Beacon Online Worship Palm Sunday 4/5/20

You can watch the replay of tonight's Palm Sunday worship on YouTube here.

Questions? Email us at info@thewordatbeacon.org

Gathering Time (unmuted)

Feel free to say hi and check in with others before the service begins!

Welcome

Facing God

Facing God (from Psalm 118)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

Leader: O give thanks to the Lord, for God is good;

God’s steadfast love endures forever!

All: You have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone 

that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

Leader: This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad

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

All: Let us worship God!

Down By the Riverside

(Remain muted and sing along with Abi at home)

Gonna lay down my burden,

Down by the riverside,

Down by the riverside,

Down by the riverside.

Gonna lay down my burden,

Down by the riverside,

Study war no more.

Chorus:

I ain't gonna study war no more,

study war no more,

ain't gonna study war no more.

I ain't gonna study war no more,

study war no more,

ain't gonna study war no more.

Gonna try on my starry crown,

Down by the riverside,

Down by the riverside,

Down by the riverside.

Gonna try on my starry crown,

Down by the riverside,

Study war no more.

Chorus

Prayer of Confession & Assurance

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

All: Merciful God, we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be. Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, on us. Amen. 

Leader: The Good News is that Christ has come and Christ will come again. 

All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God. 

Children's Bible Story

Speaker view so you can see the picture; top right hand corner

Matthew 21:1-11

Lectio Questions

What stands out to you about this text? (character/word/sentence)

Who do you identify with the most?

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 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. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, “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.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 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!” When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Lectio Questions

What stands out to you about this text? (character/word/sentence)

Who do you identify with the most?

Homily

Take, O Take Me As I Am (everyone muted) SPOTLIGHT ABI

Take, O take me as I am

Summon Out what I shall be

Set your seal upon my heart

And live in me

Prayers of the People

Now is the time when we share the prayers on our hearts and minds. If you have a private prayer, you can email them to us throughout the week and the pastoral team will pray over them. 

If you have a prayer, please unmute your mic to share.

After each prayer, I will lead our response on mute:

Lord in your mercy // hear our prayers

Now I will offer a prayer for the greater community and world. We will end by saying the Lord’s Prayer together in whatever language you prefer. Let us pray.

...ending in the Lord's Prayer (everyone on mute)

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.

A Remembrance of Communion

Amidst great uncertainty and fear, Jesus gathered his friends together for a meal that would become for countless saints of the faith a way to experience and remember his eternal grace and love. Jesus said, come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Jesus said, whenever you eat or drink, do this in remembrance of me. That means in churches or around kitchen tables, we have the opportunity to remember the generous grace of Christ that is extended to all people. 

**We encourage you to read this story (Mark 14:17-25 or Luke 22:14-23) during the week and designate a meal together to eat around a table, break bread or whatever meal you’ve made, and be in fellowship with your household. If you are by yourself, perhaps FaceTime someone else and share a meal with them virtually.

Offering

To give online, click here: https://www.thewordatbeacon.org/donate

To give your prayers, email us at info@thewordatbeacon.org

God of provision, we thank you for the opportunities we have to participate in your work in the world. We offer up to you the gifts of our prayers, our presence in gatherings like this one, our financial resources, our time and energy in service to you and to others. Bless these efforts, multiply them, so that all our neighbors would know the depths of your love for them. Amen. 

It Is Well

(Sing along with Abi on mute until the last chorus, then unmute!)

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll; 

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well (It is well), with my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well, with my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well (It is well), with my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well, with my soul

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend

Even so, it is well with my soul.

(Everyone, unmuted, 2x)

It is well (It is well), with my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well, with my soul

Sending & Blessing

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

All: Though we are physically apart, the apostle Paul reminds us that 

“neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Leader: The steadfast love of God goes with you, the deep and abiding peace of Christ goes with you, and the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit goes with you, now and always. Amen. 

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Feel free to hang out a little longer and catch up with others! Please also leave us feedback in the chat so we know what's working well and what to tweak for the future.