BUC Worship Service, Palm Sunday – March 29, 2026

Balzac United Church
March 29, 2026, 10:00am
Guest Minister: Rev. Ruth McArther
Music Ministry: Lee Dowan, Dr. Alex Shawn

Prelude I Will Enter His Gates arr. M. Hayes
Introit Sing Hosanna!
Welcome and Announcements
Service Link
Message Link
Story Link
Choir Link

Land Acknowledgement
CALL TO WORSHIP
Lighting of Christ Candle (Psalm 118:1-4)
ONE: Let us give thanks to God, for God is good.
ALL: God’s love lasts forever.
ONE: Let all the people proclaim it aloud:
ALL: God’s love lasts forever.
ONE: Come, let us worship God.
Call cont’d (responsively)
L: We can sense a powerful presence among us.
Though death threatens to come soon, in this hour of worship, let us focus on
what is alive!
ALL: The colours of the cloaks laid in the path of the man riding a donkey and the
loud Hosanna’s fill the path – the world is humming in activity.
L: Have you heard? Jesus of Nazareth is coming to town!
RIGHT: WHAT? The man who has been doing all the amazing things we have heard
about?
LEFT: Come, people are gathering from all over the place and
throughout time to see this Jesus.
L: Some are calling him the Messiah!
RIGHT: Some are calling him a king!
LEFT: Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see the Messiah – a savior for us! Wouldn’t it be
amazing to live with a different king; one who ruled with love and compassion.
L: Perhaps this is the one!
ALL: Perhaps this is the one! Hosanna! Come Lord Jesus, Light of the world. Help
Us! Let’s join the parade!
Hymn He Came Riding on a Donkey VU124
CANDLES OF JOY, CONCERN AND SORROW
Prayer for Palm Sunday
L: Today and every day, we are called to be Holy… as we…
Pray together… VU125
LITURGY OF THE PALMS
Matthew 21:1–11 (based on) Coming into Jerusalem
Anthem Of Palms and Praise Patti Drennan
Psalm 118 (Part 3, Part 4 responsively) VU pg.837
Reflection A Time of Contradiction
LITURGY OF PASSION
The Passover
Matthew 26:14-30
Hymn An Upper Room did Our Lord Prepare VU130
Reflection Stay with Me
PRAYERS
Offering Invitation Lamb of God arr. M Hayes
Prayer Of Dedication
Gracious God, even on a day such as this, when more than any other we contemplate
how we have failed to uphold your word and your work, still we offer you these gifts
of our hands and our hearts, and pray that you will receive them and use them, that
together we might continue to tell the world of your love. Amen.
Prayers of the people
ONE: Compassionate God,
we lift our palms of praise
with those who first sang out,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
Like them, each hand that holds a palm
has a heart that holds a story –
a story of pain, of disappointment, of sorrow.
We share those stories with you now. (Pause.)
We pray to you, O God,
ALL: save us, Holy One.
ONE: Prince of Peace,
you came in humble obedience
and walked the path of enduring love
even in the face of violent rejection.
We confess that it is difficult to follow
your path of peace.
and the violent road of abuse and war
is all too familiar to us.
We long for your peace, O God. (Pause.)
We pray to you, O God,
ALL: save us, Holy One.
ONE: Saving God,
we trust in your goodness
and believe your desire
is for all of creation
to be held in your redeeming love.
Send us out in your name
to bring comfort to those who mourn,
healing love to those who are sick,
and justice to those who are oppressed.
We wait now for your Spirit. (Pause.)
We pray to you, O God,
ALL: save us, Holy One. Amen.
The Prayer Of Jesus
GOING FORTH
Hymn We Shall Go Out with Hope of Resurrection VU 586
Blessing
We leave today in limbo, not sure how to feel.
We leave today knowing that the story is not finished.
We leave today knowing we have betrayed and denied and yet…
We leave today knowing that God will never let our stories end in death. Amen.
Commissioning
Postlude Lord, I Lift Your Name on High arr. M. Hayes
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