Liturgist: Paula Palermo

Please silence all cell phones. 

Bold face indicates congregational participation.

Please stand, in body or spirit

THE PEOPLE ARE GATHERED IN

PRELUDE The Palms (Les Rameaux) by Jean-Baptiste Faure

*Everyone is invited to join the Procession starting in the narthex. Congregation will walk in waving palms for hymn.

Leader (from the back):  Holy, holy, holy Lord; God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest!

People:  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!

PROCESSIONAL HYMN [Blue#][GTG#196] All Glory, Laud and Honor

Refrain:

All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,

to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

1 Thou art the King of Israel, thou David’s royal Son,

who in the Lord’s name comest, the King and blessed One. [Refrain]

2 The people of the Hebrews with palms before thee went; our praise and prayers and anthems

before thee we present. [Refrain]

3 To thee, before thy passion, they sang their hymns of praise; to thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise. [Refrain]

4 Thou didst accept their praises; accept the prayers we bring, who in all good delightest,

thou good and gracious King! [Refrain]

WORDS OF WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS   

MINUTE FOR MISSION One Great Hour of Sharing        

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP Zech. 9:9

ONE: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

MANY: Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! 

ONE: Lo, your king comes to you;

MANY: triumphant and victorious is he,

ONE: humble and riding on a donkey,

MANY: on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

                                        

PRAYER OF THE DAY 

We praise you, O God,

for your redemption of the world through Jesus Christ.

Today he entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph and was proclaimed Messiah and king by those who spread garments and branches along his way. Let these branches be signs of his victory, and grant that we who carry them

may follow him in the way of the cross, that, dying and rising with him, we may enter into your kingdom; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. 

HYMN [Blue#][GTG#649] Amazing Grace

1 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, 

but now I see.

2 ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that  grace appear

the hour I first believed!

3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. ‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,

and grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me; his word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be

as long as life endures.

5 When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days  to sing God’s praise

than when we’d first begun.

        

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON            

         

GLORIA PATRI [Blue#579[ [GTG581]     

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

1st SCRIPTURE Ezekiel 36:22-28

Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 

2nd  SCRIPTURE     Luke 19:28-40     

After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

                                

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON “Stony Silence” Rev. Martha Robson

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Rom. 8:1, 28, 38, 39

We believe there is no condemnation

for those who are in Christ Jesus;

for we know that all things work together for good

for those who love God,

who are called according to God’s purpose.

We are convinced that neither death, nor life,

nor angels, nor rulers,

nor things present, nor things to come,

nor powers, nor height, nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God

in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY Hosanna, Loud Hosanna by Jennette Threlfall

DOXOLOGY [GTG#609]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Litany of Intercession

Give thanks to the Lord who is good. 

God’s love is everlasting.

Come, let us praise God joyfully. 

Let us come to God with thanksgiving.

For the good world; 

for things great and small, beautiful and awesome; 

for seen and unseen splendors; 

thank you, God.

For human life; 

for talking and moving and thinking together; 

for common hopes and hardships shared  

from birth until our dying; 

thank you, God.

For work to do and strength to work; 

for the comradeship of labor; 

for exchanges of good humor and encouragement; 

thank you, God.

For marriage; 

for the mystery and joy of flesh made one; 

for mutual forgiveness and burdens shared; 

for secrets kept in love; 

thank you, God.

For family; 

for living together and eating together; 

for family amusements and family pleasures; 

thank you, God.

For children; 

for their energy and curiosity; 

for their brave play and startling frankness; 

for their sudden sympathies; 

thank you, God.

For the young; 

for their high hopes; 

for their irreverence toward worn-out values; 

for their search for freedom; 

for their solemn vows; 

thank you, God.

For growing up and growing old; 

for wisdom deepened by experience; 

for rest in leisure; 

and for time made precious by its passing; 

thank you, God.

For your help in times of doubt and sorrow; 

for healing our diseases; 

for preserving us in temptation and danger; 

thank you, God.

For the church into which we have been called; 

for the good news we receive by Word and Sacrament; 

for our life together in the Lord; 

we praise you, God.

For your Holy Spirit, 

who guides our steps and brings us gifts of faith and love; 

who prays in us and prompts our grateful worship; 

 THE LORD’S PRAYER 

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HYMN [Blue #][GTG#634] To God Be the Glory

1 To God be the glory; great things he has done!

So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,

who yielded his life an atonement for sin,

and opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Refrain:

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord; let the earth hear his voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord; let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,

and give him the glory: great things he has done!

2 Great things he has taught us; great things he has done,

and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;

but purer and higher and greater will be

our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. [Refrain]

PARTING PRAYER 

Great God,

we thank you for Jesus,

who was punished for our sins,

and suffered shameful death to rescue us.

We praise you for the trust we have in him,

for mercy undeserved,

and for the love you pour out on us, and on all.

Give us gratitude, O God,

and a great desire to serve you,

by taking our cross

and following in the way of Jesus Christ,

our Lord and Savior.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [Blue#][GTG#647] Give Thanks (without any repeats)

Give thanks with a grateful heart; 

give thanks to the Holy One;

give thanks because we’re given Jesus Christ, the Son.

And now let the weak say, “We are strong”; let the poor say, 

“We are rich because of what the Lord has done for us!”

Give thanks. Give thanks.

POSTLUDE      Hosanna (Praise is Rising) by Paul Baloche                            

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.

STAFF