March 24, 2005
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday is one of my favorite days of the year, and my most-favorite church service (even beating out Christmas Eve).
I have so very many memories of Maundy Thursdays over the past 20 years or so...
One of my favorite memories is the first service we had in the small dome; the dome wasn't even completely built and the wind blew in through the plastic-covered window holes! And, of course, Fred's final service last year was one of the sadder years. The first time (years ago now) that Worth did his solo, and it made one of the readers cry so much she couldn't do her reading.
All the wonderful, wonderful readers. Enjoying their talents and seeing that they put so much thought and care into their readings. Being perfectly confident in "my" readers...knowing that they could handle it. Years of enjoying Lyle as Joseph of Arimathea, Jim as Peter, Roger as Simon of Cyrene, Martha as Mary...
Years of going into a darkened, cool, quiet church during the day and setting up. Sometimes setting up by myself, sometimes sharing the quiet with Ricardo.
Setting up the ironing board in the church and ironing seemingly millions of yards of black tablecloths, banners and robes.
Years of lunches with Fred, writing and re-writing the scripts. We would invariably end up in long discussions about Mary Magdalene and Judas.
The year the candles kept going out and re-lighting while I was setting up. Instead of being freaked out, I remember laughing and thinking there must be some friendly spirit around.
Because - I've said it before and I'll say it again - strange things seem to happen at the Maundy Thursday service.
Right now, part of my work is done. The readers' candles are in position. The crown of thorns - made by John Castor shortly before he died - is out of storage. Fresh communion bread has been purchased. Banners that only see the light of day once a year are up. In another hour the readers will start to show up, and I'll take them through the service and make sure they're confident of the layout. I'll light candles, check the microphones, and rehearse a bit with the choir. And it will be a wonderful evening.
I can't wait.