the power of touch
Good Friday • April 2, 2021 • 12 PM
ENVISIONING THE PASSION
Introduction
Click here if you'd like to get a behind-the-scenes tour of some of the images that will be featured in today's "Envisioning the Passion" service. In this introductory video the program's artistic coordinator, Lucy Durkin, shares some of the images and highlights some of the remarkable features of the inspiring artworks she has chosen.
Welcome to Asbury First United Methodist Church as we experience the Word by joining scripture, music and art. Of all the senses, we have been the most deprived of touch in this past year. We shy away from hugging friends and neighbors, and stay separated from vulnerable family members we do not want to put at risk. Too many people have lost loved ones without being able to be with them and to hold their hands or give them a goodbye kiss. We’ll never forget these images and memories. It hurts, with an almost visceral pain, as if we actually have been kicked. Consider, though, how Christ touched the people around him, and how they responded. The first reading of excerpts from the gospels shows how Jesus offered healing of both the body and the soul to anyone who was willing to hear and have faith whether he physically touched them or not. The familiar Passion narrative which follows shows how people responded to his astounding ideas with rejection, anger, and fear. The healing touch of life he extended was returned as mockery, beating, and ultimately, death. Jesus’ death is part of a second full circle as well. Joyous nativity scenes show the Christ child sheltered in the gentle Virgin's arms. At the end his life he was returned to those arms, although this time unable to feel her loving caress. Is there an image more poignant than that of Mary, cradling the body of her crucified son, needing one last moment of physical contact before closing the door to his tomb? Yet those darkest moments did lead to new light, and new life, as we pray they will, not only for us, but for all others around the world. — Lucy Winters Durkin, Artistic Coordinator
COVER IMAGE: Clarence Holbrook Carter: The Ninth Hour, 1978, serigraph
Click here for the Artwork Supplement that provides images and descriptions of all the works featured in "Envisioning the Passion."
Prelude
“What Wondrous Love Is This” — American folk hymn, arr. Gail Ann Wasson
Hymn
#289 "Ah, Holy Jesus", vv. 1, 2, 5 Words: Johann Heermann, 1630; trans. Robert Bridges, 1899; Tune: Herzliebster Jesu, Johan Cruger, 1640
Opening Prayer
12 pm • April 2, 2021
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Good Friday Envisioning the Passion
Images are listed by artist name, title, year of creation, medium, and current location, if known. For more details and thumbnails of the images, click here to view the Artwork Supplement.
Lesson One How Jesus Touched us
Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26 Gabriel Ritter von Max: Christ Healing the Daughter of Jairus, 1878, Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal Matthew 9: 20-22 unknown Byzantine: Christ Healing the Woman with Hemorrhages, 6th century, Sant’Apollinaire Nuovo, Ravenna Matthew 8:1-3 unknown German: Jesus Healing a Leper, c. 1050, Royal Library, Brussels Luke 4:40 Rembrandt: Christ Among the Sick (The "Hundred Guilder Print"), 1647-49, etching John 9:1-7 Duccio: Healing of the Man Born Blind at Siloam, 1307-08, National Gallery, London Matthew 20:29-34 Nicholas Poussin: Christ Healing the Blind at Jericho, 16150, Louvre, Paris Matthew 17:14-20 John Reilly: Healing of the Lunatic Boy, 1958, Methodist Modern Art Collection, London*
Choral Music
"Fragrant the Prayer" — Curt Oliver (1943-2018); anonymous Irish text, tr. Alice Furlong Fragrant the prayer, Breath of rose in the air! Fragrant the prayer My child taught me! The Son of Mary bought me, the Son of Mary craved me, the Son of Mary saved me. In grey of morn Christ was forlorn! In grey of morn the birds call kindly! Be not my eyes shut blindly! The Son of Mary wept me, the Son of Mary kept me. O Countenance like the Ember, bid me remember the Lamb of God sore taken, the Lamb of God forsaken, the Lamb of God under clay, three days till Resurrection Day! Fragrant the prayer, Breath of rose in the air! Fragrant the prayer My child taught me: bid me remember!
* all images marked with an asterisk are © TMCP, used with permission. www.methodist.org.uk/artcollection, The Methodist Church in England.
Henry Ossawa Tanner: Christ and His Mother Studying Scriptures, c. 1909, Dallas Museum of Art Adriaen Isenbrandt: Christ Crowned with Thorns & the Mourning Virgin, c. 1530-40, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Arnulf Rainer: Head of Christ, 1980, Städel Museum, Frankfurt Mark Cazalet: Fool of God (Christ in the Garden), 1993, Methodist Modern Art Collection, London* Richard Bavin: The Empty Tomb, 2013, Methodist Modern Art Collection, London* Francisco Zurbarán: Christ & the Virgin in the House at Nazareth, c. 1640, Cleveland Museum of Art
Lesson Two The Betrayal of Jesus
Luke 22:47-51 Giotto: The Betrayal of Christ by Judas, c. 1305, Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel, Padua
"Psalm 54" — Anglican Chant, Henry Walford Davies (1869-1941) Save me, O God, by your name, in your might defend my cause. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For the arrogant have risen up against me, and the ruthless seek my life; those who have no regard for God. Behold, God is my helper; it is the Lord who sustains my life Render evil to those who spy on me; In your faithfulness, destroy them. I will offer you a freewill sacrifice; and praise your name, O LORD, for it is good. For you have rescued me from every trouble and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes. Natalia Volobueva: Agony in the Garden, c. 2015, private collection Andrea Mantegna: Man of Sorrows, c. 1500, Courtauld Institute, London Anton Wierex the Younger: The Christ Child Places the Instruments of the Passion in the Believer’s Heart, c. 1600, engraving Emil Frei Company: Head of Christ, c. 1955, Central Presbyterian Church, Clayton, MO
Lesson Three The Denial of Peter
Mark 14:66-72 Marija Stojic: Denial of Peter, 2015, private collection Kathrin Burleson: Soul's Journey, Station 3 - Denial, 2015, Christ Church, Eureka, CA
#290 "Go to Dark Gesthemane", vv. 1-3 Words: James Montgomery, 1820; Tune: Redhead 76, Richard Redhead, 1853 Words for the hymn will be displayed. Giovanni Bellini: Agony in the Garden, c. 1465, National Gallery, London Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford: Agony in the Garden, c. 1875, British Museum, London Oluwaseyi Alade: Behold the Man, the Christ, 2015, ink drawing, private collection Ray deMaistre: Crucifixion, 1942, private collection
Lesson Four Christ before Pilate
Mark 15:1-15 Andrey Mironov: Ecce Homo, 2013, private collection Honoré Daumier: Ecce Homo, c. 1851, Museum Folkwang, Essen
Instrumental Music Brian Donat, Cello Duane Prill, Piano
"Prayer" (from Jewish Life) — Ernest Bloch Georges Rouault: Christ Scourged and Mocked, 1932, Museum of Modern Art, New York unknown French: Mocking of Christ, 15th century, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Johan Thorn Prikker: Christ with Instruments of the Passion, 1922, Boijmans van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam unknown English: Buffeting of Christ from the Vaux Passional, 1503-04, National Library of Wales, Aberwstwyth Matthias Grünewald: Mocking of Christ, 1503, Alte Pinakothek, Munich Juan de Flandres: Christ Crowned with Thorns, c. 1505, Detroit Institute of Art Alfred Manessier: Crown of Thorns, 1950, Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris Peter Rogers: Mocking of Christ, 1961, Methodist Modern Art Collection, London* Otto Lange: Mocking of Christ, 1919, woodcut, multiple locations Luis de Morales: Man of Sorrows, 1560, Minneapolis Institute of Art unknown Lithuanian: Pensive Christ, late 18th century, Lithuanian Art Fund, Vilnius unknown Polish: Man of Sorrows with the Instruments of the Passion, 1443, National Museum, Warsaw unknown English: Angel with the Instruments of the Passion, c. 1400, Church of St. Nicholas, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England Jan Sluitjers: Head of Christ, 1923, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo
Lesson Five Jesus Is Mocked and Beaten
Matthew 27:27-31 Hendrik ter Bruggen: Christ Crowned with Thorns, 1620, Statens Museum, Copenhagen
"Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?" — Nick Strimple (b. 1946); words by Isaac Watts Alas! and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for sinners such as I? Was it for sins that I have done, He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! Grace unknown! And love beyond degree! Well might the sun in darkness hide, and shut his glories in, when Christ, the mighty maker, died for man the creature’s sin. Thus might I hide my blushing face while His dear cross appears; dissolve my heart in thankfulness, and melt mine eyes to tears. But drops of grief can ne’er replay the debt of love I owe: here Lord, I give myself away—‘tis all that I can do. Ben Falconer: Calvary 2008, 2008, private collection Salvador Dali: Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus), 1954, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Simon Bening: The Great Darkness, c. 1525-30, Getty Collection, Los Angeles Clarence Holbrook Carter: The Ninth Hour, 1978, serigraph Rogier van der Weyden: Crucifixion with the Virgin & St. John the Evangelist, c. 1460, Philadelphia Museum of Art Malcha Zeldis: Pietà, 1973, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. unknown artist: Christ Crucified, c. 1820, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC
Lesson Six The Crucifixion
Luke 23:32-43 Master of the Aachen Altarpiece: The Crucifixion, c. 1490-95, National Gallery, London Nikolai Ge: Crucifixion, 1892, Musée d’Orsay, Paris
"He Never Said a Mumbalin' Word" — Traditional spiritual, arr. Victor C. Johnson (b. 1978) They crucified my Lord, an’ he never said a mumbalin’ word, not a word. They nailed him to the tree, an’ he never said a mumbalin’ word, not a word. They pierced him in the side, an’ he never said a mumbalin’ word, not a word. He bowed his head and died, an’ he never said a mumbalin’ word, not a word. He never said a word. Elijah Pierce: Christ Carrying the Cross, c. 1972, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington William Edmondson: Crucifixion, 1932-37, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC Ulysses Davis: Jesus on the Cross, 1946, High Museum of Art, Atlanta Horace Pippin: Crucifixion, 1943, private collection Harriet Powers: Crucifixion from the Bible Quilt, c. 1886, National Museum of American History (Smithsonian), Washington, DC Romare Bearden: Crucifixion, 1946, Bearden Foundation, New York David Driskill: Behold Thy Mother, 1956, Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture, Washington, DC
Lesson Seven The Entombment
Matthew: 27:57-60 Emil Nolde: Entombment, 1915, Neukirchen, Seebüll
#288 “Were You There” Words: African-American Spiritual; Tune: Were You There, African-American Spiritual Words for the hymn will be displayed. Abraham Rattner: Among Those Who Stood There, c. 1944, mixed media print Jan Brueghel the Elder: Calvary, 1598, Alte Pinakothek, Munich (oil on copper) Stephen Greene: The Mourners, c. 1946, private collection James Tissot: The First Nail, 1886-94, Brooklyn Museum of Art Ben Denison: Stations of the Cross #10 – Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross, early 1960s, St. Isaac Jogues Church, Niles, IL Peter Paul Rubens: Crucifixion (The Coup de Lance), 1631, British Museum, London Maurice Denis: The Coup de Lance, 1903, private collection Pesellino: Crucifixion with Satins Jerome and Francis, 1445-50, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC David Jones: Sanctus Christus de Capel-y-ffin (Holy Christ of the Chapel on the Border), 1925, Tate Gallery, London William Blake: The Body of Christ Borne to the Tomb, 1799-1800, Tate Gallery, London Graham Sutherland: The Entombment, 1947, Methodist Modern Art Collection, London*
Closing Prayer
Benediction
Participants In the Service
Readers: Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, Rev. Jackie Nelson, Rev. Kathy Thiel, Mike Mullin Art Director: Lucy Durkin Organist: Duane Prill Cello: Brian Donat Soloists: Bess Phillips, Brenda Nitsch, Dan McInerney, Jordan Bachmann Director of Music Ministry: Dr. Carl Johengen Audio Operator: Rick Church Video Operator: Kenny Bailey Graphics Operators: Jake Schwartz, Lucy Durkin Technology Support Team: Deb Bullock-Smith, Carolyn Curran, Ted Skomsky Technical Consultant: Justin Ocello
Permissions: "Fragrant the Prayer" © 1998, Paraclete Press; "Alas! and Did My Saviour Bleed" © 1979 Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp.; "He Never Said a Mumbalin' Word" © 2011, 2014 Lorenz Publishing Company; Hymns © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House; OneLicense.net #A-721053. Illustration Credits: Designed by Sarah Brubaker and Freepik, and Sarah Brubaker and Vecteezy.
PEOPLE HAVE Watched TOGETHER Over the last year!
United Kingdom - 37 belgium - 16 finland - 16 france - 14 netherlands - 14 Germany - 13 austria - 9 hungary - 6 sweden - 1 estonia - 1 ireland - 1 switzerland - 1
20-100
south america
May 2020
9
FROM MARCH 2020–2021, A GRAND TOTAL OF
500
States Reached INCLUDING New York
Countries reached Globally including the United states
100-200
0
North america
2,000
Easter 2020
38,315
2020-21 Unique Devices Watching
peru - 1 ecuador - 1
ghana - 1
Unique devices watched live on Sundays
1
March 2020
32
We are connected more than we think! Here are some numbers and graphics showing the growth of our live-stream audience and our greater community from March 2020 to March 2021. We are truly Better Together!
Sept 2020
Give Online at www.asburyfirst.org/GIVE, text to give at 206-222-1050, OR MAIL IN YOUR CHECKS TO 1050 EAST AVENUE, ROCHESTER, NY 14607
200-600
78,250
July 2020
2-20
1000
United states - 8,577 Canada - 66 mexico - 2 barbados - 2 puerto rico - 1 jamaica - 1
March 2021
12
Christmas Eve 2021
2,500
cumulative number of viewers
japan - 26 south korea - 23 singapore - 22 hong kong - 17 india - 14 russia - 3 taiwan - 1 turkey - 1 bangladesh - 1
*2 Services
*5 Services
WHICH MEANS Cumulatively about
2019-20 In Person
Nov 2020
Asia
ALL 50
Jan 2021
2
europe
(not set) - 15
6
#asburyfirstathome
3,000+
Easter 2019
comparison of Weekly attendance
1,500
africa
Christmas Eve 2020