On Maundy Thursday in figuring out how to work all the elements of the liturgy of Maundy Thursday into a house church setting we settled on two things:
1) we created a a liturgy like unto the liturgy of the Palms of Palm Passion Sunday, that included the confession and absolution ending Lent and entering the Three Days along with Foot washing at two different stations that occurred simultaneously. This portion of the liturgy was opened by a portion of the psalm for Maundy Thursday and the foot washing portion of the Gospel . I suppose all that could be construed as part of the Gathering portion of the liturgy.
2) We decided to have a meal during the liturgy of the word. Our Maundy Thursday worship service was a dinner church. The communion elements were on the table for the duration of the liturgy of the word, and the liturgy of the Eucharist concluded the meal and service at the table where we ate and had the liturgy of the word.
For the liturgy of the Word we interspersed our eating with the readings and singing of the psalm with conversation and after the Gospel I gave a brief meditation on the the scriptures.
All those at the service not only found this meaningful for a Maundy Thursday service but expressed a desire to have this adaptation of the liturgy on an occasional basis.
So from time to time when the Oratory gathers for worship we will have dinner church.
Our first regular dinner church will be Sunday May 1 and we will have another on the Feast of Pentecost. Look for the details on our Facebook page.
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