Virtual Worship - 29 March 2021

Palm Sunday

Service Sheet (pdf)

Welcome to worship coming from Bradford North Circuit and Baildon Methodist church. We are glad that you can join us, you are welcome.

Call to worship

Today is Palm Sunday when we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem upon a donkey, the first day of Holy Week. He fulfilled the prophecy which He would know well, from Zechariah 9 v 9, “Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion! Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and riding on a donkey — on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Let us pray, “Father God we want to be part of the crowd today who are welcoming and worshipping You. Send Your Holy Spirit, that, as we give you worship, we can see Jesus, with such love in His eyes, coming to us. Let us turn to Him and meet Him, Amen!”

Song

We sing together/ listen together or share the words together, “Ride on, ride on in Majesty (STF No 265)

Opening prayers: 

We praise you Father God, God who has not been in lockdown, nor have You allowed the seasons to be. We thank you Father for the signs of spring and the promise of hope. We thank you for spring flowers, buds of promise, nesting and lambs. Most of all Father we thank you for the gift of Jesus who faced Jerusalem and stoically rode into it. We thank You Father that you strengthened Him for the burden He had to carry. For His humility and servant heart. As we gaze on Jesus’ perfection we ask forgiveness. For the things that we have done or said that have hurt you Father, for the things we haven’t done, care we haven’t outstretched to build your Kingdom. We seem to be clean on the outside and yet the inside of our cups is dirty. We say sorry and ask for your forgiveness. Come Holy Spirit and refresh us after Jesus’ blood has cleansed us. Come and fill us anew for the week ahead.

Bible Reading:

The story of Palm Sunday for children, based on the 4 gospel accounts of: Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19

Song: 

We welcome Trevor and Janice Roberts and their daughter Christine from Howarth Rd to lead us. Give me joy … sing Hosanna (STF No 76) or watch a version here: 

The word hosanna means, ‘save I pray!’ People were cheering for Jesus because they thought He had come to save them as a soldier king overpowering the Romans, but as we know Jesus came to save and bring peace. You can have fun making up actions to go with this song with the children or teach them later. Or church leader can teach them 😁

Actions: give me, joy, heart, praising, break of day, sing, hosanna, king of kings, peace, love, serving

Interview: 

What are donkeys like? With Karen Goodall from Goodalls Ice Cream at Tong. It’s a family business and the dairy farm started in 1918 and the ice cream business started by her father-in-law. She keeps 6 donkeys as pets.Donkeys would be an ideal ride for Jesus as they are very stoical, will do whatever is asked of them and would be unflappable in a huge, thronging crowd.They are intelligent and sensitive and would have sensed Jesus’ Godliness. The donkey would have had the utmost confidence in Jesus. Do we? His precious burden that He carried was Jesus. We can shout cheer for the donkey doing such a good job!

Bible Reading: 

Unusually I have chosen a second gospel reading read to us by Caroline Pathak, now a member at Howarth Road.  Matthew 11 v 25-30 Jesus gives true rest.

Interviews: 

Here are a few folks you might recognise saying why they are cheering for Jesus:because he loves us, gives us what we need,is with us every day and we can read in the Bible all about Him.

Nick Blundell, Roger Butterfield, JennyAmbler, Sam Darnbrook, Ruth Ker, Christine Crabtree,

Talk:

1. What’s your favourite bible passage that makes you want to cheer for Jesus and who He is?
2. Why do you think the crowd cheered for Jesus when He entered Jerusalem that day? His kindness? Miracles? Great teaching? His personality? The hope that He would stop the oppression in Jerusalem by using violence to overthrow the Romans and be the King to rescue them?
3. I’m cheering for Jesus today because He carries our burdens. I think of 5 burdens He carries:
1. My sins He totally took from me when He died on the cross, it’s only His blood that washes them clean, only His blood cleanses me for heaven
2. My anxieties and fears: Luke’s account of Palm Sunday in Luke 19 says the disciples cast their coats on the donkey, same word is used for casting our fears on Jesus. We can throw each anxiety and fear onto Jesus
3. Our lot: Psalm 55 says God carries our lot, all that is our life, ( our daily life, all people in contact with us, our prayers, hopes snd dreams) from the womb to old age
4. Injustices: Paul in Romans 12 says God hates the injustices that have been does to us, He will seek revenge for them, so that He carries them all for us
5. All our life: Isa 46 tells us God carries us from the womb to old age!

What promises in God carrying us we find. George Mueller was an extraordinary Christian gentleman who looked after 10,000 orphans and built 5 orphanages over his life. When asked how he coped he replied, “Each morning I roll at least 60 worries and needs onto Jesus’ shoulders and He carries them for me each day!”

Reflection: what would you like to roll onto Jesus today. As we gaze at Roy Lorraine Smith’s artwork, just roll onto Jesus everything you need to as He opens the way for you.

Hymn: 

You are the King of Glory: 

Prayers of Intercession:

The response for you to join in after each section is: Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer

Firstly we thank you Father that you created the world, all the nations in their brokenness, pandemics and distress, and for all the people. We pray for all world leaders, that you would pour out Your Spirit upon them that they may act justly, love mercy and walk humbly.

Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for our nation, Great Britain, for each of the 4 nations. For the Queen and all her family, that you would pour out reconciliation, forgiveness snd peace upon each. For our government, for Boris Johnson, Alok Sharma as businesses re-open, for Matt Hancock as he leads in health and Gavin Williamson as he leads and cares for our nurseries, schools, colleges and universities. Father, as we cheer for You we pray You would pour out Your Spirit, that this nation would turn to Your love and put You at the centre

Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for the beautiful county of West Yorkshire, for all who seek to flourish it, for hope as we can start to come out of lockdown: that businesses will flourish and we give you thanks for our hospitals snd GP’s, for care homes and their residents, for our places of education. We pray for our MP’s and especially pray for the leader of Bradford Council, Susan Hinchcliffe.we pray for all charities and organisation that help snd support abs we offer you our own service in this County to bless snd flourish.

Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for Bradford North Circuit: For Nick, Christine, Phil and Merry. For our stewards: Stuart Jennifer and Clive. For Kerry Tankard our chair of Yorkshire West. For all our churches snd we name ours before you…….That You would pour out Your Spirit to give us revelation and wisdom as we seek Your will and follow Jesus in this time of exciting new adventure and care.

Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for those in our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues that are going through hard times of: grieving, sickness, loneliness, mentality health, redundancy, fear of the future and broken relationships. As we see their faces we lift them up to you…… Thank You Father for carrying their burdens for them

Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer

Lastly Father we climb on Your knee and give you are personal burdens……….. As you take them from us we see You filling us with Your Spirit in exchange, enabling us to look up and be comforted, strengthened and anointed so that we can follow You snd do Your will.

Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer

We ask all our prayers in the name of Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Amen

So many people in today’s service have cheered as part of the large crowd that trust Jesus. Indeed a great crowd of witnesses! What a saviour we have worthy of our cheering!

Hymn: 

What a saviour! (STF No 361) 

Blessing: 

Thank you Father God that You chose each one of us to be part of the crowd cheering for you snd thank you Jesus for all our burdens that you carry. May the blessing of God, Father, Don and Holy Spirit be upon you and all those that you love, now and forever more, Amen