Order of Service – 24th March 2024

The Order of Service follows below.

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Brougham Place Uniting Church
Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

24 March 2024. 10.00 am
Palm Sunday
Preacher: Rev Linda Driver
Liturgical colour: Purple

We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional carers of the land on which our church is built.

Welcome

Niina marni!
Marni’ai!

Acknowledgment of Country

We Sing: God is Here Today

God is here today;
as certain as the air I breathe,
as certain as the morning sun that rises,
as certain when I sing you’ll hear my song.

Call to Worship 1

Hosanna!
Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Children’s Time 1

Call to Worship 2

Let the shouts ring out!
Let the parade begin!

Come with songs of joy and join the crowd.
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!

Procession of Palms

We Sing: Hosanna

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!
Lord, we lift up your name
With hearts full of praise.
Be exalted, O Lord, my God!
Hosanna in the highest!
Glory, glory, glory to the King of kings!
Glory, glory, glory to the King of kings!
Lord, we lift up your name
With hearts full of praise.
Be exalted, O Lord, my God!
Glory to the King of kings!
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!
Lord, we lift up your name
With hearts full of praise.
Be exalted, O Lord, my God!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!

Together in Song 724 – Carl Tuttle (1985) Words and music by permission CMC Australasia. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Opening Prayer

Be known within our life today, O God who travels with us.
Open our hearts to receive you.
Open our lips to sing your praises.
Open our souls to the depths of your passion for us
and for all people

For this is the day when we remember your entry into the city, into the city of those who have gone before us.
Be with us as you were with them, O God.
Amen

Prayer of Confession

God of grace, who looks lovingly upon us, forgive us when we become entangled in the crowd, when our actions betray us, when our words fail us, when we lose sight of love and justice in the most difficult moments. Reawaken our hearts, open our eyes,
help us to be true to your Way,
each and every day. Amen.

Words of Grace

Hear these words of grace:
The God who loves Jesus loves us. On this day, filled with shouts of praise Jesus makes the way for us. Let us give thanks and rejoice, practicing the way of love given for us.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Passing of the Peace

May the peace of God be with you.
And also with you.

Community News and Notices

Current or previous BP E-news and to sign up to receive BP E-news

Children’s Time 2

Gospel Reading: Mark 11:1-11

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this: ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said, and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple, and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

The Gospel of Christ, Light of the world.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon

We Sing: The King of Glory Comes

The King of glory comes
the nation rejoices,
open the gates before him,
lift up your voices.

Who is the King of glory, how shall we call him?
He is Immanuel, the promised of ages.

The King of glory comes
the nation rejoices,
open the gates before him,
lift up your voices.
In all of Galilee, in city or village,
he goes among his people curing their illness.

The King of glory comes
the nation rejoices,
open the gates before him,
lift up your voices.
Sing then of David’s son, our Saviour and brother;
in all of Galilee was never another.

The King of glory comes
the nation rejoices,
open the gates before him,
lift up your voices.
He gave his life for us, the pledge of salvation;
he took upon himself the sins of the nation.

The King of glory comes
the nation rejoices,
open the gates before him,
lift up your voices.
He conquered sin and death; he truly has risen,
and he will share with us his heavenly vision.

The King of glory comes,
the nation rejoices;
open the gates before him,
lift up your voices.
The King of glory comes,
the nation rejoices.

Prayers of the People

Response:
God of the palms and cross,
hear us as we pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray together in the words that Jesus taught us:

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.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours

now and forever. Amen.

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

You can place your offering in the suitcase up the front now or at the end of the service.

Offering Prayer

Accept the gifts we bring together this day. May they be an invitation to love, and a call for justice. May they be used in the world for the enrichment of all. Amen.

We Sing: We Are Marching

We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching, marching, we are marching, Oo
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching, marching, we are marching, Oo
we are marching in the light of God.
We are living in the light of God,
we are living in the light of God.
We are living in the light of God,
we are living in the light of God.
We are living, living, we are living, Oo
we are living in the light of God.
We are living, living, we are living, Oo
we are living in the light of God.
We are moving in the light of God,
we are moving in the light of God.
We are moving in the light of God,
we are moving in the light of God.
We are moving, moving, we are moving, Oo
we are moving in the light of God.
We are moving, moving, we are moving, Oo
we are moving in the light of God.

South African traditional tr. Anders Nyberg 1955- Words by permission Walton Music Corp., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Reflection

– Roddy Hamilton

It is not about our voices
or our excitement
or our fickle natures
that turn from
“Hosanna!”
to “Crucify!”..
It is about his willingness
to take the road anyway,
wherever it leads,
and to keep on going..
even when
the noise of the crowds
died away..
and when
friends abandoned him;
to keep on going
when the silence became eerie
and when the end was in sight.
He kept on going.
It’s not about us.
It’s all about him.

Sending Forth and Benediction

And so, what began as a day of celebration,
concludes with an air of trepidation.
What began with shouts of acclaim,
will conclude with tables turned, condemnation and betrayal.

As we go from this moment into the coming days,
may we live the Way,
as Jesus did in these moments,
Loving even when it hurts.

We go.
We reflect.
We prepare.

We Sing: Peace and Goodwill

Peace and goodwill be with us ev’ry morning.
Peace and goodwill be with us in the afternoon.
Peace and goodwill be with us through the evening
and at night God’s peace be in us through and through.
Shalom, God’s peace be with us ev’ry morning.

Salām, God’s peace be with us in the afternoon.
Tali na nun be with us through the evening
and at night God’s peace be in us through and through.

Shalom (שָׁלוֹם Hebrew), Salām (ٱلسَّلَامُ Arabic) and Tali na nun (Bari)

Please stay and enjoy each other’s company in the park. Toilets are available in the Church basement, via the carpark.

Some of the liturgy in this service is adapted from the work of:

Amanda Nicholas in Leadership, Learning and Purposeful Life (L3)

Roddy Hamilton in Spilled the Beans

Sandy Brodine in Easter (Year B) Resources for Intergenerational Worship

Photo by Syd Sujuaan on Unsplash

The Scripture Readings are from the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.