Hybrid Worship, March 29, 2024, Good Friday

Hybrid Worship, March 29, 2024, Good Friday

Stations of the Cross For Global Justice and Reconciliation

Credits: words from The Rev. Susan Hermanson, 

Overhead images from The Rev. Kirsten Evenden

Rev. Deborah van der Goes

Musician: Pat Armstrong -violin

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Words in bold italics, please say together

Welcome & Announcements

Whether you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

Music for Reflection       Pat Armstrong                                                      

Introduction: The Stations of the Cross (also called the Way of the Cross) is a traditional liturgical devotion commemorating the last day of Jesus’ life. The devotion originated with pilgrims in Jerusalem retracing the traditional steps of Jesus last hours. Since not all Christians could make pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the custom arose of replicating the devotion in congregational and individual settings, often with images or carvings on the walls of a church to commemorate each of the traditional 14 stations (or stops) on the Way of the Cross.

The mediations and prayers here have been adopted for use at Christ Church, Gabriola and offer the opportunity for us to meditate on each of the stations by contemplating the needs of the suffering in God’s creation today. The devotions challenge us to think about how we – the ministers of God’s reconciliation in Christ – can honor Christ’s sacrifice by offering ourselves to the healing and repair of the world God loves.

(Fourteen candles will be set on the altar and lit.

Just before each reading a candle is extinguished and a

picture representing the next Station will show on the screen.)

Opening Prayer     Deborah van der Goes

The Disciples Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil,
for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.

Stations 1-4

(A candle is extinguished, and the next Station is shown on the screen)

First Station: Jesus is condemned to die

Second Station: Jesus accepts his cross

Third Station: Jesus falls the first time

Fourth Station: Jesus meets his Mother

(For each Station: a reading, silence, followed by a prayer ending with)

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

        Loving God, hear our prayer.

Sung Meditation (2x)   (CP #194)

          Stay with us, O Lord Jesus Christ, night will soon fall.   

          Then Stay with us O Lord Jesus Christ, light in our darkness. 

Music for Reflection       Pat Armstrong                                                      

Stations 5-9

Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene helps carry the cross

Sixth Station: The woman wipes Jesus’ tears

Seventh Station: Jesus falls a second time

Eight Station: Jesus speaks to the woman

Ninth Station: Jesus falls a third time

(For each Station: a reading, silence, followed by a prayer ending with)

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

        Loving God, hear our prayer

Sung Meditation (2x)        (CP #549)

          Our darkness is never darkness in your sight; 

          the deepest night is clear as the daylight                  

Music for Reflection      Pat Armstrong                                                      

Stations 10-14

Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped

(Sing) Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross

          (Sing) Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

          Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross

          (Sing) Were you there when they pierced him in the side?

          Were you there when they pierced him in the side?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?

Thirteenth Station: Jess is taken down

(Sing) Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

          (Sing) Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

          Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble:
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

Closing Prayer    Deborah van der Goes

Sung Meditation (3x)      (CP #634)

          Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

          Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 

Music for Reflection: O Sacred Head Surrounded (recorded from the organ)

If you wish, you may follow words for this music found in            CP #198

Blessing

The service ends in silence…….

You may stay in the church as long as you like