From Ashes to Glory: Carry Christ to the World

Opening Announcements — Rev. Johan Dodge

Good Morning and Welcome to Worship!

Worship is often the first place that new people come into contact

with this growing community of faith. And so if you are joining us for

the first time, I say to you what I say every Sunday. You are welcome

here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is the love of

God for God’s Very Good Creation. And if you are enjoying this

worship experience, I invite you to give to God in support of this

growing faith community.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Our Savior comes to us humbly, riding a donkey and proclaiming a

message of peace. Let us pray for the church, for Earth and all its

creatures, and for all people in need, saying, God of mercy, hear our

prayer.

That Christians hear and share the word of God as true disciples,

God of mercy, hear our prayer.

That all ends of the earth receive the words of the king of peace.

God of mercy, hear our prayer.

That all leaders, of church and of state, prefer humble service to

empty power.

God of mercy, hear our prayer.

That all people live with gratitude for the gifts of nourishment,

friendship, family, trust, patience, and hope with the courage and

wisdom to change whatever fails to be life-giving. God of mercy,

hear our prayer.

That those who see the cross starkly revealed in their lives draw

strength from the name that is above every other name.

God of mercy, hear our prayer.

That we might live with gratitude for our ancestors whose faith and

witness have nourished our own, that all who mourn today will be

comforted, and that we, who hope to greet Jesus when he comes

again, will be ready and filled with joy.

God of mercy, hear our prayer. God our creator, you show your sons and daughters the way to

freedom through the gentle obedience of your Son, Jesus Christ, in

whose name we pray.

Amen.

Let your Word, O God, break open our hearts this day through the power of the Holy Spirit, that we may enter into the coming Holy Week with the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 118:¹-2,19-29 1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! ² Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” ¹⁹ Qpen to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. ²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. ²¹ l thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. ²² The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. ²³ This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. ²⁴ This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. ²⁵ Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! ²⁶Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. ²⁷ The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. ²⁸ You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. ²⁹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Matthew 21:¹-11 1 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill wnat had been spoken through the prophet, saying, ⁵“Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; ⁷ they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Rev. Johan Dodge

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

As this week unfolds, spend some time each day pondering the mind

of Christ. What is the shape of his compassion? Describe the image

of such great love. Finally, what does it feel like, physically, to be so

utterly cared for?

Here at Community Church we celebrate “Open Communion’.

Anyone who wishes to commune may come to our Lord’s Table. You

do not have to be sinless; God forgives you. You do not have to be

perfect; but God is encouraging you to grow. You need not belong to

this or any church; God Invites all people to this meal. It is enough to

love the Lord and follow Him with all your heart. This is what God

asks us to do. Come to our Lord’s Table in faith this day. Go from

this place to live, and never be the same again. Let us commune as

brothers and sisters in Christ.

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Pastor: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and

everywhere to give thanks to you, almighty God, creator of heaven

and earth. You formed us in your image and breathed into us the

breath of life. When we turned away, and our love failed, your love

remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity,

made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through the

prophets.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

People: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven

and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed

is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the

highest.

Pastor: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ, who

emptied himself into human form to guide us back to you. Through

his teaching and his actions, he demonstrated that the time had come

when you would save your people. When he processed into

Jerusalem on a colt, the people gathered and cried, “Hosanna! Save

us!” because he lived your salvific love in our midst. And as the

enthusiasm of “Hosanna!” began to dim in the shadow of plots to

crucify him, he did not waver in the love and grace he extended to all.

In one of his final gracious and loving acts, on the night in which

Jesus gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you,

broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in

remembrance of me." When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you,

gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this,

as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living

sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the

mystery of faith.

People: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pastor: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these

gifts of bread and fruit of the vine. Make them be for us the body and

blood of Christ, the rejected stone who is the Cornerstone of our

salvation, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed

by his blood.

By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one

in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we

feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours,

almighty God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we

all partake of the one loaf.

The bread which we have eaten is a sharing in the bread of Christ.

The cup over which we give thanks is the sharing in the cup of Christ.

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. INVITATION TO THE OFFERING — Marylee Thomsen Let our hosannas to the one who brings liberation take form in our tithes and offering.

God of all good gifts, we thank you for showing us how to care for each other. May these gifts lead to great feasting for those who have no banquets set before them. May these gifts build shelters and places of prayer for those who are homeless. May these gifts proclaim your desire that all your creation live in peace. Give us grateful hearts, O God, in the name of the one who came to draw all people to himself, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

Go in peace, assured of God’s presence with you, with the mind of Christ Jesus as your path and guide, and the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit. Look not to rewards and celebrity for your good deeds. Do unto others what will nurture God’s will for them. Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.