Tag Archives: bible

Easter Worship – Maundy Thursday

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Services for Maundy Thursday take place throughout the day at our churches in the Launde Deanery Community – See all the details here:

Launde Deanery Full service pattern for Easter

Good Friday and Easter Sunday

Two services at St Peter’s Church this Easter and a family service for children at Thorpe Langton on Sunday 12th April, as some of our families are away over the holidays. Everyone welcome.

  • Good Friday Reflection, 2pm – 3pm and
  • Easter Sunday 5th April 11.00am

Maundy Thursday

This day marks the events which lead up to Jesus’ death by crucifixion. We remember his last meal with his closest friends, his agony at prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, preparing for the inevitable torture and death which was to come; his betrayal by Judas and the long hours overnight after his arrest and the denial of him by Peter as the cockerel crowed at dawn. It is a harrowing story, recounted in the four gospels and never easy to read.

What happens at services on Maundy Thursday?

The name, ‘Maundy’, comes from the Latin mandatum (commandment), recalling John 13:34, “Love one another as I have loved you”.

Typically, services are Holy Communion services, where we remember the Last Supper, where Jesus explained to his disciples what was going to happen. He told them that the bread and wine were his body and blood, shed for everyone.

He told them how important it is to serve and care for each other and washed their feet. Many services continue this practice for penitents today.

Finally, services finish with a solemn task of stripping the altar, so the church is bare and stark to remember his death on the cross the next day

Maundy Thursday in the UK

Traditionally, in the UK, the reigning monarch distributes ‘Maundy Money’ as a gift of alms to the elderly. These little pouches of silver coins acknowledge service and dedication by the recipient. We were delighted when a resident of our village received this special gift from the late Queen Elizabeth II when she celebrated Maundy Thursday at Leicester Cathedral in 2017. The recipient’s name was put forward for her long service to St Peter’s and now in her 90s, still attends church regularly. A very much loved and well deserving recipient of the most special gift.

Read about Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Leicester Cathedral

The Church of England has a really useful guide online called Maundy Thursday Fact File which you might enjoy reading

Ink and wash sketch of a foot being washed over a bowl, held by a gentle hand, by Maxine Dodd artist. The image shows the foot dripping with water over a bowl, in shades of teal blue
A gentle hand washes a foot, by Maxine Dodd

Services in the Langtons – February 2026

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Worship rota

Our services for this short time between Candlemass and Lent – The rota is shown below, or download here.

Download Rota shown below

Worship rota for Feb2026Download

Key: H.C. – Holy Communion AAW – All Age Worship

FEBRUARY

1st        Thorpe Langton          Candlemass H.C. 6.00pm        Martin Hathaway

8th        Church Langton          H.C. 11:00am                          Martin Hathaway

15th      Tur Langton                 H.C. 11:00am                          Martin Hathaway

22nd     Church Langton          H.C. 11:00am                          Martin Hathaway

Snowdrops is a watercolour pen drawing by Maxine Dodd artist. The image shows simple outlines of the snowdrop flowers against the white background of the paper. Flowers are shaded lightly in pale blue wash and the leaves in warm apple green
‘Snowdrops’ by Maxine Dodd

Launde Deanery Minster Community Worship is found here for services in villages across our area.

Click here for Services and tojoin on Zoom if you aren’t able to come in person.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Remembrance Sunday Hymn

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The Story of a Special Hymn

I Vow To Thee My Country’ Sir Cecil Spring Rice, GCMG, GCVO / Gustav Holst

I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test
That lays upon the altar, the dearest and the best
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice

And there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know
We may not count her armies, we may not see her king
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering
And soul by soul, and silently her shining bounds increase
And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace

The text for the hymn comes originally from a poem written originally in about 1908, by a British diplomat and Ambassador to the United States, Sir Cecil Spring Rice, (1859-1918).

Called Urbs Dei (The City of God) or ‘The Two Father Lands‘ the poem explores how a Christian will have two countries , his homeland and his heavenly country.

In 1918 just prior to his death and after the trauma and losses of the First World War, Spring Rice rewrote the first verse to ensure it portrayed themes of love and sacrifice.

Music by Gustav Holst, (1874 – 1934)

It was set to music by Gustav Holst, who, in spite of his insistence on the integrity and completeness of his ‘Planets Suite‘, he himself adapted part of Jupiter to form a tune that fitted the words of the poem .

It was published as a hymn in 1925 in the ‘Songs of Praise‘ hymnbook, which was sadly after Spring Rice’s death on 14th February, 1918

The tune was called ‘Thaxted ‘ after the village where Holst lived for many years.

Longstanding Popularity

‘I Vow to Thee, My Country’ has been popular ever since and was used at the funerals of
Sir Winston Churchill, Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher.

In 2019 it was voted the Nation’s sixth favourite hymn , despite there being some criticism over it with a question over ” unquestioning obedience”.

It continues to be widely used in Remembrance Services worldwide. 

With very powerful words it continues to resonate with us as we gather to remember the fallen of all conflicts.

Researched by Sue Johnson

Poppies at the altar of Leicester Cathedral