Order of Service
ORDER OF SERVICE
April 13th, 2025 | 10:00 am
Palm Sunday Sixth Sunday in Lent
A Time for Centering
We use this time to make the transition between “getting here” and “being here.” Take these few minutes of quiet time to get in touch with the calm places, the still, deep places in you; the spirit. Relax your body, quiet the inner dialogue of your mind. Focus on feeling, on being. Be receptive to your center - your reservoir of inner peace, strength, love. Be aware of being with others. Feel the spirit of community.
PRELUDE Adagio from Sonata in F Major, K30 W. A. Mozart
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
INTROIT We Will Glorify the King of Kings T. Paris
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Through worship we celebrate God’s presence in every sphere of life
All: And God’s love expressed through Jesus Christ.
Leader: We remember Christ’s life and ministry
All: And the life we are called to live.
Leader: We come as a pilgrim people searching for ways to live out our faith.
All: We seek the strength to carry on our journey. Let us rejoice in God’s gift to us!
*HYMN 191 Ride On, Ride On in Majesty! verses 1, 3 & 4
*OPENING PRAYER
God of infinite power, we praise you for Jesus Christ, who came riding into the city of Jerusalem on a lowly beast, victorious through love and not through violence. Help us to learn the meaning of power and of glory through Christ, who, though being one with you, took on the form of a servant and shared our human life and sufferings. May we truly participate in the life and struggles of the world’s peoples, to our joy and your glory. Amen.
*THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
*GLORIA PATRI
A message for all ages The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann
Children may now leave for Church School
MUSIC What Wondrous Love is This setting, D. Funderburk
David Creswell, violin
SCRIPTURE LESSON Luke 19:28-40 New International Version
After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
SERMON Crossing the Threshold The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann
*HYMN 622 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
OFFERTORY ANTHEM My Song is Love Unknown R. Powell
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
*DOXOLOGY
*HYMN O Beautiful for Spacious Skies
O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain
majesties above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed
His grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
Pastoral Prayer
CHURCH PRAYER
Our Heavenly Father, shed forth thy blessed spirit upon all our lives. Make each one of us an instrument in thy hands for good. Purify our hearts, strengthen our minds and bodies, fill us with Christian love. Let no pride, no self-conceit, no rivalry, no ill will ever spring up among us. Make us earnest and true, wise and prudent, giving no just cause for offense; and may thy holy peace rest upon us this day and every day throughout the coming week, sweetening our trials, cheering us in our work, and keeping us faithful to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*HYMN 192 All Glory, Laud, and Honor, verses 1 and 3
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Hosanna, Loud Hosanna arr. A. Duncan
THANK YOU to David Creswell, our guest musician this morning
THANK YOU to Mary Ann Debnar for hosting coffee hour today. If you would like to host for an upcoming Sunday, sign-up sheets are in the Parlor.