Gathered (Together Apart) at the Table of the Lord:

A Worship-Filled Meal for Holy Thursday

 

This service is a modification of the Holy Thursday services we have used in recent years in our parish (Glidden, Lanesboro Community, and Lohrville United Methodist Churches.). It is designed to be celebrated in your home. The service will also be recorded and then streamed on our website (gliddenumc.net), our Facebook pages and our YouTube Channel (gll umcs). If you are able, we invite you to stream this service and participate with us.  Remember, God transcends both space and time.

 

GATHERING AT THE TABLE

Gather around your dinner table with your meal before you.  If possible, set an extra place at the table, to symbolize those you wish were present in body but are not.  If you will be streaming our service, set up your device where as many of those as possible can see the screen and begin the video.

CALL TO WORSHIP AND TO THE MEAL¹

As Jesus and his disciples gathered for a meal together,

So we gather this night…even though we are apart.

An empty chair reminds us of those who are present with us only in spirit….

Name–aloud or in your hearts–those you wish were gathered with you

While theses loved ones are far from us, still we gather in Spirit,

for we are united in and through Jesus.

SCRIPTURE                                                                                      Mark 14:12-16

HYMN                                                                       “Let Us Break Bread Together”

Let us break bread together on our knees

Let us break bread together on our knees

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

 

Let us drink wine together on our knees

Let us drink wine together on our knees

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

 

Let us praise God together on Our knees

Let us praise God together on Our knees

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Adapt. And arr. © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission. CCLI print and streaming licenses, 11472327, 3177642, 20262915 and 20262881.

MEAL PRAYER¹

Lord Jesus Christ,

  who ate with disciples, with sinners, and with the powerful,

  make your presence known at our table this night,

  bless the food we eat, and the fellowship we share with those both near and far,

so that we may be drawn closer to you and to others.  Amen.

SCRIPTURE                                                                                     Mark 14:17–25

REFLECTION AND SHARING THE MEAL (Reflect on these questions alone or together as you eat.)

What meals have been especially significant for you?  Why?

What is the significance of this meal for Jesus and his disciples?

How did Jesus ask his disciples to remember him?

How is Jesus present with us in this meal tonight?

 

CLOSING PRAYER¹ (When the meal is finished)

Almighty God,

  thank you for feeding us this night;

  thank you for your sustaining presence during this time of separation.

Help us to place our trust in you and to follow Jesus wherever he leads.  Amen.

 

¹ Written by Lorinda H. M. Hoover, © 2020 Glidden, Lanesboro and Lohrville United Methodist Churches. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.