others. In your son’s holy name. Amen.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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LITANY
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INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
If we are free to love, let us love endlessly. If we are free to receive, let us receive gratefully. If we are free to give, let us give abundantly. We bring our tithes and offerings as a sign that we realize that God has given blessings to us abundantly and that we return a portion knowing that God will do big things with our gifts no matter the size. Let us give abundantly.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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OFFERTORY PRAYER
O God, you see what we have brought to you to expand your ministry here on earth. We know that we can do better. We always know that. And yet, we ask that what we have brought will be taken and used to help our hurting world. Remembering your son, the greatest giver the world has ever known. Amen.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
Leave this place in silence, reflecting on the wondrous love that we have been given by God, the world’s creator, Jesus Christ, the world’s savior, and the Holy Spirit, the world’s comforter. Go in peace.
–Elinor Swindle Brown
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OTHER HELPS (COMMISSION, COMMUNION, BLESSINGS)
Listening to Your Life by Fredrick Buechner, “Good Friday”, April 16