UJCC Sunday House Worship Service
April 5, 2020 * Palm Sunday
Blessings to you this Sunday morning! You are invited to use the following prayers & order of worship as we lift our hearts to God together from our respective homes!
Procession: Sunday School
Call To Worship
Leader : Jesus entered into Jerusalem humbly on a donkey,
seeking to transform the people.
All: People gathered from everywhere to wave palm branches
and praise him as royalty.
Leader: Jesus enters into our lives humbly,
seeking to transform our hearts and lives.
All: Let us worship Jesus Christ together,
and receive him into our presence.
All: Hosanna in the highest! (ch)
Song of Centering: "Hosanna, Loud Hosanna"
Featuring: Becky Messer, Larry Honda, Rev. Rae Kim
Children’s Time
Scripture Reading in Japanese Matthew 21:1-11 Miwa & Nanami Jones
* Images taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-39h0xYqdE
Sermon “This is What Abundance Looks Like” Rev. Akiko Miyake-Stoner
Time of Confession Leader: We sing, we wave our branches, we shout “Hosanna.”
Then, we turn away, to go back to our old ways,
our old lives, our old sins.
But God is in the business of granting forgiveness and filling us with new life.
Let us confess to the One who comes to fill us with grace.
All: With eager hearts and open hands, Holy One, we welcome Jesus,
until he refuses the power we offer him,
choosing to become our servant. We pick up the faith we had laid on the ground before him,
and put it back on the shelf where it belongs.
Our pride keeps us from being able to follow him
all the way to Calvary.
Hosanna, Steadfast God, save us!
Help us to let our fears, our doubts, our faithlessness
slip from our lives to fall at your feet,
so we may stand with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
who comes in your name,
in your glory,
in your grace to save us.
[Silence for self-examination and confession]
Words of Assurance
Leader: Tell the daughters of despair,
proclaim it to the sons of sadness:
All: Christ has come to save us! Hosanna!
We will give our thanks to God, who comes to bring us grace, hope, life.
Hosanna in the highest. Amen! (ts)
Joys and Concerns & Time of Prayer
You are invited to share your joys and concerns with one another using our usual format:
Person lifting the prayer: “O God of Mercy;” everyone’s response: “This is our prayer.”
After you share your joys and concerns, go around the circle and offer prayer, praying freely or using this format:
“God, I thank you for…” and “God, I ask for…”
You are invited to close together with The Lord’s Prayer.
Song of Reflection: Hosanna by Hillsong
* You are invited to continue your spiritual practice of giving to the church. Please either mail your offering to the church (136 N. Villa Ave., Clovis, CA 93612) or try our online giving option (LINK HERE). Thank you!
* Holy Communion will be celebrated during our Fellowship and Prayer Zoom meeting at 11:30 today. Please prepare the elements for your household. Any kind of bread or juice (even water) will be appropriate. Or you may join the Holy Communion following this video:
* Please join in our Zoom Fellowship & Prayer meeting at 11:30, Sunday, April 5
From your computer or smartphone, join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/840076506
Meeting ID: 840 076 506
Or simply call: +1 669 900 6833
Worship Resources: (ch) Chris Heckert “Palm Sunday Call To Worship (Matthew 21:1-11)” http://www.heckertresources.com/; (ts) Thom Shuman “Act of Confession: Palm Sunday,” http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html
Matthew 21:1-11
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” 4This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5“Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” 6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”