Palm Sunday has arrived and  we began our journey to the Cross with our Lord over Holy Week, with a Eucharist which included a procession with Palms and a reading of the Passion Gospel. Father John was the celebrant, and we began in Church with a reading from St Luke (see below) describing how the disciples were sent to collect a donkey for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem with waving palms and cries of Hosannas. We then processed around the Church singing the traditional hymn 'Ride on, ride on, in Majesty'  and carrying our palm crosses. Following the epistle and another hymn, we read the passion gospel read by members of the congregation with Father John reading the words of Our Lord, and the choir shouting out the words of the crowd.

The Eucharist then proceeded and during Communion the Choir sang 'O Saviour if the World' setting by John Goss as the anthem. After every one who wished to had received communion we sang our final hymn and received the blessing.

We then repaired to the Parish Rooms for a coffee and then the Annual Meeting. We read and discussed the report for the year 2021 and remembered what a strange and difficult year that had been. Reports from all of our groups and activities were in the Annual Report, and we re elected out Church Wardens and members of the PCC. We gave thanks for the care and support we have had from Father Roger, Archdeacon Luke and Father John, and also indeed from Bishop Martin, and look forward with enthusiasm to the arrival of Father Chris later in the year.

In Holy Week we will have a service of Stations of the Cross on Wednesday evening, A Eucharist for Maundy Thursday on Thursday evening, a Service of reflection on Good Friday at 2pm, A Service of vigil, including Baptisms, on Easter Eve at 7:30, and finally the Eucharist of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday morning at 10 am. All are welcome to these services as you follow the Easter Story to its triumphant conclusion of the Resurrection!

 Luke 19:28-40

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 

When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, 

at the place called the Mount of Olives, 

he sent two of the disciples, saying, 

"Go into the village ahead of you, 

and as you enter it you will find tied there 

a colt that has never been ridden. 

Untie it and bring it here. 

If anyone asks you, "Why are you untying it?' 

just say this, "The Lord needs it.' "

So those who were sent departed 

and found it as he had told them.

As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 

"Why are you untying the colt?" 

They said, "The Lord needs it." 

Then they brought it to Jesus; 

and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, 

they set Jesus on it. 

As he rode along, 

people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 

As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, 

the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully 

with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, 

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! 

Peace in heaven, 

and glory in the highest heaven!" 

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, 

"Teacher, order your disciples to stop." 

He answered, "I tell you, 

if these were silent, the stones would shout out." 

A reading fromt he letter of Paul to the Philippians.

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 humbld 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. 

Hear the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. 

They began to accuse him, saying, 

"We found this man perverting our nation, 

forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, 

and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king." 

hen Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

 He answered, "You say so."

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,

 "I find no basis for an accusation against this man. 

But they were insistent and said, 

"He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, 

from Galilee where he began even to this place." 

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 

And when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, 

he sent him off to Herod, 

who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 

When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad,

for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, 

because he had heard about him 

and was hoping to see him perform some sign. 

He questioned him at some length, 

but Jesus gave him no answer. 

The chief priests and the scribes stood by, 

vehemently accusing him. 

Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; 

then he put an elegant robe on him, 

and sent him back to Pilate. 

That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; 

before this they had been enemies. 

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, 

and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; 

and here I have examined him in your presence 

and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him 

Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. 

Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. 

I will therefore have him flogged and release him." 

Now he was obliged to release someone for them at the festival.

Then they all shouted out together, 

"Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!" 

(This was a man who had been put in prison 

for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; 

but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!"

A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? 

I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; 

I will therefore have him flogged and then release him." 

But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts 

that he should be crucified; 

and their voices prevailed. 

So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. 

He released the man they asked for,

 the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, 

and he handed Jesus over as they wished. 

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, 

who was coming from the country, 

and they laid the cross on him, 

and made him carry it behind Jesus. 

A great number of the people followed him, 

and among them were women 

who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. 

But Jesus turned to them and said, 

"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, 

but weep for yourselves and for your children. 

For the days are surely coming when they will say, 

"Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, 

and the breasts that never nursed.' 

Then they will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us'; 

and to the hills, "Cover us.' 

For if they do this when the wood is green, 

what will happen when it is dry?" 

Two others also, who were criminals, 

were led away to be put to death with him. 

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, 

they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, 

one on his right and one on his left. 

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; 

for they do not know what they are doing."

 And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 

And the people stood by, watching; 

but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, 

"He saved others; 

let him save himself 

if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" 

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 

and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 

There was also an inscription over him, 

"This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there 

kept deriding him and saying,

 "Are you not the Messiah? 

Save yourself and us!" 

But the other rebuked him, saying, 

"Do you not fear God, 

since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 

And we indeed have been condemned justly, 

for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds,

 but this man has done nothing wrong." 

Then he said, 

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 

Jesus replied, 

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." 

It was now about noon,

 and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 

while the sun's light failed;

and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 

Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 

"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."

 Having said this, he breathed his last. 

Then the centurian sawe what had taken place,

he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent." 

And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle 

saw what had taken place, 

they returned home, beating their breasts. 

But all his acquaintances, 

including the women who had followed him from Galilee, 

stood at a distance, watching these things.