Palm Cross - Photo copyright 2012 John M. Kingery
Call to Worship and Petitions: Pastor Kathy Boyes, First United Methodist Church
Let us gather and proclaim the cross of Christ. The cross gathers us to follow Jesus into the city…
WE TAKE UP OUR CROSS TO FOLLOW OUR LORD
Jesus carried his cross through the streets of Jerusalem on this day long ago…
TODAY WE CARRY OUR CROSS THROUGH THE SUFFERING STREETS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
The suffering of people in this city is shared by Jesus…
WE LIFT THIS CROSS OF SUFFERING TO PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS THE CHRIST IS RECONCILING US TO GOD AND EACH OTHER.
We weep, lament, and are sorrowful because of the suffering we see in this city…
BUT TODAY IS GOOD FRIDAY BECAUSE EVEN SUFFERING AND DEATH CANNOT CRUSH HOPE.
God’s reconciling act in Jesus Christ has turned sorrow into joy…
HEAR OUR PRAYERS, OUR STORIES, AND HEAL OUR WORLD, 0 GOD.
Scripture: John 19:14-18
Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover, and it was about noon. He said to the people, “Here is your King!” They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the emperor.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is Golgotha.
LET THE COMMUNITIES OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST AND LIFE TAKE UP THE CROSS
Processional Song: Were You There?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree