By Megan Norris Jones
Most Christians have heard the account of Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples when it is read aloud during Communion, and most can visualize it through the countless reproductions of Leonardo DaVinci’s painting “The Last Supper.”
While it’s true that Jesus’ Last Supper became the first Communion, it was for Him an observance of the Jewish Passover meal, or Seder, which commemorates the Hebrew exodus from Egypt.
In honor of that, Central Baptist Association has hosted a Seder observance on Maundy Thursday for the past three years. The event reenacts the Last Supper and invites participants to partake of the meal.
Jesus and the disciples are portrayed by pastors and members of area churches. As the actors partake of the meal, audience members, who are also being served a meal, are invited to participate in the elements of the Seder.
“We take the cup; they take the cup. We take the bread; they take the bread. It’s like Communion,” explained Jason Gravette, pastor of Hollins Baptist Church, who has played Jesus for the past two years.
It’s a role that he’s a bit bashful about because when he is on the stage, he is responsible for representing Jesus to everyone in attendance.
“I’m grateful that I got to do it, but it’s a privilege and an honor,” he said.
Wayne Henderson, director of missions for Central Association, who plays Peter in the Seder presentation, has seen a good response to the event each year. For him, the Seder observance means “seeing how Jesus took those elements of the Passover and gave them new meaning.”
The event is hosted at the West Coosa Senior Center in Stewartville. The first year, 90 people attended, and this year, the organizers had to cap the number at 175 because they ran out of space.
“I think we’ve got to go to a larger facility (next year),” said event organizer Jan Morris.
Morris first heard of the event through Light of Messiah Ministries, an organization of Messianic Jews seeking to educate Christians about the Jewish heritage of Jesus and Jews about Jesus as the Messiah. She organized the event while she and her husband were serving as missionaries in Wyoming and then brought it to Alabama when they came to Mount Moriah Baptist Church, Weogufka.
“Within the community, it’s not a holiday that we as Christians have done, but it’s proven to be something that people look forward to,” Morris said.
The actors follow the script “The Room Upstairs” by John W. Carter.
The association publicizes the event through area newspapers, radio and fliers mailed to churches of every denomination in the area.
Although most participants are Baptist, people of other denominations attend as well. Last year, one person even made a profession of faith as a result of the event.
“If God lays it on your heart to do something that will bring Him glory, do it,” Gravette said. “We can never do enough.”
Share with others: