liability insurance, but they all agreed it was worth the cost for this service.
“Here, if you want to sit at this row, I'll be nearby against the wall,” Sadie suggested.
Peter took her hand and squeezed it before sitting down. “You look beautiful tonight,” he said in low tones.
“Thank you.”
Oh, Lord, what to do, what to do?
She smiled as he and Marin sat down. She glanced toward Jayne, who headed in her direction.
“You're all set?”
Sadie nodded. “After each reading, one pair of lamps goes out.”
“Right. Candles will be extinguished last.”
“I have my snuffer in my pocket.”
The song Marcella played lent a quiet atmosphere to the room, and those who entered spoke to each other in soft voices, some in whispers. The Barncastle clan had set out seats for seventy-five, an ambitious number to aim for. By the time seven o'clock arrived, three-fourths of the chairs were occupied, more than for last night's service.
Luke stepped up to the podium. “Welcome, everyone, to our Good Friday 'Service in Shadows.' While Easter, along with Christmas, are two of the most joyous days on the Christian calendar, Good Friday is often left out. Our order of service tonight, if you follow our handout, is based on a service that dates back to the fourth century. It focuses on the suffering and sacrifice of Christ, and what that means to us as Christians. If there's anyone who doesn't have a program, my son Andy has some to hand out.”
The first reading began, The Shadow Of Betrayal. Here was the veterinarian, Alec Ross, dressed like the apostle Peter. “I don't know this man. I don't know what you're talking about.” His red hair lent to the intensity of the scene.
Voices, offstage: “We saw you with him, Galilean.”
“No, that wasn't me. You're mistaken.”
More voices: “You're him, the one he called Simon Peter, the rock.”
“No, I tell you—I—don't—know—that—man!”
A rooster crowed. A pair of the lights went out, and the room darkened slightly. Sadie shivered as she stepped back from the lamp she'd just extinguished.
The events recorded in the Bible unfolded, after Christ's betrayal, sham trial, the flogging. Sadie closed her eyes and listened to the words.
Let me never forget, never take lightly, what happened so long ago...
Someone nudged her elbow, and Sadie opened her eyes. Marin. “Miss Jayne wants you to turn out the next set of lamps on this side,” the young girl whispered.
“Thanks, Marin.” Sadie nodded, then stepped to the next lamp. The barn darkened further. A cool breeze drifted through the open doors, making the candle and lamp lights flicker. Sadie tried not to shiver again as the light in the barn dimmed.
Another reader stepped up, the man who played the Apostle John the previous night during the Last Supper. He read from the book of John, where Christ called out, asking why God had forsaken Him.
The pleading words bounced off the walls. Sadie swallowed hard. With the sin of the ages on Jesus' shoulders, the weight had to be unimaginable. Yet, He was innocent.
Forgive me, Lord, when I focus far too much on being chastised for my shortcomings. Yes, she'd lost her job—not from a sin, but from a rash mistake. She'd beat herself up too much about that one. Her career and job worries? Not that hard to bear, in the grand
“Here, if you want to sit at this row, I'll be nearby against the wall,” Sadie suggested.
Peter took her hand and squeezed it before sitting down. “You look beautiful tonight,” he said in low tones.
“Thank you.”
Oh, Lord, what to do, what to do?
She smiled as he and Marin sat down. She glanced toward Jayne, who headed in her direction.
“You're all set?”
Sadie nodded. “After each reading, one pair of lamps goes out.”
“Right. Candles will be extinguished last.”
“I have my snuffer in my pocket.”
The song Marcella played lent a quiet atmosphere to the room, and those who entered spoke to each other in soft voices, some in whispers. The Barncastle clan had set out seats for seventy-five, an ambitious number to aim for. By the time seven o'clock arrived, three-fourths of the chairs were occupied, more than for last night's service.
Luke stepped up to the podium. “Welcome, everyone, to our Good Friday 'Service in Shadows.' While Easter, along with Christmas, are two of the most joyous days on the Christian calendar, Good Friday is often left out. Our order of service tonight, if you follow our handout, is based on a service that dates back to the fourth century. It focuses on the suffering and sacrifice of Christ, and what that means to us as Christians. If there's anyone who doesn't have a program, my son Andy has some to hand out.”
The first reading began, The Shadow Of Betrayal. Here was the veterinarian, Alec Ross, dressed like the apostle Peter. “I don't know this man. I don't know what you're talking about.” His red hair lent to the intensity of the scene.
Voices, offstage: “We saw you with him, Galilean.”
“No, that wasn't me. You're mistaken.”
More voices: “You're him, the one he called Simon Peter, the rock.”
“No, I tell you—I—don't—know—that—man!”
A rooster crowed. A pair of the lights went out, and the room darkened slightly. Sadie shivered as she stepped back from the lamp she'd just extinguished.
The events recorded in the Bible unfolded, after Christ's betrayal, sham trial, the flogging. Sadie closed her eyes and listened to the words.
Let me never forget, never take lightly, what happened so long ago...
Someone nudged her elbow, and Sadie opened her eyes. Marin. “Miss Jayne wants you to turn out the next set of lamps on this side,” the young girl whispered.
“Thanks, Marin.” Sadie nodded, then stepped to the next lamp. The barn darkened further. A cool breeze drifted through the open doors, making the candle and lamp lights flicker. Sadie tried not to shiver again as the light in the barn dimmed.
Another reader stepped up, the man who played the Apostle John the previous night during the Last Supper. He read from the book of John, where Christ called out, asking why God had forsaken Him.
The pleading words bounced off the walls. Sadie swallowed hard. With the sin of the ages on Jesus' shoulders, the weight had to be unimaginable. Yet, He was innocent.
Forgive me, Lord, when I focus far too much on being chastised for my shortcomings. Yes, she'd lost her job—not from a sin, but from a rash mistake. She'd beat herself up too much about that one. Her career and job worries? Not that hard to bear, in the grand
Similar Books
