24B. PALM SUNDAY (SUNDAY OF THE PASSION) - YEAR B

(Colour: Violet or Purple)

Sunday, 5th April, 2009.

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NOTE: In congregations where there is no service on Good Friday, Palm Sunday may be observed as "Passion Sunday", or a combination of both.



[Some churches observe this Sunday as "Peacekeeping Sunday." Included at the conclusion of these worship resources are prayer responses to War.]



There are two distinct moods in today's liturgy. Worship begins with the triumphal Entrance into Jerusalem. By all means, precede this ritual action with a solemn, glorious organ prelude. Let the congregation hear the crowds shouting and waving palm branches. Continue this mood through the procession. Notice how things change with the Opening Prayer and the Liturgy of the Word. Now the emphasis may move towards the imminent passion and death of Christ. Music for the rest of the service should reflect this theme. Notwithstanding our hopeful encouragement, most of the congregation will probably not see the church again until Easter Sunday. The second half of today's liturgy needs to be their "Good Friday." The liturgy might taper off to the events of Holy Week by omitting the final hymn, the ministers departing in silence.

(CanticaNOVA Publications)



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AN INVITATION: These weekly postings are here to help sow the seeds of creativity. I invite you to share what you are developing - collects, readings, prayers, songs and hymns, etc. - with the rest of us at this forum. Don't be shy! - God loves a cheerful giver!



Please also tell us your favourite worship/preaching resources and Web links. And anything else that might benefit us all. Many Thanks! John Maynard



Bibliographical references (and useful links) may found at:

STEPPING STONES: A Web Guide to Lectionary-Based Resources for Worship

and Preaching (http://www.digtree.org.au/steppingstones)



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PREPARATORY NOTES:



First Thoughts on the Old Testament Readings of the RCL

http://hwallace.unitingchurch.org.au/WebOTcomments/ContentspageYearB.html

-and-

First Thoughts on the New Testament Readings of the RCL

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/lectionaryindex.html



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24B. PALM SUNDAY

(Colour: Violet or Red)



(I.) PROCESSION WITH PALMS:



Mark 11:1-11 The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem

/or/ John 12:12-16 The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 A Prayer of Thanks for Victory



ALTERNATE READINGS: Zechariah 9:9-12 and Hebrews 12:1-6



POSSIBLE THEMES:



Behold Your King!

Hosanna!

King on a Donkey



SCRIPTURE SENTENCES:



"Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord." (Psalm 118:19)



"Give thanks to God, for God is good; God's love is eternal." (Psalm 118:29)





SELECTIONS:



(Mark 11:1-11)

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'" They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

"Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.



(Psalm 31:9-13)

Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away. I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbours, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many-- terror all around!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.



(Philippians 2:5-11)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father



(Isaiah 50: 4-9a)

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens-- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.





COLLECTS & PRAYERS:



Father, help us to be like Christ your Son, who loved the world and died for our salvation. Inspire us by his love, guide us by his example, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.





Almighty God, Your Son was crucified yet entered into glory. May we, walking in the way of the cross, find it to be the way of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

(from "Uniting in Worship", Leader's Book, p. 246.)



Lord Jesus Christ on the first Palm Sunday you entered the rebellious city where you were to die enter our hearts, we pray, and subdue them to yourself. And as your disciples blessed your coming and spread garments and branches in your way, make us ready to lay at your feet all that we have and are, that we too may bless your coming in the name of the Lord. AMEN.



Help us, O Lord, to welcome your blessed son into

our midst today with the same joy and hope that the people of Jerusalem

received him with so long ago. May he abide with us and we with him.

Help us to praise and adore both him and you, not just for a day, but

for always. AMEN.

(by Richard F. Fairchild, Palm Sunday B.)





-----------------------------



(II.) LITURGY OF THE PASSION:



Isaiah 50:4-9a The Obedience of the Lord's Servant

Psalm 31 9-16 A Prayer of Trust in God

Philippians 2:5-11 Christ's Humility and Greatness

Mark 14:1-15:47 The Final Conflict

/or/ Mark 15:1-39 [40-47] The Passion of Christ



POSSIBLE THEMES:



Behold Your King!

Obedience to God

The Crucified King

Were You There?



SCRIPTURE SENTENCES:



"I have trusted in You, O Lord. I have said: You are my God. My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. Make Your face to shine upon Your servant, and in Your loving-kindness save me." (Psalm 31:9-16)



"Yet on himself he bore our sufferings, our torments he endured, while we counted him smitten by God, struck down by disease and misery; but he was pierced for our transgressions, tortured for our iniquities: the chastisement he bore in health for us and by his scourging are we healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5)





SELECTIONS:



(Mark 14: 3-9)

While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, "Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her. But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her."



(Mark 15:33-39)

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"



(Psalm 31:9-13)

Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away. I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbours, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many-- terror all around!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.



(Philippians 2:5-11)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father



(Isaiah 50: 4-9a)

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens-- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.





COLLECTS & PRAYERS:



Father of all, who gave your only-begotten Son to take upon himself the form of a servant, and to be obedient even to death on a cross: give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. that, sharing in his humility, we may come to be with him in his glory; who fives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.



Almighty God, you sent your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take our flesh upon him and to suffer death on the cross. Grant that we may share in his obedience to your will and in the glorious victory of his resurrection, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN.

(from the "Lutheran Book of Worship")



Let us pray [that we may share Christ's humility]: Father of all, You gave Your only-begotten Son to take upon Himself the form of a servant, and to be obedient even to death on a cross. Give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, that, sharing in His humility, we may come to be with Him in His glory; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN.

(from "Uniting in Worship", Leader's Book, p. 246.)



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WCC PRAYERS:



(Week 14: 29 March to 5 April)

Let us pray with the peoples of Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore: "O God of many names, lover of all nations, we pray for peace in our hearts, in our homes, in our nation, in our world: the peace of Your will, the peace of our need; through Christ our Lord. AMEN."

(from 'With All God's People', WCC Geneva)



(See also: 'In God's Hands', WCC Geneva,

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle/week-14-brunei-malaysia-singapore.html)





(Week 15: 5 to 12 April)

Let us pray with the people of East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines: Give thanks for the richness of the diverse races, cultures and religious communities of the Indonesian Archipelago. Pray for peace and reconciliation between Christians, Muslims, and other ethnic/religious groups.

(from 'With All God's People', WCC Geneva)



/or/

Lord, make us realize that our Christianity is like a rice field: when it is newly planted the paddies are prominent, but as the plants take root and grow taller, these divided paddies gradually vanish, and soon there appears only one vast continuous field. So give us roots that love, and help us grow in Christian fellowship and service, that your will be done in our lives, through our Saviour, your Son, Jesus Christ. AMEN.

(From 'In God's Hands', WCC Geneva. More resources at --

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle/week-15-east-timor-indonesia-philippines.html)





=====[ A SUNDAY REFLECTION ]=====



"PALM SUNDAY - REJOICE!"



JOY - a singular, remarkable, and exquisite joy - is at the very heart of the Judeo-Christian story and at the centre of the faithful life. At times this joy simply cannot be contained. It bursts forth: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!" Just as often it emerges quietly as a vital wellspring that provides sustenance and vision in times of desolation, persecution, and confusion.



But whatever its manifestation, joy is a strange blend of satisfaction and anticipation, a gracious gift, the realisation of fondest hopes.



The story of Palm Sunday is a witness to this joy. It tells of the Messiah who encompassed and transcended the expectations of the people. And it acquaints us with persons who, in spite of discouragement and the burdens of daily cares, saw God breaking into their midst doing something very new.



See the ways in which the promises are still being fulfilled and transformed among us. Look for the presence of the living God in both the predictable and the unexpected places, to make in our lives and in our world a royal path for the One who comes. Rejoice!





====[ IDEAS FOR WORSHIP ]====



Other Worship resources (and useful links) may found at:



STEPPING STONES: A Web Guide to Lectionary-Based Resources for Worship

and Preaching (http://www.digtree.org.au/steppingstones)



AND: Starters For Sunday (Worship on the Web - Church of Scotland)

http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/wpstarters.htm



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24B. PALM SUNDAY (SUNDAY OF THE PASSION) - YEAR B

(Sunday, 5th April, 2009.)





===[ WE GATHER IN GODS NAME ]===



(* PRELUDE) /or/

(* PRE-SERVICE SINGING)



PRAYER OF PREPARATION: Living God, You give us this day, full of hope and promise. As our ancestors waved palm branches in praise of Christ the King, we bring to You our praises, too. As You sent Jesus to fulfil Your promise, now fill us with Your Spirit. Bless our worship in Christ's Name. AMEN.



*INTROIT: SIS #409 - "King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Glory, Hallelujah!"



/or/ "PALM SUNDAY DOXOLOGY" (Tune: Old 100th, AHB 10)



Praise to our God, wave high the palm

Praise to Christ Jesus God's own Son,

Praise to the Spirit we now sing

For in our hearts hosannas ring.





GREETING: "The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God,

And the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!

["AND ALSO WITH YOU!"]



"GOD IS HERE; LET US KEEP REVERENCE - ON THIS DAY AND IN THIS HOUR."



Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. AMEN.



CALL TO WORSHIP:



Leader: This is the day which God has made.

PEOPLE: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Leader: Blessed are those who enter in God's name.

PEOPLE: We bless You from the house of the Sovereign One!

Leader: O give thanks to God, for God is good.

PEOPLE: God's steadfast love endures forever!

(by James G. Kirk, "When We Gather", Year B, p. 64.)



/or/

Leader One: Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

that the King of glory may come in.

Leader Two: Who is the King of glory?

PEOPLE: The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!



Leader One: Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

that the King of glory may come in.

Leader Two: Who is this King of glory?

PEOPLE: The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!



/or/

CALL TO WORSHIP (from Psalm 118:1,2,19-29)



Give thanks to the LORD, who alone is good;

whose steadfast love is everlasting!

Let the gates of righteousness be opened

that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD;

the righteous shall enter through it.

This is the day that the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.



Gracious and eternal God,

Let the silent mystery of your Spirit

surround, sustain and excite us.

Transform our gathering to your glory,

and perfect our worship for your praise.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

(For use in worship, with acknowledgement. (c) Jeff Shrowder 2003.)



* HYMN OF PRAISE: TIS #333 (AHB #250) - "All Glory, Praise & Honour"

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WELCOME & INTRODUCTION: Today is PALM SUNDAY. In our worship today we think about Jesus who entered Jerusalem and the final week of His life. In our Sunday School our children have been learning about God's Love in Jesus, who died on the Cross that we might live. Jesus didn't stay in Galilee. He came to Jerusalem so that through the events of Good Friday and Easter He would become the Saviour of the World.



PALM - PASSION LITANY



Leader: The people welcomed Jesus into their midst. Their hosannas

rang out, they called upon him as a saviour, a mighty king.

PEOPLE: They hoped that the he would cast the oppressors out of their

land and bring the nation glory and honour.

Leader: It was a special moment - a time of celebration, a time of

anticipation, a time when people felt that they would receive

a new life.

PEOPLE: It was to offer this to us that Jesus came.

But God's ways are not our ways, nor are his thoughts our thoughts.

Leader: Our worship today recognizes this fact and we rejoice in it.

PEOPLE: Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

(by Richard F. Fairchild, Palm Sunday B.)



SHARING WITH THE FAMILY OF GOD: /For the Young & Young at Heart/



Spark: [PASSION SUNDAY]

Use the sensual elements featured in Mark's account of Jesus' last days--water, perfume, and vinegar--to enhance the drama of the story. Bring the elements up to the communion table and pour them out in slow gestures before the reading.

(from 'Gathering', United Church of Canada, 2009.)



With Children: [PALM SUNDAY]

Compare the nard (lavender), water, and vinegar. Which one would you drink? What would you wear to smell nice? What would you use the vinegar for? Explain their uses from the story. Children will be fascinated with the idea that the sponge used by the soldier for the vinegar may have been the equivalent of ancient toilet paper.

(from 'Gathering', United Church of Canada, 2009.)



With Children: [PALM SUNDAY]

Bring in a tricycle, wagon, or a scooter, and keep it hidden while you talk with the children. Ask them: if the prime minister or the queen or a famous person were coming to town, what would they ride on? Limousine? Helicopter? Airplane? Talk about the parades they've been to. How do we welcome?

Then, bring out the scooter. Would he or she arrive on something like this? Why/why not? Talk about the surprise the crowds would have experienced when Jesus came riding on a donkey, as opposed to a large, white horse.

(from 'Gathering', United Church of Canada, 2003.)



/or/

With Children: [PASSION OF CHRIST]

If not doing an intergenerational service, focus on one aspect of the passion story. Talk about a time when the children might have let one of their friends down, e.g. not wanting to associate with someone whom everyone else picks on or who is different. Then talk about how Peter let Jesus down at a time of need by denying he knew him. How can you be a friend in a tough situation?

(from 'Gathering', United Church of Canada, 2003.)



/or/

Let the children distribute palm leaves to the rest of the congregation. Introduce the making of palm crosses, which everyone will do at different stages in the service. Show people of different ages how to make the crosses beforehand in order that they can help others.

(from "Companion to the RCL", Vol. 3, Year B, p. 48. An illustration on how to make the palm crosses is found on pp. 124-125.)



[NOTE: email maynard@uniting.com.au if you want some instructions

for making palm crosses. JRM.]



/or/

Invite some volunteers to taste and identify with their eyes closed a selection of sweets, such as Fruit Gums, Opal Fruits, Smarties or the like.

Include as the last of the sweets for tasting samples of Maltesers:

'On my box of Maltesers it says that since 1936 Maltesers have been produced to a special recipe; so for more than seventy years they have been available from sweet shops. But it then goes on to say: 'To this day only the makers know the secret recipe or how the crisp honeycomb centre is covered in delicious smooth milk chocolates'. So for all that length of time the makers of Maltesers have guarded and protected their secret recipe and only a few people know what it is.'

Conclude with something like:

'But in the church we want to tell people about Jesus and not to keep it a secret. To tell of his lowly birth, and of the many kind and generous things he did to offer hurting people help and support, and of how he set his face to Jerusalem and went there to die for our sakes, and of how three days later, he rose again. None of this do we want to keep a secret; we want to share it with everyone.'

(by the Rev Alex M Millar, Associate Secretary (Mission and Evangelism), the Mission and Discipleship Council of the Church of Scotland, 2009.)





* A CHILDREN'S HYMN: TIS #244 (AHB #187) - "Trotting, Trotting

Through Jerusalem"



/or/

* SONG: "WE HAVE A KING WHO RIDES A DONKEY" (Tune: "Drunken Sailor")



We have a King Who rides a donkey (3x)

... And His name is Jesus! /Refrain/



REFRAIN: Jesus the King is risen! (3x)

... Early in the morning.



Trees are waving a royal welcome (3x)

... For the King called Jesus. /Refrain/



We have a king who cares for people (3x)

... and His name is Jesus! /Refrain/



/or/

* SONG: "THE DAY HE CAME RIDING INTO TOWN"

[Tune: "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"]



The day he came riding into town (hurrah! hurrah!),

His people tore the branches down (hurrah! hurrah!).

They cheered his name with voices loud,

And everyone joined the chanting crowd,

"May the king be blessed; he comes in the name of God!"



The day he came riding into town (hurrah! hurrah!),

He threw the sellers' tables down (hurrah! hurrah!).

"God's house should be a place of prayer

But you've made a haunt of pirates there!"

And he speaks with fire who comes in the name of God!



The day he came riding into town (hurrah! hurrah!),

It caused the men of power to frown (hurrah! hurrah!).

"We have our laws! We have our ways!

We need no king to rule our days!

We denounce his right to come in the name of God!"



The day he came riding into town (hurrah! hurrah!),

He offered love and not a crown (hurrah! hurrah!).

His song of peace could not be heard

For they wanted a throne and not a word,

And the word was "life", new life in the name of God.



/or/

* SONG: " TELL THE CITY" [tune: Sing Hosanna AHB 115]



Tell the city of Zion: Christ is coming!

Tell the city of Zion: He's here!

Tell the city of Zion: Christ is coming!

Make him welcome with you loudest cheer!



Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,

sing hosanna to the King of Kings!

Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,

sing hosanna to the King!



He is humble and rides on a donkey.

What the prophet had said is true!

He is humble and rides on a donkey.

Look, your gracious king is here with you!



So the crowd lay their cloaks down before him,

and they lay down some palm leaves too.

So the crowd lay their cloaks down before him,

and they shout to God their praise anew.



[Verses: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Inala, Qld.]



PRAYER FOR CHILDREN



Jesus, You Deserve It



Dear Jesus, king of love,

you deserve every bit of praise your get.

It's so 'cool' that on Palm Sunday

oodles of people became excited

and waved their palm branches

and shouted Hosanna!

We join in today

because we love you

a lot.

And we love you

because you first

loved us.

AMEN.

(by Bruce D. Prewer, http://www.alphalink.com.au/~nigel/doc/20040404.htm)





SHARING GOD'S PEACE: As we offer our lives to God, we offer our lives to each other in friendship and service:



THE PEACE OF THE LORD BE WITH YOU ALL!

["And Also with You"]





==/ CLASSES ARE DISMISSED, RETURNING LATER FOR HOLY COMMUNION /==



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SECOND INTRODUCTION: Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, commemorating the time Christ entered Jerusalem - the final stage of His Ministry on Earth, and the Final Conflict. Today is also called "PASSION SUNDAY" because we remember that the crowds who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem turned against Him before the week was out, and crucified Him. How easy it is for ordinary people to worship Jesus one day, and despise Him the next. Are you and I any different? -



LET US COME TO GOD IN HUMBLE PRAYER: [Asking for God's forgiveness and the Love of Christ, that never holds back]



Eternal God: In Jesus Christ You entered Jerusalem to die for our sins. We confess to You, Lord, that we have not hailed You as King, nor gone before You in the world with praise -



For brief faith that fades in trouble ... [LORD, HAVE MERCY ... ]

For enthusiasms that fizzle out ... [CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ... ]

For hopes we parade but do not pursue ... [LORD, HAVE MERCY... ]



Forgive us, O God. Give us such trust in Your power that, in every place, and on every occasion, we may live for justice and tell Your loving-kindness. For the sake of our Saviour Jesus Christ, we pray. AMEN.



/or/

Loving God, You rode a donkey and came in peace, humbled Yourself and gave Yourself for us. We confess our lack of humility.



As you entered Jerusalem, the crowds shouted Hosanna: Save us now! On Good Friday they shouted Crucify! We confess our praise is often empty. We sing Hosanna but cry Crucify.



As the crowd laid their palms in front of You, You took the way of God: You took no glory for yourself. We confess that we want to be accepted and take the easy way. We do not stay true to Your will. (silent prayer)



Lord in Your mercy: "HEAR OUR PRAYER". Let our cries come unto You. AMEN.



(from "Companion to the RCL", Vol. 3, Year B, p. 48-49.)





/See Also:/ "Australian Prayers" by Bruce Prewer,

Palm Sunday Confessions, pp. 46-47.



ASSURANCE OF GODS LOVE AND FORGIVENESS:



HEAR THE GOOD NEWS! Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. "Although Jesus was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. Rather, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even unto death on a cross." Christ died for us, so that we might have life and approach God's throne of judgement cleansed of our sin ... Believe then, God's word of grace for us - OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN! [THANKS BE TO GOD! AMEN!]



______________________





===[ WE LISTEN FOR CHRIST'S WORD ]===



PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION: [Let us pray for a closer union in Christ ... ]



Almighty and ever-living God, You have given the human race Jesus Christ our Saviour as a model of perfect love. As we come to the Scriptures today, open our hearts that we may hear Your Word afresh, and respond, as willing disciples, so that we may to serve You in the world that you loved so much. Make us worthy to share in Christ's resurrection life. In His name we pray. AMEN.



OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 9: 9-10

The Future King



/or/

MEDITATION: "HOSANNA" (based on Zechariah 7-9)



Sing and rejoice, daughters of God!

Shout for joy, sons of the Father!

Here comes your King

travelling to his victory;

riding humbly on a donkey,

on a foal not ridden before.

Hosanna! All joy to our King!

To the one who comes in the name of the Lord!



But my countrymen will not cheer;

my people grumble at his coming.

Tough their idols are useless,

and their heroes are deceivers,

Though they wander like lost sheep

without a loving shepherd,

Yet they will not listen,

nor obey the word of the Lord.



He speaks up for true justice:

"Give loyalty and compassion;

Care for the orphan and the pensioner;

aid the refugee and those in poverty;

Do not ruthlessly exploit,

or plot trouble for each other'.

But people will not listen;

they shrug their shoulders and prepare a cross.



Ride on in majesty, King of love;

show us the way that leads to peace.

The Lord shall banish our armies;

our armaments shall be destroyed.

He shall speak reconciliation to every nation,

extending his love from sea to sea.

This Kingdom which seems impossible

shall surely come to be.



Hosanna! Keep steady your hands!

Hear the word of the lord of hosts:

Love shall reign in the city of God,

old people shall sit in its squares;

Its streets shall be filled with children

playing without any fears.

The Lord will dwell with his people,

and banish all sorrow and cares.



(by Bruce Prewer, "Australian Psalms", pp. 112-113.)





THE PSALTER: Psalm 118: 19-29

A Prayer of Thanks for Victory



/or/

PSALM 118:1-2,19-29



Heh! Give thanks to God who is so good,

whose sure love flows on forever!

Let all the people join in the chorus:

God's sure love flows on forever!



Swing open the gates of love that I may enter

and give thanks to our wonderful God.

Here is the gate that belongs to God,

believers can freely go in through it.



Thank you, God, for answering me;

you are my healing and liberation.

The stone that the builders threw aside

has become our cornerstone.



This is the day that God has made;

let us be happy and celebrate it.

Save us all, God, please save us;

and make our faith a success.



Happy are you who enter in God's name,

in the house of God we bless you

God, our God, is the giver of light;

wave your branches right up to the altar.



You are my God and I will thank you;

you are my God I will praise you.

Sing thanks to God who is so good,

whose sure love flows on forever.



(Copyright, Bruce D. Prewer, 2001.)



/See Also: An alternative version by Bruce Prewer in "More Australian

Psalms", p. 153. Openbook Publishers. service@openbook.com.au /





GOSPEL READING: Mark 11: 1-11

Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem



[Jesus' joyful entry into Jerusalem.]





A MEDITATION: "THE DONKEY AND I"



This donkey did not know, but did he comprehend

who the rider was, who nudged him down the road

among the shouting mob, waving palm branches

through the city gates with praise that was too brief?



This donkey did not know, but did he comprehend

these gentle hands that guided him on a journey

that pilgrims would recall for thousands of years

with gratitude and praise mixed with adoring grief?



This donkey did not know, but did he comprehend

that angels and archangels held their breath with awe

as the source of galaxies rode on in humble majesty

to a holy mystery that beggars all belief?



(Used by Permission (c) Bruce D. Prewer, 2002.)



/or/

PALM SUNDAY



Along the pilgrim way they went

where seers and saints had trod,

he sensed the blessing of pure hearts

that look upon their God.



They cheered and laughed along the road,

Hosannas thick and fast,

but he wasn't fooled by human praise

he knew first would come last.



He did not watch how Judas scowled

or dote on Peter's smile,

he simply did what he was asked

and went the second mile.



The pilgrim crowd were on a high,

their palms a waving mass,

he went in trust all of the way

though he was just an ass.



(Copyright, Bruce D. Prewer 1991, http://www.alphalink.com.au/~nigel/doc/20040404.htm)

(Another version appears in "Beyond Words.")





/or/

A few years ago I tried to express this sense of lost opportunity in a modern setting of Palm Sunday. Five people dealing with the arrival of Jesus into their community; a farmer in town buying a new car, a young woman busy in an office, a real estate agent, a bored wealthy woman at home, and a university professor.



"THE ARRIVAL"



1. On the day when Jesus the prophet

arrived in our town,

Joe Farmer was very busy

choosing a new car.



He heard the distant cheering:

"Hosanna! Blessed is he

who comes in the name of the Lord."



Mentally he made a note

and promised himself hear the prophet;

some day, not now.



Joes was far too occupied with trade-in price,

fuel consumption, and the virtues of the ST

or the LJ model, and whether either car

was better than his neighbour's.



2. At coffee break 22-year old Esther Romantic

also heard the uproar coming from High Street.



She felt an impulse to go and join the crowd

with those who welcomed the prophet,

for stories about him had strangely

shaken and encouraged her.



But Esther's wedding day

was only seven weeks off

and she still had thinking to do

about the flowers,

shade of eye shadow,

or whether on the tables

she wanted with every place card

a wishbone.



3. For Jim Smiley the real estate agent

it was infuriating:

Time was money!

Here he was stuck in a traffic jam

in the middle of town,

thanks to these idiots

with grins, slogans and palm branches,

supporting this new fool



Jesus

who had said some rotten things

about real estate.



Jim was due in four minutes at Toorak Place

to meet with a wealthy client.



Jim yelled at a policeman

patrolling the edge of the procession:

"How about some law and order!"



4. Some did not even hear the cheering

nor cared.



Beth Goldsmith with fingers covered with rings

was watching "Days of our lives"

when the prophet walked within one block

of her residence.



They interrupted the programme

for an eyewitness report on the progress

of the street demo.



Beth took the opportunity

to fetch another pot of coffee

and two aspirin.



5. Professor Nicodemus was lecturing at the Uni.

He noted the small number who had turned up today,

and even they were restless.



He asked the reason.

They gave him the news that the prophet Jesus

was leading a demo to the Central Mall.



On an impulse Nicodemus

dismissed the surprised students

and hurried off down High Street

where, somewhat embarrassed,

he joined the crowd and found

himself shouting "Hosanna!"



At the sound of his own voice,

the Prof felt his own soul-

as if a birth was about to take place-

leap for joy within!



And it seemed as if all things

were becoming new.



Opportunity knocks. Sometimes.



(by Bruce D. Prewer, Palm Sunday)



* SONG: SIS #409 - "King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Glory, Hallelujah!"





SHARING GOD'S WORD: Proclaiming the Good News



"Anyone who serves me must follow me, says the Lord,

and where I am, there shall my servant be also." - John 12:26



Comment:

Jesus prepares to enter Jerusalem. He will enter majestically, hearing cries of "Hosanna in the highest!" His sights are set on what He must do; His intentions are faithful to God, who sustains Him. Soon the crowds will disperse, to be replaced by tormentors; adulation will cease, and He will be faced with betrayal. Humiliation and obedience lead to death so that life may abound to God's glory.

(by James G. Kirk, "When We Gather", Year B, p. 62.)





Sermon Starters:

To listen like a disciple (Isaiah 50:4c)

How can we make the shift in these readings from triumph to despair? We can read the texts as followers of Jesus, which makes us insiders in this story, condemning the religious authorities. If we use an "empire lens," we might read the triumphant texts feeling smug because we support the One who resisted empire.

But then we look around and notice that in 2009 we are the ones who are the religious authorities!

Simon of Cyrene was an innocent passerby compelled to carry the cross by a Roman soldier. When does empire, unknowingly, give us the opportunity to witness to our faith by demanding that we carry the cross? How do poverty and grief draw us closer to Christ as we share the burden of the cross? How can we be "Simon of Cyrene" for each other as we suffer?

(from 'Gathering', United Church of Canada, 2009.)



/or/

For those unaware of the revelation of scripture, lining the streets of Jerusalem for the Saviour of the world who comes on a donkey must have been quite unexpected. When have we pictured our rescue happening in a certain way - or when have we envisioned our hopes resting upon one thing - only to find out that our help often comes in unexpected ways? From where has our help come? We are reminded, as were the first disciples, that our faith rests upon the God of Ages, and it is in God's time that all truth and salvation are revealed.

(from 'Gathering', United Church of Canada, 2003.)





LET US PRAY:

Almighty God, You gave Your Son to be the leader of all. As He entered Jerusalem, may we enter our world to follow Him, obeying You and trusting your power. AMEN.



/or/

Almighty God, You sent Your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take our flesh upon Him and to suffer death on the cross. Grant that we may share in His obedience to Your will and in the glorious victory of His resurrection; for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.



/or/

God, Your Son, Jesus, came, meek and lowly and riding on a donkey into the city of Jerusalem. So let Him come again. Let Him ride into our frantic city to make the peace and establish justice. And so we too will risk greeting You with loud Hosannas; through Christ our Lord. AMEN.



/or/

Most loving God, with great compassion you sent your Son to wear our flesh, suffer our temptations, hear our shallow praise, and endure cruel death upon a cross. Please give us the spirit of Jesus, that we who follow his sufferings through this week, may learn the way of true love, and embody it to the end of our days. Through the same Christ Jesus who lives and loves with you in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. AMEN.

(by Bruce D. Prewer, 2003.)



* SONG: SIS #409 - "King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Glory, Hallelujah!"





===[ WE RESPOND TO THE SPIRITS VOICE ]===



[NOTICES / INTIMATIONS / MINUTE FOR MISSION]



PRAYERS FOR PALM SUNDAY & HOLY WEEK:

(** Recommended)



/See/ "Traces of Glory", by David Adam, Year B, pp. 59-61.

/or/ "Let Us Pray" by Janet Nelson, pp. 124-125.

/or/ "Companion to the RCL" by Christine Odell, Vol I, p. 80.

/or/ "When We Gather" by James G. Kirk, Year B, p. 65.

/or/ "Prayers for the Seasons of God's People", Year B, pp. 90-91.

/or/ "Lord for All Seasons", by Ted Burge, p. 106.



/or/

Eternal and ever blessed God, You sent Your Son Jesus into the world to be an example to us. Help us ever to walk in His steps. LORD, IN YOUR MERCY ... [HEAR OUR PRAYER.]



Help us to walk in His humility, so that we too may be among our fellow men and women as those who serve. Help us to walk in His forgiveness, so that we too may forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. LORD, IN YOUR MERCY ... [HEAR OUR PRAYER.]



Help us to walk in His courage, so that nothing may ever deflect us from the way we ought to talk. Help us to walk in His endurance, so that nothing may daunt or discourage us, until we reach our goal. LORD, IN YOUR MERCY ... [HEAR OUR PRAYER.]



Help us to walk in His loyalty, so that nothing may ever deduce our hearts from our devotion to Him. Help us to walk in His love, so that the world may see the work that we do and give praise to our God. LORD, IN YOUR MERCY ... [HEAR OUR PRAYER.]



Help us to share the life that our Lord once lived on earth that we may also share the life He lives in His risen power. Grant that it may be our meat and drink to do the will of our Father who is in Heaven. LORD, IN YOUR MERCY ... [HEAR OUR PRAYER.]



Grant unto us to take up whatever cross is laid upon us and gallantly and gladly to carry it. Grant that As we may share His cross, so we may share His crown; as we share His death, so we may also share His life. And so grant that having suffered with Him we may also reign with Him. LORD, IN YOUR MERCY ... [HEAR OUR PRAYER.]



Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayers, the spoken and the unsaid, for we offer them to You in the name of the One who died that all might live -- our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN.



/or/

PRAYERS FOR PEACE:



O Lord our God, we come to you to find our way. We offer our prayers with confidence in your goodness, placing ourselves and the whole world directly in your hands. Guide us. Heal us. Protect your people and grant them peace.

Lord, grant your people peace.



Lord, grant unto all peoples your peace.

Lord, grant your people peace.



Let war and injustice become love and kindness.

Lord, grant your people peace.



Let hatred and fear turn to compassion and hope.

Lord, grant your people peace.



Let selfishness and anger become selflessness and joy.

Lord, grant your people peace.



O Lord let peace ever reign upon this earth and dwell deep within our hearts.

Lord, grant your people peace.



Lord God, Lamb of God, help us to find you in all things, even in violence and pain. We know that you suffer with us and with all people on earth, that you never leave our midst. Let your Spirit groan within us as we pray in poor words these petitions to you. We ask them, always and ever, in the name of Jesus the Christ. AMEN.



==/ SEE ALSO: "PRAYER RESPONSES TO PEACE" BELOW /==



______________________



THE CREED: The Nicene Creed /or/ The Apostles Creed



[In unity with Christians through the ages, let us stand and affirm our faith in the words of the Nicene Creed (the Apostles Creed) ... ]



/or/

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.



We believe in Jesus Christ who,

though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.



And being found in human form,

he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death

-- even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name

that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

-- Philippians 2:5-11





===[ THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SUPPER: THE HOLY EUCHARIST ]===



[SENTENCE]



"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12:24)



[INVITATION TO THE LORD'S TABLE]



* OFFERTORY/COMMUNION: TIS #348 (AHB #264) - "Ride On, Ride On In Majesty"



[OFFERING and DEDICATION]



Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed are the gifts that are received in Christ's name. We come before You, O God, with the many blessings that You have bestowed upon us. Accept them as in Christ You accept us. Use what we bring, so that others can shout, "Hosanna, Christ reigns!" AMEN.



/or/

O God of wisdom, You open our eyes to behold the wonder of Your mighty acts. You free our tongues to proclaim as good news Christ's suffering for us all. We sing, "Hosanna in the highest!" Christ has entered our lives. Accept now these offerings as our garlands of welcome, and hear our shouts of praise as we seek to follow Him. AMEN.

(by James G. Kirk, "When We Gather", Year B, p. 65.)



/or/

Hosanna! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna! Bless these gifts and our lives, O God, for we offer them in the

name of Jesus, our Lord. He emptied himself that we might be filled. He

humbled himself that we might be lifted up. We pray these gifts be used to

proclaim the gospel which fills lives that are empty and lifts up those who

need help. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

(by Moira Laidlaw, Palm Sunday B.)



/or/

Leader: We thank you Father for Jesus Christ,

PEOPLE: Who for our sake became poor that we might be rich.

We thank you that he gave himself up to death

so that we might rise to life.

Leader: Accept our gifts of thanksgiving now O Lord.

PEOPLE: Use both them and us so that they might bring blessings unto

Your name. We ask it in the name of Jesus AMEN.

(by Richard F. Fairchild, Palm Sunday B.)





[SETTING OF THE TABLE - WORDS OF INSTITUTION]



According to Luke when our Risen Lord was at table with His disciples, He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised Him. From that day onwards they gave witness to the Risen Lord through Word and Sacrament. Today we do the same.



[THE GREAT THANKSGIVING] (standing)



Eucharistic Preface: [PASSION SUNDAY B]



Leader: The Lord be with you!

People: AND ALSO WITH YOU!

Lift up your hearts.

People: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God:

People: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE OUR THANKS AND PRAISE!



It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,

for you alone are good and your steadfast love is forever.



The creation of the world was your doing

and is a marvel to our eyes.

Your prophets told of the coming one

who would teach your ways

and sustain us with your word.



Your son, Jesus, though one with you

gave up all he had,

taking on human flesh,

and walking the path of obedience

all the way to insult, betrayal and death,

trusting only in your vindication.



Though he was rejected by those who had cheered him,

you made him the cornerstone of new life

and raised him to the highest place of honour.

He has opened the gates of justice

and become our salvation,

so with shouts of joy we greet his appearing,

and proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord

to your glory forever.



ALL: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.



Blessed is the One whose coming we await with joy.

Hosanna in the highest.



(Copyright 2003, Nathan Nettleton, http://www.laughingbird.net/LectionTexts/C23#Eucharistic Preface)



/or/

Eucharistic Preface: [The Paschal Mystery]



Leader: The Lord be with you.

PEOPLE: And also with you.

Leader: Lift up your hearts.

PEOPLE: We lift them to the Lord.

Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

PEOPLE: It is right to give our thanks and praise.



Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,

we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks

through Jesus Christ our Lord.



We praise you with greater joy than ever

on this Easter day,

when Christ became our paschal sacrifice.



He is the true Lamb that took away the sins of the world.

By dying he destroyed our death;

by rising he restored our life.



And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven

we proclaim your glory

and join in their unending song of joy and praise:



ALL: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.



Blessed is the One whose coming we await with joy.

Hosanna in the highest.



(from 'CanticaNova', http://www.canticanova.com/planning/year-b/pln5b_l.htm)



______________________



[PRAYER OF CONSECRATION and ACCLAMATION]



Holy God, you brought a new relationship to birth in Jesus Christ to bring your unconditional love into even greater focus. He graced lives with healing and hope, with compassion and power and as if that were not enough, he gave his very life for us. On the night of his betrayal, as he sat at the table and broke bread with his friends, he said: 'Take and eat; this is my body which is broken for you. Remember me each time you do this.' After they had eaten, he took the cup, and said: 'Remember me as you drink from this, for it is my life, poured out for you - the beginning of a new relationship with God.'



God of all power, breathe your Holy Spirit upon us, and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that they may be for us the life of Christ and that we may make that life visible through our faithful witness to the gospel. In Jesus' name we pray. AMEN.

(by Moira B. Laidlaw, http://www.liturgiesonline.com.au/liturgies/main/index.php?ch_table=link4&PID=2&SID=&year=B)



______________________



[THE LORD'S PRAYER]



(Modern Version)



Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. AMEN.



-- English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC)



/or/

(An Alternate Translation)



Our Father in heaven, may Your name be honoured.

May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today the food we need.

Forgive us our wrongdoings

as we forgive those who have wronged us.*

Bring us through the hard-testing times

and deliver us from evil's ways.

For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours

now and forever! AMEN.



[translated and adapted by Rev. John Maynard]



(* = or "Forgive us our offences

as we forgive those who have offended us.")





/or/

(An Adaptation in Verse)



Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept

in reverence, honour and awe.

Let Your Reign come and Your will be done,

on earth as in heaven for all.



Feed us today with the food we need;

nourish, refresh us, we pray.

Forgive our wrongdoings as we forgive

those who have wronged us along the way.



And as we go through hard-testing times

deliver us from Evils way.

For the Reign, the Power and Glory are Yours

today and forever always. AMEN.



[Translated by Rev. John Maynard, Copyright 2005.

May be used freely for public worship or personal devotion.]



______________________



[THE BREAKING OF BREAD AND POURING OF WINE]



Minister: (in breaking the bread)



Christ is the bread of joy, who shares food with sinners



/or/

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body,

for we all partake of the one bread.



Minister: (in pouring the wine; or lifting the cup)



Christ is the cup of life, who revives the faint-hearted.



/or/

The cup which we bless is the communion in blood of Christ.



/or/

We break this bread and take this cup so that we can all share

in the life of Christ: God's gifts for God's people.





/OR/

The bread we now break and the cup we take are a sharing in the life of Christ (fraction) As we take this cup of blessing and as we share this bread of life we proclaim his death with gratitude and celebrate his resurrection with joy



The minister holds out the bread and the cup to the people and says:



Let us receive what we are;

let us become what we receive.

The body of Christ.





[LAMB OF GOD THE AGNUS DEI]



Jesus, Firstborn of Mary: HAVE MERCY ON US.

Jesus, Saviour of the world: HAVE MERCY ON US.

Jesus, Monarch of heaven: GRANT US PEACE.



/or/

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: HAVE MERCY ON US.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: HAVE MERCY ON US.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: GRANT US YOUR PEACE.





ALL: Lord, we are not worthy to receive You,

but only say the word and we shall be healed. AMEN.





[PROCLAMATION]



Jesus said: I am the Bread of life.

The one who comes to me shall never be hungry,

and the one who believes in me shall never thirst!



Come to the Table:

Here is the Bread of Life for You;

The Cup of Salvation for You.



/or/

Receive this holy sacrament of the body and blood of Christ,

and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.





[DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS]



/ … according to local custom … /



Ministering Words:



The Bread of Life for You

The Cup of Salvation for You



/or/ The Body of Christ for You

The Blood of Christ for You





/may be sung or played during the distribution .../



Eat this bread, drink this cup: Come to me and never be hungry.

Eat this bread, drink this cup: Trust in me and you will not thirst.



(TIS #714 - "Eat This Bread" from the Taizé Community)



______________________



AFTER DISTRIBUTION: (If the 'Agnus Dei' is not used)



Jesus is the lamb of God

Who takes away the sin of the world.

Happy are they who have been called to His supper.





[DEPARTING PRAYER]



Leader - Bless the Lord, O my soul!

PEOPLE - And that is within us, bless God's holy name!





Leader - Bless the lord, O my soul!

PEOPLE - And forget not all God's benefits!



LET US PRAY:



Lord, we give thanks for these holy mysteries which bring to us here on earth a share in the life to come. We rejoice that you are our creator and ruler. As we call upon your generosity, renew and keep us in your love.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

(from 'CanticaNova' Publications)



/or/

Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve:

to give, and not to count the cost;

to fight, and not to heed the wounds;

to toil, and not to seek for rest;

to labour, and not to ask for any reward,

except that of knowing that we do your holy will;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.



-- Ignatius Loyola, 1491-1556





* HYMN OF FAITH: "Hosanna, Loud Hosanna"



Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang.

Through pillared court and temple the lovely anthem rang.

To Jesus, who had blessed them, close folded to His breast,

The children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.



From Olivet they followed 'mid an exultant crowd,

The victor palm branch waving, and chanting clear & loud.

The Lord of us and angels rode on in lowly state,

Nor scorned that little children should on His bidding wait.



"Hosanna in the highest!" That ancient song we sing,

For Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heaven our King.

O may we ever praise Him with heart and life and voice,

And in His blissful presence Eternally rejoice!





[COMMISSIONING PRAYER]



Almighty and eternal God, You raise up and save us through the Passion of Christ: As we celebrate this wonder, finish in us the work You have begun, and plant new zeal in our hearts, through Jesus Christ, the Crucified and Risen Lord. AMEN.



[WORD OF MISSION]



In the power of the Holy Spirit go forth into the world,

to fulfil your calling as the people of God, the body of Christ.





[BLESSING and DISMISSAL]



Go forth into this day with the strong name of Jesus Christ to sustain you

May you find in the Crucified One the forgiveness of sins,

The renewing power of love, and the promise of life eternal ..

AND THE BLESSING OF GOD ALMIGHTY ... AMEN.

(adapted from "Traces of Glory", Year B, p. 61.)



/or/

Go in Peace - and may God be gracious unto you according the

riches of his mercy in Christ Jesus - may his love flow forth

abundantly upon you - and may his eternal faithfulness give you

strength for each and every day - Amen

(by Richard F. Fairchild, Palm Sunday B.)



/or/

Go into the world in peace,

embraced by the steadfast love of God,

blessed by the humility and courage of Jesus Christ

and filled with the immeasurable power of the Holy Spirit.

(by Moira Laidlaw, Palm Sunday B.)



/or/

May God whose arms were spread on the cross to embrace the whole world help us this week to take up the cross and to follow Him ... And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you and stay with you always. AMEN.

(from "Companion to the RCL", Vol. 3, Year B, p. 49.)



/or/

In sunshine and shadow, joy or grief,

This is the day which the Lord has made,

We will rejoice and be glad in it.



Step gratefully into this holy weak;

tread softly for many things are already bruised;

go reverently for holiness is in unlikely places;

walk lovingly for the love of the Crucified One

is the key to all things on earth and in heaven.



Amen! Even with our small faith, may Christ live and rule in our hearts.



The blessings of this Lord's Day, through our Saviour Christ, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, from the God who gathers all our joys and sorrows into one mighty consummation, be with you now and always.

Amen!

(by Bruce D. Prewer, http://www.alphalink.com.au/~nigel/doc/20040404.htm)



/or/

Go now and follow Christ in obedience.

Have the same mind as was in Christ Jesus;

Keep your ears open to God's teaching;

Be humble, even in the face of hostility

and do not turn back.



And may God help you and keep you from disgrace;

May Christ Jesus lead you through the gates of justice;

And may the Holy Spirit keep you in God's steadfast love

........and fill your mouths with praise to the glory of God.



We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,

........In the name of Christ. AMEN.



(Copyright 2001. Nathan Nettleton, www.laughingbird.net)





* BENEDICTION: SIS #409 - "King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Glory, Hallelujah!"



/or/ "PALM SUNDAY DOXOLOGY" (Tune: Old 100th, AHB 10)



Praise to our God, wave high the palm

Praise to Christ Jesus God's own Son,

Praise to the Spirit we now sing

For in our hearts hosannas ring.





===[ ANOTHER GOSPEL REFLECTION ]===



"HOSANNA!"



"Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Mark 11:9) How would you welcome Jesus to the city? Believers through the ages have expected to see him as one who came to them. (Luke 12:35-36; Revelation 3:20).



As they made a carpet of welcome for him with their cloaks and the branches they carried, they shouted "Hosanna!" The word "Hosanna" means "Save now", or "Save us". To call out "Save us" was to greet a saviour, not in the personal sense in which Christians today might think of it concerning our individual salvation, but more in the sense of a national saviour, like a general leading an army of liberation. (There were examples of similar uses of the words of the psalm [118] in times of national celebration in Jewish history, [e.g. 1 Maccabees 13:51; 2 Maccabees 10:6-7] which are continued today as the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.) Jesus was welcomed in a traditional heroic and hopeful manner, but he chose to ride a donkey rather than a war horse and took on the style of a humble servant. And even that had a scriptural precedent (Zechariah 9:9). Nevertheless, they welcomed him as king in the succession of the great king David (Mark 11:8-10).



The form of this celebration goes back to the festival of the booths in which the branches represented the crude shelters in which their ancestors lived in the desert when they escaped from Egypt. Psalm 118 is of one those the ancient Jews used to recite as they approached the city to join in the festival (Psalms 118:25-26). Save us [Hosanna], we beseech you, ... These are the words with which Jesus was welcomed to the capital city. They used the greeting for a saviour. That apparently unconscious acknowledgment in the word "Hosanna", "Save us", is like using the name "Jesus" without remembering that it too means "Saviour".



If they even half expected Jesus to act as a king or military leader to expel their foreign rulers, the Romans, it raised for them, when they became aware of it, the same question which confronted Pilate later in the week, concerning who this man was, and if he was king, what sort of king. (John 18:33-38). In the notice on his cross (John 19:19-22) and the words of the chief priest at his trial (John 11:49-52), and in his mockery by the soldiers (Mark 15:17-19) more truth is spoken in witness too him than the speakers intend, just as with the word "Hosanna."



What had them all tossed was the way that Jesus in his teaching and in his actions, especially in the manner in which he went to his death, combined what was expected of the Messiah as a conquering hero with the remembrance of the suffering servant as the one who would save the people. Jesus had been preparing his disciples for that different understanding of who he was (Mark 8:29-31) but it was not until after they saw how he died that they understood how the ancient prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in him..



His silence especially impressed them (Mark 15:2-5; John 19:10). Later the apostles remembered it and proclaimed him Lord and Saviour as the suffering servant (Acts 8:30-35; Isaiah 53:3-12), so for us Palm Sunday is also Passion Sunday.



"Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! .... Hosanna in the highest heaven!"



(By David Beswick (A Complete Sermon may be found at -

http://www.beswick.info/rclresources/L6B00Ser.htm)







===[ THREE PRAYER RESPONSES TO WAR ]===



"FOR LOVE, JUSTICE AND PEACE"



Look with mercy on your violent, warring world, loving God, and save both friend and emery from self-destruction.



Look with mercy on this congregation, divided in opinion over the rights and wrongs of particular conflicts, and save us from self-destruction.



Help us to be so caught up in the reconciling peace of our Saviour Christ, that we may not be divided as we pray with all our hearts for justice and peace.



Help us to trust the love of Christ more than politicians, and his grace more than terrorist bombs or massed military might.



So fill us with a passion for justice to all, even for the least and the most ugly characters, that we will not tolerate the conditions that breed hatred.



So fill us with a passion for peace, even among those who hate us and despitefully use us, that we may cease being a part of the problem and become agents of Christ's cure.



Saviour God, if we don't get the message of Christ, who else will?

Saviour God, if we don't live by the Gospel, who else will dare?



Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us your peace.

(by Bruce D. Prewer, 2003.)





=======================



"IN TIME OF WAR"



God of all nations, to whom all persons are most precious, we pray for those caught up in war, that you may be with them in their hour of crisis. Please work your grace, as we pray for both our friends and our enemies.



Bless your peacemakers,

who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.



We pray for those at the heart of the conflict, the members of all armed forces, some serving willingly and some reluctantly, and many hating every moment of killing and destruction. Loving God, be with each soul in the heat of battle.



Bless your peacemakers,

who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.



We pray for all the civilians whose daily existence has become a nightmare. Especially we lift up to you all those women and children who are suffering and grieving, or hiding terrified in bunkers. Loving God, be with each soul in distress and desperation.



Bless your peacemakers,

who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.



We pray for those whose homes have been destroyed, whose livelihood has been shattered, and all those mothers and fathers who can no longer provide for their little ones. Loving God. be with each soul in their anguish and despair.



Bless your peacemakers,

who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.



We pray for doctors, nurses and ambulance officers, both in the armed forces and civilians; particularly those who are trying to save life and limb with inadequate facilities and medicines. Loving God, be with each weary soul who is near the end of their tether.



Bless your peacemakers,

who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.



We pray for presidents, prime ministers, parliaments and dictators. We ask for your Wind to blow through all corridors of power, driving out the pride, greed, anger and vengefulness which perpetuates both injustices and mass violence. Loving God, be with each soul who has the power to change events.



Bless your peacemakers,

who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.



We pray for one another, each with our own opinions, fears and hopes.. Keep us close to the Christ, and let his spirit activate and guide us all. Loving God, be with each sensitive soul that feels the weight of human misery, yet is acutely frustrated by our apparent powerlessness to change events.



Bless your peacemakers,

who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.



Reconciling God, we look to that better day when humanity will "beat their weapons into ploughshares, and their tanks and bombers into gardening tools, when nation shall not lift up the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."



Through Christ Jesus our Saviour. AMEN.

(by Bruce D. Prewer, 2003.)





=======================



"I HATE WAR!"



God! I hate injustice!

I hate terrorism !

I hate war!



I hate what it does to the enemy,

I hate what it does to the victims,

I hate what it does to the warriors!



Please help us, in some way,

to find alternative ways

of redressing wrongs

and removing tyrants.



God! There no one else I can turn to

without meeting devious arguments

and unredeemed self-justifications.



And that includes myself!

God! I cannot see either myself

or events around me with clarity.



Please help us, in some way,

to get out of the vicious circle

and stand free beside Christ Jesus.



In his name we pray,

for the salvation of the world beginning with me.

Through Christ Jesus our Saviour. AMEN.

(by Bruce D. Prewer, 2003.)