Watchword for the Week

Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love

endures forever.” (Psalm 118:4)

(Moravian Daily Texts 2016)

ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and OPENING RESPONSES

(Verses from Psalm 118)

Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good,

and his love is eternal. Let the people of Israel

say, “His love is eternal.” Let the priests of

God say, “His love is eternal.” Let all who

worship him say, “His love is eternal.”

Open to me the gates of the Temple;

I will go in and give thanks to the LORD!

This is the gate of the LORD;

only the righteous can come in.

I praise you, LORD, because you heard me,

because you have given me victory. The stone

which the builders rejected as worthless

turned out to be the most important of all.

May God bless the one who comes in the name

of the LORD! The LORD is God; he is good to us.

With branches in your hands, start the

festival and march round the altar.

You are my God, and I give you thanks;

I will proclaim your greatness.

Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good,

and his love is eternal.

Hymn 185 * Come, children, join and sing

People’s Choice Hymns are marked with an asterisk (*)

PRAYER of APPROACH

Love has burst through the gates of Jerusalem!

We welcome the obedient, humble, and

sacrificial love of God into our lives on this Palm

Sunday. Fill our hearts with this love

as we worship the one who taught us

how to love one another.

Loving God, we have journeyed through the

long Season of Lent in the hopes of drawing

closer to you. Today, Jesus enters Jerusalem as

a sovereign, but the week ahead will bring

torture and trial. God, we know there are times

when we have betrayed you, denied you, and

turned away from you. We recall the times

when we have behaved like the crowd that

shouts their praise today, but will shout: “Crucify

him” later this week. We humbly ask your

forgiveness. Amen.

WORDS of ASSURANCE

In the powerful events of Jesus’ passion and

death, God demonstrates that there are no limits

to the love God has for us, no matter what we

  1. Remember the examples of love that Jesus

gives, and be free from your sins.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

Hymn 369 * Here comes Jesus on a donkey

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

(Children may go to join the Kids’ Church programme)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Philippians 2:5-11 NT p. 248 (247)

St. Luke 19:28-40 NT p. 105

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

Hymn 685 1+4+5 For everyone born, a place…

(Hymn of the Month, March 2016)

SERMON Rev. James Brown

Hymn 364 * All glory, laud, and honour

PALM PROCESSION / OFFERING

Please bring your offerings and your “palm” leaves

forward and place them in the altar space. New Bibles

and hymnbooks are also brought forward.

DEDICATION PRAYER

Humble and loving God, we dedicate these

offerings given out of gratitude to you:

May you bless all who come in your name.

We dedicate these Bibles to their use in

worship, teaching the truth of your living Word:

May you bless all who come in your name.

We dedicate these hymnbooks, their pages full

of songs, that they may help us to praise you

with hearts full of songs of joy and adoration:

May you bless all who come in your name.

Hear us as we pray. Amen.

NOTICES and PRAYERS for OTHERS

Response: You are our God:

we welcome you.

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, and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn 365 * Ride on! Ride on in majesty!

BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)

ORGAN POSTLUDE