Maundy Thursday!

Our church has Maundy Thursday services each year where we remember what happened in the Upper Room - considering what it means to be a servant to all and how to apply the new commandment to love others as God has loved us, celebrate communion, and leave - as did Jesus and the 11 - after singing a hymn.

I did not grow up celebrating Maundy Thursday, but now it is one of the most meaningful worship services of the year for me.

Any other Baptist churches celebrate Maundy Thursday?

 

Seems unfortunate that it is not celebrated more in Baptist churches.

 

Just back from our Maundy Thursday service. It too is one of my favorites.

 

I grew up Baptist and had never heard of a Maundy Thursday service either. Perhaps it was too Catholic.

However, it too, is now one of my favorite services of the year. There is a "solemnness" to the service, as we remember the Last Supper and what is to come to our Lord in the coming days. We are asked to enter the sanctuary quietly - not the usual banter that goes on during a Sunday morning.

There is a lot of symbolism as well. There is a large cross on the pulpit, draped in black and at the end of the service, the "Christ candle" (which has been lit since Christmas) is extinguished representing the death of Christ. We leave the sanctuary quietly, in solitude, in near darkness - remembering what our Lord did for us.

On Sunday morning, the cross will still be there, but it will now be draped in white and the "Christ candle" will now be lit - representing to all that our Savior has risen from the dead. "Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed."

 

As a pastor, we always held a foot washing communion service. It was very low key, put powerful in meaning of service to our fellow family members.