29/03/2026
๐ฏ๏ธ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐?
This Good Friday at 7:45pm (for about 45 mins), weโre holding a Tenebrae Service โ a quiet, reflective experience that helps us feel the weight of Good Friday. Tenebrae is the Latin word for 'darkness' and it's a type of service that the church has been practising for at least five centuries.
๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ. So please read the below carefully so you know what to expect:
Unlike our usual services, this one is ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ.
๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐ง๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐จ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ .
Instead, we sit in silence and listen as the story of Jesusโ suffering and death, from the disciples perspective, is slowly read aloud. As the story unfolds, the room will grow darker and darker with candles being extinguished, until we finish in complete darkness (lights in the corridors will still be on).
Itโs a space for personal reflection, stillness, and prayer in our hearts.
We will arrive and leave in silence, carrying with us the heaviness the disciples would have felt that night. Let that weight sit with you until Resurrection Morning.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ:
- A quiet, reflective space
- A chance to experience the darkness of Good Friday
- An invitation to pray silently and listen deeply
- A time to leave in silence and reverence
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐งโ๐ญ:
- Itโs not a service for chatting or catching up (wait until you are outside after the service to talk)
- Itโs not interactive or joyful
- Itโs not child-friendly (see why that's the case below)
- Itโs not a time for fellowship or conversation
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐: ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง. Silence and stillness are essential. The narration includes graphic descriptions of Jesusโ suffering, including the whipping and crucifixion.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐?
Weโre doing this because Good Friday should feel weighty. This service helps us enter into the sorrow of the cross and reflect deeply on what Jesus endured for us. Itโs not meant to feel
