To my brothers & sisters in the Church of God in Greensboro, Jacksonville, and Raleigh. Here are the previously promised detailed instructions about how to observe the Passover at home:

Please read this e-mail in its entirety as it you may find it helpful in preparing for the Passover.

Passover will occur at 7:45 on the evening of April 7th, 2020, just after sunset.

For those who are eligible to take the Passover (baptized members), you should try to take the Passover if at all possible on the evening of April 7th, 2020, just after sunset. If for some reason you are physically unable to take the Passover at this time, you may observe it in your own home at the second Passover 30 days later (Numbers 9:11).

In advance, purchase or prepare a small amount of unleavened bread. Be sure the bread you use has no leavening in it whatsoever. Some Ry Krisp (check ingredients), or Jewish matzos (preferably plain varieties) should do just fine. You should also obtain a small amount of red wine. Be sure you do not use, fortified wine, for example, something that is blended with fruit juice or added sugar. The alcoholic content of the wine used will likely be around 10-13 percent. Wines containing 19 percent to 20 percent are fortified with brandy and should not be used. If you do not have any wine or unleavened bread on hand, I would suggest trying to get those things sooner, rather than later. If you are unable to obtain any, please let me know and we will make sure you get what is needed.

The Passover ordinance should be observed in the early evening, soon after sunset. Prepare the room in advance. There should be enough unleavened bread and glasses of wine on the table to correspond to the number of those who will be participating. A tablespoon of wine in each glass should be sufficient for the service. The bread and the wine should be covered with clean white napkins.

Since Passover is the most solemn evening of the year, all those participating should gather quietly in the room where the service will be held. Only baptized members should be participating in the actual service. Others may watch and observe.

I would add to these instructions that it would be appropriate to dress as you would if we were having Passover services in person (Sabbath attire), and to have your Bible and Hymnal (or the Hymnal app) with you. We will be singing hymn # 144 “All Must Be Well,” at the end of the Passover service.

While its ok to gather together in a very small groups, I assume most will keep the Passover service in their own homes. Husbands and wives may wash one another’s feet. Ladies may wash other ladies feet and men wash other men’s feet, but this should be done in separate areas. If you are by yourself, you should omit the foot washing portion of the service. It would not be appropriate to wash your own feet for Passover.

There are three ways to take the Passover at home this year:

1. You can tune into the live local phone hookup that will be originating from my home in Cary. The live webcast will start at 7:30 PM and the Passover service will start promptly at 7:45 PM. Please dial in to listen to the service at (515) 606-5403 followed by 353318#. I would suggest printing this e-mail out to have as a reference in case there are any technical difficulties during the service, and you need to switch to using written instructions in the middle of the service.
2. You can watch a pre-recorded Passover service at https://www.ucg.org/members/news/keeping-passover-at-home  Again, I would suggest printing this e-mail out to have as a reference in case you have an issue with your computer during services.
    
3. You can print out the notes and the instructions at the bottom of this e-mail, and read out loud the scriptures and follow the directions as outlined below.

If you have any questions about keeping the Passover this year, please feel free to write or call me at (919) 454-7989. 

Your brother in Christ,
Craig Scott 

Written instructions for keeping the Passover at home

Below are written instructions for keeping the Passover at home if you are unable to tune into the phone hookup from Cary, or watch the recorded Passover service. Note: these are taken from our website https://www.ucg.org/members/news/keeping-passover-at-home
 
The one conducting the service should read aloud from the following scriptures: 1 Corinthians 11:23-30; Luke 22:7-15. Next, John 13:1-17 should be read. Then if two or more people are participating, they should wash one another’s feet. If one person is observing it alone, this part of the ordinance is obviously omitted.

After completing the footwashing, the next portion of the service should serve as an introduction to the bread and wine. The one conducting the service should read aloud Isaiah 53:3-6; Isaiah 53:10; Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 8:16-17; 1 Peter 2:20-24; and Hebrews 4:14-16. It should be pointed out that Christ’s sacrifice was for the healing of our mind and body. Next, the one conducting the service should read John 6:32-40; John 6:48-51; John 6:53-58; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; and 1 Corinthians 11:24. The napkin should be removed from the bread and a short prayer of thanks should be offered. The bread is then to be broken and eaten. This symbolizes the broken and beaten body of Jesus Christ and our acceptance of that sacrifice.

In preparation for the wine ceremony, the following verses should be read aloud: Matthew 26:27-28; 1 John 1:7-9; Hebrews 9:11-15; Ephesians 1:7. Then the napkin should be removed from the wine and a short prayer of thanks offered. The wine is symbolic of Jesus’ blood, shed for the remission of our sins. The wine should be passed to those participating, each one taking a glass and quietly, reverently drinking it as a renewal of his acceptance of the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

Next, a general reading of John 13:18 through John 17:1-26; is to take place. Since it is rather long, the person conducting the service may choose to only read portions of this section. This is the story of what Christ did the night before He died. 

After the scripture reading, sing a hymn if possible, and dismiss, quietly leaving the room. It is appropriate to remind those participating about the solemn and sacred occasion throughout the evening, and especially as everyone is departing.

After the service has ended and the people have left the room, the one in charge should collect any leftover bread and wine that was blessed during the service. They should be disposed of privately and respectfully. The bread should be burned and the wine poured down the drain or on the ground outside (out of the view of others). If it is not possible to burn the bread, it should be disposed of in a way that will not allow it to be used for any other purpose or consumed as food. 

These instructions are to help you in observing God’s sacred ordinance of the Passover.