Tenebrae Service
The Good Friday Service at Sojourn Church is a Tenebrae Service, meaning, a Service of Shadows. During the course of the service, light is gradually reduced and the shadows grow stronger. In the end, there is darkness, and we sit in the reality of Jesus' death for us. The service includes readings from all four Gospels, and the seven last words of Christ--spoken from the cross--are heard.
Traditionally, when Sojourn has held this service in the church auditorium, the service begins with seven lit candles at the front of the church. As the service progresses, and after each of the last words of Christ are read, one by one, the candles are extinguished. This year, as individuals and families participate in the service online, we encourage you to prepare seven candles, dim the lights, and extinguish the candles one by one during the service.
The video is below!
Do you have young kids? Concerned with open flame? Here’s a solution!
This project allows children to be actively involved in preparing for the service, and then actively participating during the service by removing each "candle's flame". The pictures of how to create construction paper candles are provided here, and they are pretty self-explanatory.
For many children, the invitation to participate with a meaningful contribution or task makes a profound difference in how the service is experienced and remembered!
