Passover
Each Holy Week we have a
Passover service, which incorporates a 3 course dinner. We have a
form of service which has a similar form to the Jewish service but
which incorporates the words which Jesus said as He shared the bread
and the wine. During the service we remember the Exodus, eating
bitter herbs (watercress for us) dipped in salty water for the bitter
tears of slavery, unleavened bread (Matzos) eaten with haroset
(chopped nuts, grated apple and a little wine) and we have a few
hymns. We drink all the toasts.
Then dinner is served. If we
could we would have a roast lamb dinner but with the numbers we have
and the tiny church kitchen it's not possible, so we do what we do
for Burn's Night and use the slow cookers. These are plugged in
during the afternoon so the casserole is good and hot. We have a
bread bun for everyone, casserole (veggie alternative if needed)
gateau or trifle or fruit pie and cream for dessert, cheese and
biscuits, tea and coffee.
Then before anyone gets up to go
home we finish the Passover with a final toast, prayers and a last
hymn.
It's a lovely service which
helps us to follow in Jesus's footsteps during that last week before
His death. Most people then go to the Maundy Thursday service and
vigil, the Good Friday noon vigil and the Easter Eve service. By
Easter Sunday we have walked with Christ, as near as we are able, and
Easter comes alive again.
Organising
it
We
have a version of a bring and share meal....I work out what we need
and then tell everyone what they need to bring. So there's no money
to collect and we can accommodate last minute extras. I ask Mums to
make the casseroles... they know what their family likes, single folk
bring wine, some bring the cheese and biscuits, some bring
desserts....one of our Polish Mums makes spectacular tray bakes so
that's what I ask her to bring.
I
get a small team to help set up the day before; this year it will be
after Tuesday afternoon's Messy Church. We lay the tables, use place
cards and generally make it look inviting. People arrive a little
early to find their places.
One
of the Polish girls said how nice it is to have a meal together and
get to know one another. They don't do that in her church (not sure
if she means in Poland or here in the UK) It's a really good way to
draw new folk into the congregation. This year I'm expecting 40 but
it could change as there's a nasty bug going around!
Images from Bitsela
Tuesday
My husband realises there won't be enough service booklets. Numbers have risen to 44 after Messy Church.
After Messy Church we get the tables set up and laid with place settings. We really need to get more side plates...some have to use brightly coloured paper side plates. Still it looks very jolly. D puts all the church candlesticks on the tables. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone and that I've seated everyone with the folk they want to sit with.
At home I make a list of all the bits and pieces I need to take over tomorrow and then I count the slow cookers to make sure we'll have enough.
Wednesday 12 noon
There's snow on the ground though it's thawing fairly quickly.
The phone rings, it's one of the folk coming tonight and she says she's snowed in! Since she's cooking the main course for her family of 8 she's not sure what to do and neither am I. She doesn't really live very far out. I try ringing her daughter and leave a message. We can cope with a couple extra but if 8 of her family come without their share of food then there'll be a problem.
2.30pm I head over to church to plug in the slow cookers, turn on the heating and check over the tables.
2.45pm D arrives with R out keyboard player to set up for tonight.
3pm Home for a while.
5pm Nip over to stir casseroles and turn down as needed.
6pm Back to church to finish setting up....putting out haroset, matzos, salty water, watercress.
6.15pm Folk start arriving and I am busy sorting out plates for desserts, cheese boards and putting out the bread buns. The family of 8 arrives, minus the 2 girls who apparently have gone to town and not come back yet! We open lots of wine.
6.40pm I text the late comers and they soon arrive.
Looking down the tables I see we have Roman Catholics, Polish families, a charismatic (in the church sense) Frenchman, people from Lancashire and the Yorkshire folk. Quite a mix.
6.45pm Passover begins with hymns and prayers very similar to those Jesus would have used.
7.10pm We eat dinner.
8.10pm Dinner being over we finish the Passover with more prayers, toasts and hymns.
8.30pm The big clear up begins....church needs to be put back to Sunday format for the Maundy Thursday services tomorrow.
The dirty pots and glasses go to the Vicarage to be washed in the Vicarage dishwasher. We stagger off home.
