Wychwood
Benefice
A benefice of three rural parishes in the Cotswolds
Although we can’t take part in our usual Benefice Good Friday Walk there are still a couple of options including a virtual pilgrimage. You can access the “virtual” pilgrimage here:
Chipping Norton pilgrimage Virtual
Reflections from the Benefice Good Friday Walk: Good Friday Walk Readings and Reflections
Jesus is Risen
Jesus said: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it again. John 2:19
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us, so let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5.7b, 8
Christ once raised from the dead dies no more death has no more dominion over him. In dying he died to sin once for all in living he lives to God. See yourselves therefore as dead to sin and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6.9–11
Risen Christ, you filled you disciples with boldness and fresh hope: strengthen us to proclaim your risen life and fill us with your peace, to the glory of God the Father.
14 Jesus is laid in a tomb
Martha said to Jesus: If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! …Jesus said: I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:21, 25-26
Here he lies, motionless. A dead body, like any other. A friend, who lacked the courage to support him openly, has prepared a tomb for him. Other friends prepare the spices for the embalming. But the tomb will be free again soon, and the spices will never ne used. In this ending, lies everyone’s new beginning.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who at the evening hour rested in the tomb, and sanctified the grave to be a bed of hope to your people, make us so deeply sorry for our sins, which were the cause of your passion, that when our bodies lie in the dust, our souls may live with you; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign forever and ever. Amen
13 Jesus is taken down from the cross
Simeon blessed the child’s parents, and said to Mary his mother “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God that many people will speak against and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorry, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart. Luke 2:34-35
Jesus, how brutally you were put to death. How gently you are taken from the cross. Your suffering and pain are ended, and you are put in the lap of your mother. The dirt and blood are wiped away. You are treated with love. Mary’s child is now returned to her – the world has finished with him, the meek one has been slain by the mighty. Once more Mary lifts him up in her arms.
As a child, sometimes we treat others better when they’re sad or in pain. When somebody dies, we become very gentle and kind. We notice the good and kind things people say about those who have died.
As an adult, we seem to be kinder when someone dies. If only we could learn to see the good things about them while they were alive. If only we would tell those around us how much we love them, while we still have the opportunity to do so.
We have to tell you, Lord, that there are times when it is hard to go on believing in you. There are times when we feel very angry and you seem to be far away. We cry to you now, for the despairing who feel their faith grow dim, and especially for parents who must do a thing they never expected to do – bury their own children.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
12 Jesus dies on the cross
As soon as Jesus was baptised, he came up out of the water. The heaven was opened to him,
and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and alighting on him. Then a voice said
from heaven “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased” Matthew 3:16-17
As Jesus hung on the cross, he forgave the soldiers who had crucified him, and prayed for his
mother and friends. Jesus wanted all of us to be able to live forever with God, so he gave all he
had for us.
Jesus, let me take a few moments now to consider your love for me. Help me thank you for your
willingness to go to your death for me. Help me express my love for you!
We confess, Lord, that we sometimes look upon a cross, without recalling its meaning. We have
grown accustomed to the sight. When we are tempted to slide carelessly into sin, let us remember
the price you paid for our forgiveness. We pray for the many people in our world who despair and
are made ill, by guilt and failure. May they come to know that your compassion is waiting for them.
Stations of the cross: 11 Jesus is nailed to the cross
James and John said to Jesus: Teacher, there is something we want to ask you…when you sit on your throne in your glorious Kingdom, we want you to let us sit with you, one on your left and one on your right. Mark 10:35&37
Jesus said: The greatest love a person can have for his friends is to give his life for them. And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. John 15:13-14
Peter said: I will never leave you, even if all the rest do!
Mark 14:2
You are stretched out on the cross you have carried so far. The soldiers take big nails and drive them into your hands and feet. You feel abandoned by the people you loved so much. People seem to have gone mad. You have done nothing but good, yet they drive nails through your hands and feet.
As a child, sometimes we hurt others. Sometimes we join with friends and decide not to like another. We gang up against another and cause them hurt and pain.
As an adult, sometimes we discriminate against others. Even without thinking, we judge others because of their colour, religion or name. We forget that we are to live as a brother or sister to all people.
Lord, we are well aware that we do not always live up to our aspirations and our promises. We do not know whether we could meet the challenge to lay down our lives for our friends. Give us the humility to know ourselves as we really are, and be close to all those who still today must sacrifice everything for their faith.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Take part in our Easter Garden Challenge:
Details here: easter garden challenge
An Easter Garden
Here is a link to a video on how to make an Easter Garden which might be a good activity to do with the kids to help them to understand why we celebrate Easter.
https://request.org.uk/restart/2017/02/23/make-an-easter-garden/
It doesn’t have to look exactly like this. It could be made outside in the actual garden but if it’s on a tray or in a container you will be able to move it around.
The main components are
You can download the Maundy Thursday order of service here: Maundy Thursday 2020
Maundy Thursday reflection 2020
I was asked at a conference last year “What does your church do well?” Without hesitation I said: Food. I was thinking of the sumptuous lunches, buffets, Seda Meal, Harvest Suppers, breakfasts and BBQ lunches that I have had the pleasure of attending within the Benefice. Even now just thinking about it makes me feel hungry and gets me thinking about what sort of food orientated celebration we might have once we can get back into our church buildings.
Table fellowship is a marked feature of Christ’s ministry and of Christian life. In Jesus’ day, it mattered terribly what and with whom you ate, as well as the methods and rituals of preparation of food and self. There were no restaurants or drive-thrus, not even the supermarket deli counter. (To say nothing of individual, microwave, so-called “TV” dinners.) Sharing food was serious social interaction.
As we celebrate Maundy Thursday, we come upon another dinner scene. The disciples are gathered with Jesus for a feast. He has seen to the preparations (even though he himself was not the one spending all day in the kitchen). He has brought them together for a meal as he had done so often. The occasion bears the weight of religious tradition. We will never be sure whether it was a special meal just before the Passover, as in John, or the Passover meal itself, as in the other Gospels. But we know that those gathered share deep spiritual convictions and traditions. They have also shared their lives over a period of years. Yet even now, they both know and do not know one another. Like many of the other meals they’ve shared, this one has its jarring aspect. In this case it is not a criticism of pharisees and religious leaders, but it is something and someone closer to home; Jesus spoke of being betrayed by someone eating with them. The awkward moment passed, but its effect lingered. That sort of thing happens at family gatherings, someone makes a remark that is met by a deafening silence. This meal Jesus was sharing with his close friends was peppered with just such moments: Jesus spoke cryptically about betrayal and
darkness and about serving each other. He identified himself with the meal he was serving. “This is my body, my blood.” And afterward, just as odd, he insisted on washing their feet. All the while he was talking, almost rambling really, but so urgently; like he was trying to get across some really important point; like it was crucial that they “get it.” It was all about vines and branches, and coming and going and the world and the Father ( I in you as the Father is in me) and about love–a lot about love.
The strange thing about having our church buildings shut is that we now return to celebrating the “Last Supper” in its original domestic setting; at home. Jesus gathers us again in our homes.
Maundy Thursday is full of religious significance and tradition. It is usually a time when we come together to share deep convictions. The meal (be it the Seder meal or the meal of the Eucharist) is familiar, its identification with Jesus is established. As we enter into the story, the action, we know where it is going. We’ve been and will go to the Garden; we’ve been and will go to the Cross; we’ve been and will go to the Tomb on Easter morning. This year we will have to do this within the context of our social isolation and not as a family in our parish churches. Despite this let us look forward to a time when we can truly come together and participate in the sacrament of a shared meal that has the risen Jesus at its centre. But in the meantime, we can still celebrate and share what Jesus was trying to teach his disciples at the first Last Supper. The teaching about serving, about presence, and absence, about isolation and community, about
the world and how God wants the best for us.
Revd Geoffrey Clement, April 2020
10th Station of the Cross: Jesus is stripped of his clothes
Jesus said: Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow, they do not work, or make clothes for themselves. But not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.
Matthew 6:28-29
The soldiers notice you have something of value. They remove your cloak and throw dice for it.
Your wounds are torn open once again. Some of the people in the crowd make fun of you. They tease you and challenge you to perform a miracle for them to see. They’re not aware that you’ll perform the greatest miracle of all!
The long walk is over, Jesus has reached the end. Now He has no more to do – it will all be done to him. The soldiers had dressed him up as a king before, but now they strip him of his own cloths. There is nowhere to hide, he is vulnerable, humiliated, completely at their mercy – except that within his own soul he carries the dignity and the beauty of all his Father’s creation.
As a child we demand that our parents buy us the right clothes, usually the most expensive and the ones with the correct fashion label.
As an adult we can all to easily judge people by their outer appearance: the clothes they wear and the jobs they do. How often have we seen only the external and not the internal in each other.
We confess, Lord, that we cling too closely to material things. There is so much that we say we “cannot do without.” Give us the true wealth that dwells in the heart, and bless all who live simply, rejoicing in the beauty of your world.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer
The 9th Station of the cross: Jesus falls for the third time
Jesus said: I am telling you the truth; a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it falls into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains. John 12:24-25
Jesus, your journey has been long. You fall again, beneath your cross. You know your journey is coming to an end. You struggle and struggle. You get up and keep going.
As a child, sometimes we fail time and time again. We find it hard to get along with our siblings and friends, sometimes we are not honest, sometimes we are lazy. We are tempted to stop trying.
It’s just too hard sometimes, just too much effort.
As an adult, we often feel we should have conquered our weaknesses by now. We become discouraged when confronted by the same problems over and over again. Sometimes we get weary. When we have health problems, we can become discouraged and depressed.
You know, Lord, that we do not like to face our own mortality. Fearfully, we cling to life. Give us the faith to believe in the harvest that follows when we truly give our lives to you, and be very close to all those who die today.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer