Maundy Thursday AGAPE Meal St Columba’s
Rev Eleanor Hayden receiving a gift from Rev Graham Hare
St Columba’s Parish Church and Omagh Methodist have a long-standing tradition of sharing worship services during Lent. These are held on Wednesday evenings and alternate between the two churches with services being led jointly by the clergy from both congregations. Services end on Maundy Thursday, when the congregations of both churches come together for a meal in St Columba’s Parish Hall. The liturgy provides for a time of prayer and praise before the main course is served, followed by a time of reflection ahead of dessert, tea, and coffee. The service ends with Holy Communion.
However, this year was different. To mark the forthcoming retirement of Rev Eleanor Hayden in June, Rev Graham Hare, presented her with a beautiful bowl for the washing of hands, commissioned by the Parish of St Columba’s. It was immediately put to the service for which it had been crafted because those present were invited forward to receive a blessing in the form of water being scooped from the bowl and poured over their supplicant hands.
Rev Eleanor Hayden was moved by the gift and expressed her heartfelt thanks to those who had organised the presentation. The photograph shows the rim of the bowl decorated with motifs to reflect Rev Eleanor’s ministry during 10 years of service to Omagh Methodists and the wider church community. The emblems on the bowl were a Cross, a Crown, a Communion Cup, a Heart, a Dove, and an Anchor.