Palm Sunday at St Martin-in-the-Fields included a powerful Passion drama in our morning service. Read more about the way in which members of the Sunday International Group, Nazareth Community and St Martin’s Congregation took part, by clicking here. In the evening I led From Creation to Salvation, a powerful service of readings and music as we entered into Holy Week, telling the story of salvation, with the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields. We began the service using my poem 'Designer of Creation' as a responsive prayer and later heard Passion monologues written by my good friend Alan Stewart.
On Monday of Holy Week I led Alternative Stations of the Cross, a time of contemplation on the Stations of the Cross using images, meditations, music and prayers. For this service I used meditations and images from ‘Mark of the Cross’, my collaboration with Henry Shelton, as well as showing the Stations of the Cross created by Valerie Dean.
These images by commission4mission artists are available for download via theworshipcloud.com. 'Mark of the Cross' features 20 poetic meditations on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension (images by Henry Shelton and words by myself). 'Stations of the Cross' by Valerie Dean are available as a powerpoint presentationand as a pdf file. Her 'Stations of the Cross' have a very clear and intense focus on details which are evocative of the whole. Individual images, pdfs and powerpoints for these collections are all available for download from The Worship Cloud.
Each month at St Martin's a different member of the artists and craftspeoples group shows an example of their work. In April it is my turn to do so. The paintings I am showing are reflections on 1 Corinthians 1:18 - 'For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God'. In 1 Corinthians 1, St Paul writes that Christ’s sacrifice of himself on the cross appears foolish to Gentiles. In this chapter, Paul contrasts the foolishness of God’s self-sacrificing love with the self-preservation that characterises what many think of as human wisdom. This aspect of Paul’s teaching has sometimes been linked to the literary tradition of the Fool, who speaks truth to power. My paintings are reflections on both these strands from the Christian tradition.
Tonight, we held a moving Maundy Thursday Eucharist with foot washing followed by the silent vigil of the watch. Katherine Hedderly preached an excellent sermon and I contributed the following intercessions (pulled together from a variety of sources):
Comforting God, on this night your Son knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to be with you. We pray for those whose loved ones have died and for all those who know themselves to be facing death. Do not let grief overwhelm your children, or turn them against you. When grief seems never-ending, take them one step at a time along your road of death and resurrection in Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Affirming God, on this night your Son knew that you had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from you and was going to you. We pray for those of us who are uncertain of ourselves and unsure of the love of others for us. May we know ourselves to be your much loved children and, through that knowledge, become free of worries about status and hierarchy in order to look beyond ourselves and live for others, being with and giving time, care and comfort to others who are in need. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Serving God, on this night your Son washed his disciples' feet. We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service. Open our hearts and let your Spirit live in us that we, though a motley band of muddled and broken humanity, may be your present and future disciples. May we be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ in our world as we bless our communities by serving them as you have served us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Subverting God, on this night your Son turned upside down the hierarchies and human patterns of authority that we think are normal. We commit ourselves to make your Church a community at the heart of your kingdom alongside those on the edge of society, that each day we may seek your glory, and embody your grace. Enable us to receive the gifts you send in the unexpected people who turn out to populate your kingdom. Enable us to see that you are giving the Church everything it needs for the renewal of its life in those who find themselves to be on the edge. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving God, on this night your Son commanded his disciples to love, but suffered rejection himself. We pray for the rejected and unloved, those isolated and abandoned, that they may find companions in their distress, those who will be “with” them even when there is nothing that can be done or nothing that can be said. And make us a people of grace, wisdom, and hospitality, who know that our true identity is to be lost, until we find our eternal home in you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
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Richard Gillard - The Servant Song (Brother, Sister, Let Me Serve You).
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