Cnr Canning Hwy & Fortescue St, East Fremantle | Sat. 5pm (school terms) | Sun. 10am

Loving God, Loving Each Other, Loving the World

East Freo Online – April 4/5

Welcome to our online church service for this weekend!

This is a very special online service as we will share Communion together in our homes.  If you are holding this service with other people in your home or online, we encourage you to ask different people to lead the various parts of the service.  You are also welcome to modify this service as you see fit. We hope you and those with you are blessed by this time together.

What you will need for this service:

  • Bibles
  • Bread
  • Juice (or red wine or even just water)
  • Candles (only if you have them)

Kids & Youth Resources

Kids Church: Kids Church Online – April 4/5
Youth Church: Youth Church Online – April 4/5

Prepare Communion Elements

For Communion, you will need enough bread and drink for everyone meeting in your home.  For the bread, you can use sliced bread and cut it up into small squares, or you could use bread rolls and break bits off together, or you could bake special unleavened bread with your kids for this occasion (recipe link).  For the drink that represents Christ’s blood, you can use any type of juice, red wine, or even just water will be fine.  We need to remember that there is nothing magical in the elements themselves – they are simply there to remind us of Christ’s body and blood.  Make sure the elements are prepared before the service begins.

Step 1. Worship

Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me | Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, Michael Farren | Music by City Alight (used with permission) | CCLI Song # 7121852
Because He Lives | Gloria Gaither, William J. Gaither | Music by William Gaither | CCLI Song # 16880

Step 2: Time of Prayer

This week we would like you to spend a few minutes praying as part of this service.  In addition to your own personal prayer requests, please would you bring these before the Lord:

  • Pray that the spread of the Coronavirus will reduce and that people who are vulnerable will be protected from it
  • Pray for those who have lost their jobs or are struggling financially at this time
  • Pray for families who are home schooling; pray for strength and patience for the parents and harmony in homes
  • Pray that God will protect our church community and that we will be united and show great love and care for one another
  • Pray that the Gospel will thrive during these times and that Jesus will be glorified

Step 3: Bible Reading

Now let us open up the word and read today’s passage together.

Mark 14:12-26 New International Version (NIV)

The Last Supper

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Taken from: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+14%3A12-26&version=NIV

Step 4: Sermon

Now we will hear from Michael Crouch as he preaches to us on this passage. May our ears be open to what the Spirit is saying to us today.

Additional pre-reading to fill out the OT context: Exodus 12:1-11, Exodus 24:1-12

Step 5: Communion

Now is the time to share Communion together with those in your home. This is a sacred moment in which we remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf; that he went to the cross for our sins and that he shed his blood for us.  If you have candles, light them while we share communion together (if you have kids with you – ask them to light the candles in remembrance of Christ).

Have someone pass around the bread and then read these words from 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Invite each person to consume the bread and remember Christ’s body that was given for them.

Now pass around the cups to everyone and then read the next words from Jesus about the cup in 1 Corinthians 11:25-26

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Now ask each person to drink from their cups and remember Christ’s blood that was shed for them.

Let us now pray together.  Here is an example prayer you can use or simply pray as you are led by the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ.  We thank you for his death on the cross for our sins.  We thank you that every sin we have ever committed or will commit was put to death with Jesus on the cross, and we thank you for his perfect righteousness that is now ours through faith in him.  In this moment, we remember Jesus Christ as both our Lord and our Saviour and we declare again that our hope is in him alone.  May we live each day and each moment as people changed and transformed by the body and blood of Christ.  May we live our lives for his glory, honour and praise.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Step 6: Closing Song

Living Hope | Phil Wickham, Brian Johnson | Lyric video by Bethel Music (used with permission) | CCLI Song # 7106807

Step 7: Benediction

Pray this benediction upon your loved ones and those around you now:

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:16-21

Additional Resources

Here are some resources that we hope will be encouraging and uplifting for you to use during the week:

May the Lord bless you all and keep you safe.

Love from the East Freo staff, Council and ministry coordinators.