All Saints Vernon

Maundy Thursday gets its name from the Latin mandatum, from which we get the English word "mandate". This is with reference to the sacrament of the Eucharist, which Jesus commanded at the Last Supper to "do in remembrance of me".

Each Maundy Thursday we symbolically re-enact Jesus' last supper by gathering in the church hall for a potluck that is integrated into a Eucharistic liturgy. The food is stored in the kitchen, we gather around the table together, and we observe a simple Eucharistic service through until the sharing of the Eucharistic bread. Once the bread has been shared, we enjoy the meal together, and once the meal has concluded we continue our reenactment by sharing the Eucharistic wine and concluding the liturgy.

We then proceed directly into the church for a ceremonial stripping of the altar, symbolically reenacting Jesus' arrest and humiliation.