Good Friday 2024 — 7:00 PM

PRELUDE
“O Sacred Head Now Wounded”
Orchestra

CALL TO WORSHIP/PROCESSION OF THE CROSS
“Behold the Lamb of God” (G. F. Handel)

WELCOME

(Please stand)

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
On this day, looking to the cross, we gather to acknowledge the ways that we have broken the world—
ways of isolation, selfishness, and hoarding,
ways of fear and hunger for influence,
ways of self-doubt, ways of sin.

We gather to acknowledge the ways that the world has broken us—
ways of division and might-makes-right,
ways of inequity and injustice,
ways of empire, ways of sin.

The way of the cross calls us to confess our sin, trusting in God’s mercy, on this day and every day.

Let us confess our sin to God, who is faithful and just, full of mercy and abounding in steadfast love.

(silence kept)

Merciful God,
We confess to you that we are in bondage to sin and we cannot free ourselves. We are broken by the world and, in our fear and isolation, we continue to fracture our relationships in our homes and in your world. Forgive our sin, the things we have done and the things we have left undone. Receive us in our vulnerability by the love of Christ. Amen.

The way of the cross is the way of the broken.
In our vulnerability, Christ is broken.
In our fear, Christ is broken.
In our anguish and despair, Christ is broken.
With the sign of the cross +, in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
No longer bound to the ways of the world,
no longer held by the ways of sin,
we are free to love with every ounce of our being God’s broken world.
So love more, fear less, see that Jesus the Christ is broken for you.

(Please be seated)

ANTHEM
“Out of the Deep” (John Rutter)
Canticle Choir/Orchestra

First candle extinguished

READING
Mark 15:16-20

Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

REFLECTION
Pastor Sue

Second candle extinguished

ANTHEM
“Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs” (G. F. Handel)
Canticle Choir/Orchestra

Third candle extinguished

READING
Mark 15:21-32

They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

REFLECTION
Pastor Matthew

Fourth candle extinguished

ANTHEM
“What Wondrous Love is This” (Christiansen)
Canticle Choir

Fifth candle extinguished

READING
Mark 15:33-41

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

REFLECTION
Pastor Peter

Sixth candle extinguished

OFFERING

OFFERING OF MUSIC
“Were You There” (arr. Tim Graf)
Elliana Meier, Chamber Choir

PRAYER

HYMN
“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” (Stanza 1- Cantor, St. 2-4- ALL) ELW # 803

Seventh candle extinguished

THE LORD’S PRAYER (whispered)

(depart in silence)