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Good Friday
at St Martin’s

12:00 – 3:00pm

The First Hour – a service for All Ages

The Second Hour - Meditations on the Cross
The Third Hour – Addresses on the Last Words from
the Cross

Good Friday takes us to the foot of the Cross where Christ

holds the suffering world in the embrace of God’s love.
You will see that the church is bare and unadorned.

This is a long service and you may choose to engage with

all or part or parts of it. You are welcome to come in or
leave at any time.

The Service will end leave without ceremony and in

silence and you are welcome to leave when you are
ready.
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The First Hour – for All Ages
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The Second Hour - Poems and Meditations on the Cross
Malcolm Guite - XIII Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross
His spirit and his life he breathes in all
Now on this cross his body breathes no more
Here at the centre everything is still
Spent, and emptied, opened to the core.
A quiet taking down, a prising loose
A cross-beam lowered like a weighing scale
Unmaking of each thing that had its use
A long withdrawing of each bloodied nail,
This is ground zero, emptiness and space
With nothing left to say or think or do
But look unflinching on the sacred face
That cannot move or change or look at you.
Yet in that prising loose and letting be
He has unfastened you and set you free.

Malcolm Guite - XIV Jesus is laid in the tomb

Here at the centre everything is still
Before the stir and movement of our grief
Which bears it’s pain with rhythm, ritual,
Beautiful useless gestures of relief.
So they anoint the skin that cannot feel
Soothing his ruined flesh with tender care,
Kissing the wounds they know they cannot heal,
With incense scenting only empty air.
He blesses every love that weeps and grieves
And makes our grief the pangs of a new birth.
The love that’s poured in silence at old graves
Renewing flowers, tending the bare earth,
Is never lost. In him all love is found
And sown with him, a seed in the rich ground.
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Godfrey Rust - accomplices
father forgive them, they didn't know what I was doing
when I slipped into humanity disguised
my light shone in a darkness they could not comprehend
forgive them all
my dear, dull accomplices
they don't know the cost of an immortal’s suicide
they tried to keep us from this meeting here
forgive the crowd
who made the necessary choice of Barabbas
forgive Pilate’s wife
whose conscience nearly ruined everything
forgive Judas
his kiss of death
father forgive them
they don't know what we are doing
forgive them
they didn't know what they were building
we were architects
and these rough beams were cut to meet our most exacting standards
forgive them
they don't know what will be executed here
how could they understand
these hammer blows would be the final acts of our first creation
like workmen at the launch of some great enterprise of state
they come to watch
the ceremony of our fierce ambition
and as they hoist me up to you
before this brutal act of love
extinguishes my mortal life completely
father forgive them
they don't know what they're doing
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Godfrey Rust - legacy
I have travelled light
so that the leaving should be easier.
What I bequeath is left according to your will
and this new testament. I leave a church
to be built on a broken rock. I leave
nothing written down. I heard my words
blown freely on the winds of Galilee
to seed the hearts of men. I leave no money,
debts or property, no house for shrine,
no artefact for relic. I leave just
the remnants of a meal. My cloak
is cast aside and gambled for. I leave
no tomb to raid, no corpse to disinter
no fingerprints, no blood, no DNA.
I could have gained the world,
but nothing now stands between us
but this one last legacy: because
it is written, because
it holds the only power with which
the trap of human death will be unsprung
and because until I give it up to you
it cannot be returned to anyone
father into your hands
I commit my spirit.
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From “The Everlasting Mercy” - John Masefield
O Christ who holds the open gate,
O Christ who drives the furrow straight,
O Christ, the plough, O Christ, the laughter
Of holy white birds flying after,
Lo, all my heart’s field red and torn,
And Thou wilt bring the young green corn
The young green corn divinely springing,
The young green corn forever singing;
And when the field is fresh and fair
Thy blessèd feet shall glitter there,
And we will walk the weeded field,
And tell the golden harvest’s yield,
The corn that makes the holy bread
By which the soul of man is fed,
The holy bread, the food unpriced,
Thy everlasting mercy, Christ.

Good Friday - Christina Rossetti

Am I a stone, and not a sheep,
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy blood’s slow loss, And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the Sun and Moon Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon –
I, only I. Yet give not o’er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.
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From “The Dream of the Rood”
Anglo-Saxon, 8th century, trans. Richard Hammer (1970)
The earliest Christian poem in English
The Rood (cross of Christ) speaks:
“It was long past – I still remember it –
That I was cut down at the copse’s end,
Moved from my root. Strong enemies there took me,
Told me to hold aloft their criminals,
Made me a spectacle. Men carried me
Upon their shoulders, set me on a hill,
A host of enemies there fastened me.
“And then I saw the Lord of all mankind
Hasten with eager zeal that He might mount
Upon me. I durst not against God’s word
Bend down or break, when I saw tremble all
The surface of the earth. Although I might
Have struck down all the foes, yet stood I fast.
“Then the young hero (who was God almighty)
Got ready, resolute and strong in heart.
He climbed onto the lofty gallows-tree,
Bold in the sight of many watching men,
When He intended to redeem mankind.
I trembled as the warrior embraced me.
But still I dared not bend down to the earth,
Fall to the ground. Upright I had to stand.
“A rood I was raised up; and I held high
The noble King, the Lord of heaven above.
I dared not stoop. They pierced me with dark nails;
The scars can still be clearly seen on me,
The open wounds of malice. Yet might I
Not harm them. They reviled us both together.
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I was made wet all over with the blood
Which poured out from his side, after He had
Sent forth His spirit. And I underwent
Full many a dire experience on that hill.
I saw the God of hosts stretched grimly out.
Darkness covered the Ruler’s corpse with clouds
His shining beauty; shadows passed across,
Black in the darkness. All creation wept,
Bewailed the King’s death; Christ was on the cross….
“Now you may understand, dear warrior,
That I have suffered deeds of wicked men
And grievous sorrows. Now the time has come
That far and wide on earth men honor me,
And all this great and glorious creation,
And to this beacon offers prayers. On me
The Son of God once suffered; therefore now
I tower mighty underneath the heavens,
And I may heal all those in awe of me.
Once I became the cruelest of tortures,
Most hateful to all nations, till the time
I opened the right way of life for men.”
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The Last Hour

The service starts with a period of silent prayer

The Collect

Eternal God, in the cross of Jesus we see the cost of our sin
and the depth of your love:
in humble hope and fear may we place at his feet
all that we have and all that we are,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Cross

The cross of Christ.
The cross on which the Saviour of the world was hung.
We adore you, O Christ,
and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Christ was manifested in the body, vindicated in the spirit,

seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations,
believed in throughout the world, glorified in high heaven.

We adore you, O Christ,

and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
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The Prayers of Intercession
God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Therefore we pray to our heavenly Father
for people everywhere according to their needs.

Let us pray for the Church of God throughout the world:

for unity in faith, in witness and in service,
for bishops and other ministers, and those whom they serve,
for Richard, our bishop, and the people of this diocese,
for all Christians in this place, for those to be baptized,
for those who are mocked and persecuted for their faith,
that God will confirm his Church in faith,
increase it in love, and preserve it in peace.

Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the
Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for
all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let us pray for the nations of the world and their leaders: for Elizabeth
our Queen and the Parliaments of this land, for those who administer
the law and all who serve in public office, for all who strive for justice
and reconciliation, that by God’s help the world may live in peace and
freedom.

Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
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Most gracious God and Father, in whose will is our peace,
turn our hearts and the hearts of all to yourself, that by the power of
your Spirit the peace which is founded on justice may be established
throughout the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray for God’s ancient people, the Jews, the first to hear his
word: for greater understanding between Christian and Jew, for the
removal of our blindness and bitterness of heart, that God will grant us
grace to be faithful to his covenant and to grow in the love of his name.

Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God of Abraham, bless all the children of your covenant; take
from us all blindness and bitterness of heart, and hasten the coming of
your kingdom, when we shall dwell together in mutual love and peace
under the one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let us pray for those who do not believe the gospel of Christ:
for those who have not heard the message of salvation, for all who
have lost faith, for the contemptuous and scornful, for those who are
enemies of Christ and persecute those who follow him, for all who deny
the faith of Christ crucified, that God will open their hearts to the truth
and lead them to faith and obedience.

Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Merciful God, creator of all the people of the earth, have compassion
on all who do not know you, and by the preaching of your gospel with
grace and power, gather them into the one fold of the one Shepherd;
Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Let us pray for all those who suffer: for those who are deprived and
oppressed, for all who are sick, for those in darkness, in doubt and in
despair, in loneliness and in fear, for prisoners, captives and refugees,
for the victims of false accusations and violence,
for all at the point of death and those who watch beside them, that God
in his mercy will sustain them with the knowledge of his love.

Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Almighty and everlasting God, the comfort of the sad, the strength of
those who suffer: hear the prayers of your children who cry out of any
trouble, and to every distressed soul grant mercy, relief and
refreshment, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us commend ourselves and all God’s children to his unfailing love,
and pray for the grace of a holy life, that, with all who have died in the
peace of Christ, we may come to the fullness of eternal life and the joy
of the resurrection.

Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light, look favourably on

your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery,
and by the tranquil operation of your perpetual providence carry out the
work of our salvation: and let the whole world feel and see that things
which were cast down are being raised up and things which had grown
old are being made new and that all things are returning to perfection
through him from whom they took their origin, even Jesus Christ our
Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

Meditations on the Last Words from the Cross:

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23.34) -
Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23.43)

Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother (John 19.26-27) -
My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27.46/Mark 15.34)

I thirst (John 19.28) -

It is finished (John 19.30) -
Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23.46)
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The Conclusion

Most merciful God,

who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Gospel of the Burial of Christ (John 19.38-42)

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus,
though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let
him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he
came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to
Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes,
weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and
wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial
custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he
was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one
had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of
Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.