Worship Guide
March 24, 2024
Passion / Palm Sunday
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “Hosanna” Stefanie
Centering Words:
Ride on, King Jesus. Ride with passion and compassion. Ride in triumph and joy. Ride in humility and gentleness. Ride with us as we travel the journey with you.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: In joy, we gather this day.
People: Hosanna to Jesus, the Christ.
Leader: In remembrance, we gather this day.
People: Hosanna to the son of David.
Leader: In festive celebration and quiet reflection, we gather to worship and pray.
People: Hosanna to the Son of God
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Jesus, you have walked this road with us many times. Guide our steps and keep us close. Inspire our worship with your loving presence and work in our lives, that your Spirit may flow through our lives as we seek to help others journey with you. Amen.
Hymn: “This is the Day”
This is the day, this is the day
that the Lord hath made, that the Lord hath made.
Let us rejoice, let us rejoice
and be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord hath made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day
that the Lord hath made.
This is the day, this is the day
that the Lord hath made, that the Lord hath Made.
Let us rejoice, let us rejoice
and be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord hath made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day
that the Lord hath made.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
God’s face of love shines upon us. Christ’s eyes of forgiveness gaze upon our souls with mercy and compassion.
The Spirit’s sustenance offers us grace and hope, that we may rise and walk forth in joy.
Praise God! Amen
*Old Testament Reading: Psalm 118:1-2, 12-29
1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Hosanna”
Hymn: “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”
All glory, laud and honor, 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 Blessèd One.
All glory, laud and honor, 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.
All glory, laud and honor, 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 prayer and praise and anthems before thee we present.
All glory, laud and honor, 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.
All glory, laud and honor, 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.
All glory, laud and honor, to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
Sermon: “Blessed is the One” Mark 11:1-11
1 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 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. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’ ” 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 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.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “He Has Made Me Glad”
I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart,
I will enter his courts with praise.
I will say, "This is the day that the Lord has made."
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart,
I will enter his courts with praise.
I will say, "This is the day that the Lord has made."
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
Psalter: A Statement of Faith of the United Church of Canada
We are not alone, we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
who created and is creating,
who come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and other by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Lord of the Dance”
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
and I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
and I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem I had my birth.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
but they would not dance and they would not follow me;
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
they came to me and the dance went on.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced on the sabbath when I cured the lame,
the holy people said it was a shame;
they whipped and they stripped and they hung me high;
and they left me there on a cross to die.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced on a Friday and the sky turned black;
it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back;
they buried my body and they thought I’d gone,
but I am the dance and I still go on.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
They cut me down and I leapt up high,
I am the life that’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
Benediction
