Dear all,
This coming week, Holy week, is the center of the Christian year and Christians believe that it is the pivot around which all world history turns. If, for whatever reason, Christmas disappeared, that would be an impoverishing loss – especially for the merchants. But it would not be fatal to Christian faith. Christmas was a later (and not essential) development in the Christian calendar. Two of the four gospels don’t mention the Christmas story : Matthew and Luke tell it differently, one with with wise men, the other with shepherds and angels. But Holy Week takes us to the core of Christian faith. All four gospels tell the same story with only slight variations. Without the Last Supper, Good Friday and, of course, Easter, there is no Christian story. The wild claim that we celebrate every year is that the broken and scourged man on the cross is actually the human face of God. If true, it is a remarkable revelation of God and of the the world we live in. Without it, the suffering love of God for the universe is not obvious. Because of Easter and a Jesus who is alive, the story of Holy Week is not just history. It is present reality.
Sunday’s service consists of two readers (Beth Chittim and me) reading an (abridged) version of Luke’s gospel interspersed with familiar hymns. The aim is tell the whole story from the Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem, the prophetic cleansing of the temple, the Last Supper, Judas’ betrayal, Jesus’ arrest and Peter’s denial, the Trial and Crucifixion. Everything up to the miraculous reversal of Easter – when the verdict of human judges was overturned by God and life emerged triumphant from the tomb.
Order of Service
SUNDAY, April 10, 2022 Psalm Sunday
Prelude:
Responsive call to Worship:
Hymn 216: “Hosanna”
Reading #1: Luke 19: 28-40 (Entry into Jerusalem)
Reading #2: Luke 19: 45-47 (Jesus cleanses the temple)
PWS&D Lenten Liturgy
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
Declaration of Grace
Reading 3: Luke 22:7-14 (Preparing the Passover”)
Hymn 708: “When Israel was in Egypt’s land”
Reading 4 Luke 22: 14-23 (The Last Supper)
Hymn 224 “An Upper Room did our Lord prepare”
Reading 5: Luke 22: 31-34 (Warning)
Reading 6: Luke 22: 39-46 (Praying in the Garden”)
Hymn 230 “Go to Dark Gethsemane “ (vv1,2)
Reading 7: Luke 22: 47-53 (Arrest)
Reading 8: Luke 22:54-62 (Peter’s denial)
Reading 9: Luke 22:63-23:25 (Trial)
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of the People Response: “O Lord, hear my prayer“ Hymn 446
Reading 10: Luke 23: 26-42 (Crucifixion)
Hymn 206: “Jesus, remember me.”
Reading 11: Luke 23: 44-49 (Jesus’ death)
Hymn 239: “O sacred head sore wounded”
Silence
Postlude