“We are journeying together in God’s love . . .
to discover, nurture, and share our gifts.”
March 28, 2010
Palm/Passion Sunday—Communion
The way Jesus lives in obedience to God leads him into Jerusalem. God’s way bids trusting preparation by those who would follow Jesus. God’s way celebrates saving promises brought near in stances humble, yet firm. Words hint that more than a parade begins this day. Disciples form for a procession that descends into the city and this week.
If you would like to stay seated for any or all of the “standing” parts of the service, please feel free to do so.
Need a refuge? Our Nursery is located off Memorial Hall, has a speaker system through which to hear the service, and exists for all who may need this space. Memorial Hall approach is via the pulpit side exit.
Prelude / Sharing Announcements / A Time of Greeting
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: We come together as a community of faith. We have gathered to talk, and listen to, and care for each other.
All: We acknowledged this is a privileged time.
One: Here we share a new covenant of promise and hope. Our fears melt into awe and wonder before the Divine. Our failures become opportunities for learning.
All: So let us share and celebrate this life we live.
Opening Prayer (Unison)
Spirit of life, we gather grateful for the companionship of hearts and minds seeking to speak the truth in love. And we gather grateful for the gift of life itself, mindful that to respect life means both to celebrate what life is and to insist on what it can fully become. Amen.
Junior Choir: “Pave the Way with Branches”
Conversation Time & Distribution of Palms
The Sunday School & Youth leave for their classes.
One: Palms waved, joyful shouts, Jesus royally acclaimed!
All: May we strive for faithful enthusiasm.
One: A towel and basin taken, a need seen clearly, the disciples’ feet washed by Jesus.
All: Let us serve the needy.
One: Jesus at prayer, deeply troubled, needing his friends with him.
All: May we not miss the opportunity to be at the right place and the right time.
One: Jesus deeply wounded, yet deeply forgiving.
All: May we be slow to judge and quick to forgive
… (time for silent reflection)
Words of Assurance (One)
Morning by morning may we be awakened to steadfast love that endures and triumphs now and forever. Amen.
Biblical Notes / Prayer of Illumination
Other lessons for your personal consideration from today’s lections are:
Psalm 31:9-16; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Luke 22:14—23:56 or Luke 23: 1-49; and Philippians 2:5-11.
Hymn #127 “Ride On! Ride On in Majesty”
Prayer of Dedication (One)
May these gifts be blessed and used to further the way of love, hope, and justice. Amen.
Hymn #468 “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ”
Companionship at the Table on the Journey
Invitation
One: Jesus invited all to the feast of peace and new life.
Jesus risked everything in compassion.
Jesus promised to make himself known in the breaking of the bread.
Thanksgiving
One: We give thanks for the wonderful gift of reflective awareness that allows us to recognize and name the presence of the Creative Spirit in our universe that is beyond all imagining.
All: We give thanks.
One: Everything we have, everything we see, everything we do, everyone we love and everyone who loves us, reveals this sustaining Presence
and our total dependence on it.
All: We marvel and wonder at the size and complexity of our universe. We marvel and wonder at the development of life on this planet. We give thanks for the creative Presence that 'energizes' this life and all that exists.
One: We recognize that human life gives this Presence a particular way of coming to expression, and that in us the Presence can sing and dance, speak and write, love and create. Conscious that we live, move, and have our being in this Presence, we give thanks for people throughout history who have affirmed this loving presence in all people. For those who have invited people to give witness to this by lives characterized by gratitude, compassion, generosity and forgiveness. Especially we give thanks for Jesus of Nazareth. Through him we have learned how our loving is a sharing in the presence of this Spirit of Life.
All: In him we see this Presence urging all of us to make creativity on earth more visible.
One: We also remember the night before Jesus died Jesus again shared a meal with his friends.
Bread and Wine
We break this bread in celebration of the great truth that on this tiny planet, hurtling through cold, empty space, death is made the servant of life, and out of death, life is forever resurrected. This cup with its fruit of the vine, is a celebration that things are not always as they seem: that out of faithfulness and steadfastness, out of suffering and sorrow, may come unsought blessings.
Bread of life. / Fruit of the vine.
Communion is shared.
Prayer after Communion (Unison)
Universal Holy of love and compassion, may the celebration of the wonder and the mystery of your Presence around and within us, strengthen and enable us to be the body of Christ in the church and in the world. Amen.
Commissioning (Responsive)
One: The joy of Jesus, welcomed into Jerusalem.
All: We leave this church with joy, ready to inspire joy.
One: The Pain of Jesus, rejected and abused.
All: We leave this church feeling the pain, ready to relieve deep hurt.
One: The hope of Jesus, who says, “into your hands I commit my spirit.”
All: We leave this church with hope, ready to create a climate of hope.
Choral Amen
Hymn #884 “We Shall Go Out With Joy” (x2)
Postlude
Welcome to Westminster this morning. Please gather for coffee and a bowl of soup in Memorial Hall, following worship.
This Week at Westminster (March 28th – April 3rd)
| Sun. | Christian Development | 9:00 a.m. | Lounge |
| Palm/Passion Communion | 10:30 a.m. | Sanctuary | |
| Local Food Needs | 10:15 a.m. | Narthex | |
| UCW Executive | 12:00 p.m. | Lounge | |
| Ministry & Personnel | 12:00 p.m. | Shalom | |
| Tues. | Prayer Shawl | 1:30 p.m. | Lounge |
| Wed. | Bible Study | 9:30 a.m. | Nursery |
| Square Circle UCW | 7:30 p.m. | Lounge | |
| Thurs. | Senior Choir Practice | 7:00 p.m. | Sanctuary |
| Fri. | Stat Holiday | All day | Office Closed |
| Good Friday Service | 7:00 p.m. | Sanctuary | |
| Easter Decorating | 7:45 p.m. | Sanctuary |
Next Week at Westminster (April 4th – 10th)
| Sun. | Local Food Needs | 10:30 a.m. | Narthex |
| Worship: Easter Sunday | 10:30 a.m. | Sanctuary | |
| Mon. | Property | 7:00 p.m. | Westminster |
| Tues. | Prayer Shawl | 1:30 p.m. | Lounge |
| Willing Gardeners’ Series | 7:00 p.m. | Lounge | |
| Wed. | Bible Study | 9:30 a.m. | Nursery |
| Mission & Outreach | 1:30 p.m. | Unisphere | |
| Thurs. | Electra UCW | 1:30 p.m. | Lounge |
| Senior Choir Practice | 7:00 p.m. | Sanctuary |
Please sign the Friendship Roster this morning.
The funeral service for Alex Shand will be held tomorrow at Westminster at 1 p.m. with the committal service to follow at 3 p.m..
The Visitation & Membership committee need more volunteers to assist with hospital visits. For more information on what this entails, please speak to Lenora Stein. If this is something that is of interest to you, please contact the office.
The 2nd ecumenical evening Imagining Community: Worship for the Holy City will be held this evening with the theme being The Power of temptation…and the temptations of Power! The dynamics of power in our world as we begin the journey through Holy Week will be explored. What are the temptations of power for the followers of Jesus? There are good questions to talk about, a provoking drama to witness, and some haunting music to draw us toward the Cross. Leaders come from several local churches, but the gathering takes place at St. John’s Presbyterian Church from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Hot cross buns will be served.
The UCW are hosting an Easter Social this Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. with a Good Friday meditation. Hot cross buns will be served. All women of the congregation are cordially invited.
The Edythe Hewitt Unit will meet following the Easter Social—Good Friday Meditation in the Lounge.
Decorating in the Sanctuary for our Easter celebration will take place this Friday, April 2nd, immediately following the Good Friday service. Any volunteers are most welcome to help.
“Down by the Riverside” concert series at Riverside Presbyterian Church presents “The Tartones” on April 11th at 2:00 p.m. Free Will offering. Everyone is welcome.
On Sunday, April 11th at 7:30 p.m., St. John’s Presbyterians Church will be hosting their annual “Spring Sing.” Five choirs will be participating including our own Westminster Church choir. Everyone is graciously invited in support of our Senior Choir.
Birthdays: Joyce Carlson, Grace Alcock, Ron Scharf, Brian Walters, Ken Taylor, Charlie Thompson, Lorine Liebelt, Ken Playford.
Anniversaries: Garth & Anne Maier
Flowers are placed in the Sanctuary this morning in loving memory of our deceased parents by Lawrence &
Jean Pfeifer and Elmer & Gladys Schlenker.
South Alberta Presbytery: Our prayers this week are requested for Cardston-Magrath Pastoral Charge and George Takashima.
| Sunday School Co-ordinators | Jackie Schlenker, Kim Hanson |
| A/Nursery Convenor | Jackie Carlson |
| Greeters & Ushers | Square Circle UCW |
| Coffee Hosts | Square Circle UCW |
| Elder-in-Charge | Dawn Skogen |
Next Week’s Readings from: Isaiah 52:13—53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1—19:42.
Stewardship Thought for Today:
Which is more important to you: your status in the world or your service to the world? by Terry Shillington