28/03/21
Worship & news from Benwell & Scotswood
Giotto, The Entry into Jerusalem, c.1305
Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy
LISTEN
Podcast service:
Including a dramatic version of the Passion.
Farsi translation / خطبه
NEWS
Clocks go forward on Saturday night!
Don't forget to put your clocks forward 1 hour, or you'll miss church! Sorry to say you'll be losing an hour of sleep, but we'll try and make it worth getting up with a spectacular Palm Sunday service.
Holy Week begins
Holy Week begins today. Check out our dedicated page for all the info on how to take part.
Don't forget we will also say Compline (a service of night prayer lasting only 10-15 minutes) on Zoom tonight at 9pm.
Worship to return to St James' after Easter
From Sunday 11th April our Team worship will return to St James'. As things get a bit warmer St James' will become more comfortable, and as vaccinations are rolled out we expect more people to come to church in person, so we think this will be a good time to return to our largest building.
As lockdown eases in the near future we hope to open up all of our buildings for worship, but we intend to take things cautiously and do so once it is safe and sustainable.
Final Church at Home Podcast on Easter Day
As more people return to worship in-person or access the live stream, we have noticed a downturn in those using our audio services. We think it's best to adapt to what people need and want, so we have come to the decision that Easter day will be our final podcast worship.
This weekly newsletter will continue to be emailed out, and we will continue to live-stream, print out paper copies of Church at Home for those without internet, and translate and record the sermon in Farsi. And of course we promise to keep thinking of new and creative ways to reach people!
We would especially like to thank James and Claire Lewis, who have worked tirelessly to produce the audio for our services throughout the pandemic. As well as everyone who has contributed with readings, singing, music, sermons and more. It has been an incredible effort and joy to produce these services, and it is a testament to how adaptable and creative our congregations are.
Free and cheap meals in the local area
Cornerstone:
Every Wednesday you can order cheap hot meals from Cornerstone. Get your orders in by Wednesday 10am for free delivery within 2 miles of Cornerstone. Call 0191 2260941 or drop them a message on Facebook. Find out more here >
Foodcycle:
From 19th April FoodCycle Benwell will dish up free, nutritious meals for the local community every Monday from 7pm - 8pm. Find out more here >
WORSHIP TEXTS
Intro hymn
Make way, make way For Christ the King In splendour arrives Fling wide the gates and welcome Him Into your lives
Make way! (Make way!) Make way! (Make way!) For the King of kings (For the King of kings) Make way! (Make way!) Make way! (Make way!) And let His kingdom in
He comes the broken hearts to heal The prisoners to free The deaf shall hear, the lame shall dance The blind shall see
And those who mourn with heavy hearts Who weep and sigh With laughter, joy and royal crown He'll beautify
We call you now to worship Him As Lord of all To have no gods before Him Their thrones must fall!
Opening prayer
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 Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Palm Gospel
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.” ’ They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Mark 11.1–11
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ!
Collect
True and humble king,
hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant us the faith to know you and love you,
that we may be found beside you
on the way of the cross,
which is the path of glory. Amen.
Reading
A reading from St Paul’s letter 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 humbled 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.
Philippians 2.5–11
This is the word of the Lord.
(Thanks be to God).
The Passion
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.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?’ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’ Then he asked, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’ So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’ Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, “I am God’s Son.” ’ The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way. From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘This man is calling for Elijah.’ At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.’ Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’
Matthew 27.11-54
This is the Passion of the Lord.
Prayers of intercession
Intentions:
· James, Christina and baby Xavier
· Ali Zareie and his family
· Jill Sorley,
· Joyce Phillips,
· George Snowden,
· the Riches family,
· Dee Humphrey,
· Claire Mozaffari,
· Eric Harling,
· Herbert Agbeko,
· Anastasia Miklewright,
· Margaret Wall,
· all affected by Covid 19
We stand with Christ in his suffering.
For forgiveness for the many times we have denied Jesus,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
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.
Lord, have mercy.
For Christian people,
that through the suffering of disunity
there may grow a rich union in Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
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.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who still make Jerusalem a battleground,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who have the courage and honesty to work openly for justice and peace,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those in the darkness and agony of isolation,
that they may find support and encouragement,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who, weighed down with hardship, failure, or sorrow, feel that God is far from them,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who are tempted to give up the way of the cross,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
That we, with those who have died in faith,
may find mercy in the day of Christ,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
Lord's Prayer
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Conclusion
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
And the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Be with us all evermore.
Amen.
Final hymn
O Sacred heart, O love Divine
Do keep us near to Thee
And make our love so like to Thine
That we may holy be
Heart of Jesus hear O heart of love Divine Listen to our prayer Make us always Thine
O temple pure, O house of gold
Our heaven here below
What sweet delight, what wealth untold
From Thee do ever flow
Ungrateful hearts, forgetful hearts The hearts of all have been To wound Thy side with cruel darts Which they have made by sin