Seder and Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday

Review

This year, the Seder evening and Maundy Thursday fell almost on the same day. For us at Tor nach Zion, this was one more reason to plan this evening together with Albrecht Schödl, pastor of the Andreas congregation. At a preliminary meeting, we soon agreed to try something new. We wanted to combine the Seder liturgy with the Gospel of Luke.

On Maundy Thursday afternoon, we met to decorate and set the table in the parish hall of the Andreasgemeinde. In the end, about 80 people joined us that evening to celebrate.

Peter and Britta Slowik led us in worship. We lit the menorah, and after greetings and prayer, I spoke about the Last Supper that Jesus and his disciples celebrated together. The basis was the account of the Evangelist Luke. I took the liberty of telling the story from Peter’s perspective. What might he have thought and felt? In doing so, I wove in some of the Seder elements such as bitter herbs, charoset, and eggs. At the end of the narrative, our pastor picked up the thread and led us into the Lord’s Supper. Afterward, there was time to eat and talk together. Everyone had brought something for the buffet again, and the tables were “sagging” under the weight. We concluded this time with the great “Hallel,” the song of praise. Not by singing psalms, but by having another time of worship together. After intercession and a blessing, we ended the lovely evening. Many hands pitched in to clean up, and so we were done in no time. Thanks again to all the helpers!!! Thanks also to Pastor Albrecht Schödl for the great collaboration. Above all, thanks to Jesus, who became the true Lamb of God for us.

Kerstin Kluge