A friend recently told me that members of her church are making Palm Cross wreaths to put on their front doors for Holy Week. It struck me as a great idea. Why not have a go at making such a wreath to mark Holy Week where you live. We may not be able to come together at Church to mark its start but we can mark it at home.

Although we use crosses made from palm leaves it used to be the custom that whatever branches/leaves were in season were used as appropriate to one's location. The crowd in Jerusalem 2000 odd years ago used palms as they were what they had. We could use branches coming in to leaf or ivy and other evergreens to mark this season of Passiontide. 

Almighty God, 

bless our crosses (+) that they may be for us 

signs of Christ's victory over sin and death;

and bless us this Passion-tide as we

journey with Christ towards his Cross on Good Friday.

Amen.

Pilate washes his hands of Jesus and the
crowd shouts; ‘Crucify him!’
All those who are despised and rejected because of their
race, colour, poverty, gender or disabilities are like Jesus.
We see no beauty in them and it is all too easy to wash our
hands of them.
Help us Lord to see the Christ in all your people; to
challenge our own prejudices and preferences and to
reach out to all who need our help. Amen.

Please pray for all our healthcare workers and all who are putting others before themselves at this time.

God go before you to lead you, 

God go behind you to protect you,

God go beneath you to support you,

God go beside you to befriend you.

Do not be afraid God is with you.

Amen.