Good Friday: "It Is Finished"

Friday, April 7, 2023
7:00 PM 8:00 PM 19:00 20:00

Union Presbyterian Church 200 E Main St Endicott, NY, 13760 United States (map)

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Wa gather on the day we call “Good Friday” because it is the day Jesus suffered and died on the cross. Does that make sense? Join us for our service of the lengthening shadows, the Tenebrae, when we will hear the story of Jesus’ passion and death and ponder its meaning for our lives.

Join us on Friday April 7 at 7 PM in our beautiful sanctuary, or from home or the road. You are invited to experience this essential service of witness and hope.

Good Friday: Tenebrae Service

Psalm 22, John 19:16-17; 25-30

Selected Passages from the Four Gospels

April 7, 2023

Liturgist: Cindy Surrena Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Union Presbyterian Church, Endicott, NY

Prelude Tower Ringers

“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” Susan Berry, Janet Van Valey

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Call to Worship Cindy Surrena

Christ Jesus bore our sins in his body on the cross

so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.

Blessed is the name of the Lord.

Prayer of the Day

Almighty God, look with mercy on your family,

for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed

and to be given over into the hands of sinners,

and to suffer death on the cross;

who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn #76 PH

“My Song is Love Unknown”

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.    

My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me,
Love to the loveless shown
That they might lovely be.
O who am I
That for my sake
My Lord should take
Frail flesh, and die?

Christ came from heaven's throne
Salvation to bestow,
But people scorned and none
The longed-for Christ would know.
But O my Friend,
My Friend indeed,
Who at my need
His life did spend!

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing,
Resounding all the way
Hosannas to their King,
Then “Crucify!”
Is all their breath,
And for His death
They thirst and cry.

They rise, and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save,
The Prince of life they slay.
Yet steadfast He
To suffering goes,
That He His foes
From thence might free.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine:
Never was love, dear King,
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend,
In whose sweet praise
I all my days
Could gladly spend.

Scripture Psalm 22:1-11

A reading from the Psalter, Psalm 22, beginning at verse 1.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
    and by night but find no rest.

Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.

In you our ancestors trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.

To you they cried and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

But I am a worm and not human,
    scorned by others and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me;
    they sneer at me; they shake their heads;

“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
    let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”

Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
    you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.

 On you I was cast from my birth,
    and since my mother bore me you have been my God.

Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is no one to help.

Service of Tenebrae

First Reading Shadow of Betrayal

Matthew 26:20-25

When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.” 

Second Reading Shadow of Desertion

Luke 22:39-44

After supper Jesus came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. 

Hymn #286 W & R

“Stay With Me,” Jacques Berthier 

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

(Sing 4 times:) 

Stay with me, remain here with me. 

Watch and pray, watch and pray. 

Third Reading Lonely Vigil

Mark 14:32-41

They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 

Fourth Reading The Hour

John 17:1-6

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. 

“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”

Fifth Reading Prayer for Unity

John 17:15-23

Jesus prayed, “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.  

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” 

Handbell Anthem Tower Ringers

“What Wondrous Love Is This?” Susan Berry, Janet Van Valey

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Sixth Reading The Arrest

Luke 22:47-53

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!” 

Seventh Reading Shadow of the Cross Mary

John 19:16-17; 25-30

Then [Pilate] handed [Jesus] over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross by himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Tolling of the Bell

The Lord’s Prayer

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.