The peace of Christ be with you!
Today’s service was made special simply by waving some greenery. I gave our welcome and made sure everyone had a palm frond to wave today for our Palm Sunday/Tuesday service.
I shared that we will be taking anyone who wants to go to Holy Week services on Thursday at the Presbyterian Church at noon. There were several who raised their hands who were interested in going. I also shared that we will have an Easter Service on Sunday at 3pm.
After our opening prayer David Hunt played a beautiful prelude and we all applauded his wonderful talent at the piano. Praise God!
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: This is a day to let your heart take control of your lips.
People: We can’t keep silent. Our hearts are bursting with praise for Jesus, King of our lives!
Leader: In spite of the shadow of the cross over the palm-strewn way, Jesus rides into the hearts of those who surrender to him.
People: We commit ourselves wholly to Jesus and ask him to be present in our lives always. Amen.
“All Glory, Laud, and Honor” is a beautiful hymn about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. But while we don’t have any gates to process through this song still acts as a royal hymn of praise and proclamation. Next we sang “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” in which Jeannette Threlfall reminds us of the wonderful joy of Jesus. She imagines those children running throughout the city, bursting with excitement and love for Jesus; a simple, undignified, giddy kind of love. As we raise our own “Hosannas,” we are called and invited to do so with the same exuberance and joy as these children who praised the One who first loved them.
We shared a word of prayer together after I heard some of the elder’s prayer requests and then I shared from Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29.
You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
We followed this proclaiming psalm with our hymn of fellowship, “This is the Day.”
This is the day
This is the day
That the Lord has made
That the Lord has made
We will rejoice
We will rejoice
And be glad in it
And be glad in it
This is the day that the Lord has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it
This is the day
This is the day
That the Lord has made.
My sermon was titled, “Shake It Up” and was based on Matthew 21:1-11. Here’s a short audio clip of me reading the scripture and the elders joining in.
Our final hymn was written by the very talented and three time Gospel Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year, Twila Paris. “We Will Glorify” is a beautiful song that is easily sung. We sang the last verse of the song a few times.
Hallelujah to the King of Kings
Hallelujah to the Lamb
Hallelujah to the Lord of Lords
Who Is the Great I Am
I encouraged everyone who wanted, to take with them the palm fronds we had used in our service and many of them did. After I delivered the following charge and blessing David played a beautiful piano arrangement of the hymn we had sang earlier, “All Glory Laud and Honor.”
CHARGE & BLESSING
Let the same mind be in you
that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Look not to rewards and celebrity for your good deeds.
Do unto others what will nurture God’s will for them.
Listen to the word of the Lord,
and believe.Go in peace, assured of God’s presence with you,
with the mind of Christ Jesus as your path and guide,|
and the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Chaplain Derek