Good Friday Service

On Good Friday this year we did something that I don't know has ever been done. We had a Good Friday service that used the blues as the primary musical source for the service. Two of our singers, Ralph Cortez and Henry Paridilla, set the Seven Last Words of Christ from the cross to seven different blues styles. Ralph added a little bit of extra lyrics and I offered a meditiation over each of the seven words. The service was incredibly powerful.

Travis Park UMC-Good Friday Worship
Friday, April 6th, 2007
7:oo p.m.

GATHERING

Opening Video

The Old Rugged Cross

Greeting:
Leader: Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.
People: That we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
Leader: Let us pray.
All: Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, for whom our
Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.
--after The Book of Common Prayer

Opening Song: What Wondrous Love is This

Introduction to the Blues Service Jackie Shepherd
(Jackie Shepherd is a candidate for the Doctorate of Music degree at Boston University and has recently completed doctoral research on the blues and American culture)

A Change is Gonna Come (Henry and Ralph)

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Spoken Reflection
1st Word: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Spoken Reflection
2nd Word: “Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.”
Spoken Reflection
3rd Word: “Woman, behold thy son! [Son] behold thy mother.”
Spoken Reflection
4th Word: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Spoken Reflection
5th Word: “I thirst.”
Spoken Reflection
6th Word: “It is finished.”
Spoken Reflection
7th Word: “Father, into thy hands, I commend thy spirit.”