Friday, April 18, 2025
Good Friday is the second part of the three-day service called the Triduum. This Friday we call good is a time of somber reflection as we are attentive to the mystery of the cross. The Noon service seems rather austere in comparison to last night (Maundy Thursday) and the celebration of Easter to come.
The fact is that we are celebrating a death only because from that death flow forgiveness and Life. We are part of this story, though from a distance. It was for our sins our Lord suffered and died. We may be separated from the actual events by several thousand years, but we are part of this story. It was for us that He suffered and died, and it was to us that He gives the fruits of His suffering and death. As powerful as this message is, the story continues for one more day with one more dramatic event still to come.
Jesus’ death gives ultimate meaning to the Christian faith. For the cross reveals God’s loving merciful heart. Today, as we behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world; may we see more clearly the mystery and glory of His Love in our lives.
Tonight’s 7:00 pm service of darkness, also known as Tenebrae (the name means “darkness” or “shadows”), is a Holy Week devotion that dates back to the seventh century A.D.; and is characterized by the successive extinguishing of candles as the service progresses.
Near the conclusion of the worship service, the congregation will speak the Lord’s Prayer. Then, after the Good Friday prayer, the Christ Candle will be extinguished, symbolizing our Lord’s death and burial. Then the strepitus is heard, a harsh noise indicating the closing of the tomb.
Good Friday Worship Services
12:00 pm ~ Sanctuary Worship, Musical Offerings by Cantus Christe Quartet
Preceded and Followed by a Soup and Salad Lunch
7:00 pm ~ Tenebrae Service in the Sanctuary featuring The Messiah, Part II
Led by Sanctuary Choir and Chamber Orchestra