The end is in sight – or is it the beginning?
As Lent draws out to Holy Week, many preachers are submerged in bits and pieces – of lots of different service elements.
But, first, we have to get through this Sunday. Will it be Palms or Passion for you – or both? Or do you have the luxury of folk coming back for more between Sunday services?
Our RCL and NL posts from earlier in the week may give you that nugget you seek.
Let’s encourage one another as we seek to complete the marathon that is Lent. Share resources that have spoken to you and ask our community to help with those missing pieces. And, whether you have to do Palms and Passion all in one go, or whether you get to build it up through the week, let’s support one another as we approach the finish line.
Liz Crumlish is a Church of Scotland Minister currently working on a National Renewal Project in Scotland. A Board Member of RevGalBlogPals, one of the instigators of Spill the Beans and contributor to There’s a Woman in the Pulpit, Liz blogs at journalling.
RevGalBlogPals encourages you to share our blog posts via email or social media. We do not grant permission to cut-and-paste prayers and articles without a link back. For permission to use material in paper publications, please email revgalblogpals at gmail dot com.
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Don’t know quite how but recent posts here have me thinking of memory, I think it will be the basis for Maundy Thursday reflection.
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here i get to focus on Palms, though we are finishing worship with two people singing “When his time was over the palms lay where they fell”.
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Still pondering and searching for a kid’s time for Palm Sunday. I’ve done palm crosses, had the kids lay bright colored t-shirts in the aisles, just told the story, etc. Any ideas would be appreciated.
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What about talking about the donkey? There are stories about the cross on the back of donkeys that I’m sure you’d find on google…
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I’m adapting the suggestion from last year on Dollar Store Children Sermons (https://dskidsermons.com/2017/03/22/april-9th-2017-palm-sunday/)
I bought some noisemakers and we’ll cheer and celebrate together! And then stop. Remember that Jesus had some really hard work to do, and not everyone liked it, so they started to be mean to him later in the week.
But first, they cheered! They celebrated when he came to Jerusalem! And we can celebrate Jesus with our whole selves also!
On a related note, my new favorite product name is “fringed squakers” https://www.shindigz.com/fringed-squawker/p/blofrsd
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It is a combined service tomorrow morning, so i only have one service instead of two, which deserves a Hosanna! I have split the reading into three, with three short reflections.
A Palm Sunday Journey
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I guess my got up and go got up and went. Soooooo sick. No marching for me today, and no Palm Sunday tomorrow. I just finished shifting all my responsibilities via email and sending the sermon to someone who can read it — too bad, because I really like this one. But even if I could stand up for more than a few minutes, I have no voice. Hope things go well for all of you! I’m going back to bed.
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Do take care of yourself, Robin!
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Sorry you’re sick, Robin. Hope you feel better soon – but take time to recover.
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Glad you got things sorted out. Yay for you, having a completed sermon to hand off! Take care of yourself.
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Prayers ascending for you Robin!
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We’ve done “The Last Week” all through Lent, so we did Palm Sunday 6 weeks ago. That leaves tomorrow for Passion. The congregation (and I as well) have really enjoyed diving more deeply into the happenings of each day than is usually possible in the RCL. We’re going to read all of Mark 15, with different voices reading each 3 hour segment, as Mark outlines it. That will leave enough time for a short sermon, which I really need to get started on.
I’m distracted, as usual, by family and the puppy.
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I really need to remember this idea for next year! I have the book, read it for class, brought elements into other sermons…now you have illustrated how to take it to the next step! Thanks.
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I just now saw this…and for sure don’t give me credit! I stole the idea from another revgal.
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We’re doing palms to passion tomorrow so only “wondering together” our all age talk to do. Currently typing this on my phone from bed. My cold virus is back…again( and this time I’m floored). Not what I was expecting. DD13 ‘s birthday celebration this morning. 4 ADHS/ASD/DCD teens for movie and MacDonald….got up and managed that ( no choice) but this afternoon I’ve paid for it. Anyhoo…think ill talk about expectations and how things can change in a matter of hours or days. Then I’ll give out palm crosses to everyone ( or the kids will).
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Btw…because I’m poorly my OH has made baked potato and fillings. There’s plenty…help yourselves! What’s you favourite potato filling?
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Cheese!!!!
And beans.
And cheese. 😉
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Missed marching against gun violence this morning for a variety of reasons, but mostly because a church member died and I met with the family and the funeral home for planning. Still hoping to incorporate in some elements of “march for what you believe in” for tomorrow’s sermon. Any great anecdotes from folks who have been at marches today?
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Palm-Passion here, because while we do have Thursday and Friday, they seem to not be terribly well attended (according to the one person I asked, since I’ve been here two weeks and have no idea!)….so we are reading Mark 11 and then Mark 14 up to the disciples all claiming they’d never desert Jesus (so through the last supper but stopping before gethsemane).
I titled the sermon “Not What It Looks Like” and while this wasn’t my original intention, it’s possible this is going to end up being a sort of anti-substitutionary atonement sermon.
If I ever get around to writing it, anyway! I need to get to work as it’s 830, but we change the clocks tonight to I can’t be up super late!!
I baked challah yesterday and it’s delicious, so help yourselves…pull off a piece and dip in butter or oil, or make garlic bread, or just eat it. Y the handful. 😉
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Ooh, I almost forgot! I am giving everyone a paper equal-armed cross, and asking them to write something on it and hand it back in…the arms fold in to make it a square, and then when it’s unfolded they stick out, making it look like a 3D flower. I’m going to use them to make a flowering cross for next week.
I just have to work out what exactly I want them to write, and then make sure I leave time in the sermon for that! Score…a shorter sermon. 😉
I suspect there will be people who don’t know what hit them, that on my second Sunday I’m asking them to participate…but hopefully they’ll be up for it!
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Teri, that sounds interesting, can i out a photo up please?
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I’ll snap a photo next week when it’s finished and put it in the FB group. 🙂
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Sent from my iPad
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