This Holy Thursday service, as it is also called, is a night in which Christians commemorate the supper Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion. It recalls when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and instituted the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Maundy Thursday gets its name from the new commandment (mandatum novum in Latin) Jesus gave the disciples in John 13:34 – to love one another. Many churches incorporate a foot washing service as part of the worship (we will not) and observe the Lord’s Supper (we will).
We will also observe the ancient practice of stripping the altar and sanctuary following Holy Communion. This is a vivid and dramatic way of showing the desolation and abandonment of Jesus’ long night in Gethsemane and what followed.
The service begins at 6:30 and will be led by the Rev. Paul Frey.