a community creating for the relentless return of Sunday
This order of service for Palm/Passion Sunday breaks up the readings for the Revised Common Lectionary Year C throughout worship.
Call to Worship (perhaps this call to worship by Thom Shuman)
Prayer of Invocation
The Entry into Jerusalem: Luke 19:28-44
Hymn of Praise: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna
Prayer for Illumination
Jesus Clears the Temple: Luke 19:45-48
Anthem
The Widow’s Offering: Luke 21:1-4
Offering of Our Lives and Possessions
Doxology and Prayer of Dedication
Judas Turns: Luke 22:1-6
Prayer of Confession (perhaps this by Laura Cunningham)
Assurance of Pardon
Congregational Response
Jesus Prays in the Garden: Luke 22:39-46
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
Jesus Is Arrested: Luke 22:47-53
Homily
Hymn: Go to Dark Gethsemane
Benediction
Benediction Response: Ride On! Ride On in Majesty!
submitted by Rev. Evan Walker, Roxboro Presbyterian Church, Roxboro, NC
God of our salvation…
we grasp our coveted, once-a-year, palm branches…
we sing and shout, “Hosanna!”…
we proclaim in those moments
that we want you to save us…
but we’re not always sure
you understand what we mean.
You have come to vanquish the status quo…
but we have been comfortable in that life.
You have come to turn the world upside down…
but we’re afraid you will shake things up
more than we intended.
You have come to draw us closer
to your vision for creation…
but, at times, we think you may be
just a little too impassioned.
We like the palm branches.
We even like the hymns.
But we just want to go home after the parade.
Forgive our lack of vision…
forgive our lukewarm passion…
and inspire us to step off the curb
and to start marching at your side…
Submitted by Rev. Scott V. Cervas (Meadowthorpe Presbyterian Church; Lexington, KY)
Covenant-making God,
you enter into our lives in ways we could not have expected.
Sometimes, we confess, we think you are making a fool of yourself and us.
We cannot see how your way can work, or be right,
because it is so contrary to all our ambition and understanding.
Yet we shout our Hosannas and sing our praises.
Forgive us for projecting all our narrow worldly views on you
and expecting you to live up to our standards.
Take our branches and our lives,
that we may learn to lay them down in your service,
following your way even when we cannot understand.
We pray in the name of the One who made a parade
with only a donkey and some children singing for your glory, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
(The blocks may be constructed into a cross during the assurance of forgiveness.)
Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson
More liturgy following the Old Testament readings for Lent B may be found here.
(This is an adaptation of the Lent B Call to Worship, to be useable as an assurance of forgiveness on Palm Sunday if constructing the symbol cross as noted here. You should not print the instructions for the blocks—they are for your reference as liturgist so you can pause while people get pieces into position.)
One: Hear and believe the good news: God has called us “my people”!
All: God has set up a covenant, over and over again,
choosing us even before we can choose,
faithful even when we are faltering.
One: In the flood, in the wilderness, in exile;
in certainty and doubt, abundance and scarcity;
All: God’s promise is true to the thousandth generation.
One: We see the rainbow, (rainbow block is held up on one side)
we hear our names, (signature block is held up at the top)
we learn the commandments, (tablets block is held up opposite the rainbow)
we look up for our help, (rod of Asclepius block is put in position at the bottom)
we know in our hearts: (heart block is placed in centre)
All: we love because God first loved us,
we follow because God first came to us,
we can be faithful because God is faithful.
(Blocks are pressed together to stand as a cross)
One: Come, let us worship God together.
Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson
On this day, O God, we gather with the children who lead the crowd into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday;
And we consort with the scribes and leaders who condemn Jesus.
We work with the disciples to prepare the way,
And we linger with those who do not understand.
We follow the crowd, shouting, “Hosanna,”
The same crowd who will say all the louder, “Crucify him!”
We celebrate the Son of David,
And we confess we do not follow him to the end. Forgive us, Lord, when we deny you, when we fail to love as you loved or to serve as you served. As we find ourselves in your story this week, reveal the grace you share all the way, even on the cross, Amen. (silent prayer)
Assurance of Grace
One: Brothers and sisters, hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us! (Romans 8:34) Friends, believe the good news!
All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Submitted by Laura Cunningham, Western Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC
Friends, come to the table!
Bring your shouts of “Hosanna,”
bring your palms,
bring your hopes of a victorious king
to overcome the oppression and sorrow of this world.
Bring your cries of “Crucify him,”
bring your denial and wandering,
bring your hopes dashed by one who was crucified
because he would not validate the power of this world.
Just as Jesus gathered with his disciples here on the night before his execution,
just as he met his disciples in the breaking of the bread on that first resurrection evening,
so too we gather at this table,
bringing our best and our worst,
to this place where we will be made whole
as we meet Jesus again.
submitted by Rev. Andy James, First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone, Queens, New York
We believe in the God who is the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud.
We trust in our Holy Parent who judges and shows mercy.
We hope in our Creator who is faithful to all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in the Jesus who rode in triumph into Jerusalem.
We trust in the Messiah who was crucified, died, and was buried.
We hope in the living Christ who walked out of the tomb.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, giver of faith and formation.
We trust in the Breath of Life who stirs, sustains, and sanctifies.
We hope in our Advocate who brings to us, and through, us the gift of God’s peace.
Submitted by Rev. Julia Seymour, Lutheran Church of Hope, Anchorage AK.
not long now, until we wave palms and shout Hosanna! Any liturgical plans for Palm Sunday? Or will you be doing mostly Passion Sunday? Will you have a palm processional? children dancing with palm branches?
What will you sing?
How will you pray?
Ideas–fully formed or half-baked–welcome in the comments!
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