Here you can find resources for our liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are.
The readings for today and some of the prayers of our liturgy are on the downloadable pew sheet.
"Hosanna to the Son of David"
Our liturgy today begins joyfully as the crowds acclaim Jesus
This joy is soon tempered by a change to
"Crucify him!"
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
And blessed be God's kingdom.
Dear friends in Christ,
in our observance of Lent we have been preparing,
by self-examination and spiritual discipline,
to celebrate the mystery of our Lord’s death and resurrection.
In baptism, we are marked with the cross of Christ.
Today we begin the solemn celebration of our salvation
through his death on the cross and his resurrection to glory.
We now recall our Lord’s entry as king into Jerusalem,
to suffer, to die, and to rise again.
Let us follow him,
that, as we died with Christ in our Baptism,
so we may share his risen life.
Assist us Lord God of our salvation:
that we may enter with joy into the celebration of those mighty acts
whereby you give us life and immortality;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ 4 This took place to fulfil 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.’ 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The 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!’ 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ 11 The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’
Palms are brought to the presiding celebrant, who says:
Almighty and everlasting God,
may these palms be for us a sign of Christ’s victory over sin and death;
and may we who have been baptised in his name,
worship him as king, obey him as Lord,
and follow him in the way of the Cross,
which leads to eternal life.
We ask this through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy,
but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant, that we,
walking in the way of his cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Let us go forth in peace. In the name of Christ. Amen.
All glory, laud and honour is sung as the procession to the church begins
In church, following the hymn, we pray the Collect of the Passion
Almighty God,
who, in your tender love for the human race,
sent your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ,
to take our nature upon him,
and to suffer death upon the cross,
giving us the example of his great humility:
mercifully grant,
that we may both follow the example of his passion,
and also, be made partakers of his resurrection;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.
Refrain: I have trusted in you. You are my God.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; *
my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; *
my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed.
I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbours,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; *
I am as useless as a broken pot.
For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; *
they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. *
I have said, ‘You are my God.
My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness save me.’
Refrain: I have trusted in you. You are my God.
God is love and we are God’s children,
there is no room for fear in love.
We love because God loved us first.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
Silence
God our Father, we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil.
For the sake of your Son who died for us,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God, who is both power and love,
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by the Holy Spirit
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
We meet in Christ's name.
Let us share his peace.
In church, we continue with the Liturgy of the Sacrament
Let us present our offerings to the Lord.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory,
the splendour and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you, and of your own we give you.
Please join in the prayer Jesus himself 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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Father of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that when we were still far off
you met us in your Son and brought us home.
Dying and living, he declared your love,
gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory.
May we who share Christ's body live his risen life;
we who drink his cup bring life to others;
we whom the Spirit lights, give light to the world.
Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us,
so we and all your children shall be free,
and the whole earth live to praise your name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Monday 3rd April
Monday in Holy Week
Tuesday 4th April
Tuesday in Holy Week
Wednesday 5th April
Wednesday in Holy Week
Thursday 6th April
Maundy Thursday
Friday 7th April
Good Friday
Saturday 8th April
Holy Saturday
Sunday 9th April
Easter Day
The USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), as part of this year’s Lent Appeal, encourages us to acknowledge that our neighbours are not just those in our hometowns. Your neighbour is the person that God calls you to love despite your differences. We pray with our Church partners around the world and stand with their mission to support vulnerable people in their local communities. Please join the global Anglican church in transforming lives.
To find out more about this year’s Lent appeal and make a donation, visit uspg.org.uk/lent
Bishop Ian will be with us at HT on Sunday, 21st May, for a service of Confirmation. Should you have not been confirmed yet and wish to be included, please speak to the Rector or a member of the ministry team.
You might be interested in how best to help people in crisis in Ukraine.
The College of Bishops have highlighted these two organisations:
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal:
https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal
Among the DEC partners are Christian Aid, the British Red Cross, and Tearfund. The UK Government has pledged to match donations from the public to the DEC fund, pound-for-pound, up to £20 million.
The UK for UNHCR:
https://www.unrefugees.org.uk/where-help-is-needed/ukraine-situation/
