Words of Welcome
Hosanna to the Son of David, the King of Israel.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Greeting
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
and also with you.
Introduction
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing by works of love and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection.
Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again.
Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.
The Palm Gospel
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (21.1-11)
Glory to you, O Lord
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
“Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ.
Talk 1
Concluding with…
The Blessing of Crosses
God our Saviour,
whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and to die;
let these crosses be for us signs of his victory
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 is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Hymn
Refrain
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.
Refrain
The company of angels
Are praising Thee on High,
And mortal men and all things
Created make reply.
Refrain
The people of the Hebrews
With palms before Thee went;
Our prayer and praise and anthems
Before Thee we present.
Refrain
To Thee, before Thy passion,
They sang their hymns of praise;
To Thee, now high exalted,
Our melody we raise.
Refrain
Thou didst accept their praises;
Accept the prayers we bring,
Who in all good delightest,
Thou good and gracious King.
Refrain
The Collect (for Palm Sunday)
Let us pray for a closer union with Christ in his suffering and in his glory.
True and humble king,
hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant 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.
Talk 2
The Passion according to St. Matthew dramatized by Whitkirk Arts Guild.
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
At the end
This is the Passion of the Lord.
Talk 3
Concluding with…
Lord our God,
in our sin we have avoided your call.
Our love for you is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that goes away early.
Have mercy on us;
deliver us from judgement;
bind up our wounds and revive us;
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
May the Lord enrich us with his grace,
and nourish us with his blessing;
may the Lord defend us in trouble and keep us from all evil;
may the Lord accept our prayers,
and absolve us from our offences,
for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
Amen.
Hymn
Lord Jesus, think on me
And purge away my sin;
From earthborn passions set me free
And make me pure within.
Lord Jesus, think on me,
With many a care oppressed;
Let me Thy loving servant be
And taste Thy promised rest.
Lord Jesus, think on me
Amid the battle’s strife;
In all my pain and misery
Be Thou my Health and Life.
Lord Jesus, think on me
Nor let me go astray;
Through darkness and perplexity
Point Thou the heavenly way.
Lord Jesus, think on me
When floods the tempest high;
When on doth rush the enemy,
O Savior, be Thou nigh!
Lord Jesus, think on me
That, when the flood is past,
I may th’eternal brightness see
And share Thy joy at last.
Prayers of intercession
Written by Jean Bradley
Let us pray together
On this Palm Sunday we pray for Christian communities throughout the world at a time when we are strangely united through adversity.
May we grow together in the awareness of your infinite love for us and may our loving care for all in need be a powerful sign of the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for our NHS, for front-line health workers and all essential services personnel. May their dedication inspire us to new levels of generous service and neighbourly care
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for scientists advising governments and researchers seeking a vaccine. May their expertise encourage us to remain confident and calm.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for those most vulnerable to the social, economic and medical effects of COVID-19: the frail and elderly, the chronically ill, the poor, the homeless and all refugees. May they be fully valued throughout this crisis.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for all whose mental health is jeopardised by isolation and confinement. May the support of family, friends and care workers help them cope with this challenge.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for the staff and volunteers of all welfare agencies. May they care for one another as they respond to more and more calls for help.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for those known to us who are ill or in distress
for Kath Parkinson, Ginny Camponi, Tom Heaphy, Edward Fryer, Geoffrey Rinder, Jennifer Moad, Ryan Green, Mollie Boyes together with any others for whom we wish to pray.
May each of them they know your comfort, healing and refreshment.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for those who have recently died;
for Pauline Keenan and Sheila Bull,
and for those whose anniversary of death occurs around this time;
John Peter, Jack Schofield, Audrey Dignan, Albert Hope, Frank Taylor, Charles Haw, Mildred Butterworth and Mary Chadwick.
May they be raised to glory in Christ our Lord.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for one another that we may find new ways to pray and be connected in faith as we celebrate the mystery of this Holy Week.
Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Standing at the foot of the life-giving cross united with Christian people in every land let us pray with confidence in the words our Saviour taught us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Affirmation of faith
Dear friends, let us together affirm our faith in God.
Do you believe and trust in God the Father,
source of all being and life,
the one for whom we exist?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son,
who took our human nature,
died for us and rose again?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who gives life to the people of God
and makes Christ known in the world?
We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Prayer of Commitment
Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Hymn
Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
Hark! all the tribes Hosanna cry;
O Savior meek, pursue Thy road
With palms and scattered garments strowed.
Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
The wingèd squadrons of the sky
Look down with sad and wondering eyes
To see the approaching sacrifice.
Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh;
The Father, on His sapphire throne,
Expects His own anointed Son.
Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
Bow Thy meek head to mortal pain,
Then take, O God, Thy power, and reign.
The Blessing
May the Father,
who so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
bring you by faith to his eternal life.
Amen.
May Christ,
who accepted the cup of sacrifice
in obedience to the Father’s will,
keep you steadfast as you walk with him the way of his cross.
Amen.
May the Spirit,
who strengthens us to suffer with Christ
that we may share his glory,
set your minds on life and peace.
Amen.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God.
Blessing, honour and glory be yours,
here and everywhere,
now and for ever.
Amen.