Tenebrae: A Good Friday Reminder

Modeled after an early Christian tradition, this worship service focuses on the pain and suffering Jesus endured leading up to and during His crucifixion. Tenebrae is the Latin word for "shadows" or "darkness," and one of the most dramatic elements of this service is the growing darkness you will experience as we gradually extinguish the candles, which symbolize the life of our Lord. The service will conclude with a loud noise, a reminder of the earthquake that accompanied Jesus’ death and the temple curtain that was torn in two. Through His death, Jesus provided a way for us to enter directly into the presence of God. When the last candle is extinguished and the Sanctuary is quiet, we ask that you leave in silence, meditating upon the sacrifice and sorrow of our Lord.