Gathering Our Spirit with God's Spirit

It’s both celebration and reflection, self-examination. Is the arch even here anymore? I don’t know. There’s a path down the middle of the room, lining the pretend road Jesus traveled on, and we travel on, on Palm Sunday, and all the way to the Cross. 

• “Love Is a Rose” by Linda Ronstadt plays
• A Journeyer steps up to light the lamp and another rings the bell
• Rick [?] (E) and Leslie (L) make announcements

Worshiping with Our Children

• During late worship, kids parade in with palm branches
• A Journeyer leads our children in telling how Jesus came to the big city of Jerusalem, and all his friends had a parade. They were excited about him telling everyone good news. Have you ever heard good news? Someone’s having a birthday party? Someone who was sick is all better? God’s work in us is good news for the whole world. 

Welcome and Breathe

• Vintage 21 Palm Sunday video plays 
• Rick welcomes, has us breathe

God’s Spirit and Our Spirit

• A Journeyer stands among congregation and reads the Palm Sunday story from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew LOUDLY (no microphone)

Jesus headed straight up to the capital city. When he got near the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples to go get a colt for him to ride. They went, and then brought the colt to Jesus. They put their coats on the colt’s back, and helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street. 

The whole crowd of Jesus’ followers burst into enthusiastic praise over all the amazing things they had seen while following Jesus.

But then the city came into view, and Jesus began to weep hard. He cried – moaning – saying, "Oh, my people, my city, if you had only recognized what’s happening! If only you’d seen everything that was good for you! But if you don’t see it soon, it will be too late! O, my people! Living in the city that kills God’s messengers! I wanted to gather your children, like a hen gathering her chicks under her wings. But you won’t listen! Why won't you listen?!”

He entered the city with the parade, and went straight to the Temple. And the sick people, and the disabled people, and the poor people, and the sad people, all came to him, and he cared for them.

• Another Journeyer reads a poem by 20th century Spanish poet Antonio Machado

The wind, one brilliant day, 
called to my soul 
with an odor of jasmine. 
"In return for the odor of my jasmine,” 
the wind said to me, 
“I would like to trade you for the smell of your roses." 
I said, 
"I have no roses; all the flowers 
in my garden are dead." 
"Well then,” the wind said,
“I'll take your withered petals 
and your yellow leaves 
and the waters of your fountain." 
The wind left. And I wept. 
And I said to myself: 
"What have you done 
with the garden 
that was entrusted 
to you?"

• A third Journeyer reads poem “Learning from Mistakes” from The Tao of Gardening

In the garden, 
mistakes happen; 
seeds are overwatered, 
shade plants are placed in the sun, 
fertilizer is overapplied, 
watering is forgotten. 
It is not helpful 
to place blame. 
The gardener 
learns from her mistakes 
and continues with her dreams. 
She creates new visions 
and lets go of the old.

• Places in the Heart video clip plays, chapter 20, “A Record Low”

Giving -- To Help God Do God's Work in This World  

• A Journeyer reads from the story about Jesus called the Gospel of Luke 

Some of Jesus’ followers came up and said to him, "What you're asking of us is overwhelming. We want to do it. But please, give us more faith." 

But Jesus said, "You don't need more faith. There is no 'more' or 'less' in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it would do it. So, just practice what I’m teaching you. You’re already more than enough.”

• Reader Four leads an offering prayer
• Renee sings as the ushers pass the baskets and then bring them forward

Telling The Story and Our Story

• A Journeyer reads from the story about Jesus called the Gospel of Mark

While Jesus was being questioned by the religious leaders in the Chief Priest’s palace, Peter was down in the courtyard, listening, trying to find out what was happening. One of the Chief Priest's servant girls came in and, seeing Peter warming himself by the fire, looked hard at him and said, "You were with the one they’ve got upstairs. You're one of Jesus’ group." 

Peter denied it: "I don't know what you're talking about." 

He went out on the porch. A rooster crowed. 

The girl spotted him and began telling the people standing around, "He's one of them." He turned to all of them and denied it again. 

And in a few minutes, the bystanders brought it up again. "You've got to be one of them. You've got 'Galilean' written all over you. You’ve got a Galilean accent. We saw you in the parade.” 

Peter became angry and afraid, and he cursed himself and the people around him. "I have never laid eyes on this man you're talking about!" Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said just a few hours earlier, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." And Simon Peter collapsed in tears and ran away.

• Rick talks

Go Out to Serve with Courage and Grace

• A Journeyer leads a responsive prayer

Confession and Celebration: A Journey Responsive Prayer

LEADER:  God, our Loving Parent, our Source, our Creator,
JOURNEYERS:  God, larger than the universe, higher than any sky,
LEADER:  God, who knows us and is intimate and close to us,
JOURNEYERS:  We have to say – we’ve blown it. A lot. At least, it feels that way. 
LEADER:  We've forgotten to do the good things, 
JOURNEYERS:  And we’ve rushed to do the harmful things. 
LEADER:  We've been afraid to risk and make the best things happen;
JOURNEYERS:  We've settled for less than what we know is good. 
LEADER:  We've reacted not in love but in anger,
JOURNEYERS:  We've lost perspective with money and love and time and abilities,
LEADER:  We've wandered all over the place, looking for things that will not last.
JOURNEYERS:  And yet…
LEADER:  And yet…
JOURNEYERS:  You are our Loving Parent, our Source, our Creator, 
LEADER:  Larger than the universe, higher than any sky.
JOURNEYERS:  You know us and are intimate and close to us.
LEADER:  We know that you know all of us – the parts we aren’t proud of,
JOURNEYERS:  And the parts we don’t even realize that we can celebrate about ourselves.
LEADER:  We are beautiful children, strong teenagers, loving adults, wise elders.
JOURNEYERS:  We are courageous Journeyers, following Jesus.
LEADER:  We are here. We are showing up -- beaten up and bruised and scared. 
JOURNEYERS:  We are willing. We are listening. 
LEADER:  Give us faith. 
JOURNEYERS:  And remind us that we already have faith. 
LEADER:  All it takes is faith that’s the size of a tiny seed.
JOURNEYERS:  Help us to be brave in the face of our fears,
LEADER:  Compassionate in the moments of anger,
JOURNEYERS:  Patient in times of despair,
LEADER:  Forgiving to ourselves and others.
JOURNEYERS:  Help us to give our gifts, whatever they are, with courage and love. 
LEADER:  Help us to trust that You are at work in the garden entrusted to us.  
JOURNEYERS:  Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. 
LEADER:  Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.
AND ALL OF JOURNEY SAID “AMEN.”

• Musicians lead us in “Take My Life and Let It Be”
• Renee dismisses us
• “Love Is a Rose” by Linda Ronstadt plays again as folks depart