Sunday Worship
As many of you are aware, the Church of England have advised that churches suspend public worship until further notice. This means that the way we be and do church will look and feel different over the coming weeks. In light of this, each week we will endeavour to provide a form of service that we can all engage with, wherever we are, through the church website. It will follow the structure of our usual Sunday Worship with prayers, readings and a reflection. We hope you will find this easy to engage with and use as a way of staying connected with our church family despite being in isolation.
Palm Sunday
Sunday 5th April
Hosanna to the Son of David, the King of Israel.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
during Lent we have been preparing by works of love
and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our
Lord’s death and resurrection.
Today we come together to begin this solemn
celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his
work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again.
Let us go with him in faith and love, so that,
united with him in his sufferings,
we may share his risen life.
Collect for Palm Sunday
Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen
May the Father,
who so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
bring you by faith to his eternal life.
Amen
May Christ, who accepted the cup of sacrifice
in obedience to the Father’s will, keep you steadfast as you walk with him the way of his cross.
Amen
May the Spirit, who strengthens us to suffer with Christ
that we may share his glory, set your minds on life and peace.
Amen
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen
Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Stations of the Cross – Holy Week
These Stations of the Cross are from photographs of the Stations at Steyning
by Chris Shawcross, the words are by Chris McDonnell.
At each station you might want to say the traditional words:
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Take as long as you wish to pray these stations, using the pause button to reflect on the image;
you might want to pray them each day during Holy Week.
There is of course a final image in the series, which we hope to share on Easter Day.
