In-Person, Thursday at 7:30 pm

or

Pre-recorded Worship Service



April 17, 2025

To access, please visit our website at www.umcw.org/sermons

"Do This in Remembrance of Me!"

Order of Worship

Maundy Thursday

7:30 pm

BOLD indicates congregational SPEAKING participation

A Maundy Thursday service in the manner of Taizé


This service is patterned after worship in the ecumenical community of Taizé. Their song and silent participatory prayer services are designed for contemplation through music, song and silence. The different tempo of the Taizé service encourages us to break away from the hurried sense of our lives and breathe in the presence of Christ and community. For this service, we use the word Maundy. Derived from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “commandment,” Maundy refers to the commands Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper: to love with humility by serving one another and to remember his sacrifice. 

GATHERING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST


Enter in Silence and Meditation


Lighting of Christ Candle


Hymn

"Come and Fill Our Hearts"

(Confitemini Domino)

 TFWS #2157 (x5)


Centering Words

Liturgist

John 13

With the Passover table set, Jesus humbles himself as a servant–even though betrayal and denial are close at hand. Watch and pray that you may be found faithful during the time of trial.


Call to Worship

Liturgist

Come, people of God! Let us offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and lift up his name in the presence of his people. For our Creator is gracious and merciful, full of compassion and love. While we were still helpless, he came to save us.

Hymn

Stay with Me 

TFWS #2198  [x5]


Prayer together

Your love calls us here, Gracious One, calling us to dine with you and to be instruments of your love. Gather us in Jesus’s name, that we may offer him the full measure of our devotion. Amen.

Hymn

  "O Lord, Hear My Prayer"

TFWS #2200 [x5]


ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD

Scripture Readings: John 13:1-17, 31-35


13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already decided[a] that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,[b] but is entirely clean. And you[c] are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”


12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers[d] greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 



 31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him,[j] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”


Liturgist: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God.  


A Short Meditation

Pastor Jinyong Choi


The Holy Communion


Communion Anthem

“In Remembrance”  

by Buryl Red 

Adult Choir with Joy Stepinski, flutist


Reading

 1 Corinthians 11:17-34


17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What!


Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.


27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.


33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.



Communion Prayer



Pastor: Lord, we come to you looking to be fed. We remember the stories of miraculous feeding, of manna in the wilderness, and the abundance of loaves and fishes, and the miracle of the wine at the wedding in Cana. We ask your blessing on these ordinary elements, the bread and the juice. We believe you feed us in ways that go far beyond our literal understanding. Through the awesome wonders of creation to the joy of human love and the power found in a group of people working on your behalf, you have blessed us. You became present to us in Jesus and blessed us further with your grace and mercy. You remain present to us in the working of the Holy Spirit. We give thanks for all the ways you show your love for us as we pray together using the words Jesus taught us:


Our Father, who art in heaven… Amen.



Communion Distribution


After Communion Prayer

Holy and gracious God, for the meal we have shared, for the nourishment of the spirit and for the life of this community, we give you thanks. Help us to see miraculous signs wherever we see you. Help us to work always for the food that endures, in Christ’s name. Amen.

We Respond

  

Hymn

 "Nothing Can Trouble "

TFWS #2054 (x5)

(Nada Te Turbe)


Benediction 

Go now into the darkness.

Go to the darkness of the cross. Go to the darkness of the tomb.

Go now into the darkness and wait for the Lord.


With respect for all others and this special service, please remain silent until you have left the building.  




Please join us for


 Good Friday Service, April 18

7:30 PM

 

Easter Sunrise Services, April 20

7:00 AM Sunrise (by the pond)



Easter Worship Services, April 20, 9:30 AM  


Easter Breakfast

7:30 to 9:00 AM

(Fellowship Hall)

Served by our youth groups


In-Person Services


Liturgist: Nancy Burns

Projection: Valarie Wilder

Organist: Matt Cron

Sound: Jodie Kruger

Communion: Nancy Kendall

Greeter/Usher: Claire Hall

Our Mission Statement

“God calls us to be disciples of Jesus, building community through service and fellowship and sharing the love of Christ with all.”


Our Openness Statement

“The United Methodist Church of Westford is an open and welcoming community of Christian Faith. Without any exceptions, we welcome anyone who seeks to love and to serve God.”

Please click here for “A Statement of Our Openness”.

www.umcw.org

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