Round Dance of the Cross: A Maundy Thursday Service

Written by Rev. Irene Laudeman

by Polly Moore on March 6, 2016 | No Reviews or Comments

This service is appropriate for a small congregation of 20-60 people. The service is conducted in two settings: The first is a fellowship hall or other area in which tables are set up for dinner. The second part in a sanctuary area with circular seating. The service is supported by one staff person or community leader for every 6 attendees and by at least one member of the choir in each group.

The service is an alternative Holy Week service that lifts up aspects of Holy Week that are not traditionally lifted up and that also lifts up Holy Week practices from early Christian communities that represented a different traditions. Will close with an extemporaneous blessing, and an invitation to sing.

Song: Gather Us O God. Body, Spirit, soul and mind
Gather Us O God. One in union now with You.

Reading: While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Sermon: Short sermon about canonical and non-canonical traditions of Eucharist and finding meaning in a shared meal.

Song: O God hear our prayer, O God hear our prayer, when we call answer us.
O God hear our prayer, O God hear our prayer, come and listen to us.

The pastor and table leaders will then say an invocation of the Holy Spirit that is largely taken from the apocryphal Acts of Thomas. Table leaders and attendees remain seated.

Table leaders: Come, perfect compassion. Come, she that knows the mysteries. Come, she that brings forth the hidden things. Come, holy dove. Come, hidden mother. Come, she that is manifest in her deeds and gives joy and rest to those who are bound to you. Come and communicate with us in this Eucharist which we celebrate in your name and in the love-feast for which we are gathered together at your calling.

Song: Holy Spirit come to us. Kindle in us the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit come to us, Holy Spirit come to us.

Table leaders will together bless the bread and cup with a blessing adapted from the Didache.

Table Leaders:

Hold up the loaf of bread, tear it into two pieces, spread hands apart and then hold the pieces together while saying

As the broken bread was scattered over the hills and then gathered together to become one, so gather us from the ends of the earth into this community of life, gathered in your name and fed by your presence.

Raise the cup, while saying

As the first fruit of the vine was crushed and gathered up into the chalice of life, so gather us into this community of the spirit that we may be poured out in service to you.

Song: Amen

Table leaders model communion for the table. Tears off a piece of bread, dips it into the juice and eats it and then offers bread and juice to the people on their right. Song is sung until all in the room have received bread and juice

Song: Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to me and never be hungry.
Eat this bread, drink this cup, trust in me and you will not thirst.

The pastor will rise and ask people to remain seated while we serve a simple dinner of soup, bread, cheese and fruit. We share our dinner in the spirit of holy company: we practice a single conversation, so during dinner we ask that only one person speak at a time at each table. There will be slips of paper with passages and questions to help start conversation (ex: What has Holy Week meant to you as a child and as an adult? Does communion have a particular meaning for you?)

Music Minister starts the songs to be sung while dinner is served.

Songs: Come and fill our hearts with your peace, you alone O God are Holy.

Songs: Ubi caritas et amor, ubi caritas Deus ibi est

When dinner is over the pastor will rise and invite all to stand, explain that the dishes are to be left as you are our honored guests and that we will all walk to the other room while the choir sings for us. The room will have seating for about 35 placed in a circle. In the middle of the circle of chairs the floor will be marked with a circle large enough to hold 12 people. Those who will participate in the center will stand outside the circle of chairs while people are seated. The lighting is low and includes many candles.

In the following song “Lord” is changed to “leader” in the interest of inclusive language

Song:

I danced in the morning when the world was young
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth