Footwashing

What is the practice of Foot-washing?

• In the Church of God, Anderson, IN, we regularly practice foot-washing in obedience to Jesus’ command and example in scripture.
• John 13:1-15  Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.  ² During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,  ³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,  ⁴ got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.  ⁵ Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.  ⁶ So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?”  ⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.”  ⁸ Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”  ⁹ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”  ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”  ¹¹ For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”  ¹² So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?  ¹³ “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.  ¹⁴ “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  ¹⁵ “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

• Why do we do it?
  • In obedience to Jesus’ command, and in following his example, we likewise humble ourselves to wash each other’s feet. In doing this we remember and honor Christ’s humble sacrifice, and we also humble ourselves as we serve and love one another in an unconventional and undignified way.
• How do we do it?
  • Traditionally we practice foot-washing together as a church body, with the men washing each other’s feet, and the women washing each other’s feet.
  • With the Covid-19 pandemic still rampant, we will still be practicing this meaningful tradition, but it will look different than in years past.
    • This year, due to social distancing, we will not be washing each other’s feet in the church building, but rather will be encouraging all church members to humbly and prayerfully wash the feet of their household members in their homes or in the homes of other close family members.
      • This will allow for us all to safely, wisely, and faithfully practice foot-washing amidst this pandemic.
    • Please read the above scripture together as a family, then take turns washing each other’s feet in a bowl or bathtub.

Since this is traditionally something that we practice together as a church body, we encourage everyone who is able to post a picture of their in-home foot-washing on the Wintergreen Facebook page. This is not to boast or to appear to be spiritual, but is rather intended to provide a safe and creative way for us to do this together, as the Body of Christ.