We hear God’s CALL TO WORSHIP in Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!
Shout, daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king comes to you!
He is righteous, and having salvation;
lowly, and riding on a donkey,
even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
We listen in silence for God’s still small voice, CENTERING ourselves, becoming aware of God’s presence within us and around us
We respond with CONFESSION using the words of Augustine of Hippo
Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord, and spare your servant from the power of the enemy. I contend not in judgment with you, who are the truth; I fear to deceive myself, lest my iniquity lie to itself. Therefore I contend not in judgment with you; for if you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall abide it? Amen.
We PRAISE God in the EVENING PSALMPsalm 141:1–3 · Domine, clamavi
1Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me, *
and consider my voice when I cry to you.
2Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as the incense; *
and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
3Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, *
and keep the door of my lips.
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
We PRAISE God in THE PSALM OF THE DAYPsalm 118:19–27 · Confitemini Domino
19Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them; *
I will offer thanks to the Lord.
20“This is the gate of the Lord; *
he who is righteous may enter.”
21I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.
22The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.
23This is the Lord’s doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24On this day the Lord has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25Hosannah, Lord, hosannah! *
Lord, send us now success.
26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *
we bless you from the house of the Lord.
27God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; *
form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
We hear God speaking to us in THE READING for the dayMatthew 21:6–11
Sunday, 21 March 2027 · Palm Sunday
6The disciples went and did just as Jesus commanded them, 7and brought the donkey and the colt and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them. 8A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
10When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
11The multitudes said, “This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
World English Bible. Or read it at Bible Gateway in the NRSV: Matthew 21:6–11 · the full passage, Matthew 21:1–11.
We REFLECT in silence
We sing to God in THE CANTATE DOMINOPsalm 98 · Cantate Domino
1O sing to the Lord a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.
2With his own right hand and with his holy arm *
he has won himself the victory.
3The Lord declared his salvation; *
his righteousness he has openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4He has remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.
5Show yourselves joyful to the Lord, all you lands; *
sing, rejoice, and give thanks.
6Praise the Lord upon the harp; *
sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.
7With trumpets also and the sound of the horn, *
O show yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.
8Let the sea make a noise, and all that is in it, *
the round world, and those who dwell therein.
9Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, *
for he has come to judge the earth.
10With righteousness shall he judge the world, *
and the peoples with equity.
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
We pray the LORD’S PRAYER as Jesus taught his disciples, in those words which are most meaningful to us
Our [ Father / Mother / Creator ] in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our [ trespasses / sins ]
as we forgive those who [ trespass / sin ] against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
We pray a PRAYER OF INTERCESSION in the words of Thomas à Kempis
Grant me, most loving Lord, to rest in you above every creature; above all health and beauty; above all glory and honor; above all power and dignity; above all knowledge and skill; above all riches and arts; above all joy and exultation; above all fame and praise; above all sweetness and consolation; above all hope and promise; above all merit and desire; above all gifts and rewards which you can give and pour forth; above all joy and jubilation which the mind is able to receive and feel; in a word, above angels and archangels and all the army of heaven; above all things visible and invisible; and above everything which you, my God, are not. Amen.
We silently pray PERSONAL PRAYER
Followed by
Amen.
We pray a PRAYER OF GENERAL THANKSGIVING
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A concluding BENEDICTION or blessing
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.