Maundy Thursday Sleepover 2017
Maundy Thursday evening this year, a group of young people from different parishes in the diocese gathered with their youth ministers at the Cathedral. Together with the wider community they participated in the Maundy Thursday service, but afterwards, once the altar was stripped and washed and everything was put away, they stayed behind.
Judy Steers, interim youth and family minister at Christ Church Cathedral, framed what this meant before opening the prayer stations in the worship space. She explained that, “the rest of the congregation has left this space, but through the service we all just experienced, they have made it holy; though they have emptied it of all decoration in preparation for Good Friday, their prayers still linger here with the smell of incense and extinguished candles. Now the youth of the Diocese have been charged with keeping watch here, dwelling in and holding the sacredness of this place of worship until tomorrow.”
In keeping with the spirit of this watch, participants were invited to observe a voluntary technology fast during the sleepover. The prayer stations in the sanctuary stayed open all night for those who wanted to pray at any time and these young members of our diocesan community kept watch with Christ until Good Friday.
IMAGE
- Judy Steers explains the prayer stations to the young people
- Anna washes Jacob's feet
PHOTO: Caitlin Reilley Beck