Christ Church Sandown

Palm Sunday Communion

You are very welcome to this electronic based service specially created because we are not currently able to physically meet together.  As indicated, please connect to the relevant song and sermon links.  All the song links are to versions with lyrics so that you are able to join in.  You may wish to start your time of worship today with the song "Make Way" which Mark will be referring to in his Palm Sunday Message. At Christ Church we have often started the service in the hall and together entered the church itself singing this song Here is a link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK6XuYhL7JI

Introduction:  Today is Palm Sunday.  Usually a part of our service would involve the distribution of Palm Crosses in remembrance of the events of the day Jesus road into Jerusalem where he would less than a week later be crucified.  If you have a cross from last year you may want to have it alongside you during this service as a reminder that our rejoicing today (our "Hosannas") is because Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem even knowing what the cost would be for him personally so that we could know forgiveness and new life.  Jesus was not the king the people expected but he was what they needed.

Opening sentence:  Matthew 21:9 says “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted 'Hosanna to the Son of David.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest!" 

A prayer:  O Lord help us this morning to appreciate afresh your humility and sacrifice as you journeyed into Jerusalem and to rejoice with the crowds of old in the King who came to save us.   Amen.

Opening hymn:  “This is our God the Servant King”. Note the refrain of 'he calls us now to worship him'.  Here is a link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VeQrWmvCms

Lectionary readings:  Please read these in your bible:  Philippians 2:5-11 and Matthew 21:1-11

Message for the week from the Rev. Mark Williams.  Here is the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB1_dEgJtik

Worship song: A song to consider the humility of Jesus but also how he calls us to live humbly before him.  "You are the humble king". Here is the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Rohc92j9M

Prayers: Take a moment now to pray.  Think of those caught up in the Coronavirus, medical and support staff in our hospitals, those at home, perhaps afraid – isolation can be particularly difficult for those living alone.  Think of the world leaders seeking to make wise decisions in the light of the crisis.  Think of those who you know to be unwell and those who grieve.  Think of your family and friends. Here is a prayer from the Church of England website you may wish to pray:

God of compassion,
be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the cross,
but reigns with you in glory,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Today’s set collect (or special prayer) is as follows:

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Worship song: At this point in our service we would normally take up an offertory.  Whilst clearly that is not something we can do in a virtual service we can take the opportunity to offer ourselves afresh to God, seeing that what we have comes from him and seeing all we have as available for him to use.  The song chosen is "All I once held dear".  Here is a link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sotCi7St0fA

Communion:  The next section of our service this week has been recoded by Mark so that we can remember what Jesus did for us through the symbols of bread and wine.  You may wish to have some bread and wine available for to you take at the appropriate point in the service.  Here is the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-rKPXrY-1E

Closing hymn:  There is one hymn that is always appropriate to sing on this day, "Ride on, ride on in majesty".  Here is the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo5pfl6z6lA

Closing thought and prayer: Take a moment to reflect.  Consider the love for you and I that kept Jesus on his path, that which was planned from the beginning.  Consider the willingness of God in Jesus to become human, the creator humbling himself to achieve what we needed.  What might we do to show love to someone today even if it means doing something uncomfortable? Serving him in this way is part of our worship as we proclaim him our Lord and King.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the courage to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King in the week ahead,
to the glory of God the Father.  Amen.