march 29, 2026

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Bill Nye

Please use this Order of Service to easily follow the service online.

CLICK HERE FOR HYMNS (or scroll to the bottom)

The first two of the eight affirmations of Progressive Christianity: “By calling ourselves progressive Christians, we mean we are Christians who (1) Believe that following the path and teaching of Jesus can lead to an awareness and experience of the Sacred and the Oneness and Unity of all life; and (2) Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience the Sacredness and Oneness of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in our spiritual journey.”

Prelude: Debbie Deane

Chalice Lighting:   

Birthday candles.  Advent candles.  Shabbat candles.

Candlelight.  Small flames to say,                                                                                     

“This is a special time. Be mindful.  Attend to the time.”

Opening Hymn: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna (NCH 213)

“Hosanna, loud hosanna,” the little children sang;

Through pillared court and temple the lovely anthem rang;                            

To Jesus who had blessed them close folded to his breast,                            

The children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed amid a cheering crowd,

The victory palm branch waving, and chanting clear and loud.                       

The one whom angels worship rode on in lowly state,

And glad to see the children, slowed down the donkeys gait.

“Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song is ours,

We hail our great Redeemer and sing with all our powers:                          

“Hosanna, Christ, we praise you with heart and life and voice.               

Hosanna! In your presence for ever we’ll rejoice!

Welcome and Announcements

Gathering Prayer                                                                                                      2

Blessed are you, God of all creation,           

and blessed is the community into which you gather us.

Send now your Holy Spirit to call us by name and lead us home.

 We come defeated, we come dancing,           

We come traumatized, we come trusting,           

We come aggrieved, we come adoring;

 Send now your Holy Spirit  to call us by name and lead us home.

  We come because our hearts are made restless           

by echoes of a song we have never heard           

and memories of a place we have never seen.

Send now your Holy Spirit  to call us by name and lead us home.

First Sacred Reading: from Psalm 118

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them and give thanks to God.

This is the day that God has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Save us, we beseech you, O God!

O God, we beseech you, give us prosperity.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God. We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God, and God has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches.

O give thanks to God, for God is good,

for God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Hymn of Reflection: Manlos Y Ramos (NCH 214)

Passing of the Peace                                                                                                               Sharing of our Joys and Concerns and Pastoral Prayer

 Offering (you may also give online through tithe.ly)

Doxology: NCH 785 We Give You But Your Own

            We give you but your own, what e'er the gift may be; All that we have is yours alone, we give it gratefully.

Second Sacred Reading: the Palm Sunday narrative from the Gospels

The Sermon:  Missing the Point      

Hymn of Response:  I Want Jesus to Walk with Me  (NCH 490)

I want Jesus to walk with me; I want Jesus to walk with me; All along my pilgrim journey, O I want Jesus to walk with me.

In my trials, O comfort me; In my trials, O comfort me; When my heart is almost breaking, O I want Jesus to comfort me.

When I’m in trouble, O stay with me; When I’m in trouble, O stay with me; When my head is bowed in sorrow, O I want Jesus to stay with me.

The Palm Sunday Litany from the worship of the Church of the Evangel, UCC (1971)

L: Jesus came down from the Mountain, Jesus came down from the hills. Jesus went up through the valleys, and Jesus entered the town.

P: THANK YOU LORD, FOR COMING TO THE CITY, AND LOVING THE CITY.

L: When Jesus entered the city, he didn't hide in a church, or set up shop in the temple, or dine with the high and the mighty or lodge in a palace of plenty.

P: THANK YOU LORD, FOR WALKING THE STREETS OF THE CITY, AND LIVING AMONG THE PEOPLE.

L: They hoped that a king was coming, that Jesus would be the King, and they sought him to lead an army, to win them political freedom, to trample in dust the oppressors.

P: THANK YOU LORD, FOR BEING FAITHFUL TO YOUR MISSION.

L: But Jesus spoke of true freedom, of a kingdom beyond any palace, far greater than any nation, of a triumph more lasting than Ever.

P: THANK YOU LORD, FOR YOUR JOURNEY, FOR SHARING WITH US YOUR TRIUMPH.

L: We gather here in the city, amid plenty and hunger and glory, and anger and kindness and cutting, with hope from faith in God's future, that we can rebuild the city, build it in justice and mercy, build in the spirit of Jesus.

P: THANK YOU LORD, FOR HELPING US TO LOVE THE CITY, LOVE IT FOR ITS GLORY AND ITS HUMAN POSSIBILITY.

L: We too are tempted to use him, to call our desires his kingdom, and when it suits us, forget him, forget his justice and mercy, his vision of that new creation.

P: THANK YOU LORD, FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND MERCY.

L: Like those who shouted "Hosanna," we turn away from his suffering, we hesitate to follow, to commit our lives to his kin-dom, this kin-dom of love and giving.

P: THANK YOU LORD, FOR CALLING US BACK TO YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN.

L: We pray as we gather together, that we may be true disciples, not crowds that cheer for a moment, but people whose lives shout gladness, whose very living is singing, who daily proclaim by our loving, to each other, to these streets, to creation:

ALL: HOSANNA TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST. BLESSED IS THE ONE WHOCOMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. HOSANNA. HOSANNA. AMEN.

Closing Hymn: All Glory, Laud, and Honor (NCH 216)

All glory, laud and honor to you, O Christ, we sing,

To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring! The people of the city with palms adorned your way;

Our praise and prayer and anthems we offer you this day.

O Promised One of Israel, of David’s royal line,

The one called “God’s beloved,” of flesh and yet divine,

To you, before your passion, they sang their hymns of praise; To you, now high exalted, our melody we raise.

As you received their praises, receive our prayers today, Whose justice and whose mercy eternally hold sway.  0All glory, laud, and honor to you, O Christ, we sing,To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

Benediction

Postlude:  Debbie Deane                                                                  

All Souls Bethlehem Church

An Open and Affirming Congregation

Pastor: Rev. Dr. Boon Lin Ngeo

Ministers: All Members of ASBC

Minister Emeritus: Rev. Bill Nye 

First Time Visitor?  

Please sign our red Guest Book (located near the entrance)

and be our guest at the gathering following the service!

Interested in “Official” Church Membership?  

Please speak with Council President Raquel Irizarry about our next New Member gathering!  

An All-inclusive, Welcoming Community of Faith

born from the traditions of the:

Disciples of Christ - www.Disciples.org

United Church of Christ - www.UCC.org

Unitarian Universalist Association - www.UUA.org 

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