|
|
Some beautiful music for these challenging times:
Worship for Palm Sunday
|
|
He kept to himself the sorrow in his heart,
Wearing, for them, a mask of hopefulness.”
-Vergil, The Aeneid, Bk. I.
Wearing, for them, a mask of hopefulness.”
-Vergil, The Aeneid, Bk. I.
These words of Vergil, describing Aeneas before his hopeless counter-attack on enemy troops, very aptly describe what Jesus must have felt upon his entry into enemy territory himself, although he was not leading or marshalling an army. However, Jesus was entering a hostile environment, and we know from what he said to the disciples that he expected the worst.
The Christian churches have made “Palm Sunday” a festival occasion, because of the festive nature of the Passover holiday. People traveled from all over Israel, pilgrims carrying palm fronds to signal their destination. It is not known how Jesus was perceived that day, but he clearly intended to send a message by choosing to enter on the foal of an ass, a quotation from Jewish prophecy. King? Yes, but of a different kind.
The vortex awaited him, the air was electric, it was a live moment when anything could happen.
The Christian churches have made “Palm Sunday” a festival occasion, because of the festive nature of the Passover holiday. People traveled from all over Israel, pilgrims carrying palm fronds to signal their destination. It is not known how Jesus was perceived that day, but he clearly intended to send a message by choosing to enter on the foal of an ass, a quotation from Jewish prophecy. King? Yes, but of a different kind.
The vortex awaited him, the air was electric, it was a live moment when anything could happen.
|
Below is a link to the 3.29.20 Worship Service
|
ORDER OF WORSHIP
Sunday, March 29, 2020
The Fifth Sunday of Lent
Sunday, March 29, 2020
The Fifth Sunday of Lent
REFLECTION
“God is spirit, spirit expressed infinitely in the universe, who does not give as the world gives. His home is absence, and there he finds us. In the coils of absence, we meet him by seeking [silence].” Annie Dillard, For the Time Being (1999).
SILENT PRAYER
Prelude Prelude in C Major Monique Weiss Byrnes, piano
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Blessed is the one who lives eternally and exists for ever.
People: Blessed is the One who redeems and saves.
ALL: Blessed is the Holy One.
*GATHERING HYMN Be thou My Vision (v.1) Chalice 595
Be thou my vision, O lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
PRAYER
I live my life in widening circles
That reach out across the world.
I may not complete this last one
but I give myself to it.
I circle round God, around the primordial tower.
I’ve been circling for thousands of years
and I still don’t know—am I a falcon,
a storm? Or a vast song. . .
—Rainer Maria Rilke
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON
John 14:7-14
If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
MESSAGE The Personal Empowerment of the Mystic’s Way
*RESPONSE HYMN Be thou My Vision (v.2) Chalice 595
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my redeemer, my love thou hast won,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
CALL TO PRAYER AND SILENCE
PASTORAL PRAYER
*LORD’S PRAYER—Chalice 307.
*DEPARTING HYMN Be thou My Vision (v.3-4) Chalice 595
Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
Great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.
Great God of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
*BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Fugue in C Major Monique Weiss Byrnes, piano
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Music notes for the hymn this week
Be Thou My Vision
Tune Name: Slane
This ancient poem dating from the eighth century, is an example of Celtic lorica, a prayer for physical and spiritual protection. The poem was translated from prose to verse by Eleanor H. Hull (1860-1935). Her work as founder of the Irish Text Society and president of the Irish Literary Society of London, England reawakened interest in Irish culture.
The tune SLANE was originally a traditional Irish folk song. The tune name SLANE refers to a hill outside of the community of Tara, County Meath, Ireland. It was on this hill that Saint Patrick lit the Paschal fire and challenged the authority of the pagan king. David Evans, a musician from Wales, adapted and arranged the folk song with the text we sing today.
Resource
The New Century Hymnal Companion, pg. 451
REFLECTION
“God is spirit, spirit expressed infinitely in the universe, who does not give as the world gives. His home is absence, and there he finds us. In the coils of absence, we meet him by seeking [silence].” Annie Dillard, For the Time Being (1999).
SILENT PRAYER
Prelude Prelude in C Major Monique Weiss Byrnes, piano
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Blessed is the one who lives eternally and exists for ever.
People: Blessed is the One who redeems and saves.
ALL: Blessed is the Holy One.
*GATHERING HYMN Be thou My Vision (v.1) Chalice 595
Be thou my vision, O lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
PRAYER
I live my life in widening circles
That reach out across the world.
I may not complete this last one
but I give myself to it.
I circle round God, around the primordial tower.
I’ve been circling for thousands of years
and I still don’t know—am I a falcon,
a storm? Or a vast song. . .
—Rainer Maria Rilke
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON
John 14:7-14
If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
MESSAGE The Personal Empowerment of the Mystic’s Way
*RESPONSE HYMN Be thou My Vision (v.2) Chalice 595
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my redeemer, my love thou hast won,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
CALL TO PRAYER AND SILENCE
PASTORAL PRAYER
*LORD’S PRAYER—Chalice 307.
*DEPARTING HYMN Be thou My Vision (v.3-4) Chalice 595
Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
Great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.
Great God of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
*BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Fugue in C Major Monique Weiss Byrnes, piano
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Music notes for the hymn this week
Be Thou My Vision
Tune Name: Slane
This ancient poem dating from the eighth century, is an example of Celtic lorica, a prayer for physical and spiritual protection. The poem was translated from prose to verse by Eleanor H. Hull (1860-1935). Her work as founder of the Irish Text Society and president of the Irish Literary Society of London, England reawakened interest in Irish culture.
The tune SLANE was originally a traditional Irish folk song. The tune name SLANE refers to a hill outside of the community of Tara, County Meath, Ireland. It was on this hill that Saint Patrick lit the Paschal fire and challenged the authority of the pagan king. David Evans, a musician from Wales, adapted and arranged the folk song with the text we sing today.
Resource
The New Century Hymnal Companion, pg. 451
Sermon excerpt from
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Sunday, March 29, 2020
The Mystic’s Way
Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 29, 2020
John 14:7-14
“I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.”
For our Lenten Sundays, Elizabeth and I have been describing ways to personal empowerment in these days of national distress.
We saw first how Christ overcame the deprivations of the desert by facing down the Devil, which we learned was to will one thing, only one thing, not many things. Then, I invited Mr. Rogers to visit us, to demonstrate how important ritual is in our lives, because it provides the order that reassures us at the most fundamental levels. We saw next how we are strengthened by acts of devotion, devotion to Christ, to God and to church. Among many possibilities, one way is pilgrimage—long or short, journeys of redemption matter when grief assails us. Then, we learned about the power which comes by bringing God’s Word closer to us, by opening the Bible and entering God’s world.
Read more
Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 29, 2020
John 14:7-14
“I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.”
For our Lenten Sundays, Elizabeth and I have been describing ways to personal empowerment in these days of national distress.
We saw first how Christ overcame the deprivations of the desert by facing down the Devil, which we learned was to will one thing, only one thing, not many things. Then, I invited Mr. Rogers to visit us, to demonstrate how important ritual is in our lives, because it provides the order that reassures us at the most fundamental levels. We saw next how we are strengthened by acts of devotion, devotion to Christ, to God and to church. Among many possibilities, one way is pilgrimage—long or short, journeys of redemption matter when grief assails us. Then, we learned about the power which comes by bringing God’s Word closer to us, by opening the Bible and entering God’s world.
Read more
Children's CornerDr. Elizabeth Windsor Director of Christian Education 
Due to health and safety precautions, our Sunday School has moved online!
The weekly Sunday School Online Lesson will be posted on Saturday, April 4th and will focus on Palm Sunday. The lesson will be on my website Faithful Families. Not only will you have all of the online lessons, there will be activities and prayers designed for home use during Holy Week. Our faith gives us much to hold onto in these fearful times and being at home together is a wonderful way to share faith as a family. As always, don't hesitate to be in touch if I can be of assistance! Click here for the weekly lesson (posted on Saturdays). If you and/or your children would like to chat, please don't hesitate to reach out and we can set up a time to meet by phone, Facetime, etc. |
|
|