Dear friends,
I pray that you and your loved ones have continued to feel the love and embrace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through these times while we have been away from each other.
On this day we join with millions of other Christians around the world for Palm Sunday. We commemorate the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9), when palm branches were placed in his path and the people shouted “Hosanna!” (That word actually means “save now,” that time they needed saving from the tyrannical and brutal Roman empire) before his arrest on Holy Thursday and his crucifixion on Good Friday. It thus marks the beginning of Holy Week and the final week of Lent.
Today we cry “Hosanna”, for God to save us not only from the Pandemic of the Corona Virus, but also from everything else that has bound / tied us.
Universally the hymn “All Glory Laud and Honor” is sung on this day: Here is an interesting story about this hymn “According to the legend as told by Clichtoveus, in his Elucidatorium, 1516, the hymn was composed and written in the 9th century by Theodulph of Orleans and first sung on a certain Sunday when he was imprisoned in Angers for participating in the rebellion of Bernard of Italy. Emperor Louis was present that day as the procession moved through the city and halted beneath the tower where the saint was imprisoned. The emperor heard from above the Gloria Laus, chanted loudly and melodiously. Being charmed, he asked the name of the singer and was told that it was his own prisoner, Theodulph. Moved with compassion for him, the emperor pardoned the saint, returned him to his see and ordered that henceforth the hymn which Theodulph had composed be sung on Palm Sunday.”
I pray that we can take a moment together with our loved ones and sing the 3rd stanza or Pray the words out loud;
To you before your passion, they sang their hymns of praise; to you, now high exalted, our melody we raise.
As you received their praises, accept the prayers we bring, for you delight in goodness, O good and gracious King!
Please find a link to our Palm Sunday service and sermon here https://youtu.be/uUulgkfjEK0 If this does not work please find it our website, www.saintpeterschurch.net/category/sermonvideoarchive/ Our bulletin is also attached below.
I love you, I miss you and I am praying for you.
Fr. Sam.
“During the current emergency situation, it is as important as ever for parishioners to maintain their pledge contributions, if that is feasible. We all know that jobs and incomes may be impacted by this situation, so the request is to sustain giving if you can. In order to make that as easy as possible, St. Peter’s has an online system called Realm to enable direct giving to suit your needs, either one-time payments or ongoing scheduled payments. If you would like to register to use the Realm system please send an email to Vestry accounting warden Frank Rothenberger at franklin.rothenberger@gmail.com“