Palm Sunday, Year A

​It was a different kind of day. Crowds gathered. Palms and coats spread. Something, someone disruptive was coming and nothing would be the same by week’s end, or ever. The whole city was involved. It turns out Jesus had a guy (or a woman) or two he could count on—for a donkey, of all things, or an upper room—a vast network of disciples and partners and allies spilling out of the story! And resistance. 
For those of us who find great comfort and meaning in the cycle of stories the church year brings Palm Sunday or Palm-Passion Sunday ranks up there for its knitting together of energy and splendor and pathos.
 
And for its disruption.
 
What does it mean to belong to something like this story in this day given what we know and what we don’t? How might we map the experience, name it? What would others say about it that might teach and expand our knowing? The St. Andrew Learning group has found many of our questions and much of our curiosity organized around this notion of belonging. And we want to learn from you. We want to explore together.
 
Where do we feel connected? What does it feel like? Sound like? Smell like? Look like? How do you know when you belong? When do you feel excluded or like you don’t have a place?
 
This Sunday we hope you will join us for something just a little different—a conversation together, an opportunity for reflection and curiosity. We will not worship in our normal pattern, but the elements of our worship will still be present.

• there will not be communion, but we will break bread and good food together
• there will not be choir but we will share music together
• there will not be a sermon but we will learn together

 
We will start at our usual 10:00am time but plan to stay just a little longer, until noon. We will gather around tables and good conversation hosted by our learning group, including Karla Kallberg, Raiden Kallberg, Melet Whinston, Jill Jones, Bob Seel, Julie Kae Sigars, Maggie Breen and Scott Anderson.
 
If you can’t be physically present you can still join us on Zoom. Here’s the link. Your voices may be some of the most important.

Readings: Matthew 21:1-11 † Psalm 118 † Isaiah 50:4-9a † Psalm 31:9-16 † Philippians 2:5-11 † Matthew 27:11-54
 
About the Art: Knitted swatch by Jake Shirey. Card design by Barbara Anderson. This is an image from a series of cards produced for Lent, 2023, this theme based on resources from Scott Anderson. 

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We are so grateful to be gathering in person. If you can't join us, you can watch the service in real-time. Join us in person or, this Sunday only, join us on Zoom (link above) live Sunday morning, 10:00am. 

​We continue to keep our financial commitments to our mission partners and staff. If you are not yet able to join us, thank you for remembering to send in your financial pledges and offerings or donating here.