Service

Service Sheet

Welcome to St. Alban’s

29th March – Palm Sunday

This church is fitted with an induction loop system. Please switch your hearing aid to ‘Two beeps’ (T).

Grace, mercy and peace

from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ

be with you.

And also with you.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing by works of love and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection.

Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.

The people hold up palms or branches while this prayer is said by the president:

God our Saviour, whose Son Jesus Christ

entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and to die;

let these palms be for us signs of his victory

+ and grant that we who bear them in his name

may ever hail him as our King,

and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life;

who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Matthew 21.1-11

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 fulfil 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.

THE PROCESSION

Let us go forth, praising Jesus our Messiah.

ALL GLORY, LAUD AND HONOUR St Theodulph of Orleans Tr. J M Neale

All glory, laud and honour

To thee, Redeemer, King,

To whom the lips of children

Made sweet Hosannas ring.

1  Thou art the King of Israel,

Thou David’s royal Son,

Who in the Lord’s name comest,

The King and blessed one.

2  The company of angels

Are praising thee on high,

And mortal men and all things

created make reply.

3  The people of the Hebrews

With palms before thee went:

Our praise and prayer and anthems

Before thee we present.

4  To thee before thy Passion

They sang their hymns of praise:

To thee now high exalted

Our melody we raise.

5  Thou didst accept their praises,

Accept the prayers we bring,

Who in all good delightest,

Thou good and gracious King

RIDE ON, RIDE ON IN MAJESTY! Henry Hart Milman (1791-1868)

1  Ride on, ride on in majesty!

Hark all the tribes ‘hosanna’ cry;

thy humble beast pursues his road

with palms and scattered garments strowed.

2  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.

3  Ride on, ride on in majesty!

The wingéd squadrons of the sky

look down with sad and wond’ring eyes

to see the approaching sacrifice.

4  Ride on, ride on in majesty!

Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh;

the Father, on His sapphire throne,

awaits his own appointed Son.

5  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 pow’r, and reign.

MAKE WAY, MAKE WAY Graham Kendrick © 1986 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music.

1 Make way, make way, for Christ the King

in splendour arrives.

Fling wide the gates and welcome him

into your lives.

Make way! (Make way!) Make way! (Make way!)

for the King of kings (for the King of kings)

Make way! (Make way!) Make way! (Make way!)

And let his Kingdom in.

2  He comes the broken hearts to heal,

the prisoners to free.

The deaf shall hear, the lame shall dance,

the blind shall see.

Make way! (Make way!) Make way! (Make way!)

for the King of kings (for the King of kings)

Make way! (Make way!) Make way! (Make way!)

And let his Kingdom in.

3  And those who mourn with heavy hearts,

who weep and sigh;

with laughter, joy and royal crown

he’ll beautify. Make way…

4  We call you now to worship him as Lord of all.

To have no gods before him,

their thrones must fall! Make way…

We enter the church together for the Liturgy of Palm Sunday

GATHERING HYMN James Montgomery (1771-1854)

1  Hail to the Lord’s anointed!

Great David’s greater son!

Hail, in the time appointed,

his reign on earth begun!

He comes to break oppression,

to set the captive free,

to take away transgression,

and rule in equity.

2  He shall come down like showers

upon the fruitful earth,

and love, joy, hope, like flowers,

spring in his path to birth.

Before him, on the mountains,

shall peace, the herald, go;

and righteousness in fountains

from hill to valley flow.

3  Kings shall fall down before him,

and gold and incense bring;

all nations shall adore him,

his praise all people sing;

to him shall prayer unceasing

and daily vows ascend,

his kingdom still increasing,

a kingdom without end.

4  O’er every foe victorious,

he on his throne shall rest,

from age to age more glorious,

all-blessing and all-blest.

The tide of time shall never

his covenant remove;

his name shall stand for ever;

that name to us is love.

† In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.

Before the children leave for Children’s Church we pray together….

Dear God, this church is a family.

Help us to learn together, to worship together,

to share together and to pray together.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let us pray for a closer union with Christ in his suffering and his glory:

Almighty and everlasting God,

who in your tender love towards the human race

sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ

to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross:

grant that we may follow the example

of his patience and humility,

and also be made partakers of his resurrection;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

FIRST READING: Isaiah 50. 4-9a

After the reading…This is the word of the Lord: Thanks be to God.

THE PASSION READING

Please stand if you are able for the whole Passion narrative

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death,

even death on a cross.

Therefore, God has highly exalted him

and given him the name that is above every name.

Praise to you, O Christ,

King of eternal glory.

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Matthew 26.14 to end of chapter 27

At the end…This is the Passion of the Lord.

(No response is made)

HYMN Traditional

1  Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.                 Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

2  Were you there when they nailed him to a tree?…

3  Were you there when they pierced him in the side?…

4  Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?…

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Response: Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

At the end of the prayers we say together:

Merciful Father,

accept these prayers

for the sake of your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

THE PEACE Please stand

Once we were far off,

but now in union with Christ Jesus we have been brought near

through the shedding of Christ’s blood,

for he is our peace.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

OFFERTORY HYMN Liturgy of St James, tr. G. Moultrie (1829-85)

1  Let all mortal flesh keep silence,

    and with fear and trembling stand;

    ponder nothing earthly-minded,

    for with blessing in his hand,

    Christ our God to earth descendeth,

    our full homage to demand.

2  King of kings, yet born of Mary,

    as of old on earth he stood,

    Lord of lords, in human vesture,

    in the body and the blood;

    he will give to all the faithful

    his own self for heavenly food.

3  Rank on rank the host of heaven

    spreads its vanguard on the way,

    as the Light of light descendeth

    from the realms of endless day,

    that the powers of hell may vanish

    as the darkness clears away.

4  At his feet the six-winged seraph,

    cherubim, with sleepless eye,

    veil their faces to the presence,

    as with ceaseless voice they cry:

    Alleluia, Alleluia,

    Alleluia, Lord Most High!

THE PREPARATION OF THE TABLE

Jesus, true vine and bread of life,

ever giving yourself that the world might live,

let us share your death and passion:

make us perfect in your love. Amen.

THE EUCHARIST

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For as the time of his passion and resurrection draws near the whole world is called to acknowledge his hidden majesty. The power of the life-giving cross reveals the judgement that has come upon the world and the triumph of Christ crucified.

He is the victim who dies no more,

the Lamb once slain, who lives for ever,

our advocate in heaven to plead our cause,

exalting us there to join with angels and archangels,

for ever praising you and singing:

We sing     Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Power,

Lord God of might, Lord God of power and might.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed, blessed, blessed,

blessed is he who comes in the name,

who comes in the Lord’s own name.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

We praise and bless you, loving Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; and as we obey his command, send your Holy Spirit, that broken bread and wine outpoured may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.

On the night before he died he had supper with his friends

and, taking bread, he praised you. He broke the bread, gave it to them and said: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;

Do this in remembrance of me.

When supper was ended he took the cup of wine. Again, he praised you, gave it to them and said: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did, in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross.

Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation,

we proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory.

Great is the mystery of faith.

We sing     Dying you destroyed our death,

rising you restored our life.

Lord Jesus, come, come in glory.

Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day

when your kingdom comes and justice and mercy

will be seen in all the earth.

Look with favour on your people, gather us in your loving arms

and bring us with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Alban and all the saints

to feast at your table in heaven.

Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours,

O loving Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

As our Saviour taught us so we pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name;

Your kingdom come, your will be done;

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil. 

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.

Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

Though we are many, we are one body,

because we all share in one bread.

We sing     Jesus, Lamb of God, bearer of our sin;

Jesus, saviour:

Hear our prayer, hear our prayer;

through this bread and wine we share

may we be your sign of peace everywhere.

Draw near with faith.

Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ

which he gave for you, and his blood which he shed for you.

Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you,

and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.

All baptised Christians who receive communion in their own churches are welcome to receive communion. Any member of the congregation may come to receive a blessing.

COMMUNION HYMN Graham Kendrick © 1983 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

1  From heaven you came, helpless babe,

entered our world, your glory veiled;

not to be served, but to serve,

and give your life that we might live.

This is our God, the Servant King,

He calls us now to follow Him,

to bring our lives as a daily offering

of worship to the Servant King.

2  There in the garden of tears

my heavy load he chose to bear;

His heart with sorrow was torn,

‘Yet not my will but yours,’ he said.

This is our God…

3  Come see his hands and his feet,

the scars that speak of sacrifice,

hands that flung stars into space

to cruel nails surrendered.

This is our God…

4  So let us learn how to serve,

and in our lives enthrone him;

each other’s needs to prefer,

for it is Christ we’re serving.

This is our God…

Prayer after Communion

Lord Jesus Christ,

you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,

and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:

give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King,

to the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us

with the body and blood of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through Him we offer you our souls and bodies

to be a living sacrifice.

Send us out in the power of your Spirit

to live and work to your praise and glory.

Amen.

THE BLESSING AND DISMISSAL

The love of the Lord Jesus draw you to himself,

the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen you in his service,

the joy of the Lord Jesus fill your hearts.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

CLOSING HYMN Charles Wesley (1707-88)

1  Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,

And publish abroad his wonderful name;

The name all-victorious of Jesus extol;

His kingdom is glorious, and rules over all.

2  God ruleth on high, almighty to save;

And still he is nigh, his presence we have;

The great congregation his triumph shall sing,

Ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.

3  Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!

Let all cry aloud, and honour the Son;

The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,

Fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.

4  Then let us adore, and give him his right,

All glory and power, all wisdom and might,

All honour and blessing, with angels above,

And thanks never-ceasing, and infinite love.

Holy Week and Easter at St Alban’s

Monday 30th March Tenebrae at 7.30pm
Tuesday 31st March Stations of the Cross at 7.30pm
Wednesday 1st April Compline at 7.30pm

Thursday 2nd April Maundy Thursday

9.30am Said Eucharist

7.30pm Sung Eucharist with foot washing and watch

Friday 3rd April Good Friday

Children’s Workshop 10am-noon

Good Friday Liturgy at 2pm

Saturday 4th April Easter Vigil

Sung Eucharist at 7.30pm

Easter Sunday 5th April

 Family Service at 9.45am

 Common worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is © The Archbishop’s Council 2000.  Common Worship: Additional Eucharistic Prayers, material from which is reproduced above, is copyright © The Archbishop’s Council 2012. Calamus Licence Number 95 CCL Licence Number 078543