April 2nd 2023 – “Following Jesus”

2023-04-02 "Following Jesus" 11 AM

Dear friends, 

This Sunday Edythe Arnott will be leading us in worship. 

Our Special Easter offering (the yellow envelope in your envelope box) has been designated toward the work of Camp d’Action Biblique (CAB), our Presbyterian summer camp in Richmond, QC – a roughly 90 minute drive from the South Shore.  It is a camp where children and youth can spend a week in the summer and live in Christian community while having a great time.  For more information, visit: www.cabqc.ca

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, where we commemorate our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Our Gospel reading is taken from Matthew 21: 1-11, “The Triumphal Entry”.  Everywhere Jesus went, he seemed to gather crowds and followers.   As Jesus came closer to Jerusalem, he knew what lay ahead of Him, but probably most of those following didn’t.  Even the twelve disciples didn’t fully understand.  As we follow Jesus on our journey through life, maybe Palm Sunday and Holy Week are good times to reflect on what following Jesus means for us today.   


Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Waving of the Palms Processional; Hymn 214: “All glory laud & honour”
Lenten Liturgy
Hymn 78: “This is the day”
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 416: “Blessed Jesus, at your word”
Responsive reading: Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29
Gloria Patri
New Testament reading Matthew 21: 1-11 (en français, English on the screen)
Sermon: “Following Jesus”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 379: “The servant king”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 218: “Hosanna, loud hosanna”
Benediction

April 10th, 2022 -“A service of readings and songs”

2022-04-10 Sunday Worship 11:00 AM - "A service of readings and songs"

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