Christ became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name. Philippians 2.8–9 1 Welcome and Good Morning! The Liturgy of the Palms with Eucharistic Prayer #3, from the Book of Alternative Services Artwork from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. Symbols of Lent, Copyright © 2019 CRI/Voice, Dennis Bratcher 2 Ministry Team Presiding & Preaching: Reverend Laurie Omstead Deacon: Reverend Bill MacDonald Licensed Lay Minister: Clair MacInnis Musician: Peter Grant Scripture Reader & Liturgist: Shelly Hubley IT Specialist: Brandon Bremner Symbols of Lent: Gary Simms Liturgist: Shelly Hubley 3 The Symbols of Lent: The Palms We place at the cross today the palm branches that welcomed Jesus as He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. The people loudly shouting, “Hosanna!” expected to be saved by a conquering hero. Palm Sunday reminds us of our self-centered expectations. Copyright © 2019 CRI/Voice, Dennis Bratcher 4 Lord Jesus, we confess our misguided, impatient expectations. We expect You to deliver us from suffering. We expect You to bless our materialism. We expect You to destroy our enemies. Help us say “No” to our self-centered, unholy expectations. Help us say “Yes” to the cross. 5 Palm Sunday is about worship. We worship the One most holy. We worship the One for whom we are willing to die. Lord Jesus, Holy Week reminds us that, although we worshiped You on Sunday, we denied You on Friday. Like Peter we promised to die for You; You have died for us. Help us say “No” to worship without sacrifice. Help us say “Yes” to the cross. 6 Palm Sunday is about worship. But the people turned the triumphal entry into a political parade. Lord Jesus, Holy Week reminds us that the heroes we most admire ride in chariots pulled by white horses. We confess that we don’t want to follow leaders who empty themselves of power, and ride on donkeys. Help us say “No” to “might making right.” Help us say “Yes” to the cross. 7 Palm Sunday is about worship. But we follow Jesus, hoping for positions of power on his right and on his left. Lord Jesus, Holy Week reminds us that we want Your power without accepting the cup of suffering that You drank, without the obedience to the point of death. We want your Kingdom to come, but we fear it will cost us too much. Help us say “No” to our weak disobedience. Help us say “Yes” to the cross. 8 Let us pray together, Almighty God, we confess that we love parades of power; Your parade was humble. We confess that we worship conquering heroes; You were conquered. We confess that we grasp whatever advantage we can get; You emptied Yourself for us. In Jesus Christ You have brought us mercy! 9 Teach us to be merciful to one another. Burn our palm branches into ash; help us take up our cross daily and follow You. Amen. The Palms are placed at the cross Copyright © 2019 CRI/Voice, Dennis Bratcher 10 Liturgy of the Palms Dear Friends in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing for the celebration of our Lord’s paschal mystery. On this day our Lord Jesus Christ entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph. 11 The people welcomed him with palms and shouts of praise, but the path before him led to self-giving, suffering, and death. Today we greet him as our King, although we know his crown is thorns and his throne a cross. 12 We follow him this week from the glory of the palms to the glory of the resurrection by way of the dark road of suffering and death. United with him in his suffering on the cross, may we share his resurrection and new life. 13 Let us pray. Assist us mercifully with your help, Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy into the celebration of those mighty acts whereby you give us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 14 Blessing of the Palms The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. 15 God our Saviour, whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and to die, let these palms be for us signs of his victory. Bless them and make them holy; and grant that we who bear them in his name may ever hail him as our King, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and for ever. Amen. 16 Psalm 118, 1-2, 19-29, (alternating verses) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever. Let Israel now proclaim, ”His mercy endures for ever.” 17 Open for me the gates of righteousness; * I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord. ”This is the gate of the Lord; he who is righteous may enter.” 18 I will give thanks to you, for you answered me and have become my salvation. The same stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 19 This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 20 Hosannah, Lord, hosannah! Lord, send us now success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord. 21 God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar. ”You are my God, and I will thank you; you are my God, and I will exalt you.” Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever. 22 Holy and mighty God, your Son’s triumph over sin and death has opened to us the gate of eternal life. Purify our hearts that we may follow where he has gone and share in the radiance of his glory. We ask this for the sake of our risen Lord. Amen. 23 The Palms are distributed. Let us go forth in peace. In the name of Christ. Opening Hymn: All Glory, Laud and Honour 24 All Glory Laud and Honour, (5 verses) All glory laud and honour To thee Redeemer king To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring Thou art the king of Israel Thou David’s royal son Who in the Lord’s name comest The king and blessed one 25 2. All glory laud and honour To thee Redeemer king To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring The company of angels Are praising thee on high And we with all creation In chorus make reply 26 3. All glory laud and honour To thee Redeemer king To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring The people of the Hebrews With palms before thee went Our praise and prayer and anthems Before thee we present 27 4. All glory laud and honour To thee Redeemer king To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring To thee before thy Passion They sang their hymns of praise To thee now high exalted Our melody we raise 28 5. All glory laud and honour To thee Redeemer king To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring Thou didst accept their praises Accept the prayers we bring Who in all good delightest Thou good and gracious king 29 Humble and riding on a donkey, We greet you. Acclaimed by crowds and caroled by children, We cheer you. Moving from the peace of the countryside to the corridors of power, We salute you, Christ our Lord. 30 You are giving the beasts of burden a new dignity; you are giving majesty a new face; you are giving those who long for redemption a new song to sing. With them, with heart and voice, we shout “Hosanna!” 31 The Collect of the Day Almighty God, your Son Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph, seated on a donkey, welcomed by peasants and slaves, working people and outcasts; grant that we too may view our triumphs with humility, 32 celebrate our joy with those in need, and remember always that the true victory is yours. In the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you one God, world without end. Amen. 33 The Proclamation of the Word First Reading: Isaiah 50: 4-9a Flagellation of Christ, Jusepe de Ribera Girolamini Gallery Naples, Italy 34 Psalm 31: 9-16: (Alternating verses) Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly. For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed. 35 I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbours, a dismay to those of my acquaintance; when they see me in the street they avoid me. I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am as useless as a broken pot. 36 For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life. But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord.* I have said, “You are my God.