All Saints Church, Matamata, New Zealand

Tenebrae Service

Thursday 17 th April

The Tenebrae (meaning “darkening”) service at All Saints in the darkening hours of Thursday 17 of April attracted a sizeable congregation of participants. The service is designed to follow the Stations of the Cross with Bible readings alternating with expressive music.

The music was conducted by David Brookes assisted by the church choir, who sang three Taize Responses; the Trisagion Response, and the Spiritual ‘Where you there when they crucified my Lord’ arr by C. Winfred Douglas, which was sung acapella.

David also played the following music on the pipe organ before the service: ‘Ave Verum’ Mozart; Choral Prelude: ‘Glory be to Jesus’- hymn tune arr by P. Hurford and ‘’O sacred head once wounded’ Leo Hassler, arr by Max Reger

The service imaginatively replayed the origins of Easter. The lighting inside the church gradually diminished to darkness as the narrative progressively detailed the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus. Andrew’s design and management of the service was, as usual, impeccable. Did he also arrange for the church to be surrounded by the worst storm in years, with the fluctuating winds and rain causing an external flow of light and darkness like a throbbing fire outside the window?

The Easter hymns rekindled memory and feeling and included ‘In the Cross of Christ I glory’ (St Oswald) ‘Beneath the cross of Jesus’ (St Christopher) and ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’ (Rockingham). Then near the end two new songs were played that I hadn’t heard before. They were “Too Small a Price to Pay” by Don Francisco and “Wake Up Jesus” by The Porter’s Gate.

Just stunning!
Barry Tetley