Gathering Song: Stay With Me by Taize

Stay with me, remain here with me;

watch and pray, watch and pray.

Scripture: John 13: 1-5, 12-15, 33-34

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already decided[a] that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.

12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

One: I give you a new commandment,

Many: That you love one another.

One: Just as I have loved you,

Many: You also should love one another.

Sung Response: Love, love, love love

Love, love, love, love

The Gospel in one word is love

Love your neighbor as yourself

For God is love.

Scripture Re-Imagined by Rev Carol Furguson

Two hands and a basin and a towel at his waist against twenty-four feet that had followed him this far. Without his outer robe he looked frail, tired, old almost and they heard how his knees creaked as he bent towards each pair of feet sore and smelly calloused and hairy cracked and dirty. He never looked up, as if feet were all that mattered. As if he could heal the whole world with water and a towel. Philip’s, with the long scar down the ankle— he’d never heard the story of how Philip came by that scar. He wouldn’t have time now. Andrew’s, whose feet were so small, with toes like walnuts and pale stripes where his sandals had been. On and on he went, and didn’t speak, and didn’t preach, and didn’t promise anything but clean feet. In his hands he nestled a foot with long bones, and dirt in the creases on the toes and a bad blister on the right heel. Half the skin torn away—blood-raw. Why didn’t he tell us? he thought. We would have slowed down, found some wool to pad his sandals with. So he took the towel in his hands again, and found a clean spot, and ever so gently pressed against the wound, and as he heard a hiss of pain, he prayed to his Father for one more healing miracle. And a tear fell from above him, and landed on his hand, right in the middle, and it must have been a trick of the light but Judas thought it looked like blood as he flexed his healed foot and stared after his bent Savior who had crept to the next beloved disciple with nothing to offer but a basin and a towel and two hands and hope.

Visual Art:

Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet -- David Paynter, Trinity College Chapel, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Scripture: Luke 22:14-20, John 13:33-34

When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it[a] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

One: I give you a new commandment,

Many: That you love one another.

One: Just as I have loved you,

Many: You also should love one another.

Sung Response: Love, love, love, love

Love, love, love, love

The Gospel in one word is love

Love your neighbor as yourself

For God is love.

Visual Art: Last Supper by Jesus Mafa

Poem: Blessing of the Bread, the Cup, by Jan Richardson

Let us bless the bread that gives itself to us with its terrible weight, its infinite grace. Let us bless the cup poured out for us with a love that makes us anew. Let us gather around these gifts simply given and deeply blessed. And then let us go bearing the bread, carrying the cup, laying the table within a hungering world.

Liturgy:

One: God is with you.

Many: And also with you.

One: Lift up your hearts.

Many: We lift them up to God.

One: Let us give thanks to God.

Many: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Words of institution: Luke 22:19-20

17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

One: We give thanks for these holy mysteries.

Many: Your glory has filled our hearts.

One: You have given yourself to us, God.

Many: Now we give ourselves to you and to all.

Communion Hymn: Eat This Bread, Drink This Cup

Eat this bread, drink this cup,

Come to me and you will not hunger;

Eat this bread, drink this cup,

Come to me and you will not thirst.

Scripture: Luke 22:39-53, John 13:33-34

He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”[a] 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.” [[43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]][b] 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”[c]

47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” 49 When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” 50 Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a rebel? 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness!”

Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

One: I give you a new commandment,

Many: That you love one another.

One: Just as I have loved you,

Many: You also should love one another.

Sung Response: Love, love, love, love

Visual Art: Judas Iscariot Betrayed our Lord Jesus by John Muafangejo

Poem: Go Into the Darkness by Wendell Berry

To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.

To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,

and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,

and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.

Benediction: Go Now Into The Darkness (by Rev Corey Turnpenny)

Go now into the darkness.

Go to the darkness of the prayerful garden.

Go to the darkness of Christ’s loneliness amongst the sleeping disciples

Go to the darkness of betrayal, denial, and forsakenness

Go to the darkness of the tomb.

Go to the darkness in peace, knowing the darkness blooms and sings

Go to the darkness in peace, knowing Christ went first.

Go to the darkness in peace, knowing the love of Christ waits for you there.

Closing Song: Go Now in Peace/Minor chords

Go now in peace, go now in peace,

May the love of God surround you,

Everywhere, everywhere,

You may go.