St. Stephen's Conducts Seder Meal as part of the Maundy Thursday Service
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On Maundy Thursday "Rabbi Hub" conducted a symbolic version of the Judaic Seder Passover meal for many of the congregation and their friends. The Fellowship Hall was beautifully decorated and set up in an open "U" shape with a very traditional Seder table set under the lighting truss on the stage. At the Seder table sat our Hebrew reading/speaking leaders Diane Adler Paff and Michelle Tschupp who read traditional Hebrew prayers during the course of the meal. After our Hebrew leaders read the prayers Rabbi Hub and guests would read in unison the English translation. |
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All in attendance were awestruck by our "Levites," Jeff Service and Joe Tschupp, who carried a 2/3rd replica of the Ark of the Covenant. This golden masterpiece is a labor of love for Jeff and his wife Leah who have lived and traveled to the Holy Land on several occasions. The replica is made of gold covered Mylar and detailed with the angels on the cover with golden wings pointing skyward. Inside the Ark is the rod and manna bowl and hand-scribed tablets of the original covenant given to Moses. Our deepest thanks to Leah and Jeff Service for sharing their labor of love with our congregation. |
In the Jewish tradition of passing down the prayers we had four young people ask "The Four Questions" that were then answered by the service. Our four young people were Alex Paff, Taylor Tompkins, Joseph Tschupp and Christian Castaneda. Following the four youth readers, we were blessed with scripture reading of the Story of the Egyptian Oppression by Judi Dooge, Jane Bracken, and Pat Belanger. Interspersed throughout the service everyone was treated with the vocal and guitar playing of Pastor Cruz who brought the Seder service to close with what Passover and the celebration of the Lenten season means to Christians in that Jesus brought us new covenant; a covenant that is placed within each of us through the Holy Spirit. The Maundy Thursday service continued in the Church with the stripping of the Altar and silent procession out of the Sanctuary with the dimming of lights. Pastor Cruz led the service with the singing of Amazing Grace. |
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Those who sat through the Seder Meal and the Stripping of the Altar were blessed with a fine spaghetti dinner prepped and cooked by John Kelly and Trenner Tompkins leading the kitchen brigade. New to the volunteer group was Kyle and Zuly Lichtenberg who were recently married at St. Stephen. Soon to be married, Keith Schaffer and Heather Law manned the drink stations. |
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All who attendend are indebted to the 2 dozen volunteers that worked hard to make this evening so memorable. Thank you to all and God Bless! |
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