Curious Christian

Reflections on culture, nature, and spirituality from a Christian perspective

Tenebrae Service – Postscript

Published by

Matt Stone

2008-03-21

I find myself in a very reflective mood today after the Tenebrae service last night (to celebrate Maundy Thursday) and a crucifixion focussed service this morning (to celebrate Good Friday).

Being much darker and sombre services than the norm, I found myself being drawn, down and down, into a very confessional space where I did a lot of deep work with God. It has left me drained, but in a good way, with a greater sense of clarity and humility.

As for the Tenebrae service itself, it went well. As I mentioned the other day I was involved in the organizing team for the Thursday service and one of our goals was to make it more quiet and meditative than previous years without alienating the more capital-E evangelicals in our midst who aren’t so used to silence. So there was an intentional focus in helping participants see how silence and the word relate to one another. Well, I had a few people speak to me this morning and one new Christian said she was profoundly moved and another older Christian said she enjoyed it even if there was maybe a tad too much silence. I took that as a good sign – stretched but not too much. A few other members of the team reported similarly positive feedback even if we could fine tune a few things, so overall I felt quite encouraged.

But as I said, that was really a secondary thing for me in the end because its what God has been working on in me that has grabbed me. And its the holiness of God’s love that has really sunk in. It is so earthy yet so transcendent, so intimate yet so ultimate. All too often we the word holiness is used we think of justice, but this is only part of the story, Easter tells us of a love with the power to restore justice, in our world and in our lives. This love is itself holy, sacred.

Tags Ritual

5 responses to “Tenebrae Service – Postscript”

Ben

2008-03-22

Our Tenebrae (the first time they had run any service on Maundy Thursday at my church) went well and was a great first foray into doing ‘something diffrent’. Today there were positive comments. I found because I did most of the organisation my experience was very manic but by the end I felt “positive” (if U can use that word). I’m hoping this will open the door for more ‘out there’ events. I was underwhelmed by the consumer church event that was the good Friday service this morning and am considering what I will do on Sunday.
tonight my overwhelmingly though, ‘is I feel thirsty…’

LikeLike

Reply
Ben

2008-03-22

when I wrote (if U can use that word) I meant (if I can use that word)…

LikeLike

Reply
Isaiah

2008-03-22

I had never heard of this before.
I read up on it and learned a little more about it.
Thanks for the post.

LikeLike

Reply
sally

2008-03-23

We too had an excellent Tenebrae Service, but I would have appreciated more silence.
I am challenged by your description of God’s love as Holy- you are right of course, too often we turn love into something fluffy and insubstantial- where God’s love encompasses and transcends everything…
Thank you

LikeLike

Reply
Jen Waddell

2008-04-12

So glad the service went well, getting that right amount of stillness.
i am also pleased that in the business of organising the event, you were able to be quiet and experience the service! (I rarely get there…)
Our Easter services were great, but as most people are away over the Easter weekend I would love to introduce services and events in the week leading up the big weekend. That way there is still the opportunity to worship together over this special time.
Particularly thinking of a Tenebrae service and perhaps a multisensory, alternative worship “stations of the cross” space. Like those we used to do at Pendo on Easter Sunday night.

LikeLike

Reply