Thank you for joining us on Palm Sunday
Here you can find resources for our Sunday liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are
We start our observance of Holy Week by recalling Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem and by the reading of the Passion narrative.
Please join in with the Liturgy of the Palms and the other resources offered on this web page and in audio and video recordings.
Starting Holy Week
Organ Prelude – Peter Hurford: Wem in Leidenstagen
Sermon: Preparing to enter Holy Week (The Rector)
Liturgy of the Palms
Opening and Blessing of the Palms
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Dear friends in Christ,
in our observance of Lent we have been preparing,
by self-examination and spiritual discipline,
to celebrate the mystery of our Lord’s death and resurrection.
In baptism we are marked with the cross of Christ.
Today we begin the solemn celebration of our salvation
through his death on the cross and his resurrection to glory.
We now recall our Lord’s entry as king into Jerusalem, to suffer, to die, and to rise again.
Let us follow him, that, as we died with Christ in our Baptism, so we may share his risen life.
Opening
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Collect
Assist us Lord God of our salvation:
that we may enter with joy
into the celebration of those mighty acts
whereby you give us life and immortality;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
world without end.
Amen.
Gospel Reading Mark 11.1-11
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 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. 3 If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.”’ 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ 11 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.
Palms will be blessed at church.
If you have received a Worship Pack, you’ll find a palm cross which you may want to keep ready. Alternatively, you could use a branch or a flower to mark this day.
The presiding celebrant says:
Almighty and everlasting God,
may these palms be for us a sign of Christ’s victory over sin and death;
and may we who have been baptised in his name,
worship him as king, obey him as Lord,
and follow him in the way of the Cross, which leads to eternal life.
We ask this through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Organ Processional – Max Reger: Valet will ich dir geben
The Liturgy of the Passion
Collect of the Passion
Almighty God,
who, in your tender love for the human race,
sent your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ,
to take our nature upon him,
and to suffer death upon the cross,
giving us the example of his great humility:
mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his passion,
and also, be made partakers of his resurrection;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
world without end.
Amen.
You can find the texts of the readings on the pew sheet
First reading: Isaiah 50.4-9a (recorded by Liza Green)
Psalm 31.9-16
(please say the psalm, pausing shortly at the asterisk *)
Refrain: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; *
my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; *
my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed.
I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbours,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; *
I am as useless as a broken pot.
For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; *
they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. *
I have said, ‘You are my God.
My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness save me.’
Refrain: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Second reading: Philippians 2.5-11 (recorded by Liza Green)
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
Organ Reflection – JG Walther: O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden
Intercessions (led by Alistair Shaw)
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
The Rector will celebrate the Eucharist at Holy Trinity
The Lord's Prayer
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Thanksgiving and Sending Out
A Blessing is pronounced:
Christ give us grace to grow in holiness,
to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him;
and may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Thank you for joining us at Holy Trinity Church, Stirling for Palm Sunday
Organ Postlude – GF Kauffmann: Valet will ich dir geben
THIS WEEK
- Maundy Thursday 7.30 p.m.
The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday, recalling the Washing of the Disciples’ Feet, the Last Supper and the Watch in the Garden of Gethsemane - Good Friday 2 p.m.
The Liturgy of Good Friday with the Passion Gospel, the Sung Reproaches and Solemn Intercessions - Holy Saturday 9 p.m.
The Easter Vigil with the Blessing of the Paschal Candle, Readings and Renewal of our Baptismal Vows - Easter Day 10.30 a.m.
Holy Communion (said in private)
The church will be open for private prayer from 12 noon to 4 p.m.
BISHOP’S LENT APPEAL
One of the two charities that the Bishop is encouraging us to support this Lent is Start Up Stirling, a charity that is very familiar to Holy Trinity. We are used to collecting items to contribute to the designated box in the church porch. We can’t do that at present. However we can make a donation. £10 pays for the Start Up van to make a Foodbank delivery.
Start Up welcomes donations and it is straightforward to give
+ online at: https://www.startupstirling.org.uk
+ or you can send a cheque to
Start Up Stirling, 16B Whitehouse Road, Stirling FK7 7SP
In addition we can buy an item on Start Up’s Amazon wish-list page.
If you can, do take a look at it as there is a good range of items and prices.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/2CT04HHWBMXV8?ref_=wl_share
Lent Book 2021
The Lent Book at Holy Trinity this year will be Falling Upward: a spirituality for the two halves of life by the Franciscan monk and spiritual teacher Richard Rohr.
Do consider joining us in reading the book (which can be bought online from all major bookshops or downloaded as an e-book).
Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: a spirituality for the two halves of life,
(London, SPCK, 2012)
We grow more spiritually by doing it wrong than by doing it right. In Falling Upward, Fr Richard Rohr offers a new understanding of one’s life most profound mysteries: how our failing can be the foundation for our ongoing spiritual growth. Drawing on the wisdom from time-honoured myths, heroic poems, great thinkers and sacred religious texts, the author explores the two halves of life to show that those who have fallen, failed or ‘gone down’ are the only ones who understand ‘up’. The heartbreaks, disappointments and loves of the first half of life are actually stepping stones to the spiritual joys that the second half has in store for us.’
