APRIL 18, 2025, GOOD FRIDAY 1:00 PM
ORDER OF SERVICE
PRELUDE: “IN THE GARDEN”
OPENING READING: ST. MARK 15: 33- 39
[33] And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. [34] And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "E'lo-i, E'lo-i, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" [35] And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "Behold, he is calling Eli'jah." [36] And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Eli'jah will come to take him down." [37] And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. [38] And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. [39] And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
* OPENING HYMN: NO. 101 “WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS”
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE: Mighty Lord, we confess that we are lost without you. Gather us, so that we may join our hearts and voices together in seeking your forgiveness and direction. So often we would go our own way, desiring only our personal success and public glory. Forgive us. In our practice of the faith, may our right hand not be concerned with what the left is doing. So often we forget that without you we are but dust and ashes with no hope beyond this life. Forgive us. In our assembly and in our daily lives keep our hearts and minds fixed on the cross of Christ, remembering that our hope rests in his death and resurrection. May our journey be one of faith in you and generous service to your world. AMEN
LORD’S PRAYER (“DEBTS”)
* RESPONSIVE READING OF PSALM 51: 1-12
[1] Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
[2] Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
[3] For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
[4] Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment.
[5] Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
[6] Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
[7] Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
[8] Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice.
[9] Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
[10] Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
[11] Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
[12] Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.
* GLORIA PATRI:
WORSHIP THROUGH CARING, PRAYING AND GIVING
MEDITATIONAL HYMN NO. 102 “WERE YOU THERE?”
MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER/THE CHURCH AT PRAYER
CHORAL RESPONSE:
SHARING OF OUR GIFTS, TITHES AND OFFERING PRECEDED BY PRAYER
PRAYER OF DEDICATION: What can we offer in the face of your ultimate sacrifice? Our offerings seem to be pathetic. Nevertheless, we pray that you will accept our gifts, magnifying them for your kingdom in this world, as we seek to live your sacrificial love in everything we say and do, so that our lives become a witness to your cross and your kingdom. These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN.
OFFERTORY: “JESUS WALKED THIS LONESOME VALLEY"
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WORSHIP THROUGH REFLECTION AND MEDITATION
OLD TESTAMENT WITNESS: ISAIAH 52: 13 – 53: 12
[13] Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up and shall be very high. [14] As many were astonished at him -- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men -- [15] so shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand.
[1] Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? [2] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. [4] Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. [8] By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? [9] And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. [10] Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; [11] he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
THE GOSPEL WITNESS: ST JOHN 19: 14-27
[14] Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" [15] They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." [16] Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. [17] So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha. [18] There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. [19] Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." [20] Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. [21] The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, `The King of the Jews,' but, `This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" [22] Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." [23] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tun But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; [24] so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfil the scripture, "They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." [25] So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag'dalene. [26] When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" [27] Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
PREACHING OF THE WORD: FORGIVING GOD – REV. DR CHRIS. PONNURAJ
CLOSING PRAYER: Loving God, you have bound us so closely together that we cannot fully live when any of our sisters or brothers are dying in wars, in domestic violence, in prison, in refugee camps, in hunger, of disease. Awaken us to your power in us, your blood and bone, your strength and sinew, your grace and health and hope. Living God, open us to follow your promise. Allow our holiest instincts to inspire us to give not merely from our own storehouse, but from the limitless abundance that is you in us. AMEN.
* CLOSING HYMN: NO. 98 “O SACRED HEAD, NOW WOUNDED”
* BENEDICTION: (THREE-FOLD AMEN)
*Please stand as you are able and comfortable standing.
EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2025, WORSHIP AT 11 AM
Celebrate Easter morning with us!
Joyous Words, Music and Easter Potluck lunch follows worship
WEST CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (UCC)
101 Pondfield Road West
Bronxville, New York 10708
Tel No. (914) 337-3829 www.westcenterchurch.org
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj – Minister
[email protected] (917) 743-1574
Mr. John Strybos – Director of Music & Organist
[email protected] (203) 921-5210
ORDER OF SERVICE
PRELUDE: “IN THE GARDEN”
OPENING READING: ST. MARK 15: 33- 39
[33] And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. [34] And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "E'lo-i, E'lo-i, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" [35] And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "Behold, he is calling Eli'jah." [36] And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Eli'jah will come to take him down." [37] And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. [38] And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. [39] And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
* OPENING HYMN: NO. 101 “WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS”
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE: Mighty Lord, we confess that we are lost without you. Gather us, so that we may join our hearts and voices together in seeking your forgiveness and direction. So often we would go our own way, desiring only our personal success and public glory. Forgive us. In our practice of the faith, may our right hand not be concerned with what the left is doing. So often we forget that without you we are but dust and ashes with no hope beyond this life. Forgive us. In our assembly and in our daily lives keep our hearts and minds fixed on the cross of Christ, remembering that our hope rests in his death and resurrection. May our journey be one of faith in you and generous service to your world. AMEN
LORD’S PRAYER (“DEBTS”)
* RESPONSIVE READING OF PSALM 51: 1-12
[1] Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
[2] Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
[3] For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
[4] Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment.
[5] Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
[6] Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
[7] Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
[8] Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice.
[9] Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
[10] Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
[11] Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
[12] Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.
* GLORIA PATRI:
WORSHIP THROUGH CARING, PRAYING AND GIVING
MEDITATIONAL HYMN NO. 102 “WERE YOU THERE?”
MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER/THE CHURCH AT PRAYER
CHORAL RESPONSE:
SHARING OF OUR GIFTS, TITHES AND OFFERING PRECEDED BY PRAYER
PRAYER OF DEDICATION: What can we offer in the face of your ultimate sacrifice? Our offerings seem to be pathetic. Nevertheless, we pray that you will accept our gifts, magnifying them for your kingdom in this world, as we seek to live your sacrificial love in everything we say and do, so that our lives become a witness to your cross and your kingdom. These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN.
OFFERTORY: “JESUS WALKED THIS LONESOME VALLEY"
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WORSHIP THROUGH REFLECTION AND MEDITATION
OLD TESTAMENT WITNESS: ISAIAH 52: 13 – 53: 12
[13] Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up and shall be very high. [14] As many were astonished at him -- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men -- [15] so shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand.
[1] Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? [2] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. [4] Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. [8] By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? [9] And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. [10] Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; [11] he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
THE GOSPEL WITNESS: ST JOHN 19: 14-27
[14] Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" [15] They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." [16] Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. [17] So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha. [18] There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. [19] Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." [20] Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. [21] The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, `The King of the Jews,' but, `This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" [22] Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." [23] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tun But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; [24] so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfil the scripture, "They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." [25] So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag'dalene. [26] When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" [27] Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
PREACHING OF THE WORD: FORGIVING GOD – REV. DR CHRIS. PONNURAJ
CLOSING PRAYER: Loving God, you have bound us so closely together that we cannot fully live when any of our sisters or brothers are dying in wars, in domestic violence, in prison, in refugee camps, in hunger, of disease. Awaken us to your power in us, your blood and bone, your strength and sinew, your grace and health and hope. Living God, open us to follow your promise. Allow our holiest instincts to inspire us to give not merely from our own storehouse, but from the limitless abundance that is you in us. AMEN.
* CLOSING HYMN: NO. 98 “O SACRED HEAD, NOW WOUNDED”
* BENEDICTION: (THREE-FOLD AMEN)
*Please stand as you are able and comfortable standing.
EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2025, WORSHIP AT 11 AM
Celebrate Easter morning with us!
Joyous Words, Music and Easter Potluck lunch follows worship
WEST CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (UCC)
101 Pondfield Road West
Bronxville, New York 10708
Tel No. (914) 337-3829 www.westcenterchurch.org
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj – Minister
[email protected] (917) 743-1574
Mr. John Strybos – Director of Music & Organist
[email protected] (203) 921-5210