A SERVICE FOR

GOOD FRIDAY

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THE GATHERING

The ministers enter in silence and all kneel for a time of silent prayer.

The Collect

Almighty Father,
look with mercy on this your family
for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content
to be betrayed
and given up into the hands of sinners
and to suffer death upon the cross;
who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

A hymn may be sung

We sit for the reading

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Old Testament Reading

Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Silence is kept.

All stand.

Psalm 22, vv 1 - 21

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me :
and are so far from my salvation,
from the words of my distress?
O my God, I cry in the daytime,
but you do not answer :
and by night also, but I find no rest.
Yet you are the Holy One :
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
Our forebears trusted in you :
they trusted, and you delivered them.
They cried out to you and were delivered :
they put their trust in you and were not confounded.
But as for me, I am a worm and no man :
scorned by all and despised by the people.
All who see me laugh me to scorn :
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
‘He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him :
let him deliver him, if he delights in him.’
But it is you that took me out of the womb :
and laid me safe upon my mother’s breast.
On you was I cast ever since I was born :
you are my God even from my mother’s womb.
Be not far from me, for trouble is near at hand :
and there is none to help.
Mighty oxen come around me;
fat bulls of Bashan close me in on every side.
They gape upon me with their mouths,
as it were a ramping and a roaring lion.
I am poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint;
my heart has become like wax melting in
the depths of my body.
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd;
my tongue cleaves to my gums;
you have laid me in the dust of death.
For the hounds are all about me,
the pack of evildoers close in on me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones;
they stand staring and looking upon me.
They divide my garments among them;
they cast lots for my clothing.
Be not far from me, O Lord;
you are my strength; hasten to help me.
Deliver my soul from the sword,
my poor life from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion’s mouth,
from the horns of wild oxen.
You have answered me!

We sit for the reading

New Testament Reading

Hebrews 10:16 - 25

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Silence is kept.

A hymn may be sung

The Passion Reading

John 18.1 – 19.42

We either stand throughout, or sit and stand at the words:
“Then he handed him over to them to be crucified”

No response is made.

Silence is kept.

Sermon

A hymn may be sung

We stand

The Proclamation of the Cross

You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain,
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation;
you have made them to be a kingdom and priests
serving our God.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
To him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
and made us a kingdom of priests
to stand and serve before our God;
to him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honour, glory and might,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Prayers of Intercession

The following response is used:

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

A hymn may be sung

The Conclusion

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God,
set your passion, cross and death
between your judgment and our souls,
now and in the hour of our death.
Grant mercy and grace to the living,
rest to the departed,
to your Church peace and concord
and to us sinners forgiveness,
and everlasting life and glory;
for, with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
you are alive and reign,
God, now and for ever.
Amen

The ministers depart in silence.