Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Palm Sunday
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Luke 19:28-40
The appropriate and traditional hymn to use to open Palm Sunday worship is “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” (CH #192). If you have people processing with palm branches, it’s great to add the descant (sung, or played on a trumpet).
Call to Worship (adapted from Psalm 118 and Luke 19)
Voice 1: Come! Shout your joy
to the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Voice 2: Blessed is the one who comes for us all! Sing praises!
Voice 1: Praise God on earth, and shout “glory” in the highest heaven!
Voice 2: (shouting!) Glory!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Opening Prayer
Holy God, your love goes beyond all limits. Thank you for giving us your beloved, Jesus, whom we claim as the Christ, to lead us ever closer to your glory and your shalom…your peace that passes understanding.
As we worship you this day, give us the desire and the will to follow Jesus, that we may be led into that peace that holds in time of trouble. May your
solid peace and your deep love persist in us, in your church, and in our world
far beyond today’s parade, so we might shout our praise!
In the name of Christ Jesus our Savior Amen!
Moment for Stewardship
Luke’s description of that long-ago procession includes so many gifts!
The owners of the colt, willing to let the disciples take it for Jesus.
The people spreading their cloaks on the road.
Those singing out their praise, “Blessed in the king who comes…”
In this time of worship, what gifts have you brought to offer?
Something you treasure?
Something personal?
Something from deep within?
When we recognize how God continues to abundantly provide for us, and what amazing grace it is for Jesus to have shared his very life blood,
let us offer the best of our lives!
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Good and giving God, we offer these gifts to you as fuel for the fire of your on-going creation. May all we offer be received, used, and taken in to expand the power of YOU in this world.
Invitation to Communion
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people on the road welcomed him by laying down their cloaks in the road; an acknowledgement of Jesus as royalty!
When we come to this Table, we welcome Jesus with simple gifts of bread and juice – basic symbols of body and blood. As so often is the case in scripture, simple gifts become signs of greater realities. It was after Jesus rode into Jerusalem that he became the host of a Passover meal, giving new understanding to his followers of the bread and cup.
Each one of us is welcome, no matter if we’ve participated in communion for years, or this is our first time.
ALL of us are welcome, for it is a meal where great truth is signified.
There is ONE bread, and we are ONE body as we begin this Holy Week.
(use CH #393, “One Bread, One Body” as your communion hymn.)