Worship Service April 13, 2025 Palm Sunday

Order of Service

Welcome, Greeting, Service Introduction                       Rev. Cindy Lunsford /All

*Call to Worship                                                                 Rev. Cindy Lunsford/All

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 excellent Lectionary Liturgies blog. 

Response to the Call            Hosanna, Loud Hosana                          UMH 278

 Opening Prayer                          Rev. Cindy Lunsford/All                                                           

God of our salvation,

      help us to enter with joy

      into the celebration of those mighty acts

      by which you have given us fullness of life.

It is right to praise you, Sovereign God,

      for the acts of love by which you have set us free.

On this day Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly

      to suffer and to die

      and was greeted with branches of palm.

Let these branches be for us symbols of martyrdom and majesty.

May we who carry them follow Christ

      in the way of the cross which leads to life;

through Christ who lives and reigns in glory

      with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed (UMH 881)         Sheri King/All

Life of the Church                                                 Rev. Cindy Lunsford (see bulletin)

Mission Moment –

Psalm                               Psalm 118:14-29  (UMH 839-840)                    Gina Elrod/All

Hymn               Lily of The Valley         ( Insert in bulletin file in pew hymnal)

OFFERING OF OURSELVES

Pastoral Prayer                                                                     Rev. Cindy Lunsford/All  

….Lord, hear our prayer,
         and in your love, answer.

Worship with Our Tithes & Offerings                           Steve Hawkins instrumental

              Dedication & Offertory                                              Rev. Warren Lunsford

             Doxology                                                                             UMH 095 

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

praise him, all creatures here below;

praise him above, ye heavenly host;

praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  Amen

Centering Song           TBA          Steve Hawkins

  

PROCLAMATION

Prayer of Illumination                                                                                Gary Seiler

Merciful God, as we enter Holy week

turn our hearts again to Jerusalem,

and to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Stir up within us the gift of faith

that we may not only praise him with our lips,

but may follow him in the way of the cross.   Amen

Scripture                                         Luke 19:28-40                          Rev. Warren Lunsford

Message                           Be Thou My Vision            Rev. Warren Lunsford

GOING FORTH WITH CHRIST

Closing Hymn                       Be Thou My Vision                         UMH 351

Commissioning & Benediction                                                    Rev. Warren Lunsford

Depart to Serve, caring for others, as we truly serve God