When you hear the words, "Compassionate God", please respond with "Hear our Prayers".

We worship You God of Love. You did not enter your holy city Jerusalem on the back of a war horse, but humbly and on a donkey. You knew that you were surrounded by murderers, yet you came in peace, and by your sacrifice you would conquer death before the week had passed. Loving God, when you entered Jerusalem the crowd rejoiced. But some, perhaps, found rejoicing hard. Some needed your healing touch, the compassion of your presence. We pray for all who suffer in mind or body and for those who care for them. We pray for the sick; for those who mourn. We pray especially for all those named in our Prayer List, and the people who received prayer shawls. We pray for any known to us who are in special need of our prayers at this time, especially those known personally to us. We remember them and say their names out loud or in our hearts...    ... Compassionate God...    "Hear our Prayers".

We pray for people in parts of the world where life is precarious, whether through poverty, disease, oppression, or war We think of Peacemakers and peacekeepers serving throughout the world and for their families at home. We pray for Jamie Macbeth as she goes back to Nairobi to work among young people living in the poorest parts of that city. We remember our brothers and sisters at Nyanyadzi Methodist Church in Zimbabwe In our Kootenay Presbytery Prayer Roster we pray for the congregation of Cranbrook United Church and in World Council of Churches Prayer Cycle we remember the people of China, Hong Kong, Macao. Loving God, we pray for people of every race and belief, and in every kind of need: make your ways known on earth, your saving power among nations. Compassionate God...    "Hear our Prayers".

Faithful God, we pray for ourselves. As you entered the city on that first Palm Sunday, the crowds shouted their loyalty, yet you were soon betrayed and deserted. Our lives have humbler highs and lows; help us—individually and in our sharing together—to learn from the ups and downs of life, to know and experience you in every moment. Watch over us this Holy Week and draw us nearer to you in faith, hope and love. And now, gathering our prayers and praises into one, we say together the prayer Jesus taught us: