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What is Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday Services
Palm/Passion Sunday is April 13th, 2025; we hope you'll plan to worship with PCPC!
All morning services will include festive processions of palms.
All who desire to be a part of the Palm Sunday Procession are welcome to gather at 8:30 and 11:00 am under the portico outside the sanctuary door, where you will receive a palm branch. Those who aren't a part of the Children's or Chancel choirs will join the procession following one of the pastors after the choir's entry. All worship participants are encouraged to be a part of the Palm Sunday Processional by waving their palms during the processional hymn.
We want to prepare you for a different pattern in the regarding options for your children depending on their age. The Children's Message appears earlier in the service. You will also note there are a good bit of heavy readings and solemn music to follow the Children's Message for the remainder of the service.
Worship Bags are available in the Narthex. The bags contain visuals that go along with some of the scripture content. We even suggest reading the scripture as a family ahead of time or sharing with them the tone they can expect will help prepare everyone to experience this service. Your family may also need help processing what they heard and felt following the service. I'm grateful to Anna Shuford for choosing appropriate books in the Fellowship Hall you can check out regarding the Easter Story. She also created content on the webpage for Holy Week, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Worship options available:
Palm Procession - any child or adult is invited to wave palms as part of the processional in the Traditional Worship Services by gathering in the Courtyard prior to the 8:30 and 11:00 am worship services with Rev. John Reiter.
Following the Children's Message in the 8:30 & 11:00 am Traditional Service, all children will return to their families and explore visual elements of Easter in the worship bags located in the Narthex. Or Godly Play is available for children in Pre-K 3 - 1st Grade.
Following the Children's Message in the 9:00 am Contemporary Service, the Prayground will be open. Or Godly Play is open for children in Pre-K 3 - 1st Grade. There will be ample children's materials available if children remain with their families during the service.
Nursery is available at any time during the 8:30 am, 9:00 am, and 11:00 am services for infants and preschoolers (and truly any child that needs it).
Signs will be up to show you the way to the Nursery and Godly Play
All morning services will include festive processions of palms.
All who desire to be a part of the Palm Sunday Procession are welcome to gather at 8:30 and 11:00 am under the portico outside the sanctuary door, where you will receive a palm branch. Those who aren't a part of the Children's or Chancel choirs will join the procession following one of the pastors after the choir's entry. All worship participants are encouraged to be a part of the Palm Sunday Processional by waving their palms during the processional hymn.
We want to prepare you for a different pattern in the regarding options for your children depending on their age. The Children's Message appears earlier in the service. You will also note there are a good bit of heavy readings and solemn music to follow the Children's Message for the remainder of the service.
Worship Bags are available in the Narthex. The bags contain visuals that go along with some of the scripture content. We even suggest reading the scripture as a family ahead of time or sharing with them the tone they can expect will help prepare everyone to experience this service. Your family may also need help processing what they heard and felt following the service. I'm grateful to Anna Shuford for choosing appropriate books in the Fellowship Hall you can check out regarding the Easter Story. She also created content on the webpage for Holy Week, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Worship options available:
Palm Procession - any child or adult is invited to wave palms as part of the processional in the Traditional Worship Services by gathering in the Courtyard prior to the 8:30 and 11:00 am worship services with Rev. John Reiter.
Following the Children's Message in the 8:30 & 11:00 am Traditional Service, all children will return to their families and explore visual elements of Easter in the worship bags located in the Narthex. Or Godly Play is available for children in Pre-K 3 - 1st Grade.
Following the Children's Message in the 9:00 am Contemporary Service, the Prayground will be open. Or Godly Play is open for children in Pre-K 3 - 1st Grade. There will be ample children's materials available if children remain with their families during the service.
Nursery is available at any time during the 8:30 am, 9:00 am, and 11:00 am services for infants and preschoolers (and truly any child that needs it).
Signs will be up to show you the way to the Nursery and Godly Play
Bible Reading
Jesus Visits Jerusalem (Luke 19:29-40)
What kind of trips do you like to take with your family or friends? Have you gone on trips in your city or town or farther away? Did you go on a plane, on a train, in a bus, or by car?
Jesus traveled to cities and small towns to teach the people about God's love. One of the most important trips he took was to Jerusalem, the special Holy City.
While he was there, Jesus gave two of the disciples a special task. He said to them, "Go into the village. There you will find a young donkey that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. I want to ride it into Jerusalem."
The disciples were surprised Jesus wanted a donkey to ride, because he always walked everywhere he went. But they loved Jesus and knew he was an important teacher, so they did what he asked. Jesus told them if anyone asked why they were taking the donkey, they should tell them that he needed it.
They went into the village and found the donkey, just like Jesus had told them. They brought the donkey back to Jesus. The disciples laid cloths on its back so that Jesus could rid it.
Now Jesus was ready to ride into Jerusalem. The people following him began to cheer. Crowds lined the streets. Some people joined the disciples and spread their cloaks on the road to welcome Jesus. Others wondered why everyone was so excited about a man entering the city on a donkey. Powerful rulers rode big war horses.
The disciples praised Jesus, singing and shouting for joy because of God's love for them. The people welcomed Jesus with blessings, saying "Peace!" The people who knew Jesus and his teachings about love and peace were excited that he was in Jerusalem. They expected great things from this teacher from Galilee.
Some teachers of the law (called the Pharisees) were in the crowd. They did not like Jesus being praised so much when he was not a king. They also worried that Jesus would upset the Roman officials. They thought he didn't deserve all this celebration because he was only a teacher riding a donkey. They said to Jesus, "Teacher Jesus, tell your disciples to stop praising you like a king! It's not the right thing to do because you're not our king!"
Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, if they were silent and did not sing praises the very stones on this earth beneath us would shout out."
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell
Jesus traveled to cities and small towns to teach the people about God's love. One of the most important trips he took was to Jerusalem, the special Holy City.
While he was there, Jesus gave two of the disciples a special task. He said to them, "Go into the village. There you will find a young donkey that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. I want to ride it into Jerusalem."
The disciples were surprised Jesus wanted a donkey to ride, because he always walked everywhere he went. But they loved Jesus and knew he was an important teacher, so they did what he asked. Jesus told them if anyone asked why they were taking the donkey, they should tell them that he needed it.
They went into the village and found the donkey, just like Jesus had told them. They brought the donkey back to Jesus. The disciples laid cloths on its back so that Jesus could rid it.
Now Jesus was ready to ride into Jerusalem. The people following him began to cheer. Crowds lined the streets. Some people joined the disciples and spread their cloaks on the road to welcome Jesus. Others wondered why everyone was so excited about a man entering the city on a donkey. Powerful rulers rode big war horses.
The disciples praised Jesus, singing and shouting for joy because of God's love for them. The people welcomed Jesus with blessings, saying "Peace!" The people who knew Jesus and his teachings about love and peace were excited that he was in Jerusalem. They expected great things from this teacher from Galilee.
Some teachers of the law (called the Pharisees) were in the crowd. They did not like Jesus being praised so much when he was not a king. They also worried that Jesus would upset the Roman officials. They thought he didn't deserve all this celebration because he was only a teacher riding a donkey. They said to Jesus, "Teacher Jesus, tell your disciples to stop praising you like a king! It's not the right thing to do because you're not our king!"
Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, if they were silent and did not sing praises the very stones on this earth beneath us would shout out."
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell
Palm Sunday Spoken Word by WeatherStone Church
This video is 4:21 minutes
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think people lined up to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem?
- How do you think they knew about Jesus and that he was coming into town?
- Why were they shouting hosanna?
- What do you think made them think Jesus was deserving of their praise and adoration?
- Why did they believe that Jesus could save them?
- Why did the Pharisees want Jesus to stop them from shouting hosanna?
- What do you think it means that even the stones would shout out?
- If Jesus came to your town, where would you be?
- How would you know to show up to welcome Jesus?
- What would you be shouting and why?
- Who would want to stop the outward praise of Jesus today?
- What do you think is the meaning of Palm Sunday?
I Wonder....
- What the people waving palm branches might have seen, heard, or thought when Jesus rode by on the donkey?
- How Jesus felt when he was riding through Jerusalem?
- What Jesus was thinking as he rode on the donkey into Jerusalem?
- How people knew to lay and wave palm branches?
- If you remember a time that was very exciting.
- Why palm branches?
- How his disciples felt when they were walking with Jesus into Jerusalem?
- Why did Jesus ride in on a donkey?
A Prayer on Palm Sunday said by Pastor John Debevoise at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church
This video is 2:43 minutes long
Videos
Godly Play
This video is 5:11 minutes long
Crossroad Kids' Club
This video is 2:47 minutes long
Saddleback Kids
This video is 3:07 minutes long
Holy Moly
This video is 5:22 minutes long
Songs
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All Glory Laud and Honor (Traditional Service Processional) at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church
This video is 3:35 minutes
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Palm Processional at PCPC's Connection Service
This video is 3:44 minutes
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Books
Click the image of books and it will take you straight to the Story Path page for Palm Sunday. Story Path is a resource from the Center of Excellence in Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary. Story Path equips parents and all who nurture faith by connecting God's stories in our lives so that we see the presence of God in everyday life.