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Maundy Thursday ~ 1999

Footwashing:  Footwashing is still regularly practiced by the Brethren Churches.  Following is a short explanation from Wayne Sutton who is a part of maintaining a web page for the Church of the Brethren.

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Hi John,

Yes we do practice footwashing.  Foot washing is generally practiced as a
part of our Love Feast (Communion) service.  There is a manual called FOR
ALL WHO MINISTER that offers some suggested readings and formats for Love
Feast these are not "required" so while the basic elements of the service
would be pretty uniform, the details of practice vary from congregation to
congregation.

The Love Feast is basically a re-enactment of the Last Supper.  It has four
basic components, preparation/confession, humility/footwashing, fellowship meal,
bread & cup.

At our church the footwashing portion of the Love Feast begins with a
reading from JOHN 13.  We then move to two separate circles of chairs, one
for men and one for women.  Some very brief directions are ususally given by
the worship leader- but we try to keep this to a minimum.  Too much talk
about the mechanics of the service distracts worshipers from the spiritual
focus of the service. Participants are reminded to bring hymnals to the
circle. Visitors who do not wish to participate in this part of the service
are instructed to keep their shoes on.  Before the service, women who are
visitors or first time participants should be reminded not to wear pantyhose
or high stockings if they plan to participate in the footwashing. 

Prior to the service the deacons have set out wide buckets with lukewarm
water. If the group is large, the bucket should be changed after 8 or 10 or
people have been washed.  This is best handled by setting out several
buckets periodically around the circle.  When we sit down, participants
remove their shoes and socks and one person, often a deacon will begin by
taking up one of the towels and tying it about his or her waste and then
washing the feet of the person seated next to him.  We use special long
towels that have been sewn together so that a person can tie them about
their waste as Jesus did in story from JOHN 13.

As the footwashing begins, someone (usually in the women's circle) will
start a hymn, 'a capella'.  In our congregation, We usually have
accompaniment for hymns but during the footwashing, we want everyone to be
in the circle and focused on the service (even the musicians).  Also the
mood of this part of the service and of the singing is one of repentence,
and singing 'a capella' just seems to feel appropriate to the mood.  Anyone
can begin a hymn by just starting to sing or by calling out the number from
the hymnal. Usually the hymns sung during the footwashing have themes of
repentence or of the passion sacrifice of Christ.  A few favorites for this
part of the service are:  "When I Survey the Wonderous Cross,"   "My Jesus I
Love Thee," "Wade in the Water," "Were You There When They Crucified my
Lord,"  "Trust and Obey."  Singing contiues until the footwashing has gone
all the way around the circle.  The first person to wash feet is the last
person to have his feet washed.   

The person washing will stoop to one knee and lift the one foot of the
person being washed into the bucket.  The washer lifts/splashes the water
onto the foot of the other person and rubs the water over the foot just as
they might wash their own feet.  The washer wipes the foot dry with the
towel that is tied about his waste and then washes the second foot in the
same way.  After both feet are washed, both persons rise to their feet and
embrace, exchanging a "holy kiss" on the cheek, and exchange some words of
blessing such as: "God Bless You" or "Peace be with you."  The washer then
passes the towel to the the person whose feet have just been washed and that
person washes the next person's feet.

One last note is that foot washing also has an aspect of reconciliation.
Brethren are encouraged to make peace with one another prior to Love Feast
and an opportunity for apologys and confessions is included in the
preparatory/confessional  portion of the service.  But often brothers or
sisters who have had some strife between them will arrange to sit next to
each other during footwashing as a final gesture of reconciliation prior to
communion.  In our congregation, we once had a footwashing done outside of
the context of Love Feast by two brothers who were at the head of a dispute
that was threatening to create factions. These two washed each others feet
on Sunday morning, in front of the rest of the church as a symbol of their
own reconciliation and as a gesture to encourage others to 'bury the hatchet.'

You can get a copy of FOR ALL WHO MINISTER from:
    Brethren Press
    1451 Dundee Avenue
    Elgin, IL 60120
    (800)323-8039


I hope this helps.

Wayne Sutton