Palm Sunday Liturgy
We wave our ‘palm branches’ and say together:
Hosanna to the Son of David, the King of Israel.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The Greeting
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you
All   and also with you.

Introduction
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing, by works of love and self-sacrifice, for the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.

The Collect
Let us pray for a closer union with Christ in his suffering and in his glory.
You may like to light a candle at this point
Silence is kept.
Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All   Amen.

The Psalm
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-end is read

All   	Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now and shall be forever
Amen.

The Palm Gospel
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him
and given him the name that is above every name.
All   Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St Matthew
All   Glory to you, O Lord

Reading: Matthew 21:1-11

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All   Praise to you, O Christ

Sermon

Prayers of Intercession
You might like to take up a palm cross to hold during the prayers

As we stand with Christ in his suffering, so we pray:
For forgiveness for the many times we have denied Jesus,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Lord, give us your strength to proclaim your word

For grace to seek out those habits of sin which mean
spiritual death,
and by prayer and self-discipline to overcome them,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Lord, help us to lead pure lives each day

For Christian people,
that through the suffering of disunity
there may grow a rich union in Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Lord, draw us together as your Church in your love.  Wrap your loving arms especially around all who feel lonely and isolated.

For those who make laws, interpret them, and administer them,
that our common life may be ordered in justice and mercy,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Lord, give wisdom to all those in authority at this time of difficult decision making.  Bless Elizabeth our queen, Boris our Prime Minister and all his cabinet.  Bless Justin and John our Archbishops and Stephen who will become Archbishop in the weeks to come; James our Bishop and Angela our priest. 

For those who still make Jerusalem a battleground,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Bring your peace Lord to this and all places experiencing conflict at this time.

For those who have the courage and honesty to work openly for justice and peace,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
For blessed are the peacemakers.  We pray for all who bring aid and conflict resolution.  We pray for all displaced peoples, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.  We particularly lift before you many in India who are struggling to go home.

For those in the darkness and agony of isolation,
that they may find support and encouragement,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Lord bring your healing on all that are ill.  We name them before you now.

For those who, weighed down with hardship, failure, or sorrow, feel that God is far from them,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Lord, assure them of your presence.  Heal and guard all those suffering with poor mental health at this time.

For those who are tempted to give up the way of the cross,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.

Lord, give us all strength to follow you in good times and in bad.
That we, with those who have died in faith,
may find mercy in the day of Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
All   Lord, have mercy.
Lord, comfort all who mourn and all who are missing loved ones they cannot see today.

All   	Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.

The Peace
Once we were far off, but now in union with Christ Jesus we have been brought near through the shedding of Christ’s blood,
for he is our peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
All   and also with you.

Jesus, true vine and bread of life,
ever giving yourself that the world might live,
let us share your death and passion:
make us perfect in your love.
All   Amen.

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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.
All   Amen.

The Blessing
May the Father,
who so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
bring you by faith to his eternal life.
All   Amen.

May Christ,
who accepted the cup of sacrifice
in obedience to the Father’s will,
keep you steadfast as you walk with him the way of his cross.
All   Amen.

May the Spirit,
who strengthens us to suffer with Christ
that we may share his glory,
set your minds on life and peace.
All   Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always.
All   Amen.

Stay in peace and love and serve the Lord.
All   In the name of Christ. Amen.