Worship for March 28, 2021
While we're not saying farewell to Zoom, we are planning for in-person worship options for Eastertide.
Reflection
When we look at Palm Sunday, we should see a planned political demonstration. Are you part of this movement of outcasts and poor folks started by Jesus or are you complaining about people making a mess with the branches?

If you would like to prepare a paper palm branch for this morning, you can print one at home here.
We Covenant One With Another
Adult Spiritual Formation - 10:00 am
In this Lenten season, we have been talking about creativity, joy, nonviolence, and movements for social change. This week, we wrap up by looking for inspiration in creative and unusual actions and tactics from the past.

Transition Music - All Glory, Laud, and Honor

Worship Begins - 11:00 am

Welcome and Announcements ~ Pastor Ken
As worship begins, we pause to welcome and extend greetings to anyone visiting us this week! No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

Call to Worship
One: Come. Come seeking words and connection.
All: Come to let your tongue give praise. Come. Come to find your voice. Come to hear the response. Come. Come to open your ears. Come to listen. Come. Come to be healed by the silence. Come to stand together. Come to find God.
One: Come O Holy One, speak to us in the silence with wisdom greater than ours, with love deeper than ours, with change wider than ours.

Opening Prayer ~ Karen Richter

Palm Sunday Reading ~ Shared by Ron Heisner
The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord-- the King of Israel!"

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!"

His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.

Special Music ~ Hosanna, Loud Hosanna
Shared by Forrest and Carol Bachtel
If you prepared a paper palm branch, now is the time to wave it!
Perceiving and Responding
Giving and Stewardship
On Palm Sunday, we're grateful for the stories of our tradition that add to the beauty and complexity of human life. Giving too adds beauty to beauty. You can find our weekly financial update, Heidi's Corner, at this link.

Our 2021 Lenten offering continues this week. We're excited to be supporting RIP Medical Debt, a campaign to free people from the burdens of a flawed system. The blue button above takes you to the Shadow Rock giving page, where you can participate in this and other giving opportunities.

Celebrations and Prayer Requests
Palm Sunday and Holy Week are examples of the way life is. It's our call as a community to find ways to celebrate the deep goodness, not knowing how the story ends. Unmute to share your birthday, anniversary, moments of grace, or other celebrations or celebrate using the Zoom chat box.

Pastoral Prayer ~ Pastor Ken
Balancing Word and Deed
Word About Life ~ Philippians 2:1-13 
Shared by Gene McWhorter

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Word About Life for Today ~ Rev. Ken Heintzelman
"No Answer"

Introduction to Breakout Rooms and Discussion
  • When we recognize something as true, how do we know? 
  • How do we respond to things we see as true?

Words for Mission
One: Come. Listen to what God might be saying. Listen to what God might be doing that doesn’t fit with everything that you have been taught. This week, may we listen for God to speak. These are the times.
All: We are the people.
One: All of Creation is blessed.
All: May we love all and serve all.
One: May God be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Amen.
All: Amen.