FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
                                                                           ORDER OF WORSHIP
                                                                                PALM SUNDAY
                                                                            MARCH 29, 2026
 
PRELUDE
 
WELCOME
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-TUESDAY MORNING COFFEE GROUP at 9:30ish AM at First Lutheran Mission Coffee House. 
-THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY at 9:30 AM, Center Meeting Room
 -MISSION/OUTREACH MEETING on Thursday, April 2, 11:45 AM, Center Meeting Room
-MAUNDY THURSDAY COMMUNION SERVICE, April 1 at 5:30 PM in Sanctuary
-GOOD FRIDAY- SANCTUARY OPEN FOR PRAYER, 10AM – 1 PM
-EASTER SERVICE will begin at 10:00AM, one service at regular time
-FISH BANKS: Please remember to bring your fish banks on Easter, April 5. The children will be collecting them for your donations to the One Great Hour of Sharing special offering
 
 
PROCESSION OF PALMS
 
CALL TO WORSHIP       (wave your palms)
Come, people of God! Lift your palms high!
       Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Wave them for joy, wave them for hope,
     Wave them for the King who comes in peace!
Today, we welcome Christ—not just with shouts,
      but with open hearts and willing hands.
     Hosanna in the highest! Amen.
 
*OPENING HYMN #88 (blue)  “All Glory Laud and Honor”
All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King!
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
Thou art the King of Israel Thou David's royal Son,
who in the Lord's name comest, the King and blessed One.
 
All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King!
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
The people of the Hebrews with palms before Thee went;
our praise and prayers and anthems before Thee we present.
 
All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King!
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
To Thee, before Thy passion, they sang their hymns of praise;
to Thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise.
 
All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King!
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
Thou didst accept their praises; accept the prayers we bring,
Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King!

All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King!
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
 
  
*CALL TO CONFESSION and *PRAYER OF CONFESSION 
God of mercy, we shout “Hosanna!” with the crowd, yet too often we do not understand what we shout. We seek joy without cost, victory without the cross, a Savior who fits our plans. Forgive us for failing to see you as you truly are. Open our eyes, soften our hearts, and teach us to follow, not merely to cheer. Help us walk the hard road of discipleship with courage and faith, laying down our fears, pride, and need for control. Lead us beyond fleeting shouts into lives of true devotion, following you to the cross—and beyond, into the hope of resurrection. Amen.
 
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Friends, believe this good news. Through Jesus Christ, we are Forgiven and Free. Thanks be to God.
     Response: Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.


*GLORIA PATRI
          Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
          And to the Holy Ghost.
          As it was in the beginning, is now,
          And ever shall be,
          World without end. Amen, Amen.
 
 
SPECIAL MUSIC – “Antiphonal Hosanna”
(Choir, children, and congregation)
Join in the celebration as Jesus enters Jerusalem! Wave your palm and sing “Hosanna” with joy as we imagine ourselves on the road with the crowd.
 
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION and SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29  (read responsively)
1   O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
         (wave palms)  his steadfast love endures for ever!
2     Let Israel say,
          (wave palms)  “His steadfast love endures for ever.”
19  Open to me the gates of righteousness,
         (wave palms)   that I may enter through them
          and give thanks to the LORD.
20  This is the gate of the LORD;
          the righteous shall enter through it.
21  I thank you that you have answered me
          and have become my salvation.
22  The stone that the builders rejected
          has become the chief cornerstone.
23  This is the LORD’s doing;
          it is marvelous in our eyes.
24  This is the day that the LORD has made;
          let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25  Save us, we beseech you, O LORD!
          O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!
26  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
          We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27  The LORD is God,
          and he has given us light.
     Bind the festal procession with branches,
          up to the horns of the altar.
28  You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
          you are my God, I will extol you.
29  O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
    (wave palms)   for his steadfast love endures forever.
 
Gospel Reading Matthew 21:1 - 11
1When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying 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. 3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’
And he will send them immediately.”
 
4This took place to fulfill 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.”
 
 6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The 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!”

10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
 
 
SERMON   “Who is this?”
 
 
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH   (Romans 8: 38-39)
I am convinced 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.

 
*HYMN OF RESPONSE  #89 (blue) “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna”
Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang;
through pillared court and temple the joyful anthem rang.
To Jesus, who had blessed them, close folded to His breast,
the children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed ‘mid an exultant crowd,
the victory palm branch waving, and chanting clear and loud;
The Lord of earth and heaven rode on in lowly state,
nor scorned that little children should on His bidding wait.
 
"Hosanna in the highest!" That ancient song we sing,
for Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heaven our King.
O may we ever praise Him with heart and life and voice,
and in His blissful presence eternally rejoice.
 
 
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
Concerns: Dee, Kelly & Tami W, Duane & Kris, Bob O, Jessica (Dorothy W’s granddaughter), Jeanne & Darwin L, Marge K (Don K’s sister-in-law), Ella L, MK H
 
Our homebound or in care members: Richard & Dolores C, JoAnn G, Jan J, Darwin L (Jeanne caregiver), Bob O (Nancy caregiver), Rose P, Joyce R, Steve VB, Dee W  (Please reach out)
 
This Week’s Prayer Families: Rick & Bonnie S, Julie & Stanley S & family Stanley & Dylan
 
Those Who Mourn: prayers for the family and friends of Bonnie Salonen whose father, Harry Reaves, passed away March 2 and Joyce Bailey who passed away Feb. 12
 
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.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
 
 
OFFERING OF OURSELVES AND OUR RESOURCES
 
 
*DOXOLOGY  (on screen)
     Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
     Praise Him, all creatures here below;
     Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
     Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen
 
 
*CLOSING HYMN #90 (blue) “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty”
Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
Hark! all the tribes hosanna cry;
O Savior meek, pursue Thy road
with palms and scattered garments strowed.
 
Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
O Christ, Thy triumphs now begin
o’er captive death and conquered sin.
 
Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
The winged squadrons of the sky
look down with sad and wondering eyes
to see the approaching sacrifice.
 
Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
bow Thy meek head to mortal pain,
then take, O God, Thy power, and reign.
 
  
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
 (Responsive- wave your palms!)
Leader:  Hosanna!
     Congregation:  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Leader:  The One we have long awaited, the Messiah, has come.
     Congregation:  Hosanna!
L:  Riding into Jerusalem, not on a warhorse, but on a young donkey,
     Congregation:  Hosanna!
Leader:  The Prince of Peace has come, the one who heals our wounds.
     Congregation:  Hosanna!
Leader:  The journey of the Lamb of God leads him finally to the cross. Everything that was foretold, Christ has fulfilled.
     Congregation:  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Leader:  Now we lay down our palm branches and follow Jesus on his journey to the cross. 
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you,
from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ the Son, and through the Holy Spirit.  Amen

 
POSTLUDE