Family Service
at
St. Augustine's

April 5, 2009

Key :

directions
instructions for congregation
movements during service
prayers and readings
sections of the service

Other information  :

There are some notes on our production of the service.

A rough plan of the church is available.

A note on copyright.

THE SERVICE

Palm Sunday and Holy week

MinisterWe welcome you here in the name of Jesus !

Please stand to sing the hymn

"Ride on ! Ride on ! in majesty"

1.   Ride on, ride on in majesty
  as all the crowds "Hosanna !" cry:
  through waving branches slowly ride,
  O Saviour, to be crucified.

2.   Ride on, ride on in majesty,
  in lowly pomp ride on to die:
  O Christ, your triumph now begin
  with capture, death, and conquered sin !

3.   Ride on, ride on in majesty -
  the angel armies of the sky
  look down with sad and wondering eyes
  to see the approaching sacrifice.

4.   Ride on, ride on in majesty,
  the last and fiercest foe defy:
  the Father on His sapphire throne
  awaits His own anointed Son.

5.   Ride on, ride on in majesty
  in lowly pomp ride on to die:
  bow Your meek head to mortal pain,
  then take, O God, Your power and reign.

MinisterFrom the New Zealand Prayer Book Page 404  :

Grace and peace to you from God !

ALLGod fill you with truth and joy !
MinisterThe Lord be with you.
ALLThe Lord bless you.
MinisterThis is the day which the Lord has made !
ALLLet us rejoice and be glad in it !

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden;
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit,
so that we may truly love You
and worthily praise Your holy name;
through our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

MinisterPlease sit.

( Jelly bean time - birthdays etc. )

Narrator and Reader move to lectern.

MinisterToday is Palm Sunday - the day we celebrate Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.
NarratorIt was coming up to Passover time in Israel and as many of the Jews as could possibly make it would try to get to Jerusalem for the week of festivities. The city was crammed with people - Jews, and people from other nations who had things to sell, and others.

The disciples were reluctant for Jesus to go to Jerusalem as they knew that He was in danger from the Jewish authorities, but Jesus knew that God wanted Him there so off they all went.

Reader

The triumphal entry into Jerusalem

from Mark Chapter 11 verses 1-11.

As they approached Jerusalem, near the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, they came to the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of His disciples on ahead with these instructions : "Go to the village there ahead of you. As soon as you get there, you will find a young donkey tied up that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you why you are doing that, say that the Master needs it and will send it back."

So they went and found a donkey. ( Point to James and John at the back, organ side ).

Jesus and the disciples stand up at organ side;

James and John come down organ side miming leading a donkey.

Disciple 1 ( Pointing to James and John )Look - here are James and John back with the donkey.
JamesHere you are, Rabbi, here is the donkey. She's a beautiful animal. ( Mimes stroking the donkey. )
JohnWhile we were untying the donkey a man stopped us and asked what we were doing.
JamesWe told him the Master wanted it, just as You told us to do.
JohnThe man said "Go ahead".
Disciple 1 mimes placing a cloak over the donkey's back. John and James mime helping Jesus onto the donkey.

Jesus "rides" the donkey along the front pews and to the back down the centre aisle VERY SLOWLY as James and John and the disciples follow.

As Jesus turns into the centre aisle, Family 1 come out of their pew ( front pew Hospital side ), lay their cloaks in front of Jesus, and say  :

Head of Family 1Hosanna to the Son of David !
Family 1Hosanna to the Son of David !
ALLHosanna to the Son of David !
Jesus 'rides' over the cloaks slowly, Family 1 join the procession behind the disciples.

As Jesus passes 2nd pew, Family 2 ( 3rd pew from front organ side ) come out of their pew, lay their cloaks in front of Jesus, and say  :

Head of Family 2Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord !
Family 2Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord !
ALLBlessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord !
Family 2 join the back of the procession.

As Jesus passes next to back pew, Family 3 ( back pew organ side ) come out of their pew, lay their cloaks in front of Jesus, and say  :

Head of Family 3Hosanna in the highest heaven !
Family 3Hosanna in the highest heaven !
ALLHosanna in the highest heaven !
Family 3 join the back of the procession.

As Jesus reaches the door, He and the procession stop, and turn to face the altar.

Minister announces details of

the procession round the church.
MinisterPlease stand to sing the first two verses of

"All glory, laud, and honour".

During these verses Crucifer prepares to carry the cross and to lead the procession round the outside of the church.

Chorus :
  All glory, laud, and honour
  To Thee, Redeemer, King,
  To Whom the lips of children
  Made sweet Hosannas ring.

1.   Thou art the King of Israel,
  Thou David's royal Son,
  Who in the Lord's name comest
  The King and blessed one.
Chorus

2.   The company of angels
  Are praising Thee on high,
  And mortal men and all things
  Created make reply.
Chorus

Proceed round outside of church - go out main door and turn left towards hall, go all round church ( using Navy car park ) and back in main door, down centre aisle and stand between altar rails bottom step until end of hymn. Bow to altar and place cross against Hospital wall near lectern.

While the procession takes place, stage hand sets scene for "money changers" play :

  • card table with money on it between lectern and altar - top step;
  • mounted pictures of doves in polystyrene in front of altar rail Hospital side;
  • sheep faces stuck on altar rail in front of front pew Organ side;
  • whip on altar.

Crucifer carries cross down centre aisle, stands on bottom step facing altar;

Actors return to places for "money changers" play;
Money changers stand round card table - not on side facing congregation;
Sheep people sit on the floor in front of front pew, organ side;
Dove sellers sit on the floor in front of front pew, Hospital side.

When everyone is back in the church we all sing -

Chorus :
  All glory, laud, and honour
  To Thee, Redeemer, King,
  To Whom the lips of children
  Made sweet Hosannas ring.

3.   The people of the Hebrews
  With palms before Thee went:
  Our praise and prayer and anthems
  Before Thee we present.
Chorus

4.   To Thee before Thy Passion
  They sang their hymns of praise:
  To Thee now high exalted
  Our melody we raise.
Chorus

5.   Thou didst accept their praises:
  Accept the prayers we bring,
  Who in all good delightest,
  Thou good and gracious King.
Chorus

During the last verse, Jesus, James, John and the disciples stand in middle of centre aisle.

When hymn finishes crucifer bows to altar and carries cross to Hospital side by lectern and leans it against the Hospital-side wall near the corner flag.

The moneychangers in the Temple

ReaderJesus entered Jerusalem, went into the Temple and looked around.
Jesus and the disciples go up to bottom step look around pointing at the money changers, the sheep faces and the dove pictures.
ReaderBut since it was already late in the day, Jesus went out to Bethany with the disciples.
Jesus and the disciples walk to back down centre aisle.
NarratorThis was the beginning of a very well documented week of Jesus's life which we call Holy Week - finishing with His burial in the cave tomb.

We will look further at two of the events of that week.

At that time in the Temple in Jerusalem many bad habits had developed.

Part of the Jewish faith involved animal sacrifice and the people would bring sheep or, if they were poor, doves to the temple as an offering to God. These animals were supposed to be without blemish.

The temple priests had devised a means to make more money.

Firstly, all money used in the temple had to be temple money; there was a group of money changers set up inside the temple to change ordinary money into temple money - at a profit, of course, and a rake-off for the temple as well. ( Point to money changers )

Secondly, before accepting a sheep or a dove as an offering to God the temple priests would inspect it, often declare it unsuitable and offer, at a price in temple money, to swap the owner's animal for a guaranteed blemish-free sheep or dove from their pens - also kept in the temple. ( Point to sheep faces and dove pictures )

Later the rejected sheep or dove would be moved to the guaranteed pen of OK sheep or doves.

More profit for the temple !

Which leads us to another event in this Holy week.

ReaderJesus chases the moneychangers out of the Temple, from John Chapter 2 and Mark Chapter 11.

The next day they returned to Jerusalem.

Jesus cleanses the Temple

Stage hand moves to a place by organ ready to stop the noise.
Jesus comes down centre aisle to the altar.
ReaderJesus went to the Temple and heard ...

Simultaneously :

  • sheep people shout "Baa, Baa, Baa..............................";
  • dove sellers shout "Cu Coo, Cu coo, Cu coo....................";
  • money changers rattle their rattles vigorously.

As the noise starts, Jesus puts his hands over his ears.

Continue to make the noises until stage hand who is by the organ holds up hand.

When the noise stops, Jesus takes his hands away from his ears.

ReaderJesus made a whip from cords. ( Jesus picks up whip from altar )

He drove all the animals out of the temple.

Jesus approaches sheep people in front of organ side front pew; sheep people get up, collect their sheep faces from the altar rail, and hold them in front of their faces. Then Jesus drives the sheep to back, brandishing the whip, as everyone says :
ALL ( including sheep people )Baa, baa, baa ..... ( loudly, until sheep people reach the back )
ReaderHe overturned the money changers' table ...
Jesus returns to front and overturns the moneychangers' table - the moneychangers scrabble around trying to pick up the money.

When the money is mostly picked up :

Reader... and He told those who sold the doves :
Jesus ( to dove sellers by front pew Hospital side )Take those doves out of here !
Dove sellers grab their dove pictures and hurry to back down centre aisle hurried along by Jesus.
ALL ( including dove sellers )Cu Coo, cu coo, cu coo ( Until doves at back )
Jesus returns to front and, standing between altar rails, says -
JesusIt is written in the Scriptures that God said "My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations." But you have turned it into a den of thieves.
Jesus returns to back down centre aisle;
other actors return to their seats.
ReaderThe chief priests and teachers of the Law heard about this so they began to look for some way to kill Jesus.

The passover meal

NarratorDuring the Passover Festival Jesus and His disciples stayed with friends in Bethany until the evening when the Passover meal was to be eaten, when they gathered together in a room in Jerusalem for the meal. During this meal Jesus started something new; we read about it in Matthew's gospel.
ReaderThe Lord's Supper; Matthew Chapter 26 verses 26-29.

While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. "Take and eat it," He said, "This is My Body."

Then He took a cup, gave thanks to God, and gave it to them : "Drink it, all of you", He said, "This is My blood which seals God's Covenant, My blood poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink this wine until I drink the new wine with you in My Father's Kingdom."

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.

ALLThanks be to God.
Narrator and reader return to their seats.

The end of the acted part of the service.

PreacherThe Message.
Collectors with the collection bags ready at their places :
  • collector 1 and collector 2 at front;
  • collector 3 and collector 4 at back.
MinisterNow we are going to take the collection and after that there will be the baptism of the twins.
Please stand to sing the collection hymn

"Father, now behold us."

Omitted for copyright reasons; further details.
When collection finished, collectors stand in centre aisle ready to take the bags up to the front.

When the Minister is ready :

  • Carry bags to the front;
  • Place bags in 'plate';
  • Wait while minister prays;
  • Close altar rail gate;
  • Bow to cross on altar;
  • and return to your seats.
MinisterWe now prepare for the baptism of the twins, name and name.
Baptism.

Blessing of Palm Crosses.

Holy Communion.

MinisterPlease stand for our final hymn  :

"Alleluia ! Sing to Jesus".

1.   Alleluia, sing to Jesus !
  His the sceptre, His the throne:
  Alleluia ! - His the triumph,
  His the victory alone.
  Hear the songs of holy Zion
  thunder like a mighty flood:
  "Jesus out of every nation
  Has redeemed us by His blood !"

2.   Alleluia ! - not as orphans
  are we left in sorrow now:
  Alleluia ! - He is near us:
  faith believes, nor questions how.
  Though the cloud from sight received Him
  whom the angels now adore,
  shall our hearts forget His promise,
  "I am with you evermore" ?

3.   Alleluia ! - bread of heaven,
  here on earth our food, our stay:
  Alleluia - here the sinful
  come to you from day to day,
  Intercessor, friend of sinners,
  earth's redeemer, plead for me,
  where the songs of all the sinless
  sweep across the crystal sea.

4.   Alleluia ! King eternal,
  Thee the Lord of lords we own;
  Alleluia ! Born of Mary,
  Earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne :
  Thou within the veil hast entered,
  Robed in flesh, our great High Priest;
  Thou on earth both priest and victim
  In the eucharistic feast.

MinisterPlease remain standing for the Blessing :

BLESSING

PAUSE

We invite you to join us for a cuppa at the back at the end of this service.

Those taking part  :

Collectors, Crucifer, Dove sellers, Family 1, Family 2, Family 3, James, Jesus, John, Minister, Money changers, Narrator, Preacher, Reader, Sheep people, Stage Hand