Gathering Music

Call to Worship

One: When Jesus rode into Jerusalem
Many: The people waved palms with shouts of acclamation.
One: Grant that when the shouting dies
Many: We may still walk beside our God even to a cross.

Hymn of Welcome

Confession & Assurance

One: Let our prayers surround those who are struggling on the economic margins:

Many:
The ones who have not shared in the great abundance that God has entrusted to our care; The ones who have been left behind by the so-called economic recovery; The ones who are unemployed or underemployed; and The ones who are unjustly employed, working hard and yet living in poverty.

One:
And let us pray for all those caught up in the workings of our unjust economic system — the workers, the managers, the owners, the policy-makers and the consumers — for we know that we have been complicit in this very system, complicit in causing our neighbors pain.

Beloved, here the good news, there is more love in God than there is sin in us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Many: In the name of Jesus Christ you are forgiven.

Passing of the Peace

Scripture

Luke 19:29-38; 22:7-13 (NRSV)

9 When Jesus had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” 9 They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” 10 “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” 13 So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

Homily: “The Costs of Our Theology”

The Rev. Dr. Jen Quigley

Choir Anthem

Table Liturgy

One: The Lord be with you.
Many: And also with you
One: lift up your hearts
Many: we lift them up to the lord
One: Let us give thanks to the lord our God
Many: it is right to give our thanks and praise

One:
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, almighty God, creator of heaven and earth. From the earth you bring forth bread and create the fruit of the vine. You formed us in your image, delivered us from captivity, and made covenant ot be our sovereign God. You fed us manna in the wilderness, and gave grapes as evidence of the promised land. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

“Holy, Holy, Holy …”

One:
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. When we had turned aside from your way and squandered your gifts, you gave us in him your crowning gift. Emptying himself, that our joy might be full, he fed the hungry, healed the sick, ate with the scorned and forgotten, washed the disciples’ feet, and gave a holy meal as a pledge of God’s abiding presence.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, Jesus took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Every time we gather around this table and pass the bread and cup among us we model a gospel of divine abundance; there is enough here, enough bread, enough wine, enough food, enough drink, and enough grace for all. We proclaim this mystery of faith:

“Memorial Acclamation”

One:
Pour out your holy spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, sharing ourselves with others as Christ has shared with us.

By your spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at the heavenly banquet. We pray this through the one who created enough for all, the one who shared fully in our humanity, and the one who inspires us to share abundantly. Amen.

Many: Beloved, let us pray together the words that Jesus taught us, in whatever language that is most familiar to us …

Music During Communion

Blessing

The Rev. Dr. Jen Quigley

Sending Song

---

Worship Notes:

Call to Worship: adapted from A New Zealand Prayer Book

Confession: adapted from http://www.ucc.org/justice_worker-justice_labor-sunday_worship-resources#intercessory

Table Liturgy: adapted from the UMH