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Church services were held throughout the country on Sunday to mark Palm Sunday, one of the most important events on the Christian calendar. Palm Sunday marks the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem a week before his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. Palm Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday and it marks the beginning of the Passion Week or the Holy Week. At the Calvary Methodist Church at Community Three, Tema, Rev Delight Macegan Adzes advised Christians to stand firm in the face of challenges and obstacles in their daily lives, reports Albert Sam. He explained that Jesus Christ had overcome the world, its difficulties and challenges and, therefore, Christians had nothing to fear. He said God had created all people to excel, not to remain stagnant, since He had given them diverse abilities, talents and wisdom to transform the environment in which they found themselves. Situating his sermon on Isaiah 50:7, Rev Adzes assured the congregation that God would help them individually and collectively, adding that they would never be disgraced. At the Kasevich Presbyterian Church in Accra, worshipers arrived at the chapel as early as 6.30 a.m. for the first service. holding well-woven and decorated palm fronds, reports Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah Apart from the sermon, the youth choir of the church treated the congregation to hymns and anthems, most of which had �Hosanna in the highest� running through them. The congregants waved their palm fronds as they danced to music provided by the church�s brass band and chanted, �Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord�. In a sermon on the theme; �Suffering for a purpose�, Reverend Martin Osei Adu spoke about how Jesus suffered for a good cause and urged Christians not to lose hope when they encountered difficulties. Preaching the sermon at the First Mass at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra, the Very Rev Fr John Louis said Christ won victory through His suffering and death and encouraged Christians to stand firm in order to be victorious every day of their lives, reports Rebecca Kwei. He said PALM stood for Prayer, Adoration, Lifestyle (good lifestyle) and Mercy and urged Christians to be prayerful, worship God, lead good lives and pray for the grace of mercy to forgive those who offended them. �Anytime we wave our palm fronds of prayer, adoration, good lifestyle and deeds of mercy, may the angels respond with their worship in heaven. Amen! And may we one day be part of the heavenly saints with palm fronds and witness the angels prostrating before the throne of God,� he prayed. In a message to mark the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the Chief Servant of the Logos Rhema Foundation, Accra, Rev Abu Bako, urged Ghanaians to welcome God into their lives, homes, communities and the nation, reports Mark-Anthony Vinorkor. He also urged them to demonstrate humility, love for one another and allow Christ to �have His way in our lives�. He also appealed to Ghanaians to be peacemakers in every aspect of their lives and persevere in doing good, no matter the odds. Worshippers at the Divine Mercy Catholic Church at Okponglo began the marking of Palm Sunday with a procession led by the church�s brass band, reports Ama Achiaa Amankwaa. In a sermon, Rev Father Samuel Kwaku Korkordi said Jesus, the merciful Saviour, brought salvation to mankind and encouraged Christians to work hard in order to keep that flame alive. He said Christians should be willing to forgive others for them to be forgiven by their Maker. �Even on the cross, Jesus forgave His executioners,� he said. Rev Korkordi also urged parishioners to remain holy at all times, not only during the Holy Week or Passion Week. The Accra Diocese of the Anglican Church used the occasion of Palm Sunday to launch the signage of the new bishop at the St Joseph�s Church, writes Ruby Efe Ani-Adjei The signage, with the tag line, �If you build, they would come�, marks the bishop�s new vision for the Anglican Church in Accra. The new Bishop, Rt Rev Dr Daniel Torto, was enthroned on November 11, 2012 following the retirement of the former bishop in October 2012. Preaching the sermon, the Vicar of the St Joseph the Worker Anglican Church, Rev. Canon Major Nii Addy Laryea (retd), called on Ghanaians to avail themselves of the saving powers Jesus to restore His temple and holiness in their hearts. He said the nation needed God�s restoration to overcome its challenges and urged that �we dedicate our time, trust and talent to Him as vessels to bring salvation to men�. He advised Christians to recognise the waving of palm fronds as a significant thanksgiving to the Lord in the Feast of the Tabernacle and urged them to use their God-given power to preach the Gospel to win souls for Him. From the Enyan Denkyira in the Central Region, Kweku Gyasi Essel reports that Rev Tony Takyi Elegba of the Berean Assemblies of God Church based his sermon on Hebrew 11 emphasising the seventh verse, which talks about Noah. He charged all Christians to do things that would make them heroes in the sight of God. He encouraged Christians to see righteousness and faith as the most important elements of the worship of God in order to attract His blessings. �Forget about your life in the past and press for righteousness and faith to became a hero, for Noah was nobody but righteous and man of faith and became a hero upon exercising his faith in God,� Rev. Elegba said.