Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday

[pstrmry]

In our congregation, we first gather in the parish hall with palm fronds and read the processional narrative, "marching" into the sanctuary while singing a hymn. Then, continue on with the service, "as usual" but eliminating the kyrie, gloria service music.

I am thinking of a "reader's theater" for the proclamation of the gospel -- with different individuals taking on the roles of Jesus, Peter, Pilate, etc.
The congregation would be the crowd shouting "crucify".... I think this could be very powerful, and I am not sure that it would require much of a sermon following the "enactment."

Comments, thoughts, previous experiences????

[gracealone]

I think it sounds promising...let me know how it works out.
In past years we have done something similar. One year we did the march, had the regular service and ended with the passion by reading scripture interspersed with poems from Ann Weems "...Jerusalem" (can't remember the whole title). This year I am doing only Palm Sunday! Tradition dictates that we start outside with the gospel and procession; I am thinking about doing the sermon immediately after the gathering hymn, followed by the rest of the service.

I struggle every year with the Palm/Passion thing, when I grew up everyone attended all the Holy Week services. I am not sure that I am doing any favors by shrinking the services into two Sundays! What do others think about this, I might just be being a stick in the mud! I've also had to come up with my own readings because the lectionary definitely is bias toward it being passion Sunday.

Pastor Mary - let me know how your services went as I realize you won't be reading this until Sunday.

[pstrmry]

I think things went well, judging from my observations and from folks comments. the Spirit was alive & active in worship today.

after the procession with the palms, and our opening hymn, we heard the 1st 2 lessons. Then, I introduced the Gospel with the following:
Dear friends: Holy Week,
which began as we entered the sanctuary
w/ Palm leaves & Hosannas,
is a time of symbolic pilgrimage:
from triumph to trial, to death and beyond.

Because life is busy;
because we would rather celebrate the joys
rather than observe the tribulations,
it will be tempting this week
– as it is in much of life –
to take a short cut:
to skip the betrayals & the denials & the desertions
of Maundy Thurs & Good Friday;
we will be tempted to skip the dying,
& to come back only when we once more break out
the alleluias on Easter.
But, I encourage you, if at all possible,
to walk the whole path this week, Maundy Thurs & Good Fri. Discover where your own pilgrimage intersects
w/ the journey of your brothers & sisters in Christ.

We began our journey today
as we marched into church with a hymn of acclamation.
Now, I invite you to enter even more deeply into the Gospel now.
Be the crowd.
Feel the crisp Spring air.
Smell the dust of the road.
And, when the crowds roar out again – you’ll know when –
join your voices with theirs,
feel the shouts reverberate in your bones and in your heart,
and in your gut.

Don’t just hear the Gospel today.
Experience it.
Live into it,
as God, who loves us beyond all imagining,
reaches out from heaven,
and from the cross,
to invite us home.

After that, the readers' theater folks came forward, and all sat in chairs near the altar, except "Jesus", who stood in the pulpit. I narrated from a chair that was out of view of the congregation. We did not alter the text at all, merely read it with great depth of feeling -- especially "Jesus" who was feeling the full impact of the emotion Jesus must have really felt.
then, when "Jesus" declared "it is finished" and he had breathed his last , the house lights went totally out. I finished the narrative part of the text in the dark. then, the organist waited almost a full minute before we turned the lights back up and we sang the hymn of the day. The reading and the silence was the sermon. Nothing else was needed.

Then, while the offering was being taken, I was moved to quietly recruit an additional communion assistant, so that after people came up for communion, they could, if they wished, kneel at the altar for me to lay hands on in prayer. Several people accepted prayer, and then the last one at the railing graceously allowed me to kneel while he prayed for me. Coincidentally enough, it was the man who read Jesus' lines from the Gospel text....

very moving

[gracealone]

Pastor Mary, Wow, it sounds like you had a marvelous time and led the cong. in a wonderful worship involving all the senses. Don't know when you'll read this but after Easter for sure. I stuck with Palm Sunday and we will see if people show up for the "passion."

We too had a great time and I felt the "Spirit" movin and shakin us up and hopefully out of our laziness and into participation of this great week of remembering God's story of being with us, to let us know that God is still present. I actually put on coveralls (my husband said I looked like the stay puff marshmellow guy from ghost busters!) anyway coveralls and a broom right after the march around the church and first choir piece! It was fun and I hope the point was memoriable "Fools for Christ" I did a lot of shouting "Blessed is He..." and running but a wonderful morning followed by 3 hours of confirmation and the labyrinth. We have a labyrinth at church all week for prayer and meditation. I am tired but elated at the same time. Wondering what to preach for Maundy Thurs. (short and sweet, around tables as we eat together, foot wash and have communion) then stripping of the altar in the sanctuary. Good Friday is two services. We are hosting the community service at noon. which has become more trouble than it I thought it would be, I should know better.
Feels like a bunch of Pastors jostling for position to look good - I don't have time for competition - only cooperation. Then our own Friday worship, Easter Vigil on Sat. and then Sunday! I especially want to be preaching what God wants people to hear, what they need to hear and believe - "they are - we all are loved" sometimes I think I say it so much they no longer pay attention but the fruit in their lives tells me that they still don't believe it. I so much want this week to be over and at the same time don't want it to end - I am crazy in love with God and just plain crazy.

God bless us, everyone! grace

[pstrmry]

Grace -- just so you know, I have been coming only to the sermon forum during Lent : "work" related stuff is not part of my fast, so I have enjoyed your comments and questions.

I heard and read a bunch of folks talking about "fools for Christ" in the last couple of weeks and didn't even get it til Saturday, that it was also April Fool's day..so, even had I wanted to, I didn't do anything with it..

Our Good Friday ecumenical noon service isn't about competion at all, thank goodness. My challange is that while people are often willing to participate, I am frequently "allowed" to be the one who organizes -- recruits, plans, etc. Which takes a lot more time than just showing up! (to be fair, I think each pastor will be bringing a short message. We have done this in past years, and they are all good about the "short" part, so folks can get back to work if they are on their lunch breaks...)

But, in my mind, this ecumenical event is an important witness to the community of Christian Unity, and is important enough for me to make the effort.

Holy Week blessings to all!