Worship for Palm Sunday

This day belongs to the Lord!

Let's celebrate and be glad today.

The Lord be with you and also with you.

Introduction9.B]

During Lent we have been preparing ourselves for the celebration of our Lord's death and resurrection. Today on Palm Sunday, Christians all over the world, start their celebrations as they acknowledge how Christ entered his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Today we start our journey through Holy Week, going with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life on Easter Day.

Psalm 118. 1-2,19-29

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever.

Let Israel now proclaim,

'His mercy endures for ever.'

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter and give thanks to the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;

the righteous shall enter through it.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

This is the Lord's doing,

and it is marvellous in our eyes.

This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever.

Amen.

HYMN:

All glory, laud, and honour To thee, Redeemer, King. To whom the lips of children Made sweet Hosannas ring.

1. Thou art the King of Israel Thou David' s royal Son,

Who in the Lord's name comest

The King and blessed one:

Chorus

Blessing of Palm Crosses

Lord Jesus,

we confess that often we do not have your courage or your faith and hope:

when our values are being threatened by other nations and people...

when people are taking unfair advantage of others... when friends have hurt us by what they have said or done

and we want to hurt in return... when we want to use our power

to get what we want even when it damages others... Jesus, remind us that we are all children of God.

Forgive us as we stand here in hope.

Jesus, you love us just as we are.

We confess that we often sing 'Hallelujah' to you one day and then turn our faces from you on the next.

Jesus, remind us that we are all children of God.

Forgive us as we stand here in humble hope. Forgive us as you did your early friends.

God our Saviour, whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and to die; let these palm crosses be for us signs of his victory. We ask that we who carry them in his name may always greet him as our King, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Jesus, wherever we are, we have come to meet you, like the people who stood by the road to Jerusalem, hoping to be touched by your life and hope, growing in the conviction that the Messiah is among us.

Be present to us today, Jesus Christ, the One for whom we wait. Amen.

HYMN:

All glory, laud, and honour To thee, Redeemer, King. To whom the lips of children Made sweet Hosannas ring.

1. The company of angels

Are praising thee on high,

And mortals, joined with all things Created, make reply: Chorus

Prayer of Penitence

Lord Jesus,

we confess that often we do not have your courage or your faith and hope:

when our values are being threatened by other nations and people...

when people are taking unfair advantage of others... when friends have hurt us by what they have said or done

and we want to hurt in return... when we want to use our power

to get what we want even when it damages others... Jesus, remind us that we are all children of God.

Forgive us as we stand here in hope.

Jesus, you love us just as we are.

We confess that we often sing 'Hallelujah' to you one day and then turn our faces from you on the next.

Jesus, remind us that we are all children of God.

Forgive us as we stand here in humble hope. Forgive us as you did your early friends.

May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring you his pardon and peace, now and for ever: Amen.

The Collect

True and humble king, hailed by the crowd as Messiah: give us the faith to know you and love you, that we may be found beside you on the way of the cross, which is the path of glory.

Amen.

HYMN:

All glory, laud, and honour To thee, Redeemer, King.

To whom the lips of children Made sweet Hosannas ring.

1. The people of the Hebrews

With palms before thee went:

Our praise and prayer and anthems Before thee we present: Chorus

[I]From the Liturgy of the Palms - 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.

In this is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

An address is given

HYMN:

All glory, laud, and honour To thee, Redeemer, King.

To whom the lips of children Made sweet Hosannas ring.

1. To thee before thy Passion They sang their hymn of praise: To thee now high exalted

Our melody we raise:

The response:

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

t the end we say:

Merciful Father,

Accept these prayers

for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

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. Lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever.

Amen.

The Blessing

HYMN:

All glory, laud, and honour To thee, Redeemer, King. To whom the lips of children Made sweet Hosannas ring.

1. Thou didst accept their praises: Accept the prayers we bring,

Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious king:

Chorus

May Christ draw you to humility and worship, and bring you to see God at work;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ.

Amen.