Call to Worship

Lenten travelers, the journey to the cross begins with a procession into Jerusalem, a demonstration of Jesus’ saving power.
We come to praise Jesus, the Messiah, the One who saves!

The crowds line the path and shout “Hosanna! Save us!” as Jesus rides in, not on a mighty war horse, but on the backs of a donkey and a colt.
We come to call on Jesus, the Messiah, the One who saves!

The city murmurs, wondering who this person is who demonstrates power through humility, strength without tyranny.
We come to witness Jesus, the Messiah, the One who saves!

Lenten travelers, will you come on the journey to Jerusalem, following a Messiah who saves us to live after the pattern of the kin-dom of God, not the kingdoms of this world?
We come to follow Jesus, the Messiah, the One who saves!

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2025.

Prayer for the Day

Humble God, you have shown us the way to enter all the Jerusalems of this world. You showed us not to enter our lives with fear, but with humility and courage. As we worship this day, we draw upon your example of Jesus on that humble donkey, and we raise our palm branches in rejoicing! We raise our voices, shouting along with your people of every age, “Hosanna in the highest!” Come and save us this day, O Jesus of Jerusalem. Amen.

Written by Rev. Dr. Chad Abbott on the Worship Ways website at https://www.ucc.org/worship-way/palm-passion-sunday-b-march-24/.

Prayer of Confession

Let us confess before God our tendency,
like the Jerusalem crowds,
to profess our faith in moments of enthusiasm
and deny our faith in moments of stress.

O God, we sing and praise you, happy of heart and strong of spirit, when we are among others who praise you too. But in times of stress, we seek scapegoats to be targets for our anger. We betray those we love and who have loved us, and we turn against you, too busy to seek you, too selfish to obey you. Your compassion is without bounds, O God, for you forgive us again and again. You restore us to a right spirit and bring us together to worship you again. God of steadfast love, teach us how to be steadfast; through Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Written by Ruth C. Duck in Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship, Updated, ed. Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2012), 61.

For use in worship services, include the following permissions statement: Reprinted by permission of the publisher from Touch Holiness, ed. Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi. Copyright © 1990 by The Pilgrim Press.

Benediction

Beloved, as we move into the week ahead, may God bless you with the insight to know the way of Jesus, the courage to hold firm to the way of Jesus when the crowds try to lead you astray, and the strength to follow the way of Jesus, the way of God’s steadfast love that never fails. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2025.