Sunday – 5 April – Palm Sunday

Posted by occwebsite
04th Apr 2020

Welcome to OCC online

We invite you into listening to our God as you pray, as you enter into worship, as you read the Scripture. Listen and respond to him.

Palm Sunday Pandemic Prayer

On this Palm Sunday, things are different.
No children waving palm branches in processions,
no collective singing of hosannas, loud hosannas,
no exultant crowds, here or anywhere.
The streets are quiet.
What resonates is the image of you, Jesus,
weeping over Jerusalem,
crying for a people surrounded by enemies,
who do not know the things that make for peace.
Our tiny, lethal enemy is invisible to the naked eye.
We jump when people cough,
we eye each other suspiciously,
not knowing where the danger is lurking.
We fear for all the vulnerable,
and we fear for ourselves.
As our lives are overturned,
and restrictions are put in place,
it’s not business as usual
and economic worries are added to the mix.
Anxiety settles like a dense cloud
over all the world.
We need you more than ever, Jesus.
You arrive humbly, unnoticed by many,
cheered by some.
You arrive in the early morning cars
of health workers showing up for their shifts.
You arrive on eighteen wheels as truckers
unload groceries and essential supplies.
You arrive by public transit as scientists
head to their labs day in and day out,
searching diligently for a virus vaccine.
You arrive on foot as neighbours
deliver meals to seniors stranded at home.
You arrive in the ricochet of signals off satellites,
as cyberspace messages of love circle our globe;
millions reaching out to say,
“Are you OK? I miss you.”
God, hear our prayer
from the lonesome valleys
of this world wide pandemic.
Open our hearts to the possibility
that today is the day of our visitation;
you walk triumphantly through closed doors,
meeting us when others cannot come.
Accept our solitary hosannas,
and gather us together in prayer:
“Blessed is the One
who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Worship songs

Here is a link to worship songs for Palm Sunday, selected by pastor Brent.

Praying for others

  • those at OCC & in our family and friendship circles with health needs, especially for those whose tests and procedures have been delayed.
  • those at OCC & in our family and friendship circles who have family/friends in nursing homes and hospitals
  • those at OCC & in our family and friendship circles with anxiety, depression and other mental health struggles
  • those at OCC & in our family and friendship circles who have lost loved ones
  • for all of those who are working in the health care field
  • for those who are still working retail, so the rest of us can get the supplies we need
  • for those who are learning to work from home, especially those who are learning to homeschool at the same time
  • for children and youth whose lives are being changed

Palm Sunday

The Normal Christian Life… life is not normal… but we can enter into what God is working in us in this not normal time.

Here’s the song I referenced: Learning To Sit With Not Knowing – Carrie Newcomer

Lament… when you hear that word, what do you

  • think,
  • hear,
  • feel
  • imagine?

In these days of lament when we are missing so much…

  • what is God doing in your heart?
  • what is God teaching you about himself?

Check out this page every day this week for Scripture and some reflection questions as we walk through Holy Week.

A reminder as well that we are meeting tonight (5 April) via Zoom at 6:30pm to prayer. Go to this post to get the link.

 

Who are the people around you who need reaching out to you in this season?
Are you connecting with them? Making some phone calls? Sending some messages?

  • family
  • neighbours
  • friends

Who are the people the Holy Spirit is nudging you… “give them a call… see if they need anything… find out how they are doing… do they need some encouragement, someone to talk to.

All of this is part of the normal way of life for followers of Jesus, all of the time, but especially in a time that is anything but normal.

Giving – Finances

Expenses at OCC continue. The Leadership Team at OCC wants to thank you for your faithfulness in giving to the ministry of OCC.
There are several ways you can give during this time:

  • You can drop your offering off at the OCC building, either when there is someone in the building or through the mail slot (in the front glass panel, nearest to the driveway).
  • You can mail your offering to
    OCC
    64 Colborne St E
    Orillia, ON, L3V 1T6
  • You can give by e-transfer. Use the following email address when using e-transfer for your offering: finance@occweb.org.
    You may be asked to provide a security question and answer, however, you do not need to send this to OCC.
    Our e-transfer is set up with security so that we can receive it automatically without needing to answer the question.
  • You can give via PayPal. The easiest way to go to occweb.org/online-giving/ and click on the donate button.