Palm Sunday at Christ Church

1. Welcome & Notices

2. 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.

3. Dear brothers and sisters,

we come together today to begin the
celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Today, we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem
to finish his work
by following God
even though it would lead to his death,
and to new life.
Let us walk with him in his sufferings,
so that we may share his risen life.

4. Song(s)
(During which a collection will be taken and
the children leave for their groups)

MAKE WAY, make way, for Christ the King

In splendour arrives.
Fling wide the gates and welcome Him
Into your lives.

Make way! (Make way!)

Make way! (Make way!)
For the King of kings. (For the King of kings)
Make way! (Make way!)
Make way! (Make way!)
And let His kingdom in.

He comes the broken hearts to heal,

The prisoners to free.
The deaf shall hear, the lame shall dance,
The blind shall see.

Make way! (Make way!)

Make way! (Make way!)
For the King of kings. (For the King of kings)
Make way! (Make way!)
Make way! (Make way!)
And let His kingdom in.

And those who mourn with heavy hearts,

Who weep and sigh;
With laughter, joy and royal crown
He'll beautify.

Make way! (Make way!)

Make way! (Make way!)
For the King of kings. (For the King of kings)
Make way! (Make way!)
Make way! (Make way!)
And let His kingdom in.
We call you now to worship Him
As Lord of all.
To have no gods before Him,
Their thrones must fall!

Make way! (Make way!)

Make way! (Make way!)
For the King of kings. (For the King of kings)
Make way! (Make way!)
Make way! (Make way!)
And let His kingdom in.

PRAISE IS RISING, eyes are turning to You;

We turn to You.
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You;
We long for You
‘Cause when we see You we find strength to
face the day.
In Your presence all our fears are washed
away,
Washed away.

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God who saves us;
Worthy of all our praises.
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us;
We welcome you here Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You;

We turn to You.
In Your kingdom broken lives are made
new;
You make all things new.

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God who saves us;
Worthy of all our praises.
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us;
We welcome you here Lord Jesus

5. On Palm Sunday the crowds worshipped Jesus;

on Good Friday they shouted for him to die.
Let us who also worship him,
confess that we sometimes reject him,
and ask his forgiveness.
LORD JESUS CHRIST,
YOU COME TO US IN PEACE
BUT WE SHUT OUR MINDS AGAINST YOU;
YOU COME TO US IN HUMILTY
BUT WE GO OUR OWN PROUD WAYS;
YOU COME TO US IN JUDGEMENT
BUT WE CLING TO OUR FAMILIAR SINS;
YOU COME TO US IN MAJESTY
BUT WE WILL NOT LET YOU REIGN OVER US;
 IN YOUR MERCY LORD,
FORGIVE US AND HELP US.
The Lord forgive our empty praise,
fill our loveless hearts
and come and make our lives his home for ever.
Amen.

6. Reading(s):
In your relationships with one another,
have the same attitude of mind
Christ Jesus had:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance
as a human being,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death-
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
This is the Word of the Lord
THANKS BE TO GOD.

As they approached Jerusalem and came

to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,
“Go to the village ahead of you,
and at once you will find a donkey tied there,
with her colt by her. Untie them
and bring them to me.
If anyone says anything to you,
say that the Lord needs them,
and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken
through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
The disciples went and did
as Jesus had instructed them.
They brought the donkey and the colt
and placed their cloaks on them
for Jesus to sit on.
A very large crowd spread their cloaks
on the road, while others cut branches
from the trees and spread them on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of him
and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem,
the whole city was stirred and asked,
“Who is this?”
The crowds answered,
“This is Jesus,
the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

This is the Word of the Lord.

THANKS BE TO GOD.

7. Song(s)

Ride on! ride on in majesty!

Hark! all the tribes hosanna cry;
O Saviour meek, pursue thy road
with palms and scattered
garments strowed.

Ride on! ride on in majesty!

In lowly pomp ride on to die;
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin
o'er captive death
and conquered sin.

Ride on! ride on in majesty!

The angel-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.

8. Sermon

9. Song(s)

BLESS THE LORD, O my soul, O my soul

Worship his holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I'll worship your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

BLESS THE LORD, O my soul, O my soul

Worship his holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I'll worship your holy name

You're rich in love, and you're slow to anger

Your name is great and your heart is kind
For all your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
BLESS THE LORD, O my soul, O my soul
Worship his holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I'll worship your holy name

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near, and my time has come
Still my soul will sing your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore!

BLESS THE LORD, O my soul, O my soul

Worship his holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I'll worship your holy name

10. We believe in God the Father,

FROM WHOM EVERY FAMILY
IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH IS NAMED.
We believe in God the Son,
WHO LIVES IN OUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH,
AND FILLS US WITH HIS LOVE.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
WHO STRENGTHENS US
WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH.
We believe in one God;
FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.
AMEN.

11. Prayers
Lord in your mercy
 HEAR OUR PRAYER.

Merciful Father,
ACCEPT THESE PRAYERS,
FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR SON,
OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Once we were far from God,

 but now we have been brought near
through Jesus death for us,
for he is our peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
AND ALSO WITH YOU.

15. The palm crosses are distributed,

and we stand, holding our crosses high:-
JESUS, WHO WENT INTO JERUSALEM
TO SUFFER AND DIE FOR US,
LET THESE PALMS
BE SIGNS OF YOUR VICTORY;
AND MAY WE WHO HOLD THEM
EVER FOLLOW YOU AS LORD AND KING
IN THE WAY THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE.
AMEN.

16. Song(s)
(During which the young people – and anyone else! –
parade round the church, waving their crosses high)

Hosanna, hosanna,
hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna, hosanna,
hosanna in the highest.

Lord we lift up Your name,

with hearts full of praise,
Be exalted, O Lord, my God,
Hosanna in the highest.

Glory, glory,
glory to the King of kings.
Glory, glory,
glory to the King of kings.

Lord, we lift up Your name,

with hearts full of praise,
Be exalted, O Lord, my God,
Glory to the King of kings.

17. May you find in the Crucified One

the forgiveness of sins,
the renewing power of love,
and the promise of life eternal;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and those who you love,
this day and always.
Amen.

18. We tell your story

We follow in your footsteps
LEAD US INTO HOLY WEEK.
We walk towards the city
We wait in the garden
LEAD US ONTO HOLY GROUND.
We journey towards death
We hope for resurrection
LEAD US INTO HOLY JOY.