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The Value of a Tenebrae service for getting the most out of Easter · Centrally Speaking

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Centrally speaking, is the Central Schwenfelder Church's podcast.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: It speaks about issues that would be of interest to our society.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: In particular, it addresses how a Christian worldview intersects with Western secular culture.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: In the spirit of the church's founder, we take the perspective of the middle way, which is in agreement with the historic Christian church.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Dr.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_02: Drake Williams, Minister of Mission and Theology of the Church.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_02: Our website is www.cscfamily.org.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_03: A place where the church intersects with society is with Holy Week, which culminates with Easter.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_03: And like many churches, Central Schwankfelder, we do offer a number of services during this week to draw attention to the person of Jesus Christ and what he did here on earth.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_03: One of the services that we hold during Holy Week is a tenebrace service.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_03: And we're pleased today to be able to have Reverend Dr.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_03: David McKinley, who has been senior minister here at Central Schweinfelder Church for now 20 years and has served in the ministry here at Central for 24 years and 31 years in the ministry overall.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_03: So David is well familiar with this service, and we look forward to asking you a few questions, David.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_03: So thank you for joining us on Centrally Speaking.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's a pleasure to be here, Drake.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_03: Let's talk about a tenebreary service.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: What is it?
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: That's a great question.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: It's unlike any other service throughout the year, and it is a service that takes place either later in the evening, certainly after sundown, or very early in the morning.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: And it's a service that centers on the passion of Christ.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: So the events leading up to the crucifixion and through the crucifixion.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: So his upper room discourse, then his betrayal, and then the trials, and then eventually the crucifixion.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: And it's the somber portion of Holy Week.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_03: And when is this service usually held on the calendar?
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_03: I guess so the church calendar in this case?
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: So when you consider Holy Week, it starts with Palm Sunday.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: And then historically the Tenebrae service usually takes place on Holy Wednesday or Monday Thursday, which is uh Holy Thursday, or it can take place on Good Friday, any of those three times, but it is oftentimes coupled with communion, serving the Lord's Supper, and it brings the congregation together to consider Jesus' passion.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: We have it at Central on Monday Thursday, and you wonder, well, what does Monday mean?
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: It's from the Latin mandatum that means commandment or mandate, and it centers around Jesus' commandment to the disciples, a new commandment I give to you to love one another from John 13.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: So that's why we consider Holy Thursday to be Monday Thursday.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: And the tenebre service is an ideal time to be practiced then.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_03: I wonder if you could talk about your very first attendance at a tenebre service.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_03: Some people have never seen these before.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_03: What was your first impression when you experienced a tenebree service and when was it?
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: Well, my first tenebree service was in 1995, and I was a uh seminary student.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: It would have been in an episcopal church in Newberryport, Massachusetts.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: And we had friends that invited us.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: I came from a low church background, and uh they were taking us to this more liturgical episcopal church, and I didn't know what I was in for, but it was late at night, after dark.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: There was uh all the lights in the church were off except those on the chancel, and there was a series of readings and spotlights on artwork that depicted Jesus' passion.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: I thought it was moving.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: I thought it also was a bit of a shock to my system because uh I'd never experienced anything like that before.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: But I also left thinking this was right to do.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: We, as Christians, especially Protestants, we focus a lot on the resurrection, and that's fine, but we also need to balance out our experience with thinking about the pain and the agony that Jesus went through on our behalf.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I think the tenebrae does that.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_03: Let's talk about some of the ancient origins of the tenebree service.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, I know you experienced your first one in 1995, but it's hardly a new service.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_03: It goes back quite a way.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_03: How far back does this service go?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: Great question, Drake.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: So some records say that it goes back to the eighth century, but everybody agrees that it goes at least back to the 12th century.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: As I said before, it is a service that is celebrated either on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday of Holy Week.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_01: I think Christians of medieval times, because most of the population was illiterate, they needed something that was experience-based.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: And so bringing the congregation together, they hear the readings, they experience maybe music interspersed with the readings, and they are brought to mind of all that Jesus went through on our behalf, his sacrifice.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: So several hundred years old, we can safely say, but uh at least back to the 12th century.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_03: So this makes it about uh 900 years uh to twelve hundred years uh old, a very long time for Christians to be uh worshiping in in this way on the holy week.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_03: Definitely.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_03: Let's talk about the meaning of the word tenebrae.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: Tell us what it means.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: It means shadows, and so that's where we get the idea of dimming the lights, using candlelight, because of course we're talking about Jesus as the light of the world being taken out of the world, and so the tenebrae means a service of shadows.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's a service also that might very well depict going from light to darkness.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: So you might start off the service with all the lights on in the sanctuary, but as the readings progress, the lights are dimmed.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: And then what is also significant is at the end, one of the ministers carries the lone light out, the lone candle out of the sanctuary, depicting the light of the world going out into the world.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_01: All of the candles are extinguished right before the end of the service, and then the Christ candle is lit once again, and the light of the world is going out into the world.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: It's very moving, a very moving experience.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_03: So the service goes from light to darkness, and then there are other elements that are evolved uh with the service too.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_03: Could you share with us what else takes place as this service becomes more dark?
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a series of candles up on the chancel, usually seven.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: Some churches have thirteen, but usually seven candles, and the Christ candle is in the middle.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: So several small candles on either side of the Christ candle.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: And as each reading takes place, a candle is snuffed out.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: And as a candle is snuffed out, then the house lights come down to a degree, and this is staged throughout the service.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: And as the readings take place, in between the readings are hymns that are sung or solos that are given, instrumentals, but the spoken word couples with music that's moving, and it is just a unique experience, unlike any other service that we have.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: And then at the very end, there is a very unusual piece called the Strepidus.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: So after all of the candles are snuffed out, then the strepidus occurs, and that's when the organist lays on the keys of the organ, or he or she plays a very rough, angry type of selection that depicts the stone being rolled in front of the grave and Jesus is dead.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_01: Again, very moving experience.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_03: I remember uh being in a tenebrae service where uh the organist uh laid on the keys uh, as you're saying, and then a few choir members uh took a sudden jump as a result.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_03: This I know also happens in silence.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_03: It's arresting to uh point out the harshness of Jesus' death and the closing of the tomb.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: Very much so.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: And one thing that I failed to mention is that then after the strepidus is played, then there is a chime that's rang 33 times for each of the years of Jesus' earthly ministry.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: And also with the Strepidus, that symbolizes the veil in the temple being rent in two from top to bottom, as depicted in uh Matthew chapter 27, and the rocks splitting.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's just a very climactic and sad situation.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's the cornerstone piece of the service that depicts sadness.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_03: As you step back from it and think of the purpose of this service, what is uh the main purpose and why do you think it's so significant to lead a congregation through a service like this that's some you know 1200 years of age?
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think as Protestants, we tend to focus on certain things throughout the year, and rarely do we focus on the experience of Jesus and the crucifixion, which was arguably the worst way that a person could die, I think, in the history of humankind, to be nailed on a cross, to die by suffocation, and to experience the emotional turmoil that Jesus went through when he said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, for him to be thirsty and to be given vinegar to drink, sour wine, all of his disciples left him.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: I think that we as Protestants need to understand the depth of Jesus' agony.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: I had a close friend that told me that he was going through a difficult time in his life, and he was advised by a Catholic priest to focus on the wounds of Jesus, and that there was significance of thinking about Jesus' wounds as we are going through difficult times that Christ actually identifies with us, and we can identify with Christ.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_01: Because I would imagine, Drake, if you and I were honest, we might have gone through some challenging times in our lives, but nothing compared to what Jesus went through when he died on the cross.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think Roman Catholics, they experience this when they go through the stations of the cross.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: I've never been through the stations of the cross myself, but I know that that's important to Roman Catholics throughout the world.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: Well, this is kind of a this is similar to that, but instead of being individualistic, this is congregational.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: And we think about the agony of Jesus.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: We hear the word of God read, spoken, and we hear music, sing hymns.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_01: There are many great hymns that center on Jesus' agony, and it has its place.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_01: We don't dwell on it, but we do dedicate this special night to thinking about the pain that Jesus experienced.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's appropriate.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_03: Sounds like a good thing for people to show up at if they want a true, full orbed holy week experience.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_03: When does the tenebray service take place this year at Central?
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: So we have it at April 2nd, which is Holy Thursday, and we always have it at 7:30 p.m.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: So we want to make sure that the sun goes down, and that's significant because we have large windows in our sanctuary.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so we we want it to be dark outside.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: And so the Lord's Supper will be served.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: There is a brief message that's preached.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: All are welcome to attend, young and old.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's unlike any other service that we have throughout the year.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's not celebratory, it's more somber, more contemplative.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that it has a special place in our experience as we worship the Lord year in and year out.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, and I know that there's uh the Lord's Supper that's going to be there at this service, and it's a it's a wonderful time to just prepare for Resurrection Sunday a few days later.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: Definitely.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: And like you say, a full orb of experience.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's good for us to then after the tenabrae service, we're looking toward the resurrection.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, would you comment on when the other services are during holy week this year, 2026?
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: So Palm Sunday is on March 29th, and at our traditional service, there will be a cantata presented by our music program.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: Monday, Thursday, tenabrae is on April 2nd, 7:30 p.m.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then Good Friday is April 3rd, and we'll have a noon prayer service.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: That also is a great service because we read selections from Caspar Schwankfeld's Passional and Prayer Book, as well as pray.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: We pray for the community, we pray for our world, we pray for what we are going through as individuals, and that's another wonderful service that causes us to slow down and communicate with the Lord and to be still before Him.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: And then on Easter Sunday, we have a dawn service on April 5th, and there's usually a first person narrative given on Easter dawn service, and that's a great tradition that we have, especially as the messages of the past several years have been the first person narrative.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_01: And then the traditional service at 9 a.m.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: in our sanctuary, and then the contemporary service at 10 45 in our fellowship hall.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_01: Each of our ministers takes one of those services, takes the message, and we trust that it ministers to people.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_03: And there's also an Easter breakfast, isn't there?
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I forgot to mention that.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: There is an Easter breakfast at 8 o'clock on Easter Sunday, right after the uh dawn service.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: So if you want to make sure that you're there for breakfast, I would certainly be there at uh 7:45.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: So attend the dawn service, then join us for breakfast in our fellowship hall.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_03: This sounds like a very well-developed week and look forward to your leadership of it, David.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_03: And uh I look personally look forward to participating in it with you.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Drake.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_01: I I feel the same way.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's uh it's certainly a team effort, and it's very enriching.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I hope to see everyone there.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_03: Well, thank you for joining us for these comments today on Centrally Speaking, and uh we certainly welcome all to attend the Holy Week celebration here at Central Schwankfeller.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.