Good Friday: Tenebrae Service.
This is an unusual reflective service that stems from a medieval liturgy. Tenebrae is Latin for shadows and it is sombre service of communal repentance for the sins that made the crucifixion necessary.
The basic idea is the church or room is lit with candles which are gradually put out as the service procedes until the congregation or group sit in total darkness.
Traditionally this is done with nine readings around the crucifixion and hymns / worship although not happy songs. At the end of each reading another candle is extinguished. The last candle put out represents the darkness that covered the earth when Jesus died (Mark 15:33). I like eight small candles and one large to represent Jesus, the last to be extinguished.
The service ends with a load, hard noise like the slamming of a large book or cymbal crashing. This represents the final cries of Jesus, the earthquake that took place when he died or the shutting of the tomb.
After this people leave in silence with lights dimmed low for saftey with no words of blessing spoken, it is supposed to cause contemplation. It helps recreate the emotional aspects of the Good Friday narrative.
This is a really powerful service and one that has loads of scope for creativity. For young people it helps to give some explanation before they come. It works very well with the joyous Easter Day celebrations that follow.
Personally I have struggled in the past with happy Good Friday services that seemed to miss the mark, not all Christian worship has to be happy and the Tenebrae service captures the awesomeness of what Jesus did on the cross with what feels like the correct response.
