Call to Worship

We come to prepare for the holiest of weeks.

We will journey through praise, with joy on our lips;
we will travel through betrayal and death,
cradling hope deep in our hearts.

Jesus leads us through this week, and we will follow,
for he is the life we long for,
he is the Word who sustains us.

We wave palm branches in anticipation;
we lay our love before him, to cushion his walk.

Setting aside all power, glory, and might, he comes:
modeling humility and obedience for all of us.

Hosanna! Hosanna!
Blessed is the One who brings us the kingdom of God.

Written by Thom Shuman and posted on his Lectionary Liturgies blog. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/02/contemporary-call-to-worship-palm.html.

Prayer for the Day

Palm Sunday Prayer

God of the foolish cross,
tottering down the streets of Jerusalem on a donkey,
You are not the savior we expect.
Your power doesn’t look like the power we want our God to demonstrate.
Your wisdom makes no sense to us.
We are happy to join the crowd, waving branches,
But not so sure we want to follow you
into the temple courts
into the upper room
into the Garden of Gethsemane
to the foot of the cross.
Forgive our false assumptions.
Clarify our clouded vision.
Let us relax into the foolishness of your love, your grace.
Hosanna, hosanna.
Save us, we beseech you!

Written by Joanna Harader on her Spacious Faith blog, http://spaciousfaith.com/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/02/prayer-god-of-foolish-cross.html.

Prayer of Confession

Call to Confession

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to the home of Lazarus
and received hospitality like no one had seen before -
generous, loving, whole-hearted, and even a little bit undignified.
His disciple Judas could only see the inefficiency of the gift,
not the spirit of loving-kindness with which it was offered.
We, like Judas, often want to expedite our giving
without really engaging with those we are called to serve.
Let us consider the depth of our relationships with those we encounter
and with the One who calls us to faith,
as we confess our sin in silence.

[pause for silence]

Prayer of Confession (unison)

We confess, Anointed One, that we excuse ourselves
from reaching out to those who need your care.
We take your words – that there will always be unmet needs –
as a reason not to try to meet the needs we can.
Forgive us and help us to change.
Renew our determination to live
as faithful followers, faithful disciples, faithful Christians.
Help us to work with you for the well-being of your creation,
that the fortunes of all your peoples may be restored. Amen.

Assurance of God’s Love

We, too, are a part of the Way-Maker’s will for restoration.
We are called, through Christ Jesus, to strive for restoration,
but we are not called to do this work alone.
The One who has made a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert,
will surely equip us for all we are asked to do in Christ’s name.
God will empower us to attain all the potential God has placed within us.
Thanks be to God!

Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways Archive, http://www.ucc.org/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/02/prayer-of-confession-anointing-of-jesus.html.

Benediction

A Week Where Transformation Will Meet You

And now, my friends, go forth
To a week where transformation
Will meet you and guide you.
Do not hide when they recognize you,

Do not doubt when you see Christ,
Do not deny when you are confronted.
Do not stop until you are at the cross
And there you will see the light
And the burdens of your heart will roll away.

Until then God be with you! Amen.

Written by B. Kevin Smalls, The Africana Worship Book, Year B (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2007), 215.