Listening - Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 - Maundy Thursday - 4-14-22

 

Sermon podcast from the Maundy Thursday, 4-14-22 worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Psalm 116:1-2, 19-28

"Listening" podcast

The whole worship service

New Commandment - John 13:1-17, 31b-35 - Maundy Thursday - 4-1-21

Sermon podcast from the Maundy Thursday, 4-1-21 online worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Video sermon preview

"New Commandment" podcast

The whole online worship service

Thanks - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 - Maundy Thursday - 4-9-20

Sermon podcast from our Maundy Thursday livestream only worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Video sermon preview

"Thanks" podcast

The whole worship service livestream recording

Thanks

Maundy Thursday 2017 sermon podcast from St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL
"Thanks" podcast

Listening

Maundy Thursday 2016 Sermon podcast from St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL
"Listening" podcast

Meal

Maundy Thursday sermon podcast from St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL
"Meal" podcast

Cup of Salvation

Maundy Thursday sermon from St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL
"Cup of Salvation" text
"Cup of Salvation" podcast

A New Commandment?

This week's Maundy Thursday related Bible reflection (Exasperated) is expanded and is now the Maundy Thursday sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL.
"A New Commandment?" text
"A New Commandment?" podcast

Exasperated

Jesus must have wondered, “How many times do I have to communicate this before they’ll get it?”

He had been preaching about love, and peace, and care, and valuing all of God’s children, and more love. 

And it seems he kept seeing hate, war, violence, indifference, exploitation, and more hate. 

He tried to show what it meant to serve each other – where no one is the ‘more important’ one – where all pay attention to all.

I wonder if when he said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another” that he was making an exasperated “Don’t you get it yet?” kind of joke? 

We who claim to follow Jesus are still spreading too much hate, war, violence, indifference, exploitation, and more hate. 

Jesus must still be wondering. Will we ever get it?

Meal

This week's first Bible reflection (Handed on) got some significant edits before it became part of this year's Maundy Thursday Sermon at Union Congregational UCC in Somonauk, IL.
"Meal" text
"Meal" podcast

Handed on

How do you learn something?

I’ve learned in several ways

• Making mistakes enough times and then figuring out how to avoid the mistakes
• Watching someone else do something and then copying what they did
• Reading the instruction book and then following directions
• Paying attention to a teacher as they teach
• Hearing, seeing, and remembering the lessons my parents and others have taught me.
• Hearing and remembering the story.

In one of the Maundy Thursday Bible readings, from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Paul teaches.  He tells the story of Jesus at the last supper.  He tells the story simply and concisely.  He encourages the readers to do the same.

If only everything we learned worked out that way.  It sure is nice to have wisdom handed on.

Then again, making mistakes, watching others, reading instructions, paying attention, hearing, seeing, and remembering are great ways to learn, too.

Cup of Salvation

This year's Maundy Thursday sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL focuses on Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19.
"Cup of Salvation" text
"Cup of Salvation" podcast

Foot washing

Tonight at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk we're having a Maundy Thursday Agape Supper (at 6) followed by our Maundy Thursday worship service at 7. Here's tonight's sermon:

"Foot Washing" text

"Foot Washing" podcast

Until Christ Returns

Last night's sermon for Maundy Thursday at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Somonauk, comes from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
"Until Christ Returns" text
"Until Christ Returns" podcast

Love one another

Tonight's Maundy Thursday sermon at Union Congregational Church
Love One Another text
Love One Another podcast

thursdayfriday

At St. Matthew UCC, we hold an Agape Meal and then a Tenebrae Service (One that begins with communion before we start the service of shadows) on Maundy Thursday.
The community that celebrates a meal together, (We have a tradition of serving stew, bread and brownies) receives communion together, (This year we had three 'stations' for celebrating communion. A dozen or so people came up at a time to a table where we spoke of the bread and the cup and then we shared a meal together.) and then experiences the progressive (or should I say liberal? And what's another term for conservative anyway? But I digress . . . ) darkness together becomes part of an incredibly moving evening. We depart in darkness.

I love Maundy Thursday at St. Matthew. But I wish we'd remember it long enough to spend some time talking about the experience. The community, darkness and silence are things I have learned to appreciate more during the last 6 weeks of sabbatical. I'd love to spend some time talking with others about their experience too.