PAUSE FOR REFLECTION | John Lennon
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.”
CALL TO WORSHIP | Litany from Psalm 118
Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good; God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Hosanna to God, Hosanna in the highest!
Let Israel say, “God’s love endures forever!”
Hosanna to God, Hosanna in the highest!
With the Lord on our side, what can we fear? What can humankind do?
Hosanna to God, Hosanna in the highest!
We shall triumph over those who surround us and stand in confidence in the Lord, our God!
Hosanna to God, Hosanna in the highest!
The Lord is our strength and our might. The Lord has become our salvation!
Hosanna to God, Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna to God, Hosanna in the highest!
OPENING HYMN | “Morning Has Broken” by Cat Stevens, sung by Andrew Maldarelli
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world
Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from Heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world
MINUTE FOR MISSION | We Are A Matthew 25 Congregation
There are so many exciting ways that God is working through each of us and in this community. As we consider our receiving and our giving to the works of ministry in this place and in the world, may we remember that we belong to God.
Through all our living, we our fruits must give.
Good works of service are for offering.
When we are giving, or when receiving,
We belong to God.
We belong to God.
We belong to God.
We belong to God.
CHRISTIAN READING | John 12:12-16
“The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.”
ANOTHER VOICE | Rev. Dawn Hutchings
Like the generations who have gone before us, we may still long for the kind of messiah who rides in on a white horse to save us from ourselves.
But in Jesus we have a different kind of messiah; a saviour who rides in on a humble donkey, and points us toward another way of being in the world; a saviour who insists that we follow the wisdom of peace through justice, generosity over greed, selflessness over selfishness, mercy over vengeance, hope over fear, and above all love over hate.
SPECIAL THEME MUSIC | “Imagine” by John Lennon sung by Andrew Maldarelli
MEDITATION | “Imagine! Imagine!”
by Rev. Don Ludwig
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
- Bob Buell continues to be in hospice.
- Karen Wittenburg has resumed another round of chemotherapy.
- Bert Schmidt continues treatment. Please keep him and Sue Chandler, daughter, in prayer.
CORPORATE PRAYER | By Parker J. Palmer
Heavenly Father, heavenly Mother, Holy and blessed is your true name. We pray for your reign of peace to come, We pray that your good will be done, Let heaven and earth become one. Give us this day the bread we need, Give it to those who have none. Let forgiveness flow like a river between us, Lead us to holy innocence Beyond the evil of our days — Come swiftly Mother, Father, come. For yours is the power and the glory and the mercy: Forever your name is All in One. A-men.
CELEBRATION OF COMMUNION
Invitation to the Table
Reception of Elements
Prayer
