PalmSundayWorshipatHomeforWesleyUnitingChurch,ForrestRevDrSarahAgnew(Minister)withCathLukin(MusicDirector)

&JulesWright(Children&YouthWorker)

‘Hallelujah’:MikeMoyershttp://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57147/https://www.mikemoyersfineart.com/

Prepareyourtable,oraspaceonthefloorbeforeyou,withsomethingred–atablecloth,ascarfA‘Hallelujah’or‘Hosanna’–ormorethanone.Somethingthatspeaksofjoyandcelebration–partypopper,writethewordandcolouritbrightly...somethingtoleaveonyourtableforyourHolyWeekmeditations.

Aswegather:colourthedayWhyredforPalmSunday?Inthechurchwehavecoloursforthedifferentseasons.Historically,thesecoloursrepresentedforpeoplevariousthings.Purplehasalwaysbeenaroyalcolour,becauseinancienttimespurpledyewasthemostdifficulttoobtain,sothemostvaluableandexpensive–theroyalsandeliteshadthemoney,soitcametosymboliseroyalty.WhiteisacolourforpurityandwithGold,arethecoloursofSacrednessandHoliness.Greenisacolouroflife,beingsoprominentinthelivingthingsofcreation.Butred.Whatdoesredsymboliseforyou?RedisthecolourofPentecost–acolouroffireandjoy.Redisthecolourwewearforordinationsandinductions–becauseoftheassociationwithPentecost,whichisseentobethebirthofthechurch,perhaps,andordinationsandinductionsareabouttheorderingofthelifeofthechurch.RedisthecolourforPalmSunday–acolourofjoyandcelebration.ThesixthSundayinLentmayalsobecommemoratedasPassionSunday,peopletakingthewholejourneyfromJesus’entryintoJerusalem,tothecrossandtomb.RedmaythenremindusofthebloodofJesusspilledwhenhewascrucified.Didyouthinkofredassymbolisinglove?Ithinkthatisacommonassociationwithredinourculture.WhatmightitmeantohavethecolouroflovesurroundingthestoryofJesus’entryintoJerusalem,beginningthatlongroadtothecross,Iwonder?Wouldyouchooseadifferentcolourforthestory?Why?Openingprayer:thanksandsorrow:‘Thepeople’scry/Jesus’prayer’Psalm118:1–2,19–29thisprayerhasarepeatedline–ifyouarewithothers,onemightreadtheprayer,thenyoucouldsaytogethertherepeated‘God’ssteadfastloveenduresforever’Godisgoodandwegivethanks;God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.Opentomethegatesofjustice:OhmayIenterthiswayandgivethanks!ThisisthegateofHolyOne,thejustmayenterthisway.

Godisgoodandwegivethanks;God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.Thankyouforhearingmycry,ohGod,foryouranswer,yourrescue,yourhope.Rejectedbytheworld,butyou–youbringyourpeacethroughme!Godisgoodandwegivethanks;God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.Thisday,thismarvellousday,yourpeoplecryforsalvation.Yes,mypeople,rejoicetoday–holdontohopefortomorrow.Godisgoodandwegivethanks;God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.Branchestheybring,bind,andwave,thisprocessionfromsongswesingtogether–butwhydoIfeellikealambbeingcarriedtothealterfortheirsacrifice?Godisgoodandwegivethanks;God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.God'ssteadfastloveenduresforever.Music:OsalutarishostiabytheLatvianComposer,ĒriksEšenvaldshttps://youtu.be/blUTC7zzzRI

OsalutarisHostia,Quæcælipandisostium:Bellapremunthostilia,Darobur,ferauxilium.UnitrinoqueDominoSitsempiternagloria,QuivitamsineterminoNobisdonetinpatria.Amen.

O,SavingVictim,Whoexpandestthedoorofheaven,Hostilearmiespress,Givestrength;bearaid.TotheOneandTriuneLord,Maytherebeeverlastingglory;mayhewhogiveslifewithoutendtousgiveinourhomeland.Amen.

"AtPakaruaPresbyteriantheyouthcelebratePalmSundayinatraditionaldance"PalmSundayinVanuatu

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54311

Thestory:Matthew21:1–11(CommonEnglishBible)21WhentheyapproachedJerusalemandcametoBethphageontheMountofOlives,Jesusgavetwodisciplesatask.2Hesaidtothem,“Gointothevillageoverthere.Assoonasyouenter,youwillfindadonkeytiedupandacoltwithit.Untiethemandbringthemtome.3Ifanyonesaysanythingtoyou,saythattheirmasterneedsthem.”Hesentthemoffrightaway.4Nowthishappenedtofulfillwhattheprophetsaid,5SaytoDaughterZion,“Look,yourkingiscomingtoyou,humbleandridingonadonkey,andonacoltthedonkey’soffspring.”6ThediscipleswentanddidjustasJesushadorderedthem.7Theybroughtthedonkeyandthecoltandlaidtheirclothesonthem.Thenhesatonthem.8Nowalargecrowdspreadtheirclothesontheroad.Otherscutpalmbranchesoffthetreesandspreadthemontheroad.9Thecrowdsinfrontofhimandbehindhimshouted,“HosannatotheSonofDavid!BlessingsontheonewhocomesinthenameoftheLord!Hosannainthehighest!”10AndwhenJesusenteredJerusalem,thewholecitywasstirredup.“Whoisthis?”theyasked.11Thecrowdsanswered,“It’stheprophetJesusfromNazarethinGalilee.”Or,listentoJulestellthestory,expandedversion(separateaudiofile)Music:Halle,halle,halle(TiS720)https://youtu.be/k7J1EQ3eci4(joyfulversion,withaddedverses,butwecanjoininwiththechorus!)

Processionmontage–Juleshasbroughtustogetherinphotographs!https://vimeo.com/403145451Responsestothestorychoosefromthefollowingwaystoengagewiththestory–doone,dothemallEnterthestoryChooseacharacter(otherthanJesus),named,orimagined,someoneinthecrowd,adisciple,atemplepoliceofficialorpriest,thedonkey...useyourimaginations.Readthestoryaloud.Takeyourtime,pausetoconsiderwhatishappeningfromthepointofviewofyourcharacter–whatmightIhear?whatcouldIsee?whoorwhatdoItouch,touchesme?canItasteanythinginparticular?whatarethesmells?Youmightliketowriteordrawthestory,ortellitaloud,inyourownway,infusedwithsomeoftheseelements,fromtheperspectiveofaparticularcharacter.NowconsidertheeventsinthestoryfromtheperspectiveofJesus.LookingthroughJesus’eyesatthedisciples,atthepriests,atthewomen,whatdoyousee?ListeningwithJesus’earstothepriests,toPilate,tothecrowds,whatdoyouhear?SensingwithJesus’heartasyougototheplaceofcrucifixion,whatdoyoufeel?AsJesusteachesusaboutlivingwithGod,whathaveyoulearnedtodayaboutyourjourneywithGod?Singthestory.PalmSunday,withitsprocessionsandpalmbranches,hasgivenusmanysongsthathavebecomedearfavouritestochurchgoers.Iwonderwhatyoursare?Perhapsyou’dliketosingthemathometoday?orifyoucanfindalinktoyourfavouritesongonline,youcouldsharetotheWesleyUnitingCanberraChurchMusicFacebookpage,tosharethejoywithothers!OurMusicDirector,CathLukin,hasprovidedtheseoptionsforlistening/singing.ClassichymnsforLentandPassiontideForyourlisteningpleasure,Cathadvises:pleaseavoidthesynthesizedbrassbandversionof“Andcanitbe.”Ifthelinkdoesn’twork,copyandpaste:https://play.hymnswithoutwords.com/category/album/classic-hymns-for-lent-and-passiontide/RideonKingJesusTraditionalarrangedMosesHogan(1957–2003)Cathnotes–somemayfindthisabittricky,butitisworthit!https://youtu.be/pQUt1GoDTO4AreflectionfromRevSarahreadorlistentoSarah’sreflectionintheseparatetextandaudiofiles.

Inresponse–(not)comingtotheTable(audioinseparatefile)TodayisthefirstSundayofthemonth.WewouldusuallycelebrateHolyCommuniontogether.Inthistimeofphysicaldistance,whenwearenottogether,werememberthestory,andtheritual,andacknowledgeitsabsencefromourpracticeforaseason.Kyrieeleison(Lordhavemercy)Christeeleison(Christhavemercy)https://youtu.be/ygEUyo2SDc4AlamentforCommunion,byRevDrElizabethRaine(TuggeranongUCA)LamentHolyGod,itisourpracticetocometothistabletoreceivethebreadandwine.Todaywecannotdothis,fortodosowouldputourselvesandothersatrisk.Yetweknowthatyoustillmeetushere;youembraceusinourbrokenness,youpouroutyourloveuponus,nameusasyourdisciples,andclaimusforaneternity.Andwecanstillremember,asyoucommanded.Welamentthatwewillnotsharethebreadandwinetoday.Welamentthatwecannotgraspahandinfellowshiptoday.Welamentthesuspendingofthissacrament.WecanrememberthattheLordiswithus.Wecanremembertoliftupourhearts.WecanremembertogivethankstotheLordourGod.Blessingandpraisestillbelongtoyou,Godofpromiseandofcovenant.ThroughyourlivingWordyoucreatedallthings,themajestyoftheheavensandthegloryoftheearth.Inyourwisdomandgoodnessyouhavemadeallpeopleinyourimageandlikeness.WeremembertoothatinthefullnessoftimeyougaveyouronlySontoshareourhumannature,tobetemptedineverywayasweare,

AndwhosethisfaceresolutelytowardsJerusalemtobeliftedhighuponthecross.WeremembertoothatonthenightofhisbetrayalyourSonJesustookthebreadandtookthewine,blessedthemandsharedthemwithhisclosestfriends,saying:"Rememberme.”Comenow,HolySpirit;blessusaswegatherheretoday.Uniteusinloveandpeacewithallyourpeopleuntil,withthewholecompanyofheaven,wearebroughtintothepresenceofyoureternalglory,throughJesusChristourLord.Amen.TheLord’sPrayerPrayeraftercommunion,inLentMercifulGod,youcalledusforthfromthedustoftheearth;youclaimedusforChristinthewatersofbaptism.BlessourjourneythroughthedesertofLenttothefontofrebirth.Mayourfastingbehungerforjustice;ouralms,amakingofpeace;ourprayer,thechantofhumbleandgratefulhearts.AllthatwedoandprayisinthenameofJesus.Amen.ConnectingwiththecommunityThinkofparadesthatyouhavewatchedorinwhichyouhaveparticipated.Whatdoyoulikebestaboutparades?Whatdoyounotlikeaboutparades,beinginthemorwatchingthem?IfJesuscameintothecapitalcitytoday,herewhereweare,allwecoulddowouldbetowaveathimfromourwindows,ifhehappenedalongourstreet.Aswehearthestoryofcelebration,thepeoplegatheringtogetherinexcitementandanticipationatallthatJesusmightchangefortheirlives,weareperhapspainfullyremindedthatwecannotgathertogetherinsuchwarmanduncomfortablejostlingasthecrowdthatgreetedhim.Wecanremember,though.Drawsomepalmbranches,andcutthemout.Writeyourbestmemoriesofexperiencingparadesonthepalmbranchesanddisplaythebranchesaroundyourtableorroom.LivingthestorywegivethanksfortheofferingswehavegivenelectronicallyorbyothermeansWhathasthestoryinspiredinyou,today,foranactofkindnessorcarethisweek?Howwillyouhonourcreationmorewithyourattentioninthistimeofstillness?Howwillyouseeyourneighbourmoreclearly,asJesusdid,andletthemknowtheyarenotalone?Letthisbeourprayerforeachother,ourattention,ourpresence,ourcare.Amen.

Sendingoutprayer:‘Thecrowdtestify’John12:12–19Wewillfollow,wewillsing,wewilltellthestoryofthisdifferentkindof'king'.Wewillhurry,wewillshout,wewilltellthestorywithonevoice,thismostlycrowd.Wewillpraisehim,wewillthankhim,wewilltellhisstoryfullofwonder,gratitude.Wewillfollow,wewillwelcome,wewilltellthestorywitheverythingwehave,weare.Wewilllovehim,wewillkeephim,throughhisstory,inourhearts.Wewillfollow,wewillpraise,wewilltellthewondrousstoryofJesus,allourdays.youareinvitedtoleaveyourworshiptablesetupfortheweek,andtotaketimeeachdaywiththemediationsonpsalmsandwithmusic,aswetravelwithJesus,hisnowwell-wornpathtothecross.

UNITINGCHURCHINAUSTRALIAWesleyUniting,Forrest

CnrNationalCircuit&FitzroyStreet,ForrestPOBox3217,ManukaACT2603

Phone:(02)62953680|e-mail:office@wesleycanberra.org.auWebsite:www.wesleycanberra.org.au

exceptwherenoted,allprayerswrittenbySarahAgnew