At-Home Family Worship for Palm Sunday

Every other week we are offering a simple family service for children and families to follow together at home. We hope this can act as another spiritual formation resource for families during this time we cannot meet in-person for worship.

1. GATHER TOGETHER

Gather all of your household participants in one place. Find somewhere in your home that feels comfortable and inviting! You can sit in a circle, perhaps around the dinner table or in the living room. You could even get pillows and sit on the floor! Wherever you are, take a moment to pause and breathe together, maybe light a candle. Then, invite one person to lead the opening prayer.

2. OPENING PRAYER

Prayer leader: The Lord be with You
All: And also with you.
Prayer leader: Let us pray.

Dear God,
Thank you SO much
For bringing us to this time and place.
Please be with us
As we listen, pray, and learn.
And help us remember that,
No matter what,
You will always love us.
Amen.

3. READING

Read together Mark 11:1-11

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus 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.

4. REFLECTION

Watch this re-telling of the Palm Sunday story by Brooke Parker, director of children’s formation.

5. BONUS VIDEO

Watch this version of the Palm Sunday story told with rocks!

6. CLOSING PRAYER

Take a moment to pause. Invite a member of the household to be the prayer leader. If you have palm branches, invite everyone to wave them as the prayer leader reads the following prayer.

Prayer leader:

Praise God, praise God, praise God we say,
welcoming Jesus along the way.
Waving our branches of palms we say,
hosanna, hosanna along the way
Welcome to Jesus, our king.
Praise God, praise God, praise God we sing.
Amen.

From Common Prayer for Children and Families by Seamans & Gamber

These family services are inspired by and adapted from the Family Worship: Home Edition services at Trinity Wall Street in New York City.