Join us online for worship this Easter!
Friday 10 April, 9.30am: Service of Music and Readings (a live link will be available here half an hour before the service).
Sunday 12 April, 9.30am: Easter Sunday Eucharist (a live link will be available here half an hour before the service).
This introduction is especially appropriate for households with young children.
PARENT: Tonight, we take part in the Passover Seder meal. It’s a tradition celebrated by Jesus’s people, the Jewish people. The Passover celebrates the time when God, through Moses, led his people out of slavery. The Egyptian pharaoh let the people go after the angel of death killed every firstborn in Egypt but “passed over” the Israelite homes with lamb’s blood on their doorposts.
PARENT: Tonight, we celebrate a Jewish ritual. But we are not Jewish: we are Christians. So why do you think we should celebrate Passover?
Give children a chance to respond, and be open to their thoughts and questions.
PARENT: One reason we celebrate is to remember how God helped his people by leading them out of slavery. We remember that God keeps His promises. Can you think of a time when God has kept a promise in your life?
Allow children to respond.
PARENT: We also celebrate Passover because Jesus did! Remember when Jesus joined his friends for one last meal before he died on the cross? The “Last Supper” was a Passover celebration. That night, Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples in a special way. This was the beginning of our Holy Communion. He also washed his disciples’ feet. They were amazed by what he did for them.
PARENT: And so, we eat this meal to remember Jesus Christ. We will eat the same kinds of foods that Jesus ate. We will say some of the same words he said. And we can be amazed, too!
PARENT (drawing attention to the goblets): During the meal, you will be served a drink four times, which is an ancient tradition of the Passover Seder. The four cups are: The cup of sanctification, which reminds us of God’s promises; the cup of deliverance, because God delivered his people out of slavery; the cup of redemption, because Jesus died for us; and the cup of praise, because we thank God for what He has done.
PARENT (drawing attention to empty seat): And we remember throughout our dinner tonight, that Jesus is always at our table, just like He was at the table with the disciples.
HOST: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive by your word.
ALL: May our house be consecrated by the light of your face shining on us in blessing and peace.
We fill the glasses.
HOST: The Passover has begun. During our meal we will drink from our glass four times. The first time is the Cup of Sanctification, by which we commit this time to God and God’s glory.
ALL: Blessed are you Lord our God who created the fruit of the vine.
All drink.
READING: John 13.1-11
HOST: Let us wash each other’s feet / hands, that we may recall whose servants we are and remember Jesus’ teaching, that what is done for us is also to be done for others.
During the foot washing, you might want to play an appropriate song such as “The Servant King” or “Brother, Sister, Let Me Serve You”.
READING: John 13.12-17
The second cup is poured.
CHILD (traditionally the youngest): Why is this night different from all other nights?
HOST: Because we were once slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.
CHILD: On this night, why do we eat only unleavened bread?
HOST: The Bible says that the people had to leave Egypt so quickly that they did not have time to let the bread rise. So they made dough without yeast.
ALL: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who created fruit from the earth.
Bread is passed around and each person breaks off two pieces.
CHILD: What is the meaning of the lamb?
HOST: The lamb represents the paschal lamb’s blood that the Hebrews smeared on their doors. This was done so when the final plague was unleashed on the Egyptians, God would “pass over” the Hebrew houses.
CHILD: What is the meaning of the greens and salt water?
Host: The greens represent life, and the salt water the tears of life. They remind us that the life of the Israelites in Egypt was dipped in tears.
All dip greens in salt water and eat.
CHILD: What is the meaning of the bitter herbs?
HOST: The bitter herbs (horseradish) symbolise the bitterness of life in Egypt, where the Egyptians used the Israelites ruthlessly as slaves. They also remind us of the bitterness of a life gripped by sin.
All eat a small helping of bread dipped in horseradish.
CHILD: What is the meaning of the charoset?
HOST: The charoset (fruit and nuts) reminds us of the mortar used by the Israelites in their brickwork in Egypt. It is sweet because even the bitterest labour is sweetened by the promise of redemption. So we too live under the sweet promise that Jesus is coming again.
All eat charoset between two pieces of bread (representing mortar between bricks).
CHILD: What is the meaning of the egg?
HOST: The egg is a symbol of life. The eldest sons of the Israelites were glad to be alive. It reminds us that Jesus died so we who believe in him can live his risen life. We dip the egg in salt water to remind us that life was won for us through the tears of death.
All eat a piece of egg dipped in salt water
HOST: You may now drink from the second cup, the cup of deliverance.
ALL: Blessed be God, who has brought us from bondage to freedom, and from sorrow to joy.
HOST: Let us eat and be thankful!
The meal is served and eaten.
At the end of the meal, the third cup is poured.
HOST: The third cup is the cup of redemption. It was at this point, during the Last Supper with his disciples, that Jesus said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood”. (Luke 22.20)
ALL: We drink it with thankfulness for the redemption Jesus won for us by his death and resurrection.
All drink.
The fourth cup is poured.
HOST: The fourth cup is the cup of praise. Let us drink it and give thanks to God for his goodness!
ALL: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 118)
All drink.
All sing the following song (or another song of praise):
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Click here to join us in worship this morning! The Zoom link is live from 9.45am.
Click here to join us in worship this morning! The Zoom meeting is open from 9am and we’ll begin our service at 9.30am.
Kids Church material is available below:
Please watch Bishop Mark’s reflection on the Palm Sunday Gospel (available on the Diocesan YouTube channel):
A liturgy adapted from the New Zealand Prayer Book (1989) for use over the internet during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when many of us will be spending an unaccustomed amount of time at home and are unable to gather for public worship, it is important for Christians to remind ourselves that our homes are sacred places, consecrated to God, where the life of the Church continues as young and old pray, worship, study, and share fellowship together.
It is timely to remember that for the first few centuries of the Church’s existence, local Christian communities (including all those communities to whom the New Testament epistles written by Paul, Peter and John are addressed) gathered almost exclusively in homes. Jesus himself grew up at the heart of a human home and family, sanctifying it by his presence, and the Gospels tell us that Jesus’s public ministry also took place in many different homes.
To bless the home, and formally dedicate it as an environment for Christian life, is a deeply felt need by many Christian households. Home blessings are especially appropriate at times of crisis and renewal: they give us the opportunity to dedicate (or re-dedicate) our homes to God, and ask for God’s special protection on our households and families.
Since the minister cannot be physically present during this blessing liturgy, the use of water by the householders as part of the service is especially helpful as an effective and tangible sign of the work of the Holy Spirit and the presence of Christ at the heart of their home.
The family or householder(s) gather outside the front door. The minister is present on a mobile device carried by a householder.
A member of the household holds up a bowl of water.
The minister says
Praise God who made heaven and earth
Whose promise endures for ever.
We thank you God for your love in all creation,
especially for your gift of water
to sustain, refresh and cleanse all life.
We thank you that through the waters of baptism
you cleanse us,
renew us by your Spirit
and raise us to new life.
+ Through your Holy Spirit,
fulfil once more your promises
and may this water,
set apart in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
be to us an effective sign of your blessing and protection
for this home and all who dwell here.
Amen.
At each subsequent stage of the liturgy, a member of the household sprinkles water around the home, while making the sign of the Cross.
The minister says
Dear friends in Christ
we enter this home in the name of God,
+ Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Lord is here.
God’s Spirit is with us.
Except the Lord build the house,
their labour is but lost that build it.
Encircle this dwelling place with your protection, O God;
may your holy angels encompass these walls,
and peace be within them.
The minister says
In the name of God,
peace to this home.
God make it a haven for all who live here.
The youngest person present knocks at the door.
A householder reads the following
‘Behold I stand at the door and knock,’ says the Lord. ‘If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you and you with me.’
Revelation 3:20
The householder(s) then say
Welcome to this home.
Blessed be God who dwells in love.
Blessed be God who gives peace and shelter.
Amen.
God of hearth and home, maker of love and laughter,
make this a place for reflection and restoration,
rest and renewal,
a place where the life of N (and N) may find its strength.
The Lord watch over your going out and your coming in
from this time forward for evermore.
The minister says
Indwelling God, you are ever welcome in this house.
May we hear and share your Word.
A householder reads the following
Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge and you will not be judged yourselves: do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap, because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.
Luke 6:36-38
The minister says
O how good and pleasant it is, when God’s people live together in unity.
Above everything, love one another fervently,
for love covers many sins.
God in Trinity,
you have made us to need each other
and to grow best with companions;
bless those who shall sit or talk or work together here.
May they share your care and understanding.
If there are dependants, the minister may speak to the parent(s) or carer(s)
N (and N), will you be true to this family?
Will you support and care for each other
so that together you may care
for those whom God has given you?
The parent(s) or carer(s) respond
Yes, we will.
May God give us joy in what we do
and patience when our work seems hard.
The minister may then address the dependent(s)
N (and N), will you, their children / family / friends,
give them your support?
The dependents respond
Yes we will. May God be with you.
The minister then says to all
May you grow on and grow old in the love of God.
May this place be for you a place where
relationships mature,
quarrels are made up,
failures forgiven and strength renewed.
Blessed be Christ the prince of peace
who breaks down the walls that divide.
The peace of God be always with you.
Praise to Christ who unites us in peace.
All greet each other and share a sign of peace.
The minister says
Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door
and pray to your Father who is in secret;
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
O God, you love to hear the prayers of your children.
Bless this prayer corner;
may it may be a place of refreshment, quiet, and consolation
for all who spend time here daily with you.
May we treasure the living presence of Jesus
at the heart of our home and our lives.
The minister says
Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Put out into the deep water,
and let down your nets for a catch.’
O God, you made us in your image and likeness,
and you desire us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful.
Bless this device / these devices,
and grant that during our time connected to the internet,
we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to You.
May we treat with charity and patience
all those whom we encounter there
and may we always be a blessing to each other.
The group moves to each bedroom in turn.
The minister says
Guide us waking, O God,
and guard us sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ,
and asleep we may rest in your peace.
I lie down in peace and take my rest
for it is in God alone that I dwell unafraid.
God of the night,
may this be a holy and blessèd place
for N (and N) and all who may sleep here.
Here may they know your loving presence,
find rest for their fatigue,
and peace for their anxiety.
May your holy angels guard them,
and your continual blessing strengthen them.
The minister says
‘I will sprinkle you with clean water, and you will be cleansed.’
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
having our bodies washed with pure water.
Blessed are you, our Saviour Jesus Christ,
fountain of living water springing up to eternal life;
in you is our baptism, in you is our faith.
Blessed are you God of the rain, the rivers, and the lakes,
you give water for life and health
to refresh and cleanse all creatures.
The minister says
Teach us, O God, where wisdom is to be found, and
show us the place of understanding.
Seek your God and you will be found.
Search for God with all your heart
and with all your mind.
O God, the source of all wisdom,
may this be a place of reflection and awareness,
of knowledge and understanding.
Show yourself for us,
lest we go about in ignorance;
reveal yourself to us,
for in you we know the incarnate word.
The minister says
Many there are who rely upon their hands
and are skilful in their own creativity and work.
Prosper, O God, the work of our hands.
Prosper our handiwork.
O God,
your blessed son worked with his hands
in the carpenter’s shop at Nazareth:
be present we pray with those who work in this place.
Give them work till their life ends,
and life till their work is done,
that labouring together with you
they may share the joy of your creation.
The minister says
As the earth brings forth its blossom,
or bushes in a garden burst into flower,
so shall the Lord God make righteousness and praise
blossom before all the people.
The earth brought forth vegetation,
plants yielding seed,
and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed,
each according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.
Jesus, our good companion,
often you withdrew with your friends
for quiet and refreshment;
be present with your servants in this place.
Make it a place of serenity and peace.
The minister says
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt so wondrously with you.
The eyes of all wait upon you O God
and you give them their food in due season.
God of garden, farm and factory
may what is prepared here bring strength and health.
Bless the hands that work in this place,
nourish us with all goodness
and give us grateful hearts for daily bread.
May Christ our constant guest
make our humblest meal a welcome offering.
The minister says
The living God gave you from heaven
rain and fruitful seasons
satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.
God brings forth food from the earth
and wine to gladden the heart.
Blessed are you, Sovereign of the universe,
for gifts from your bounty which we receive.
May our hearts be thankful;
may we always have room for a guest.
Make us grateful for all your mercies,,
and mindful of the needs of others.
The minister blesses each member of the household, inviting all to lay hands on each in turn, and saying
N, God bless you and keep you secure in this place.
May your family/companion(s) find
in you Christ’s love and understanding.
The minister says to all present
Hear God’s word of benediction:
the fruit of righteousness will be peace
and the result of righteousness,
tranquillity and trust for ever,
my people will abide
in secure dwellings
and in quiet resting places.
And now may the eternal Spirit
enfold this home with love,
indwell this home with joy,
build this home in peace,
and the blessing of God Almighty
+ Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be upon you and all those whom you love
now and for ever.
Amen.
Click here to join us in worship this morning! The Zoom meeting is open from 9am and we’ll begin our service at 9.30am.
Kids Church material is available below:
Holy Cross is worshipping online on Sunday 22 March at 9.30am, using Zoom video conferencing. This is our first attempt at using Zoom for worship, so you will be able to connect from 9.00am, which gives you 30 minutes to sort out any connection problems before the service begins.
Even if you have never used Zoom before, it is simple for you to attend:
There is no separate Kids Church provision today, though we hope to have something in place by next week – for today, you’ll find a colouring page and a word search below which you can download and print at home.
We will be in touch with members of the Holy Cross church family in the next few days, to see how you are and keep you informed. Please stay in touch, look for updates, and be assured of our prayers for you!
Dear friends of Holy Cross,
The Bishop has announced that all public worship in the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn will cease as of this Sunday. You can read his announcement here: https://anglicancg.org.au/cessation-of-services/
We are looking at a number of alternative ways in which we can pray and worship together, including:
Parish Council is meeting this Saturday to make more plans, and we’ll update you again soon.
I spoke to Bishop Mark today and he informed me that welfare services such as Tuckerbox should continue at present, as they have a crucial role in meeting the needs of some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Tuckerbox will therefore be taking place this Saturday, and we will be putting in place some strict hygiene protocols to ensure that this is done safely.
One final thing: Sunday 22 March is Mothering Sunday, the middle Sunday in Lent, and Iris usually makes us a simnel cake for morning tea. This year, I suggest that those of us who are able to do so take part in a Holy Cross Simnel Cake Competition – if you’d like to have a go, why not bake one this week and email me the photo so we can post the results on the web site? We’ll ask Iris to judge the entries and award an appropriate prize! Recipes can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/simnel_cake
Keep well, keep in touch, and remember: Christ is still risen!
God bless, Tim Watson (Rector)
Sun 1 Mar Environment Sunday joint service;
9am Sunday worship:
8 Mar 2nd Sunday in Lent;
15 Mar 3rd Sunday in Lent;
22 Mar Mothering Sunday (no in-person worship);
29 Mar 5th Sunday in Lent (no in-person worship);
5 Apr Palm Sunday (no in-person worship)
Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén