PRELUDE: Praise the Lord with Drums and Cymbals by Sigfried Karg-Elert
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
PRAYER OF PRAISE
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Mark 11:7-10
HYMN: All Glory, Laud, and Honor [Valet Will Ich Dir Geben]
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
HYMN: Ride On! Ride On in Majesty [St. Drostane]
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Luke 23:26 AND INTRODUCTION
All choral pieces from Simon Bore the Cross by Margaret Bonds
The Trial
‘Twas on a hot and dusty day, Pilate washed his hands, and told the mob to have its way. The soldiers took my Lord and dragged him away, they cursed him. They kicked him. They took my Lord and cursed his name. They took him and beat him, they took my Lord and they beat him with staves. They put a crown of thorns on his head, they gave him vinegar and gall to drink. Oh, my Lord. [Langston Hughes]
FIRST MEDITATION
Who is that Man?
Maria Schafer, soprano
Who is that man who goes to help my son? Who is he? I never saw him before. Look at his face so strong and full of grace. Who is he? Never in the marketplace have I beheld him. Could my prayers have sent him here? God, keep him strong, and bless his soul, the dark one. Who is that man? [Langston Hughes]
SECOND MEDITATION
Don’t You Know, Mary?
Don’t you know, Mary, the dark one’s name is Simon? Simon of Cyrene bears the cross for Jesus. Oh, Mary, don’t you know? Did you hear, Mary, Simon has come to share his heavy load? Did you hear, Mary? Though high the hill before them and the road ahead is long, don’t you cry, Mary. Simon cries with you, Mary. Simon cried with you Mary. He is strong and fearless, and he heard a mother’s prayer. His name is Simon. Simon takes the cross. Now, Mary, seethe cross, see him raise the cross on his back. Did you hear, Mary? God has sent his servant to walk with Jesus. Black men will share the pain of the cross. In a world, Mary; Simon out of Africa shares your sorrow. Black men will share the pain of the cross. Simon bears the cross, Mary, Simon bears the cross! [Langston Hughes]
THIRD MEDITATION
HYMN: What Wondrous Love Is This [ Wondrous Love]
FOURTH MEDITATION
Walkin’ to Calvary
Heavy laden and weary of heart, Jesus and Simon. Stumbling and staggering, the Christ bore his burden as a man. Never once did he cry out for God to set him free. When the mob that had cursed and reviled cried, “Crucify him!” Brother Simon was by his side. Heavy laden and weary of heart, Jesus and Simon, brothers together, they walked, and the African was strong, trudging on in the dust of humanity’s disgrace. Jesus faltered and Simon the strong now gave him comfort. Brother Simon bore the cross. Jesus, poor little Jesus, walkin’ in the valley of the shadow of Calvary; Simon, walkin’ right beside him with the cross on his back. Onward to the cross. March onward to the cross with its roots in the earth of life, onward to the cross as a symbol of life eternal, the cross of life, the cross that he carried to Calvary. Black Simon bore the cross. Heavy laden and weary of heart, on to Golgotha. Why should the good have to die for the sins of such a lot? Simon thought as he marched, “What a pity and a shame.” Now the king of the Jews had to die, death was his glory. The Cyrenian bore the cross, the African bore the cross, the cross to save our souls, the cross for you and me. Give us mercy, Lord. Jesus, poor little Jesus. Step aside, Simon, he has to walk alone now. Thank you, brother Simon, thank you for helpin’ brother Jesus, walkin’ all alone. [Langston Hughes].
FIFTH MEDITATION
The Crucifixion
They crucified my Lord, and he never said a mumbl’in’ word, not a word. They nailed him to a tree, and he never said a mumbl’in’ word. They pierced him in the side, and he never said a mumbl’in’ word, not a word. He bowed his head and died, and he never said a mumbl’in’ word. [Langston Hughes, based on the Spiritual, “He Never Said a Mumblin’ Word”]
DEPARTURE IN SILENCE
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