A Toe-Tapping Palm Sunday

It wasn't until this past Sunday that I realized I had not really planned or been involved in a more traditional observance of Palm Sunday in five years. You know...the donkey, the road, the Hosannas, the waving palms, and the little children.  In fact, last year I missed out all together because my Palm Sunday involved high fever, aching body, and full blown influenza.

In recent years (other than the last), I have been privileged to share in the Cashiers UMC choir presentation on Palm Sunday.  And what a faithful presentation they offer thanks to Tom Adams (director of music) and Bryan Heller (pianist) and many wonderful choir singers and musicians.  (Although no longer present in Cashiers, I was still able to read online about the powerful message that was offered by the choir once again.)

With this said, my new location this year afforded me the opportunity to share in Palm Sunday with all of its traditional elements as well as some new experiences too.  Thatcham Methodist Church joined with St. Barnabas Church (Anglican) for the morning.  Many of us gathered half an hour early to prepare for our Palm Sunday processional between the two churches.  I had never before processed outdoors on Palm Sunday.  A cross led the way.  We followed along the roads of Thatcham, bearing witness through action of our allegiance to Jesus the King.

Our ecumenical worship enhanced the celebratory and joyful spirit of Palm Sunday, and we altogether were blessed, especially with the parade of children.  In they came, waving their paper towel roll/shredded newspaper palm branches, and they were proclaiming, "Hosanna!  Jesus is coming!  Hosanna!  Jesus is coming!"

As a pastor, it was a joy to see and experience such an uplifting and contagious act of worship.  As a mother, it was simply beautiful to watch my daughter with her palm branch in hand, proclaiming the announcement, "Hosanna!  Jesus is coming," while grinning from ear to ear.  And how wonderful that those very words, "Hosanna!  Jesus is coming," have been echoing in our home and in our cars and in our lives ever since she marched alongside her Sunday school friends on Palm Sunday morning!

Thankfully, my Palm Sunday did not end there.  I finished out the day with an evening service for the older adults and community friends at the local sheltered housing facility in Kingsclere.  With service sheet in one hand and the paper towel roll/shredded newspaper palm branch in the other, I entered for another Palm Sunday celebration.  We opened with our own "Hosannas!" We reflected upon Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  And we sang lots and lots of hymns, which are chosen by this residential community for the services.

As meaningful as it was for me to be leading the Palm Sunday worship service that evening, the highlight came while we were singing our closing hymn, Onward, Christian Soldiers.  If I must be truthful, this probably would not have been one of my song picks for Palm Sunday had I been doing the choosing, but there is no doubt that this hymn, its sound, and its rhythm strike a particular cord and resonate well with this faithful generation of Christians.

"Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before," we proclaimed in song.  And then I noticed it:  the rhythmic toe-tapping.  Almost everyone had at least one foot moving to the marching beat.  Although a moment shared only with myself in my own thoughts, it too was an uplifting and contagious Palm Sunday act of worship.  We marched together, as if on the road!  We marched together, as followers of Jesus the King!  And you can imagine that I marched my way right out of Rose Hodson Court with thanksgiving for this wonderful, toe-tapping Palm Sunday!