Passion Sunday Story

The Passion of Our Lord

The Palm Processional begins the service with the congregation gathering outside the sanctuary and processing in with palms.

The Passion story uses a lot of choral pieces interspersed throughout the text, as well as a few congregational songs. Also, communion is served during the reading of the Passion. If desired you may wish to consolidate the text and use fewer anthems or replace them with congregational pieces. You will need three narrators for the Passion story.

Due to the reading of the entire Passion story there is no sermon or message in this service (the message is delivered in the scripture and songs). If you wish to add a message I would recommend shortening the Passion story to an abridged version and cutting anthems/songs.

Order of Worship

Palm Processional

Gather outside the Sanctuary.

Stand

P Hear now the story,

C: The story of our salvation!

A: Hear now the beginning of the Passion of our Lord.

P: When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'" They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Mark 11:1-11

C: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!

A: Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

C: Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.

A: This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.

C: I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

A: The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

C: This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

P: This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

C: Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!

P: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.

C: The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Entrance Song: Sanna, sannanina (Meaning: Hosanna)

Text: traditional South African

Music: traditional South African; arr. Betty Pulkingham

Music Copyright Administrator: The Copyright Company

All enter the Sanctuary and process to their seats.

Please remain standing.

The Word

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Let us pray,

C: Almighty God, you sent your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ to taek our flesh upon him and to suffer death on the cross. Grant that we may share in his obedience to your will and in the glorious victory of his resurrection; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Praise Song: All Glory Laud and Honor

Tune Name: VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN

Text: Theodulph of Orleans, c. 760-821; tr. John M. Neale, 1818-1866, alt.

Music: Melchior Teschner, 1584-1635

Refrain:

All glory, laud, and honor

To you redeemer, king.

To whom the lips of children

Made sweet hosannas ring.

You are the king of Israel!

And David’s royal Son,

Now in the Lord’s name coming,

Our King and Blessed One. Refrain

The multitude of pilgrims

With palms before you went.

Our praise and prayer and anthems

Before you we present. Refrain

To you, before your Passion,

They sang their hymns of praise.

To you, now high exalted,

Our melodies we raise. Refrain

Their praises you accepted;

Accept the prayers we bring,

Great author of all goodness,

O good and gracious King. Refrain

P: We confess our faith in the words of the Nicene Creed,

We believe in one God the Creator Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Creator before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Creator by whom all things were made; who for us, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Creator. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Creator and the Son, who with the Creator and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Sit

Offering

Stand

Prayer Song: O Lord, Hear My Prayer Vs. 1

Text: Psalm 102:1-2; adapt. Taize Community, 1982

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

A: Let us pray, Lord of Love,

C: You gave us the greatest gift of all, our Savior Jesus Christ. We ask that you accept the gifts we bring: our goods, our time and our talents. Use them as You will for your purpose. Thanks be to God. Amen. From Mt. Carmel Liturgy

Prayers of the People

Prayer Song: O Lord, Hear My Prayer Verse: Alternative text

Text: Psalm 102:1-2; adapt. Taize Community, 1982

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

Silence for Reflection

Psalm 31:9-16 (read in unison)

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes way from grief, my soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away. I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many-- terror all around!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.

Silence for Reflection

Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

Choir and/or Congregation: Adoramus Te Christe

from Taize Volume 2, page 2

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

The Passion of our Lord According to St. Mark

Mark 14:1—15:47

N1:It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill [Jesus]; 14:2 for they said,

N2:"Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people."

N1:14:3 While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. 14:4 But some were there who said to one another in anger,

N2:"Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 14:5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor."

N1:And they scolded her. 14:6 But Jesus said,

N3:"Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. 14:7 For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. 14:8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 14:9 Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her."

N1:14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 14:11 When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

Choir & Solo: The Carpenter

Text & Music John Foley Copywrite 1993 GIA Publications, Inc.

N1: 14:12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him,

N2: "Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

N1: 14:13 So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,

N3: "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14:14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 14:15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."

N1: 14:16 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. 14:17 When it was evening, he came with the twelve. 14:18 And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said,

N3: "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."

N1: 14:19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another,

N2: "Surely, not I?"

N1: 14:20 He said to them,

N3: "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. 14:21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born."

Stand

Communion Song: “Eat This Bread” (repeat as desired)

Text: John 6; adapt. Robert Batastini, b. 1942, and the Taize Community

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

Pastor:

While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body."

Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Mark 14:22-25

Pastor: Let us pray,

All sing The Lord’s Prayer.

Communion Song: The Lord’s Prayer (or other sung or spoken version)

copywrite 2002 by Dru Kepple, 1140 Tucker Road, Hood River, Oregon 97031, email: heydru@gorge.net

Distribution of Communion

Stand

P: May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in God’s grace, now and always.

C: Amen..

Post Communion Song: One Bread, One Body

Text: John Foley, SJ, b. 1939

Music: John Foley, SJ, b. 1939

Sit

N1: 14:26 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 14:27 And Jesus said to them,

N3: "You will all become deserters; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' 14:28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."

N1: 14:29 Peter said to him,

N2: "Even though all become deserters, I will not."

N1: 14:30 Jesus said to him,

N3: "Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times."

N1: 14:31 But he said vehemently,

N2: "Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you."

N1: And all of them said the same.

14:32 They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples,.

Choir starts humming Ostinato: Stay Here And Keep Watch (Jacques Bertheir) Taize Volume 2, page 65-66

Spoken over the ostinato:

N1: and he said to his disciples,

N3: "Sit here while I pray."

N1: 14:33 He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated.

Choir Sings Ostinato & Solo sings Vs. 1-3: Stay Here And Keep Watch (Jacques Bertheir) Taize Volume 2, page 65-66

Choir starts humming Ostinato: Stay Here And Keep Watch (Jacques Bertheir) Taize Volume 2, page 65-66

Spoken over Ostinato:

N1: 14:37 [Jesus] came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter,

N3: "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 14:38 Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

N1: 14:39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 14:40 And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. 14:41 He came a third time and said to them,

N3: "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 14:42 Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."

N1: 14:43 Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 14:44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying,

N2: "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard."

N1: 14:45 So when he came, he went up to him at once and said,

N2: "Rabbi!"

N1: and kissed him. 14:46 Then they laid hands on him and arrested him.

14:47 But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 14:48 Then Jesus said to them,

N3: "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? 14:49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled."

N1: 14:50 All of them deserted him and fled. 14:51 A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, 14:52 but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.

End Ostinato

14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. 14:54 Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. 14:55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. 14:56 For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. 14:57 Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying,

N2: 14:58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'"

N1: 14:59 But even on this point their testimony did not agree. 14:60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus,

N2: "Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?"

N1: 14:61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him,

N2: "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"

N1: 14:62 Jesus said,

N3: "I am; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,' and 'coming with the clouds of heaven.'"

N1: 14:63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said,

N2: "Why do we still need witnesses? 14:64 You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?"

N1: All of them condemned him as deserving death. 14:65 Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him,

N2: "Prophesy!"

N1: The guards also took him over and beat him.

14:66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. 14:67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said,

N2: "You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth."

N1: 14:68 But he denied it, saying,

N2: "I do not know or understand what you are talking about."

N1: And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. 14:69 And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders,

N2: "This man is one of them."

N1: 14:70 But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter,

N2: "Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean."

N1: 14:71 But he began to curse, and he swore an oath,

N2: "I do not know this man you are talking about."

N1: 14:72 At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him,

N3: "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times."

N1: And he broke down and wept.

Solo: And He Wept (or other appropriate song)

N1 15:1 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 15:2 Pilate asked him,

N2: "Are you the King of the Jews?"

N1: He answered him,

N3: "You say so."

N1: 15:3 Then the chief priests accused him of many things. 15:4 Pilate asked him again,

N2: "Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you."

N1: 15:5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. 15:6 Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. 15:7 Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 15:8 So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. 15:9 Then he answered them,

N2: "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?"

N1: 15:10 For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. 15:11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 15:12 Pilate spoke to them again,

N2: "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?"

N1: 15:13 They shouted back,

Choir: "Crucify him!"

N1: 15:14 Pilate asked them,

N2: "Why, what evil has he done?"

N1: But they shouted all the more,

Choir: "Crucify him!"

N1: 15:15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. 15:16 Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 15:17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 15:18 And they began saluting him,

N2: "Hail, King of the Jews!"

N1: 15:19 They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 15:20 After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

Choir: Dark Morning (or other appropriate song)

copywrite Lisa Frenz 2003

N1: 15:21 They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 15:22 Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 15:23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. 15:24 And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. 15:25 It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. 15:26 The inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." 15:27 And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. 15:29 Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying,

N2: "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 15:30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!"

N1: 15:31 In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying,

N2: "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 15:32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe."

N1: Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

15:33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 15:34 At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice,

N3: "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"

N1: which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 15:35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said,

N2: "Listen, he is calling for Elijah."

N1: 15:36 And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying,

N2: "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down."

N1: 15:37 Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 15:38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Silence

15:39 Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said,

N2: "Truly this man was God's Son!"

Solo: At the foot of the cross

Text & Music by Derek Bond copywrite 1978 Sovereign Music UK

N1: 15:40 There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 15:41 These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. 15:42 When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 15:44 Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. 15:45 When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. 15:46 Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 15:47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.

Choir & Solo: Adoramus Te Christe

from Taize Volume 1, page 42-44

Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994

Silence

Stand

P: Let us pray,

C: O Saving God, through your suffering, death and resurrection you have rescued us from the consequences of our actions and our failures. Imbue in us a burning fire of compassionate caring. Fill us with a hunger to do your will in this world, a desire to walk with you wherever you go, and the wisdom to see all people as your children. Help us to share with everyone we meet the wonder and joy of your love, a love so great it encompasses all times, places and people, that through Christ Jesus you may bring them all into harmony with you. Amen.

P: May God be with you, beside you, around you, beneath you.

May God be your first breathe of the day and your last thought at night.

May you truly live the love of Christ Jesus all day and every day,

Through the grace of the Creator, Redeemer and Comforter.

All sing the “Amen”.

Sit

Community Announcements

Stand

Sending Song: O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Tune Name: HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN (isometric)

Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676, based on Arnulf of Louvain, c. 1250; tr. composite

O sacred head, now wounded,

with grief and shame weighed down,

now scornfully surrounded

with thorns, thine only crown;

O sacred head, what glory,

what bliss till now was thine!

Yet, though despised and gory,

I joy to call thee mine.

How art thou pale with anguish,

with sore abuse and scorn;

how does that visage languish

which once was bright as morn!

Thy grief and bitter passion

were all for sinners' gain;

mine, mine was the transgression,

but thine the deadly pain.

What language shall I borrow

to thank thee, dearest friend,

for this thy dying sorrow,

thy pity without end?

Oh, make me thine forever,

and should I fainting be,

Lord, let me never, never

outlive my love to thee.

Lord, be my consolation;

shield me when I must die;

remind me of thy passion

when my last hour draws nigh.

These eyes, new faith receiving,

from thee shall never move;

for he who dies believing

dies safely in thy love.

A: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Postlude