Matthew's Journal

Traditionally, the liturgy of Maundy Thursday is a continuum with the liturgies of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. There's a strong eucharistic element, too - we recall Christ's institution of the Eucharist; additionally, it is the last time most people will receive communion until Easter morning.

After the Liturgy of the Word, we had the Maundy Washing, in which we recall Christ's washing of the disciples feet. In Coventry, this is done by people washing each others' feet - the ministers sit and wait for a member of the congregation to wash their feet, and then recipricate; other members of the congregation may come up and wash each others' feet, too. This seemed to capture the call not just to wash others' feet, but to let our feet be washed too. In typical Anglican fashion, however, only a small number of the congregation actually took part - we're all too reticent!

After the Eucharistic rite, there was a short gospel reading (Matthew 26, after the Last Supper, as Christ prepares to go to Gethsemane), and the altar was stripped, whilst the choir sang the lament of Psalm 88. Coventry's not the most decorated of places to begin with, and they couldn't remove or cover the tapestry, which meant this perhaps lacked the impact it has at, e.g. LSM. None the less, the lights were also extinguished as this happened (echoing, perhaps, Tenebrae, which won't happen in Coventry this year?), and we were left in near-darkness by the end (we needed some light to avoid the BBC's trip hazards!). We stood in silence as the last torch was carried down the length of the cathedral, through the eerily-lit West Window, and up into the ruined cathedral, flickering away towards the old altar. Some will watch until midnight, like the disciples tried to do while Christ prayed in Gethsemane; the rest of us departed in silence, reflecting once more upon the Passion, and the liturgies to come before Easter.

This morning's service was a joint service between the Cathedral, Holy Trinity Church, Coventry Methodist Central Hall, and Cornerstone Methodist Church. We started in University Square, moved to the ruins, and thence to Holy Trinity Church. Thankfully, given all the outdoor bits, the weather was dry and sunny, if a little bracing in the wind!

We had the usual hymns: All glory, laud, and honour; Ride on, ride on in majesty; My song is love unknown; and When I survey the wondrous cross. Additionally there was a Modern Worship Song during communion (King of kings, majesty). The liturgy was fairly traditional, despite the range of traditions represented, although we had one of the lower eucharistic prayers, and the second gospel reading was acted by a Zimbabwean group (from one of the Methodist churches), which was very effective. The congregations mixed happily, with people being true to their own traditions - some people genuflected, whilst others waved their hands during the hymns.

As the notes inside the order of service said, Palm Sunday doesn't just remind us of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, but also prefigures his coming torture and execution; we who sing Hosanna to Jesus also shout "Crucify him!" to Pilate. The outdoor processions also act as a public act of witness, and an invitation to onlookers to join us on the journey through Holy Week to Easter; in this regard, the ecumenical nature of today's service is especially to be welcomed.

If I was to criticise, it would be that there wasn't really an opportunity for the congregation to mingle socially after the service.

Tommorow (Wednesday June 29) is the Feast of St Peter. Little St Mary's will be having a sung mass at 7pm, to the setting of the first prayer book of Edward VI (of 1549[1]), with music by Tye, Wylkynson and Byrd performed by the Cambridge Voices.

Do come along :)
[1]This was the first time the order for Holy Communion was officially published in English