Favorite Service during Holy Week

JoshuaNY · Apr 22, 2011

What is everyones favorite service during Holy Week. Palm Sunday - Holy Saturday?
My favorite is Maundy Thursday. It is such a powerful service depicting the Last supper and Jesus being turned over to the authorities.
It really explains in detail and sets up the understanding of the Eucharist.
At the end of the service my Church strips the altar to symbolizes the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples and the stripping of Jesus by the soldiers prior to his crucifixion.
What say you?

TheDude28 · Apr 22, 2011

Well this is my first year going to Lutheran services but so far I like Both. I agree about the Holy Thursday service, but the tenabrea service we had for Good Friday tonight was really contemplative and very moving.

PreachersWife2004 · Apr 22, 2011

I will always love the Tenebrae services and they make me cry every year. Very very moving.

Bryne · Apr 22, 2011

Definitely the Tenebrae service.

TheDude28 · Apr 23, 2011

PreachersWife2004 said:
I will always love the Tenebrae services and they make me cry every year. Very very moving.

I didn't cry but came close. I think so far it is my favorite.

filosofer · Apr 23, 2011

I look at the three services (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter) as one long service. That is why there is no benediction at the end of the Thursday and Friday services. So I see them as a whole, each unique, each special, and each playing a role in observing and celebrating our Saviors work of salvation.

PreachersWife2004 · Apr 23, 2011

filosofer said:
I look at the three services (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter) as one long service. That is why there is no benediction at the end of the Thursday and Friday services. So I see them as a whole, each unique, each special, and each playing a role in observing and celebrating our Saviors work of salvation.

I think that's a really neat way of looking at it. I was trying to remember whether or not we had a benediction for Thursday, and we did, after using the common service for the liturgy. There was also a benediction for our regular Good Friday service but none for the Tenebrae - closest thing there was a closing prayer which was actually a reading of Psalm 90.

I think even with the benedictions we can still view them as one service, though.

MarkRohfrietsch · Apr 24, 2011

filosofer said:
I look at the three services (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter) as one long service. That is why there is no benediction at the end of the Thursday and Friday services. So I see them as a whole, each unique, each special, and each playing a role in observing and celebrating our Saviors work of salvation.

I agree, the whole sequence of Holy Week is inseperable!

God bless!

JoshuaNY · Apr 25, 2011

filosofer said:
I look at the three services (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter) as one long service. That is why there is no benediction at the end of the Thursday and Friday services. So I see them as a whole, each unique, each special, and each playing a role in observing and celebrating our Saviors work of salvation.

Good point

Ortho_Cat · Apr 27, 2011

Bryne said:
Definitely the Tenebrae service.

what is this service about?

alexnbethmom · Apr 27, 2011

ortho_cat said:
what is this service about?

the Tenebrae service (Good Friday service) is essentially "the service of darkness" - at my church we start out with 15 lit candles.....it is an incredibly somber, moving service, and it consists of reading Psalms, and the Passion - after each reading, 1 candle on either end is extinguished (so, 2 at a time) until there is just one candle left, and the church lights are dimmed with each candle extinguished. when the final candle is extinguished, the church lights are completely turned off, so the only light coming in is from whatever street lights outside. we stand in complete darkness for a short time, and then the "Strepitus" is heard (big noise), signifying the closing of the tomb.

after that, everybody leaves the church in darkness and silence.

i think that service is probably my favorite as well - i honestly feel that you just can't truly enjoy Easter morning, without going through the heartache of the Good Friday service.....

Bryne · Apr 27, 2011

What she said...

Easter has always been a big deal for me, but it definitely has become even more special since I began observing Lent and Holy Week.

Lost Squirrel · Apr 29, 2011

I attended all Holy Week services, and it did indeed seem like a big continuation service where you go home in between. This is the first time since grade school that I've been able to have this opportunity.

At our Tenebrae service, we left in darkness. However, before exiting we were given the opportunity to approach the front of the church (not quite to the altar), where a thick wooden cross stood. We formed two lines, like communion, and could show reverence to it however we saw fit - kneel, bow, kiss, etc. Most folks walked up to it, placed a hand on the large nails at Jesus' hands/wrists, bowed their heads and held for a moment of prayer. Very touching, this event gave me goosbumps, but was also the most memorable part of the weekend.

Easter Sunday was a joyful event with standing room only. Students from our local college brass program were invited and, paired with our choir, gave a very uplifting touch to an already wonderful service. It was excellent to hear the Alleluia again! The sancutary was decorated with flowers for honor/memory, and the offering of flowers (pots of tulips, hyacinths or lillies) to parents was beautiful.

He is risen!

doulos_tou_kuriou · Apr 29, 2011

alexnbethmom said:
i think that service is probably my favorite as well - i honestly feel that you just can't truly enjoy Easter morning, without going through the heartache of the Good Friday service.....

This is one of the reasons why many churches do not just do Palm Sunday but rather Passion Sunday, because it's becoming increasingly common for people to not attend Maunday Thursday or Good Friday services. So you go from triumphal entry to triumphal resurrection with no suffering, betrayal, death, and burial in between. Therefore a portion of the Palm Sunday service is actually dedicated to the Passion story. It's tough that it has come to that though.

SyntheticPaper · May 5, 2011

Tenebrae for me as well.

Lupinus · May 5, 2011

Lost Squirrel said:
However, before exiting we were given the opportunity to approach the front of the church (not quite to the altar), where a thick wooden cross stood. We formed two lines, like communion, and could show reverence to it however we saw fit - kneel, bow, kiss, etc.

At my church we have a large wooden cross (the one normally outside the church) up by the alter as well. Prior to service you are invited to drive a nail into it.

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