Good Friday, 18 April 2025
Also see Holy Week – a Singing the Faith introduction
The Methodist Church in Britain's Lent theme this year is Soul Food. Worship resources for each week of Lent follow the lectionary readings as below. They include specially selected hymns and songs from Singing the Faith and elsewhere, as well as an opening liturgy, prayer ideas and activities. The theme for Good Friday is 'Soul Support'.
Hymns marked with an asterisk (*) are suggested for more than one reading
Isaiah 52: 13 - 52: 12
A man, despised and laughed to scorn (website only)
*Stay here where nails are driven (StF 282)
The desolate Messiah dies (StF 283)
We turn to God when we are sorely pressed (StF 640)
Psalm 22
Hymns echoing the psalmist's theme
Deep in the darkness a starlight is gleaming (StF 625)
How long, O Lord, will you forget (StF 630)
Why has God forsaken me? (StF 291)
Hebrews 10: 16-25
Come, let us use the grace divine (StF 549)
I’m accepted, I’m forgiven (StF 427)
Jesus is King and I will extol him (StF 327)
Praise to the holiest in the height (StF 334)
Son of God, if your free grace again has raised me up (StF 336)
or
Hebrews 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9
God, how can we forgive (StF 613)
Jesus, you ask that we forgive (website only)
Meekness and majesty, manhood and deity (StF 362)
*When my love for Christ grows weak (StF 289)
John 18: 1 - 19: 42
Come and see, come and see (StF 270)
Here is a death (website only)
O Love divine, what have you done! (StF 278)
O precious sight, my Saviour stands (StF 279)
Pray for the Church, afflicted and oppressed (StF 711)
*Stay here where nails are driven (StF 282)
We do not hope to ease our minds (StF 717)
We'll walk with you (website only)
*When my love for Christ grows weak (StF 289)
Would I have answered when you called (StF 674)
A prayer for humility
What does the Lord require of us?
To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves.
What is love? It looks like Jesus.
Lord, help us to be more patient and kind, remove jealousy, envy, anger and rage from us.
Let us not be boastful in ourselves and our possessions,
but to give away freely what we have freely received.
Love is not self-seeking, but looks after the needy, poor, lonely, and the widows and orphans.
Love looks to forgive those who have hurt us and doesn’t keep a record of wrongdoings. God is love and God’s love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres.
God’s love never ends. Amen.
Karen Jennings, Area Support Chaplain, MHA
A prayer for patience - Alternative Prayer
Let us think for ourselves, O God, independent within our conscience, faithful in our discipleship, devout in our prayers and patient amidst our difficulties.
Pandita Mary Ramabaii, pioneer Indian educator (1858-1922)