Maundy Thursday Service

7:30 pm Tenebrae service with communion.

Tenebrae (Latin for 'shadows' or 'darkness') is a Christian religious service celebrated by the Western Church during the last three days of Holy Week. The distinctive ceremony of Tenebrae is the gradual extinguishing of candles while a series of readings and psalms are chanted or recited.

The name Tenebrae is also given to various other Holy Week services held by some Protestant churches including the Lutheran, United Methodist, United Church of Christ and Presbyterian churches.  Protestant versions of Tenebrae service, particularly on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday,^[11] often contain readings from the gospels, which describe the time between the Last Supper and the Passion of Christ.  Another frequent element in Protestant Tenebrae services is the inclusion of the last seven sayings of Jesus, assembled from the various gospel accounts.^[12][13]Some churches have the people who read scripture snuff out candles and/or drape black cloth over church furnishings and ornamentation when they finish their passage to represent the flight of the disciples and the approach of the dark hate of Jesus' enemies and the Passion of Christ.  When the last passage has been read, the church or room is completely dark and recalls the days when Jesus was in the tomb. Participants in the Tenebrae service leave in silence.  When this is the case, someone such as an acolyte often comes forward and relights a single candle to represent the hope of the prophecy of Easter.

Sometimes Protestant Tenebrae services involve the participants receiving Communion. The service may also involve a foot washing ritual.  When this is the case, some churches have the participants come up front and sit at a table in groups of twelve to receive communion or to wash each other's feet.