Palm/Passion Sunday Bulletin, April 13, 2025

Palm/Passion Sunday

Veradale United Church of Christ

An Open & Affirming Congregation

Worshiping God in Christ – Welcoming All – Working for Justice & Peace

“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!”

Palm/Passion Sunday, April 13, 2025 • 10:30 a.m.

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Gathering and Prelude

Wayne Shull, Music Director

Charlie Salt, AV

Tom Cuilla, AV and Usher

Jerry Brines, Usher

Joe McSwain, Usher

Charlie Salt and Marvin Wilson, Scripture Reader

Diane Smith, Candle Lighter

Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor

Sue Ferrozzo Fellowship Set-Up

_______ Fellowship Clean-up

Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor

10:30am Land Acknowledgement

We worship on the unceded traditional territory of the Spokane, Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Coeur d’Alene, and other tribes. We acknowledge the history of indigenous genocide, removal, and erasure that continues to this day.  We recognize the role that Christian communities played in these injustices, and we recommit ourselves to seeking more peaceful, just, and neighborly ways of sharing this land with all who call it home.

10:30am    Worship begins

God is with us . . all the time!  All the time . . . God is with us!

Welcoming Our Lord!

We gather on Zoom, Facebook, and in person. Those in the sanctuary, we will have a palm parade from the sanctuary out to the church sign and back. For those with us at a distance, find a branch (bay leaf branch if you have a tree), scarf, or other way to remember the crowd that cheered on Jesus.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Pastor: Hosanna to the Son of David, the Sovereign of the World!

All: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

PROCLAMATION OF THE ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM

Charlie Salt, Reader

Luke 19:29-40 

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 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. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 Now as he was 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, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king    who comes in the name of the Lord!Peace in heaven,    and glory in the highest heaven!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

BLESSING OF THE PALMS

Pastor: God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to God Most High.

All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Pastor: Let us pray.

All: Beloved Jesus, today we remember that you entered Jerusalem in peace and dignity, heralding a week of pain and sorrow. Be with us now as we follow. Remind us again that you have sealed the closeness of death and resurrection, of humiliation and exaltation. We thank you for these branches that become for us reflections of the past and visions of the future.  Bless them and us that their use this day may announce in our time that Christ has come, Christ is here, and Christ will come again. Amen! Come, Christ Jesus!

PALMS DISTRIBUTED

Pastor: Let us welcome the Christ!

All: Let us receive Christ with Praise!

Processional Hymns:

Our God is an Awesome God,

Who reigns from heaven above;

With wisdom, pow’r, and love.

Our God is an Awesome God.

Once we get to the front door we sing:

 “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” 213 (NCH)

Hosanna, loud hosanna the little children sang; through pillared court and temple the lovely anthem rang, to Jesus, who had blessed them, close folded to his breast, the children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed amid a cheering crowd, the victor palm branch waving, and chanting clear and loud. The one whom angels worship rode on in lowly state, and glad to see the children slowed down the donkey’s gate.

"Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song is ours, we hail the great Redeemer and sing with all our powers. “Hosanna, Christ, we praise you with heart and life and voice. Hosanna! In your presence forever we rejoice!”

Silence

Call to Confession

One: Let us return to God.

Prayer of Confession

ALL: Holy One, we have travel through this season of Lent, opening our lives to your transforming love. We offer to you all that we have done and all that we have left undone. We return our life to your way of mercy and justice. We place before you the truth of ourselves. Set us free from our regrets. Let shame have no power over us. Help us begin anew. Help us to return to you. We ask following the way of Jesus. Amen

Silent Confessions with God

Assurance

One: God longs for our return and holds nothing against us.

All: We thank God with humble hearts.

Community Prayer

Hymn: “Change My Heart” RB 50

Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like you. You are the potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make me; This is what I pray. Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like you.

Prayers of Gratitude 

Refrain: Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like you.

Prayers of Concern 

Refrain

Prayers in Silence 

Refrain

 The Lord’s Prayer (brought to us from Louise)

A version of The Lord’s Prayer from The New Zealand Prayer BookEternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.

Response: Holy, Holy, Holy  (NCH)

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! All your works shall praise Thy name, in earth and sky and sea. Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty. God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

A Time of Offering

An Invitation to Share

Offering Hymn: “Give Thanks” RB 7

Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because God’s given Jesus Christ, the Son. (repeat)

And now let the weak say, “I am strong!” Let the poor say, “I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us!” (repeat)

Give thanks. Give thanks.

Dedication prayer

Holy One, you came among us and your Spirit is with us still. We thank you with humble hearts. May our offerings of time, talent, and treasure help to make your vision of a just and compassionate world be glimpsed in us. Amen

Listening for God

Choir: Holy Ground

Marvin Wilson, Reader

Luke 23: 1-49 Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man inciting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.” 3 Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.” 5 But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.”

6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. 9 He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by vehemently accusing him. 11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12 That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people, and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”

18 Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!” 19 (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” 23 But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

All: When Jesus Wept 192 NCH

When Jesus wept a falling tear 

In mercy flowed beyond all bound

When Jesus groaned a trembling fear

Seized all the guilty world around.

26 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in[k] your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

ALL:  Were you there 229 (NCH) verses 1 and 2

1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 

2 Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land[l] until three in the afternoon, 45 while the sun’s light failed,[m]and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last.47 When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” 48 And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. 49 But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

Choir: Sanctuary

Message: “From Joy to Deep Sorrow” 

Silence

Meditation in Music

Service and Fellowship Opportunities 

Next Sunday: Easter! 

Sunrise 5:45am and All Family 10:30am 

Bible/Book Study Monday at 7pm 

Silent Prayer, Tuesday 9:00 to 9:30am

Strin-A-Lings 5:30 pm Wednesday

Sing-A-Lings (a.k.a.Choir) 6:30pm Wednesday

Our Lord’s Last Supper, Thursday gather 5:30pm start 6pm

 Community giving this month: Coats for Kids

One Great Hour of Sharing – donating to global helping ministries.

Our Light moves into the World God Loves

Our last Sunday to bring forward rocks that symbolize the barriers and burdens that keep us from embracing God’s steadfast love.

*Hymn: O Sacred Head, Now Wounded 226 (NCH) verses 1 and 3

1. O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down, now scornfully surrounded with thorns, your only crown: how pale you are with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn! How does that visage languish which once was bright as morn! 3. What language shall I borrow to thank you, dearest friend, for this your dying sorrow, your pity without end?  May I be yours forever, and though my days are few, O Savior, let me never, never outlive my love for you!

Benediction 

Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to that

which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the

fainthearted. Support the weak. Help the afflicted. Honor all people.

Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. The

Grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the

Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen.

Community Blessing

Be Yourself.

Grow in Christ.

Live with Compassion.