Good Friday - April 2, 2021

Good Friday Worship Videos
Sunday, April 2, 2021
Holy Week - Good Friday

The Passion Story in Song

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The assembly gathers in silence. 
Pastor Daniel Morris leads the prayer of the day (live):
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
Almighty God, look with loving mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.


THE PASSION IN SONG
I. Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle (#355 Sing, My Tongue, Pastor Daniel Morris, live)
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle;
tell the triumph far and wide;
tell aloud the wondrous story
of the cross, the Crucified;
tell how Christ, the world's redeemer,
vanquished death the day he died.

REFLECTION #345 Jesus, I Will Ponder Now (Ben Dahlke, recording)(Water Color, by Jayne Handley)
1 Jesus, I will ponder now on your holy passion; 
let your Spirit now endow me for meditation.
Grant that I in love and faith may the image 
cherish of your suff'ring, pain, and death, that I may not perish.

2 Make me see your great distress, anguish, and affliction, 
bonds and blows and wretchedness and your crucifixion;
make me see how scourge and rod, spear and nails, did wound you,
how you died for those, O God, who with thorns had crowned you.

3 Yet, O Lord, not thus alone make me see your passion,
but its cause to me make known and its termination.
For I also and my sin wrought your deep affliction;
this the shameful cause has been of your crucifixion.

4 Let me view your pain and loss with repentant grieving,
nor prepare again your cross by unholy living.
May I give you love for love!
Hear me, O my Savior,
that I may in heav'n above
sing your praise forever.

II. God in mercy saw us fallen (#355 Sing, My Tongue, Pastor Daniel Morris, live)
God in mercy saw us fallen,
sunk in shame and misery,
felled to death in Eden's garden,
where in pride we claimed the tree;
then another tree was chosen,
which the world from death would free.

REFLECTION #328 Restore in Us, O God (Stan Sanderson, recording)(Yarn Dove, by Samantha Rozema)

1 Restore in us, O God,
the splendor of your love;
renew your image in our hearts,
and all our sins remove.

2 O Spirit, wake in us
the wonder of your pow'r;
from fruitless fear unfurl our lives
like springtime bud and flow'r.

3 Bring us, O Christ, to share
the fullness of your joy;
baptize us in the risen life
that death cannot destroy.

4 Three-personed God, fulfill
the promise of your grace,
that we, when all our searching ends,
may see you face to face.


III. Tell how, when at length the fullness (#355 Sing, My Tongue, Pastor Daniel Morris, live)
Tell how, when at length the fullness
of th'appointed time was come,
Christ, the Word, was born of woman,
left for us the heav'nly home,
blazed the path of true obedience,
shone as light amidst the gloom.

REFLECTION #322 Oh, Love, How Deep (Jeff Horvath, recording)( Image by Grace Trumbull)
1 Oh, love, how deep, how broad, how high,
beyond all thought and fantasy,
that God, the Son of God, should take
our mortal form for mortals' sake!

2 God sent no angel to our race,
of higher or of lower place,
but wore the robe of human frame,
in Christ our Lord to this world came.

3 For us baptized, for us he bore
his holy fast and hungered sore;
for us temptation sharp he knew;
for us the tempter overthrew.

4 For us he prayed; for us he taught;
for us his daily works he wrought,
by words and signs and actions thus
still seeking not himself, but us.

5 For us by wickedness betrayed,
for us, in crown of thorns arrayed,
he bore the shameful cross and death;
for us he gave his dying breath.


IV. Thirty years among us dwelling (#355 Sing, My Tongue, Pastor Daniel Morris, live)
Thirty years among us dwelling,
Jesus went from Nazareth,
destined, dedicated, willing,
did his work, and met his death;
like a lamb he humbly yielded
on the cross his dying breath.

REFLECTION #343 My Song Is Love Unknown (Ben Dahlke, recording)(Water Color, by Fontaine Cleary)
1 My song is love unknown,
my Savior's love to me,
love to the loveless shown
that they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I that for my sake
my Lord should take frail flesh and die?

2 He came from his blest throne
salvation to bestow;
the world that was his own
would not its Savior know.
But, oh, my friend, my friend indeed,
who at my need his life did spend!

3 Sometimes we strew his way
and his sweet praises sing;
resounding all the day
hosannas to our king.
Then "Crucify!" is all our breath,
and for his death we thirst and cry.

4 We cry out; we will have
our dear Lord made away,
a murderer to save,
the prince of life to slay.
Yet cheerful he to suff'ring goes
that he his foes from thence might free.

5 In life no house, no home
my Lord on earth might have;
in death no friendly tomb
but what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav'n was his home
but mine the tomb wherein he lay.

6 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!


V. Bend your boughs, O tree of glory (#355 Sing, My Tongue, Pastor Daniel Morris, live)
Bend your boughs, O tree of glory,
your relaxing sinews bend;
for a while the ancient rigor
that your birth bestowed, suspend;
and the Lord of heav'nly beauty
gently on your arms extend.

REFLECTION #349 Ah, Holy Jesus (Terry Koncel and Allison Hearst, recording)(Graphic Design, by Laura Hearst)
1 Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended
that we to judge thee have in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

2 Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;
I crucified thee.

3 Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
for our atonement, while we nothing heeded,
God interceded.

4 For me, kind Jesus, was thine incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation;
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.

5 Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee;
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
not my deserving.


VI. Faithful cross, true sign of triumph (#355 Sing, My Tongue, Pastor Daniel Morris, live)
Faithful cross, true sign of triumph,
be for all the noblest tree;
none in foliage, none in blossom,
none in fruit your equal be;
symbol of the world's redemption,
for your burden makes us free.

REFLECTION #342 There in God’s Garden (Jeff Horvath, recording)(Quilted Tree of Life, by Carol Wojnarowski)
1 There in God's garden
stands the Tree of Wisdom,
whose leaves hold forth
the healing of the nations:
Tree of all knowledge,
Tree of all compassion,
Tree of all beauty.

2 Its name is Jesus,
name that says, "Our Savior!"
There on its branches
see the scars of suff'ring;
see where the tendrils
of our human selfhood
feed on its lifeblood.

3 Thorns not its own
are tangled in its foliage;
our greed has starved it,
our despite has choked it.
Yet, look! it lives!
its grief has not destroyed it
nor fire consumed it.

4 See how its branches
reach to us in welcome;
hear what the Voice says,
"Come to me, ye weary!
Give me your sickness,
give me all your sorrow,
I will give blessing."

5 This is my ending,
this my resurrection;
into your hands, Lord,
I commit my spirit.
This have I searched for;
now I can possess it.
This ground is holy.

6 All heav'n is singing,
"Thanks to Christ whose passion
offers in mercy
healing, strength, and pardon.
Peoples and nations,
take it, take it freely!"
Amen! My Master!


VII. Unto God be praise and glory (#355 Sing, My Tongue, Pastor Daniel Morris, live)
Unto God be praise and glory;
to the Father and the Son,
to th'eternal Spirit honor
now and evermore be done;
praise and glory in the highest,
while the timeless ages run. Amen. 
 
The assembly kneels or sits. Terry Koncel leads the invitations to prayer (the bids). Silence for prayer follows each bid. The presiding minister leads the prayers that conclude the silence (live). 
BIDDING PRAYER
Let us pray, brothers and sisters, for the holy church throughout the world.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God,
you have shown your glory to all nations in Jesus Christ.
By your Holy Spirit guide the church
and gather it throughout the world.
Help it to persevere in faith, proclaim your name,
and bring the good news of salvation in Christ to all people.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for  Elizabeth and Yehiel our bishops, for Daniel Morris our pastor, for Tracy Katschke and all servants of the church, and for all the people of God.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God,
your Spirit guides the church and makes it holy.
Strengthen and uphold our bishops, pastors,
other ministers, and lay leaders.
Keep them in health and safety for the good of the church,
and help each of us in our various vocations
to do faithfully the work to which you have called us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for those preparing for baptism.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God, you continue to bless the church.
Increase the faith and understanding of those preparing for baptism.
Give them new birth as your children,
and keep them in the faith and communion of your holy church.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for our sisters and brothers who share our faith in Jesus Christ.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God, you give your church unity.
Look with favor on all who follow Jesus your Son.
Make all the baptized one in the fullness of faith,
and keep us united in the fellowship of love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for the Jewish people, the first to hear the word of God.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God,
long ago you gave your promise to Abraham and your teaching to Moses.
Hear our prayers that the people you called and elected as your own
may receive the fulfillment of the covenant’s promises.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God, gather into your embrace
all those who call out to you under different names.
Bring an end to inter-religious strife,
and make us more faithful witnesses
of the love made known to us in your Son.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for those who do not believe in God.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God, you created humanity
so that all may long to know you and find peace in you.
Grant that all may recognize the signs of your love and grace
in the world and in the lives of Christians,
and gladly acknowledge you as the one true God.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for God's creation.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God,
you are the creator of a magnificent universe.
Hold all the worlds in the arms of your care
and bring all things to fulfillment in you.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for those who serve in public office.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God,
you are the champion of the poor and oppressed.
In your goodness, give wisdom to those in authority,
so that all people may enjoy justice, peace, freedom,
and a share in the goodness of your creation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for those in need.
Silent prayer.
Almighty and eternal God,
you give strength to the weary
and new courage to those who have lost heart.
Heal the sick, comfort the dying, give safety to travelers,
free those unjustly deprived of liberty,
and deliver your world from falsehood, hunger, and disease.
Hear the prayers of all who call on you in any trouble,
that they may have the joy of receiving your help in their need.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Finally, let us pray for all those things for which our Lord would have us ask.
All pray 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 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.

All leave in silence.

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