Scripturally Based Worship Resources

Palm Sunday Year C

Call to Worship (excerpts from Psalm 118, adapted)

L: O, give thanks to the LORD, for God is good. God’s steadfast love endures forever!
P: This is the day that the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
L: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.
P: You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
L: O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good; for God’s steadfast love endures forever. Let us worship God.

Unison Prayer of Confession (a meditation freely adapted from Psalm 118:22)

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. The earliest Christians understood that these words foretold Jesus’ rejection by the people who should have received him gladly. Are we surprised? In our heart of hearts we know that we needn’t be. We also reject Jesus. We turn away from his command to love our friends much less enemies. We look past those in greatest need. We blame victims and honor those who victimize. We jump onto the bandwagon of pride in worshipping as gods everything that is less than God – the flag instead of faith, corporate greed instead of the common good, an obsession with personal comfort rather than a desire for true spiritual peace.

O God, we pray that you will forgive us. May we shout our hosannas truly. May it be that we will rejoice in your grace, work courageously to do your justice, make peace, and hold steadfast to your most excellent way of love for all people. Hear our prayers, O God, as we offer them in the name of the One who comes in your name to save, even Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness (adapted from excerpts of Isaiah 50:4-9a and Psalm 31:9-16)

L : It is the Lord who helps us, who is to declare us guilty?
P: Be gracious to us, O LORD, for we am in distress. But we trust in you, O LORD; we say, "You are our God.” Let your face shine upon your servants; save us in your steadfast love.
L: Take heart. God is gracious and kind, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. To all who forgive others and who sincerely ask for forgiveness, God offers forgiveness. Indeed! In Christ we are forgiven!
P : Thanks be to God!

Statement of Faith (a litany adapted from Philippians 2:5-11)


L : Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
P: And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.
L: Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
P: and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God.
U : Thanks be to God, the Three in One: Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.

Litany of Commission and Blessing


L : As we begin this week of meditation, song and sacrament, let us pray that it may be truly holy.
P : Help us to follow the story of Jesus’ passion, take in the hard teachings of the meaning of discipleship and the promise of God’s grace in the midst of suffering, and receive the joy of a new, transformed life through Christ.
L : Blessings and honor, glory and power be unto you, O Christ.
P: Indeed! Blessed it the One who comes in the name of the Lord. And blessings to those who follow in faith, hope and love. Amen.