Hampstead Congregational Church
March 29, 2026
Palm & Passion Sunday
No Matter Who You Are or Where You Are on Life’s
Journey,
You are Welcome Here!
Order of Worship
Prelude Herb Tardiff
Greetings and Announcements
Call to Worship (responsive) Barry Sargent
Leader: We gather together in this place.
People: Raising our branches in joy!
Leader: Joining all who wish to see Jesus
People: eager for a healing touch, a blessing received.
Leader: We gather together in this place.
People: Raising our branches in hope!
Leader: Joining all who wish to hear Jesus
People: longing for a message of welcome and acceptance on our journey.
Leader: We gather together in this place.
People: Laying down our branches in fear.
Leader: Wondering if we are able to walk with Jesus
People: through the week ahead, through anguish, accusations, despair.
Leader: We gather together in this place.
People: Waving branches of prayer.
All: Walking toward the Cross, and the empty tomb.
Invocation (unison) Barry Sargent
Humble God, you have shown us the way to enter all the Jerusalems of this world. You showed us not to enter our lives with fear, but with humility and courage. As we worship this day, we draw upon your example of Jesus on that humble donkey, and we raise our palm branches in rejoicing! We raise our voices, shouting along with your people of every age, “Hosanna in the highest!” Come and save us this day, O Jesus of Jerusalem. Amen.
Passing of the Peace of Christ
(Feel free to pass the peace by shaking hands, offering hugs or waves. Those who would like to share peace without physical contact are invited to place their hands over their hearts in greeting.)
*Opening Hymn: 
Children’s Message
Special Music
SHADOW DRAMA –
BASED ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Matthew 21: 1-11; Matthew 26:14 – 27:66 based on The Message
Including: NC # 219 Journey to Gethsemane - v 1, 2 & 3
NC # 226 O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Call for Concerns & Celebrations
(Please write joys and concerns on the papers in the baskets in the pews and pass them to an usher. The Congregational Response is: “Hear Our Prayers”)
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin
The Lord’s Prayer:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Call to Offering
*Doxology: “
Praise God throughout these 40 days,
Praise Christ, our Lord, whom God did raise,
And praise the Spirit who imparts
God’s love in Christ into our hearts”
*Prayer of Dedication Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin
God of the great shouts of hope, just as you received the voices of the crowd upon your entry into Jerusalem, receive these gifts as an expression of our joy and gratitude. Take our voices and our offerings and use them to proclaim your salvation to all people. Amen and Amen.
*Hymn of Going Forth: 
*Benediction Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin
Beloved, as we move into the week ahead, may God bless you with the insight to know the way of Jesus, the courage to hold firm to the way of Jesus when the crowds try to lead you astray, and the strength to follow the way of Jesus, the way of God’s steadfast love that never fails. Amen.
Music Usage permitted through OneLicense HCC License # A-730412 and CCLI License Number 2927783. All rights reserved.
Special Thanks to Our Shadow Drama Cast: Barry Sargent and Debra Sawyer as Narrators, Al Lake as the Light Operator, Anna and Grayson Salvo, Kevin Williams, Elias and David Siwacki, TJ Arndt, and Julian Malcolm as shadows. Thanks to Joanne Klawitter for directing this year, to Brad Robie for creating our screen and to Debra Sawyer for creating the props. And special thanks to Debra for organizing all of our Lenten dramatic readers through the season!
