Palm Sunday April 5, 2020
In this time of uncertainty it is important to bring our fears before God enabling us to confess that we are afraid, for indeed we are. Let us confess our failures and our fears, first in silence:
Prayer of Confession
Eternal God of righteousness, we come in contrition,
For we try to rely on our own resources rather than trusting in you.
We are afraid, not just of the changing world around us,
But of where our questions sometimes lead us.
Troubled because the old answers no longer apply
We feel adrift as a ship without a rudder,
Help us, O God, to explore new ways of serving you
With hope and to be always open to your surprises.
We ask this in the name of him who lived to bring us hope,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
As we confess before God and one another, know that God forgives us our failings, our fears, and our sins.
And we all say: Thanks be to God.
Prayer for the Day
Surround us, ever present and loving Spirit, with your word;
Remind us that when all else fails, your word is constant in our lives.
Although evil may be present in the world, may we have faith
That your love will be triumphant and justice will reign.
Enable us, we pray, to overcome evil with good
And empower us to bring your vision of peace to the world.
In the name of him who shares your peace with us
Even Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
Thoughts for the Day
Sabbath observance invites us to stop. It invites us to rest. It asks us to notice that while we rest, the world continues without our help. It invites us to delight in the world’s beauty and abundance.
Wendell Berry, writer
There are years that ask questions and years that answer.
Nora Zeale Hurston
American writer (1891–1960)
I lift my eyes to the hills –
From where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord
Who made heaven and earth
Psalm 121: 1