April 1 – Palm/Passion Sunday

Worship materials for Holy Week were contributed by Bev Brazier of Whitehorse United Church, Whitehorse, Yukon.

 

Liturgy of Palms

Mark 11:1–11 or John 12:12–16

Jesus’ joyful entry into Jerusalem.

 

Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29 (VU p. 837 Parts One, Three, and Four)

The stone that the builders rejected.

 

Liturgy of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4–9a

The servant: “I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks...”

 

Psalm 31:9–16 (VU p. 758 Parts Two and Three)

My times are in your hand, O God.

 

Philippians 2:5–11

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

 

Mark 14:1—15:47

The days before Jesus’ betrayal and his arrest.

Spark

Some congregations focus on the “Palms,” leaving the Passion narratives until Friday. Through Lent the focus has been on covenant, with powerful visual symbols for the readings. Today begin with a palm parade; for ecological and practical reasons, use branches from local trees. As well as the branches, have the children (and adults) parade in carrying the symbols of the covenants explored during Lent: a rainbow, stars, tablets, a globe (or a serpent if you’ve gone with the Numbers reading in Lent 4), and a heart.

Theme Engagement Question

Where would you have been as the crowds welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem? At the front of the crowd trying to reach out to Jesus? Somewhere in the middle? At the very back of the crowd? Or trying to push your way in the opposite direction?

With Children

Palm Sunday is a great story and doesn’t need more than an enthusiastic teller. Ask the children to provide the sounds: they can shout “Hosanna” and make the sounds of the donkey’s feet. Use lots of music such as “The Day He Came Riding into Town” (page 12), “A Palm Sunday Rap” (page 50), or “Palm Sunday Rag” (below).

Sermon Starter

Consider the covenants you’ve read about during Lent. Have five people speak briefly in the voices of people in the parade that day, representing five different reasons why people joined the Jesus parade. As they speak, they might place the symbol of that covenant either on the banner (see “Spark” for Ash Wednesday) or on the table. For example: “I joined Jesus’ parade because he seemed to me to live out the covenant God made with us through Noah—a covenant for all the world. I loved the way he repaired the breach by caring for people of all colours” or “I joined Jesus’ parade because I’m a son/daughter of Abraham and Sarah, and God promised us a land and as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, and God promised to always be our God. I see that Jesus repairs the breach by being a sign of God’s abiding presence.” And so on.

Hymns

VU 122            “All glory, laud and honour”

VU 123            “Hosanna, loud hosanna”

VU 124            “He came riding on a donkey”

VU 126            “Ride on, ride on”

VU 128            “Sanna, sannanina”

MV 8               “And on this path”

MV 128           “When they heard”

 

Palm Sunday Rag

Words: Bev Brazier

Tune: “Darktown Strutters’ Ball” Shelton Brooks, 1917

 

Well, he rode into town on a donkey, waving

Kids waved back as he passed by

Dove circling in the sky

You should have been there when they cried “Hosanna!”

Palm trees joined, and they waved their branches

Stones in the road began to sing, they said

“Jesus, you’re our favourite one, Hosanna to David’s son

We’re going to praise the Lord for the hope and joy you bring!”