PALM SUNDAY

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Charles B. Cotton, Jr., African American Lectionary Young Adult Liturgist

Worship Planning Notes

Palm Sunday is one of the most important days in the life of the Christian Church. This Sunday celebrates Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. As we celebrate our Savior’s entrance, let us think creatively about our worship service, realizing that while we celebrate we must still look toward the injustices from Pilate to Calvary. Consider the following ideas to celebrate Palm Sunday anew:

• Do a Processional of Ministers, Singers, and Worship Leaders. Most churches celebrate the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem with the waving of palm branches. Consider having a processional that includes all persons that will serve in your Palm Sunday worship experience. This will help give the service an additional tone of importance on this high holy day of the Church. Also, the atmosphere should be celebratory. The processional and most of the music throughout the service should be lively and energetic. Finally, be sure to consider the attire for each person in the processional. This is the Sunday for all clergy and members of the Worship and Arts department (including praise teams) to present a unified look (relative to attire) during worship.
  
  
• Canvass the neighborhood and announce Jesus’ coming. On this Palm Sunday, as an additional and important new approach to your worship service, share the good news with your neighborhood. This allows church members, especially members of the Worship and Arts department (which should take a prominent role in this effort), to interact with the church’s neighbors and allows your church to evangelize! Although the Bible clearly indicates that we are to evangelize, the modern church almost always fails to do so.
  
  It is easy to celebrate Christ within the four walls of your church. However, it is past time that we challenge ourselves to extend our ministry to our neighborhoods. We must go out and bring in others in rather than always assuming they will come. There are people who are dying without a Savior. There are people who are living without purpose. It is our mission to evangelize and build relationships for the Kingdom of God. What better Sunday to challenge your leaders and congregation to advance the Kingdom? Invite anyone in your neighborhood regardless of their race, creed, or color and be sure that your greeters/ushers are ready to welcome those who come. Also, be sure that you have cards available for visitors to complete. Your ministry staff or assigned lay people should call and/or send a follow-up note or text to everyone who completes a card, and this should be done no later than seven days following the service!

1. Call to Worship (Adapted from Psalm 118)

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) All Glory, Laud, and Honor. By Theodulph of Orleans, tr. by John M. Neale. Tune, (ST. THEODULPH).

(b) Let All the People Praise Thee. Text and Tune by C. H. Morris

(c) All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name. By Fanny J. Crosby. Tune by William H. Doane

(d) Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty. By E. E. Hewitt. Tune by J. Lincoln Hall

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Praise Him. By Donnie Harper. Arr. by Stephen Key

(b) If I Can Help Somebody. By Alma B. Androzzo. Arr. by Nathan Carter

(c) Ride On King Jesus. Arr. by Stephen Key, from a version by Ernest Davis

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) I Came to Magnify the Lord. By Clarence McClendon

(b) Forever You’re My King. By Mitchell Russell

(c) Bless Your Name Forevermore. By Carol Cymbala

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Ministry Music
(a) Hosanna. By Kirk Franklin

(b) Awesome God. By Luke Mercer

6. Anthems
(a) Anthem of Praise. By Richard Smallwood

(b) Majesty. By Bill Gaither

(c) Holy Is He. Arr. by David T. Clydesdale

7. Modern Songs
(a) Hosanna. By Israel Houghton and Meleasa Houghton

(b) Lord You’re Welcome. By Kurt W. Lykes

(c) Blessed Be the Rock. By Kurt Carr

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) He Has Done Great Things for Me. Text and Tune, (GREAT THINGS), by Jessy Dixon. Arr. by Stephen Key

(b) My Offering. By Nolan Williams Jr.

(c) You Can’t Beat God Giving. By Doris Akers

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Have Thine Own Way, Lord. By Adelaide A. Pollard. Tune, (ADELAIDE), by George C. Stebbins

(b) I Am Praying for You. By S. O’Malley Cluff. Tune by Ira D. Sankey

(c) I Need Thee Every Hour. By Annie S. Hawkes. Tune, (NEED), by Robert Lowery

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) The Lord Thy God. Words and Music by Blaine Morris. Arr. by Carol Cymbala

(b) Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Arr. by Joe Pace

(c) Perfect Peace. By Rudolph Stanfield

(d) Any Crown. By Myron Butler

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) I Surrender All. By Judson W. Van De Venter. Tune, (SURRENDER), by Winfield S. Weeden

(b) Jesus Christ Is the Way. By Edwin R. Hawkins

(c) I Give Myself Away. By Sam Hinn and William David McDowell

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) I’ll Say Yes. By Carol Cymbala

(b) Till We Gather Again By Stephen F. Key

(c) The Lord Bless You and Keep You/Sevenfold Amen. Text: Numbers 6:24-26. Tune, (BENEDICTION), Irregular, by Peter C. Lutkin

(d) God Be with You. Text and Tune by Thomas A. Dorsey

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Materials Listed

1. Call to Worship adapted from Psalm 118 by Willie Dwayne Francois III, Director of the African American Lectionary’s Young Ministers’ Corner