April 7 – Good Friday

Good Friday Worship is a sacred remembrance of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

A link to this service will be added once worship begins on Friday at 1 p.m. You can view all of our worship services on our YouTube channel.

PRELUDE – Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir – Zachau

*CALL TO WORSHIP
One: Christ Jesus empties himself,
All: Taking the form of a servant.
One: Christ Jesus humbles himself,
All: And becomes obedient unto death – even death on a cross.
One: There is no greater love than this – to lay down one’s own life.
All: Christ Jesus died for you and me.

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION
Merciful Savior, our souls are weighed down with grief and guilt over your Crucifixion. You are aware of all our burdens. Come, Christ Jesus, we need you now. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world. Amen.

*HYMN – Beneath the Cross of Jesus – #239

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat And the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me:
And from my smitten heart with tears Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of redeeming love And my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow For my abiding place:
I ask no other sunshine than The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by, To know no gain nor loss;
My sinful self my only shame, My glory all the cross.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Blessed Savior, each Good Friday invites the whole world to the foot of your cross. This is a forlorn and difficult place to be. Here, we discover ourselves pretending to follow you while not making true sacrifices. Here, we observe our mockeries, our betrayals and our denials of you. Beneath your cross, Jesus, we see our own guilt. Forgive us for crucifying you.
We cannot rewrite the story, but we can add new chapters. We can learn from this day. We must accept Good Friday as part of what we have done, if we are going to move on to new life. Jesus, lead us to become people who would plead with the authorities for your release and who value your teachings as the guide for living with compassion. In your time of trial, no one spoke up for you, Jesus. Now, in our time, we must listen to and speak on behalf of everyone who is being oppressed or crucified. Christ Jesus, your holy love is revealed on the cross as the amazing power to forgive all people. In your mercy, Dear Savior; hear our prayer. Amen.

SILENCE

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*RESPONSE – O How He Loves You and Me (Verses 1 and 2) – #254

Oh, how He loves you and me,
Oh, how He loves you and me.
He gave His life, what more could He give;
Oh, how He loves you,
Oh, how He loves me,
Oh, how He loves you and me.

Jesus to Calv’ry did go,
His love for mankind to show.
What He did there, brought hope from despair.
Oh, how He loves you,
Oh, how He loves me,
Oh, how He loves you and me.

GOD’S WORD – Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12

THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts… debtors)

SPECIAL MUSIC – Were You There? – Kathryn Kuntzman, Cello

C h r i s t J e s u s S p e a k s f r o m t h e C r o s s

The third hour
Luke 23:34

The fourth hour
John 19:26-27

The fifth hour
Luke 23:43

The sixth hour
John 19:28

The seventh hour
Mark 15:34

The eighth hour
Luke 23:46

The ninth hour
John 19:30

SPECIAL MUSIC – It Is Finished (Hartman) – Valerie Waterman, Vocalist

DEPART IN SILENCE