Welcome
Good morning church!
I am Russell Clark and I am the senior minister here at Azle Christian Church. Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, and remembering the events that led to Jesus’ death and resurrection and the celebration that is to come next Sunday on Easter Sunday.
We like for everyone to know a few things before we begin worship every week.
(1) If you’re a guest today, we’re so happy you’re here! Filling out the attendance registration in your pew helps us connect names with faces and sharing your e-mail helps us to connect you to our weekly newsletter. There are information brochures in your pew to get to know us more and there is information about our weekly activities and calendar in your bulletin.
(2) Second, we love our children here in worship and we always welcome them here. There is a kids corner in the back if your children need a space to move around. There is also a nursery available if you’d like. [TBD - We’re in the process of improving our nursery and bringing back children’s church soon. Parents, we’re asking you to get in the habit of signing in your child before the service if you plan to take them to the nursery or children’s church after children’s moment.]
(3) Finally, our liturgy is posted each week on the website if you would like to follow along with our service.
Will you join me in the Palm Sunday prayer found in your bulletin and up on the screens?
Palm Sunday Prayer – Rev. Russell Clark
One: We remember on this day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowd went to meet him, waving palm branches and shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord – The King of Israel!”
All: Lord Jesus, come into our midst this day. Open our hearts to receive your love; open our minds to hear your story; open our hands to receive your grace. In praise and adoration, we raise our palms to you. Amen.
Waving of the Palms
Opening Songs:
Gather Us In
Here in this place new light is streaming
Now is the darkness vanished away
See in this space our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to you in the light of this day
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken
Gather us in, the blind and the lame
Call to us now and we shall awaken
We shall arise at the sound of our name
We are the young, our lives are a mystery
We are the old who yearn for your face
We have been sung throughout all of history
Called to be light to the whole human race
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty
Gather us in, the proud and the strong
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly
Give us the courage to enter the song
Here we will take the wine and the water
Here we will take the bread of new birth
Here you shall call your sons and your daughters
Call us anew to be salt for the earth
Give us to drink the wine of compassion
Give us to eat the bread that is you
Nourish us well and teach us to fashion
Lives that are holy and hearts that are true
Not in the dark of buildings confining
Not in some heaven light years away
But here in this place the new light is shining
Now is the kingdom, now is the day
Gather us in and hold us forever
Gather us in and make us your own
Gather us in, all peoples together
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones
Fire of love in our flesh and our bones
Shout Hosanna
To the King of glory and light all praises
To the only Giver of Life, our Maker
The gates are open wide
We worship You
Come see what love has done, amazing
He bought us with His blood, our Savior
The cross has overcome
We worship You
Shout hosanna
Jesus, He saves
Shout hosanna
He rose from the grave
Come and lift Him up
Hosanna
Now let the lost be found, forgiven
Death could not hold him down, He's risen
So let the saints cry out
We worship You
We worship You
We shout hosanna
Jesus, He saves
Shout hosanna
He rose from the grave
Come and lift him up
Hosanna
The same power that rolled the stone away
The same power alive in us today
King Jesus, we call upon Your name
No other name
The same power that rolled the stone away
The same power alive in us today
King Jesus, we call upon Your name
No other name
We shout hosanna
Jesus, he saves
Shout hosanna
He rose from the grave
Come and lift him up
Hosanna
Shout hosanna
Jesus, He saves
Shout hosanna
He rose from the grave
Come and lift him up
Hosanna
Come and lift him up
Hosanna
Come and lift him up
Hosanna
Come and lift him up
Hosanna
Litany of Faith – Nancy Robbins
One: God Most High, gracious and glorious, blessed is the one who comes in your name.
All: Lead us now on the road to the cross.
One: May we follow with faithfulness and joy, shouting hosanna in the highest heaven; through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
All: Hosanna in the highest! Jesus Christ is Lord! Amen.
Scripture Meditation – John 19:30 (NIV)
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” – John 19:30
One: This is the word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
Today being Palm Sunday, we sometimes wish that this was the completion of God’s story. Jesus is being praised with palms. He is being celebrated as King of Israel with a parade.
But the crowd that celebrates him today is ready to crucify him tomorrow. To be king of this earth wasn’t his mission. To be celebrated on the donkey with palm branches wasn’t the grand finale for Jesus – or for us.
There was more to Jesus’ life and story that was ready to be written, which would make it the GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD.
Think about this as we get ready for our sermon and enter our time of prayer.
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord be with you. And Also with you. Let us pray.
Lord, for the times we have waved palms at you and threw you a parade, but did not take up our cross and follow you, we pray you.
May we give you more than an empty celebration, but may we give our hearts and all that we are to you, O Lord.
May your sacrifice on the cross be near to us this week as we continue to reflect on why you died for us and the lessons you taught us all throughout your life.
You are the way, the truth, and the life. You are redeemer who restores our souls. You are the unconditional love that leads to life everlasting. We praise you for who you are, what you have done for us, and how you continue to work through our lives today.
Thank you, Lord, for being near to us. Revive our souls that we might follow you today and forevermore.
And Lord, will you hear us as we pray the prayer Jesus taught us…
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
Forgive us our debts
As we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
But Deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
RESPONSIVE HYMN –
We fall down
We lay our crowns
At the feet of Jesus
The greatness of
Mercy and love
At the feet of Jesus
And we cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
Is the lamb
We fall down
We lay our crowns
At the feet of Jesus
The greatness of
Your mercy and love
At the feet of Jesus
And we cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
Is the lamb
And we cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
Is the lamb
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
Is the lamb
Children’s Moment – Jessie Button
Sharing Our Resources
There are many ways to support the ministries of Azle Christian Church. You can give online on our website, on Venmo, use the QR code in your bulletin, or place it in the offering plate as the deacons come by during our anthem. You can also put in a prayer request card or information card in the plate.
Anthem – Goodness of God
Doxology - Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Offering Prayer – Nancy Robbins
Series: Seven Sayings on the Cross
Sermon: “It is finished.” – Rev. Russell Clark
Holy Communion Meditation & Prayer – Nancy Robbins
Communion Song – 1 Jesus walked this lonesome valley;
He had to walk it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could walk it for him;
He had to walk it by himself.
2 We must walk this lonesome valley;
We have to walk it by ourselves.
Oh, nobody else can walk it for us;
We have to walk it by ourselves.
3 You must go and stand your trial;
You have to stand it by yourself.
Oh, nobody else can stand it for you;
You have to stand it by yourself.
We believe Jesus Christ is the gracious host at this table.
Everyone is welcome to participate in communion. Please pass tray to your neighbor after receiving your communion cups. Please help those who need assistance. Hold cups until instructed by Elder to take in unison.
Holy Communion Words of Institution – Nancy Robbins
Invitation – If you would like to make your statement of faith or become a member of ACC, you may come forward after the benediction or talk to our minister after worship.
*Announcements & Benediction – Rev. Russ Clark
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A few announcements for this week before our benediction:
You can find information on the back of your bulletin about our weekly activities, such as Sunday School, our Ukulele Group, our Wednesday dinner and bible study, and our prayer group. In the insert, you will find our calendar to transfer to your personal calendars. We also have a google calendar on our website to add to your personal calendar.
We have a lot going on this week for Holy Week.
Tonight and tomorrow evening at 7pm at Wesley Chapel I will be preaching at their revival.
Tuesday at 9:30am, for anyone that wants to join me, I’ll be walking the circle at central park and we can pray for one another, our church, and our community.
There will be NO Wednesday gathering this week and NO Thursday devotional and lunch this week.
Thursday evening, Revive United Methodist will be leading a Maundy Thursday service in our fellowship hall at 7pm.
Then, we will be leading the Good Friday service in the sanctuary on Friday at 7pm.
Next Sunday, we decided NOT to do the Easter sunrise service this year, but Easter morning we will start with breakfast at 9:30am, followed by our Easter Worship Service at 11am.
Directly after the service is over today, we will have an Easter Egg hunt for all the children present.
Finally, If you or someone you know needs a visit OR has a prayer request OR would like home communion, you may contact the church office or contact me directly.
BENEDICTION –
Will you please rise in body and in spirit to receive this benediction?
We will be completing this series on the “Seven Sayings on the Cross” this FRIDAY at our Good Friday service, but hope to see you tonight and tomorrow night for the revival at Wesley Chapel, again on Thursday for the Maundy Thursday service, and on Friday, and next Sunday for Easter, but until then…
May you do more than wave palms with the crowd. May you lay at the foot of the cross, seeing all that God has done for you by his life, his death, and soon…his resurrection!
You are the reason God completed his work of art.
You are God’s original masterpiece.
Amen.
*BENEDICTION RESPONSE
I am the light of the world
You people come and follow me
If you follow and love you’ll learn the mystery
Of what you were meant to do and be
When the song of the angels is stilled
When the star in the sky is gone when the magi and the shepherds have found their way home
The work of the Christmas is begun