Bulletin – Sunday, April 10, 2022 – Palm Sunday
Sunday, April 10, 2022
Sixth Sunday in Lent
Palm Sunday
Approach
Call to Worship
One: It is holy to gather.
All: It is holy to sing.
One: It is holy to be generous, to throw coats on the road.
All: It is holy to celebrate justice when we see it.
One: It is holy to shout, “Hosanna!”
All: It is holy to remember.
One: It is holy to gather.
All: It is holy to sing. Here and now, let us sing of these things.
Hymn – “All Glory, Laud and Honour”
All glory, laud and honour to you, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
You are the king of Israel, and David’s royal son,
Now in the Lord’s name coming, our King and blessed one.
All glory, laud and honour to you, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
The multitude of pilgrims with palms before you went;
Our praise and prayer and anthems before you we present.
All glory, laud and honour to you, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
To you, before your passion, they sang their humans of praise;
To you, now high exalted, our melody we raise.
All glory, laud and honour to you, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
Their praises you accepted; accept the prayers we bring,
Great author of all goodness, O good and gracious king.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
Gracious God, quite often the word ‘hosanna’ is sung with joy and glee on this day. We process in, we wave palm branches, and it feels like a celebration. But the truth is, the word ‘hosanna’ actually means, ‘save us.’ The people along that parade route so many years ago were crying out to Jesus to help, because they knew—this world is not as it should be. There is still too much hurt here. They were crying, ‘Save us!’
There is still so much hurt here, God of street parades and hosannas, we know that you are counting on us to speak out against oppression, to speak up for love and to speak hope to fear, but so often we are silent. We worry that we’ll say the wrong thing, so we don’t say anything at all. We worry that we’ll offend, so we keep our convictions to ourselves. We worry that we’ll speak up and won’t be heard, so we stay silent. And meanwhile, the parade marches on. Unravel our fear. Spark conviction in us. Give us the courage to yell, ‘Hosanna!’ Gratefully we pray, Amen.
Anthem – “Messiah”
Blessing of the Palms
Palms are for us, today, a symbol of celebration, a symbol of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Yet there is more to these palms because there is always more to these stories, because there was more to Jesus. The people were laying down palms in celebration of Jesus’ entry but they meant so much more. They were laying down palms in hope that Jesus might save them from the injustice and oppression under which they lived. They lay down palms in the hope that Jesus would bring them to new life, offer to them a new way forward. They lay down palms because many of them knew how dangerous Jesus was to the power of the day that this might just be a funeral procession. They lay down their palms and we come today to offer blessings as we too lay down palms.
Bless these parade palms, O God of Celebration.
May they remind us of the simple joys of living.
May we remember the excitement that comes with following Christ.
Bless the protest palms, O God of Justice.
May they remind us that Empire is not a thing of the past.
May they make us bold and brace to stand up against injustice.
Bless these funeral palms, O God of Comfort.
May they remind us of the road that lies ahead.
May they encourage us in times of grief and pain.
We give you thanks for the parade, the protest, the processional.
Guide our steps through this holiest of weeks
As we cry out together “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna!” Amen.
The Word
Scripture Reading: Luke 19:28-40
28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!
Meditation – “Even the Stones Cry Out”
Hymn – “Hosanna, Hosanna”
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Let’s lift a shout in one accord for all that He had done
Let’s lift a shout in praise to God for all the vict’ries won
If we don’t praise the rocks will cry out “Hosanna’s to the King.”
So lift your voice in praise to God and let your voices sing.
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
The Response
Prayers of the People
One: God of our lives, six weeks ago we gathered in this place to begin our Lenten journey. We reflected on our mortality, on our need for each other, on our need for you. We have looked to the extravagant nature of your love for us.
One: Since that day of askes, we have journeyed day by day to Jerusalem, to the procession of palms and hosanna, to the temple and to the streets, to the Garden of Gethsemane and what lies beyond.
One: It has not always been an easy journey. We have been stretched and challenged, as we will continue to be in days to come. We are grateful, God, that we have not been alone on this way. We are grateful that you have been with us all the while, supporting us even as you confront us.
One: And we are grateful that we have had each other as travelling companions. You have created us to be in community with each other, and in days like this we know why. Thank you for this sacred community, cast in your image, shaped by your love. We now lift up to you in pray those whom we care for…Help us, as we follow Jesus together, to broaden our concept of community, to include not only those we know and love, but also strangers both near and far, and, yes, even our enemies and those who hate us.
One: Capture our hearts and minds with a vision of your kingdom, and inspire us to work tirelessly to bring it to be in this world.
One: You have shown us, God, what is right and just; you have shown us what it means to love as your love. In Christ, you have shown us what it means to give everything to this call, to live lives of radical obedience, radical humility, radical love.
One: Lord, may we live our lives with such determination and focus that we might find the courage to lay aside the pleasures, comforts, and needs of our own lives in order to give life to others—indeed, abundant life for all.
One: God, you call us to be a part of your kingdom; you call us to lead others to it. So hear us now as we pray for the coming of the kingdom, in the words that Jesus taught so long ago.
All: Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
(adapted from John W. Vest)
Anthem – “Lead Me to Calvary”
Benediction
As you leave this place, may you be awestruck by the beauty of this world. May you laugh, and may it be contagious. May you overflow with love for those around you. May you be bubbling over with hope and quick to point out joy.
And in all of your living, breathing, and being, may you find yourself full to the brim with God’s Holy Spirit, and may it change your life. In the name of the Lover, the Beloved, and Love itself—go in peace, full to the brim. Amen.
