Maundy Thursday
Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Mecan, WI
April 1, 2021
6:30 p.m.
Pastor Peter Zietlow
† H A N D S O F T H E P A S S I O N †
† H A N D S O F H U M I L I T Y (J E S U S) †
PASTOR’S WELCOME, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP
P: Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word and Sacrament, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and sing your praise in your gracious Word and Sacrament. Amen.
HYMN 128 Not All the Blood of Beasts
*Sung by soloist.
Please stand.
P: O Lord, open my lips.
C: And my mouth shall declare your praise.
P: Hasten to save me, O God.
C: O Lord, come quickly to help me.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lord God, you have brought us safely to this hour of evening prayer. We thank you for providing all that we need for body and life. Bless us who have gathered in your name. Forgive our sins. Speak to our hearts. Dispel our sorrows with the comfort of your Word, and receive our hymns of thanks and praise, through Jesus Christ, our living Savior, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Be seated.
† T H E W O R D †
The Lord Jesus speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching and song.
Exodus 12:1-14
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb[a] for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.
12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
14 “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
Please stand.
John 13:1-5, 12-17 (today’s sermon text)
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Be seated.
HYMN 136 ‘Twas on that Dark, that Doleful Night
*Sung by soloist.
SERMON John 13:1-5, 12-17
“Hands of Humility – Jesus”
Please stand.
P: Maundy Thursday Prayer
LORD’S PRAYER
C: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Please be seated.
† T H E S A C R A M E N T †
THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
Personal preparation for Holy Communion listed on page 7.
Invitation
Words of Institution
Distribution
Thanksgiving
At St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church & Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church we practice closed Communion. If you are a guest at worship today and interested in receiving the Lord’s Supper, please speak with the pastor prior to the service. See page 13 for communion schedule and distribution information.
SOLOIST Bread of the World
1 Bread of the World in mercy broken,
Wine of the soul in mercy shed,
By whom the words of life were spoken
And in whose death our sins are dead.
2 Look on the heart by sorrow broken,
Look on the tears by sinners shed
And be your feast to us the token
That by your grace our souls are fed.
Please stand.
CLOSING PRAYER
P: Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for nourishing me in this sacrament with your body and blood. You have given me forgiveness, life and salvation. Let me always remain in you as a branch remains in the vine. Send me out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory.
O living Bread from heaven, how richly you have fed your guest! The gifts you now have given have filled my heart with joy and rest. Lord, grant me that thus strengthened with heavenly food, while here my course on earth is lengthened, I serve with holy fear. And when you call my spirit to leave this world below, I enter through your merit where joys unmingled flow. Amen.
BLESSING
P: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
Then Lord look on you with favor and + give you peace. Amen.
Please be seated.
CLOSING HYMN 303 With Broken Heart and Contrite Sigh
*Congregation sings.
Songs are reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-722228.
Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ® (NIV ®).
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
© 2017 Northwestern Publishing House. Reprinted by permission
.
PERSONAL PREPARATION FOR
HOLY COMMUNION
Q: What does God tell me about myself in his holy Word?
A: He says that I am a sinner and deserve only his punishment.
Q: What should I do if I am not aware of my sins or am not troubled by them?
A: I should examine myself according to the Ten Commandments and ask how well I have carried out my responsibilities as a husband or wife or single person, as a parent or child, an employer or employee, a teacher or student. Have I loved God with all my heart, gladly heard his Word, and patiently endured affliction? Have I been disobedient, proud, or unforgiving? Have I been selfish, lazy, envious, or quarrelsome? Have I lied or deceived, taken something not mine, or given anyone a bad name? Have I abused my body or permitted indecent thoughts to linger in my mind? Have I failed to do what is right and good?
Q: When I realize that I have sinned against God and deserve his punishment, what should I do?
A: I will confess before God all my sins, those which I remember as well as those of which I am unaware. I will pray to God for his mercy and forgiveness.
Q: How do I receive his gracious forgiveness?
A: His Word assures me that Jesus led a pure and holy life for me and died on the cross for me to pay the full price for all my sins. Through faith in Jesus, I have been clothed in my Savior’s perfect righteousness and holiness.
Q: What further assurance do I have that Jesus is mine and I am his?
A: In Holy Communion he gives me his body and blood together with the bread and wine as a truly life-giving food and drink to unite me with him and my fellow believers. By means of this sacrament, Jesus not only forgives my sins but sweeps away all my doubts about his love for me, gives me his own strength to live a God-pleasing life, and grants me a joyful foretaste of heaven.
Q: How can I be sure that I receive all these blessings in the Lord’s Supper?
A: I have his own word spoken as his last will and testament on the night before he died. There he tells me: “Take and eat; this is my body. Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Q: How will I respond to this priceless gift from Jesus?
A: I will daily thank and praise him for his love to me. With his help I will fight temptation, do my best to correct whatever wrongs I have done, and serve him and those around me with love and good works.
Lord Jesus, with joy and gratitude I now come to your table to receive the precious food of your life-giving body and blood. May it strengthen me to remain in you as you remain in me, so that I bear much fruit in devoted service to you and in acts of kindness to others. Amen.
| The liturgical color is either scarlet or white. What does the name mean? The term “Maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum;” it is from a verb that means “to give” or “to order” — command. After Jesus and the disciples finished the Last Supper and walked toward Gethsemane, Jesus taught them a new commandment — “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). The Last Supper On the first Maundy Thursday, after they had eaten, Jesus gave the disciples his body and blood together with the bread and wine for the forgiveness of their sins. Called Holy Communion or the Eucharist, Lutherans believe this to be one of two sacraments — gifts from God. Most worship services focus on the meal and communion as a way to commemorate this day. Foot washing The story of the Last Supper in John’s Gospel records a remarkable event that is not mentioned in the other Gospels — to illustrate humility, Jesus performs the duty of a slave, washing the feet of his disciples and urging them to do the same for one another. Some Lutheran congregations incorporate this act of humility into their Maundy Thursday services. Stripping of the altar After the Eucharist is celebrated it is customary to “strip the altar,” which symbolizes the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples and the stripping of Jesus by the soldiers before his crucifixion. It represents the humiliation of Jesus and the consequences of sin as a preparation for the celebration of new life. In many congregations Psalm 22 is read or sung while the paraments are being removed. |
HOLY WEEK ONLINE VIDEOS
This year for Holy Week (Sunday, March 28-Sunday, April 4), we are hosting our online event:
“Palm Branches to the Tomb: Telling HIStory”.
This event entails short, themed videos each day created by our very own church and school members. Be sure to check our website www.stjohnsmontello.org and follow us on our church Facebook page each day. Feel free to share this information with your family and friends!
COVID PLAN FOR WORSHIP UPDATE
On Monday 3/8, the Joint Council met to discuss the Joint Worship Committee’s proposals regarding the next phase of our COVID worship guidelines. Beginning on Easter Sunday 4/4, the JC approved returning to the pre-COVID common forms of liturgy with full congregational singing, masks and social distancing for the Sunday services. The Saturday service music, however, would continue to be led by a soloist. The JC decided to replace the 6am Easter Sunrise Service at St. John’s to a 8am Easter Worship at St. John’s. The JC also approved the Joint Worship Committee’s proposal to resume choir practice and school singing after Easter. Finally, the JC also approved the change in the wording of the COVID plan to encourage in-person worship. We are concerned that some are staying away from in-person worship because the policy states that if a person can watch the service online, he or she is asked to do so. We feel it is very important for our members to get back to in-person worship when they feel comfortable to do so.
JOINT EMMANUEL/ST. JOHN’S CHOIR
Emmanuel and St. John’s joint choir will resume on April 5 @6:30pm at St John’s. All Emmanuel and
St. John’s members are invited to join. We will wear masks and socially distance for the time being.
All members high school and older are invited to join as they feel comfortable.
Please contact Lynn Sellnow @ lynnsellnow@stjohnsmontello.org or phone 616-826-0816
if you have questions. It is good to praise the Lord!
Welcome To Our Visitors!
Find & Like us on Facebook
Visit our website: www.stjohnsmontello.org
Pastor Peter Zietlow: (608) 408-7830, E-mail: zietlowPL6@hotmail.com
Little Lambs Director & Teacher Mrs. Lynn Sellnow: 616-826-0816
K, 1st & 2nd Grade Teacher Ms. Shelley Myers: 920-285-7554
3rd-5th Grade Teacher Ms. Katlynn Tindall: 262-352-7021
Principal & 6th – 8th Grade Teacher Mr. Larry Sellnow: 616-822-6689,
Email: principal@stjohnsmontello.org
Church & School Secretary/Office Ciara Neuhauser: (608) 297-2866
Church & School Address/Mail: 313 E Montello St, Montello, WI 53949
Church & School E-mail: scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org
