Sunday, April 10th
A note about continuing Covid protocols. All are welcome to attend in-person services. We no longer need you to preregister, and you will be able to choose your own seat. One side of the church still has some pews blocked off to support people who need to maintain physical distancing. All entry to the building is from the King Street East main doors.
Everyone, without exception, must wear masks properly at all times while inside the building.
You can join in worshipping on Sunday, live or later, via YouTube. The live-stream begins at 9:45 with a welcome, followed by prelude music. The service will then begin at 10 am. The service will be posted to YouTube, and you can use the same link to join in later.
If you’re joining the service via the live-stream, keep this order of service handy! It has all the responses and hymn texts you’ll need, together with some special prayers you might choose to use during the reception of the eucharist.
This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Our service will begin in the narthex with the Liturgy of the Palms, and then we’ll process into the church singing “All Glory, Laud and Honour.”
From the Hebrew scriptures, we’ll hear from the prophet Isaiah. This is the third of four of what are often called Servant Songs in Isaiah; this one speaks of the servant of the Lord submitting to suffering. (Isaiah 50.4-9a)
Then from the gospels, we’ll hear Luke’s account of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. (Luke 19.28-40) Though we often call today Palm Sunday, Luke’s description of the moment doesn’t mention anything about palm branches! He focuses instead on the people laying their cloaks on the road before Jesus’s path, and their rejoicing in the new future they hope that Jesus will bring.
Here’s what Sundays and Seasons says about this day and its readings:
Today we follow Christ from triumphal entry to the cross, each waypoint of the journey marked by Jesus’ compassion for those who would betray, mock, accuse, or do violence to him. Though persecuted and beaten, Jesus the Son of God is not disgraced; instead, he asks forgiveness for those who put him to death. We have walked the Lenten pathway these forty days, each of us invited through baptism to “let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” We enter this holy week accompanying Jesus to the cross with both grief and thanksgiving in our hearts, trusting in God’s redeeming love.
Be sure to join in Holy Week Services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, too!