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Call To Worship:
L: Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.
P: That we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
L: Come, let us draw near to God!

Responsive Call to Worship (based on Psalm 51)

L: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
P: according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
L:  Wash away all my iniquity
P: and cleanse me from my sin. 
L: For I know my transgressions,
P: and my sin is always before me.
L: Against you, you only, have I sinned
P: and done what is evil in your sight,
L: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
P: wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
L: Create in me a pure heart, O God,
P: and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
L: O Lord, open my lips,
P: and my mouth will declare your praise.
L: A broken and contrite heart,
P: O God, you will not despise.

 

Responsive Good Friday Prayer:

L:   Holy Jesus, you bore the crushing weight of our sins as you hung on the cross, and even suffered the terrors of death for each and every one of us. By your bruised body, your precious blood, and bitter agony, have mercy on us. 
P:  We are sinners deserving of eternal death.
L: Lord Jesus, this evening we praise you, bless you, and adore you, because by your holy cross you paid the price for the sins of the world.  You are our Redeemer.
P:  We are the recipients of the undeserving gift of salvation.   For this we thank you.  Amen.

Good Friday Prayer for Faithfulness

Almighty God, our Father, help us always to remember the events that happened in the life of Jesus during that last week in Jerusalem.  As we become aware of how the disciples, the crowd, and others failed Jesus, we ask that you make our hearts alike so that we might not be guilty of the same sins today.  Forgive us for the times we have failed to show a strong witness for our Savior, and guide us so that we might always be faithful and loyal in our devotion and service to him.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

 

Children's Good Friday Poem (for your bulletin or recital by a child)

On Friday, (We call it "Good")
Jesus was nailed to hard, hard wood.
Beneath his cross, his mother stood
and cried for what they had done.
"Oh, if I could hold him," she said,
"Hold my only Son!"

"Father, take me," Jesus said,
"Take me in your hands."
And God reached down
and took him,
and held his only Son.

 

Good Friday Litany:

L: On this day, we look to the cross of Christ on Calvary.
P: Here we are made aware of all that Christ Jesus has done for us.
L: It was on this cross that an innocent Jesus took upon himself the punishment we deserved.
P: We look to the cross and are ashamed of our sins.
L: It was on this cross that Christ spoke the words, "Father, forgive them."
P: We look to the cross and know that we have been forgiven, because of what happened there.
L: It was what happened on this cross that made the ground shake, the graves open, the skies darken, and the temple curtain rip.
P: We look to the cross and know that God's power is at work against sin, death, and the devil.
L: It was on this cross that Christ proclaimed, "It is finished!"
P: We look to the cross and know that we have been saved forever by his blood.

Invocation
ALMIGHTY God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Invocation:
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified; Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Solemn Collects

Dear People of God: Our heavenly Father sent his Son into
the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world
through him might be saved; that all who believe in him
might be delivered from the power of sin and death, and
become heirs with him of everlasting life.
 
We pray, therefore, for people everywhere according to their
needs.
 
Let us pray for the holy Catholic Church of Christ
throughout the world;

For its unity in witness and service
For all bishops and other ministers
and the people whom they serve

For _____, our Bishop, and all the people of this diocese
For all Christians in this community
For those about to be baptized (particularly______)

That God will confirm his Church in faith, increase it in love,
and preserve it in peace.
 
Silence
 
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole
body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified:
Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before
you for all member of your holy Church, that in their
vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly server you;
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
Let us pray for all nations and peoples of the earth, and for
those in authority among them;

For the president (prime minister, chancelor...)
For the governing body and the Supreme Court
For the Members and Representatives of the United
Nations
For all who serve the common good

That by God's help they may seek justice and truth, and live
in peace and concord.

Silence
 
Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of
peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for
the nations of the earth; that in tranquility your dominion may increase, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Let us pray for all who suffer and are afflicted in body or in mind;

For the hungry and the homeless, the destitute and the oppressed

For the sick, the wounded, and the crippled
For those in loneliness, fear, and anguish
For those who face temptation, doubt, and despair
For the sorrowful and bereaved
For prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger

That God in his mercy will comfort and relieve them, and
grant them the knowledge of his love, and stir up in us the
will and patience to minister to their needs.

Silence
 
Gracious God, the comfort of all who sorrow, the strength of
all who suffer: Let the cry of those in misery and need come
to you, that they may find your mercy present with them in all
their afflictions; and give us, we pray, the strength to serve
them for the sake of him who suffered for us, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Let us pray for all who have not received the Gospel of Christ;

For those who have never heard the word of salvation
For those who have lost their faith
For those hardened by sin or indifference
For the contemptuous and the scornful
For those who are enemies of the cross of Christ and
persecutors of his disciples
For those who in the name of Christ have persecuted others

That God will open their hearts to the truth, and lead them to
faith and obedience.
 
Silence
 
Merciful God, creator of all the peoples of the earth and
lover of souls: Have compassion on all who do not know you
as you are revealed in your Son Jesus Christ; let your Gospel
be preached with grace and power to those who have not
heard it; turn the hearts of those who resist it; and bring
home to your fold those who have gone astray; that there
may be one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us commit ourselves to God, and pray for the grace
of a holy life, that, with all who have departed this world and
have died in the peace of Christ, and those whose faith is
known to God alone, we may be accounted worthy to enter
into the fullness of the joy of our Lord, and receive the crown
of life in the day of resurrection.

Silence

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look
favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred
mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry
out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world
see and know that things which were cast down are being
raised up, and things which had grown old are being made|
new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection
by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Closing prayer

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the
crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and
rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the
coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of
life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Good Friday Blessing

May the abundance of graces connected to the mysteries and ceremonies of Holy Week have strengthened you in the faith and nourished your souls in the love of Our Lord who did not hesitate to be delivered into the hands of His enemies, and to undergo the torment of the Cross. Amen.

Benediction

May Jesus Christ, who for our sake became obedient unto death, even death on a cross, keep you and strengthen you, now and forever.  Amen.