WELCOME


PALM SUNDAY PRAYERS

  


  JESUS CALLED HIS DISCIPLES TO FOLLOW HIM AND TO GIVE THEIR LIVES IN

SERVICE TO HIM.

   Lord, You love us,

  Thank You for calling us to serve You today


    THEY WERE A MIXED BUNCH WITH MANY FAULTS but Jesus chose them, taught them and changed them and today He has chosen

   us with all our failings too. Through His Holy Spirit He teaches us and if we place ourselves completely in His hands, He will change us

   too.


  Lord you are here among us. We are not waving palm branches and shouting hosannas but we lift our hearts, our thought and our prayers

  to You and give our thanks and praise as we begin to walk with You through the events of that first Holy week.

  LORD………..

  As that donkey carried you into Jerusalem, so you ask us to carry you with us through each day wherever we are and in whatever we are

  doing and lift you up  among the crowds we meet.

  LORD…………

  That donkey was a humble beast, not good looking and celebrated but strong and sturdy, sure footed and reliable and very important to

   the families to help them in their daily lives and work.

   Perhaps there is nothing spectacular about us either but help us to be strong for You. Help us not to stumble in our walk through life but to

  be reliable in our service to You and when we have our stubborn days and rebel against You, forgive us and help us to remember how much

  You value us.

   LORD…………

  As the crowds thronged around You, children ran among them and perhaps it was they who placed the coats in the roadway before You.

  May we never undervalue the role of children in Your church today. Remind us that we have to become like them if we are to enter Your

  Kingdom. As we expect them to learn from us, may we remember how much we in turn can learn from them.

  LORD…………..

  Your disciples were busy that day! Some walked beside You concerned for Your safety in the crowd. Perhaps they were the ones You had

  sent out to find the donkey. We remember how they questioned what You were asking them to do but that in spite of their doubts, they

  obeyed.

   Some of Your disciples were probably busy preparing for that Last Supper You would spend with them. Each one had something to do. All

   needed the support of the others. You needed them all!

  As we recall the different ways they served You that day we remember that we all have work to do for You, and we all need each other. We

  know those disciples could be a quarrelsome bunch, and among us, nothing has changed. Forgive us when we have difficulties with each

  other and may no one ever be denied the right to use the gifts You have given them in the service of the church and in our service to one

  another. And on those days we have doubts about what we believe You are asking us to do for You, Grant us Your grace and strength to

  trust You and to obey You with patience and humility.

  LORD…………

  And we remember with thanks- giving all You suffered on our behalf, may we willingly endure all the difficulties we encounter in the sure

  knowledge that You will sustain us and go through everything with us as we try to represent you today, comforted by the knowledge that

  You love us and value us and that You are only a thought away.


      And so we commit ourselves to You again to serve You as we are, where we are and in and through our service to one another.  


                                                                                                               AMEN.