Deep Rivers of Joy

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF EASTERTIDE
MOTHER’S DAY SUNDAY
May 11, 2025

PRELUDE: For the Beauty of the Earth Mark Hayes
CALL TO WORSHIP:

One: Friends of Jesus, by his death we are forgiven and set free.
All: Alleluia!
One: By his rising we are filled with courage.
All: Alleluia!
One: By his love we find ourselves rejoicing.
All: Alleluia! Thanks be to God!

OPENING HYMN:    Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth   GTG#7 
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:

All: Boundless goodness, wellspring of the world’s joy, sometimes we pray as if you are far away. Sometimes we move through the day as if you were distant and hard to find. Forgive us when we fail to realize that you are closer to us than our own breath – a river of joy deep in our lives, and in the lives of all others. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:

One: Friends of Jesus, the one who made you and loves you is nearby and available, ready to grant forgiveness and courage. Wake from sleep and receive the gift! All: Alleluia! Thanks be to God!

SUNG RESPONSE:   Halle, Halle, Hallelujah! (refrain, sing twice)   GTG#591
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST:

One: The peace of Christ be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Let’s share the peace of Christ with one another.

SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 Thessalonians 5:17      Matthew 22:37   Romans 8:26-27

One: May God bless the reading of Holy Scripture.
All: Thanks be to God.

CHORAL ANTHEM: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Kyle Johnson
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

One: Holy Spirit, swimming in and among us, call us into joy.
All: May the hearing of the Word wake us into gladness. Amen.

MESSAGE: A Different Way of Praying: Deep Rivers of Joy
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:    All Things Bright and Beautiful   GTG#20
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER:    Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying   GTG#469
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER:

Our Mother and Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE:

One: Trusting in God’s care for us and the whole world, We present our tithes and offerings to God, the source of our gladness.
All: We bring our gifts with gladness.

OFFERTORY SOLO: An Old Carol Roger Quilter      Nico Caruso, tenor
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

One: Holy Mystery, your love overflows our hearts. Accept our offering for the good of the world as we joyfully give thanks for your many gifts.
All: In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

CLOSING HYMN:   God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens   GTG#24
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE: Lead Me, Lord Michael Larkin

 

A WESTPORT WARM WELCOMING!

• WELCOME! MEMBERS! NEWCOMERS! FRIENDS! We are so glad you could join us for worship today! VISITORS, please take a moment to let us know you were here by picking up an attendance card (in the pews) and filling out whatever information you would like to share with us.
• WELCOME FAMILIES! Children’s Sunday School meets in the 2nd floor Children’s Space, Sunday mornings during the 1st half of worship, beginning at 11:00 am. NURSERY care is also available upstairs. Parents are asked to fill out a brief registration form before church begins. (This form only needs to be filled out once).
• HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES available upon request. Talk to Deanna up in the front of the sanctuary at the livestream table if you would like to use one.
• 2025 PER CAPITA is $44.98 per member. This money helps support our denomination on the regional and national levels. The breakdown is: $10.84 to General Assembly, $3.15 to Synod of Mid-America, and $30.99 to Heartland Presbytery. If you would like to help out the church by paying your own Per Capita, make your check out to Westport Presbyterian Church or place money in a pew envelope and include “per Capita” on the memo line. Thank You!
• WPC’s Session has chosen a CONGREGATIONAL SURVEY provided by HolyCow! Consulting. Members and friends of the congregation received an email with a link to the survey this week. Contact the church office if you did not receive the link. Help is available to those who need computer access or would prefer a paper copy. Thank you in advance for helping us make wise decisions regarding how we move faithfully into the future.

MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:

• WESTPORT SHOWERS happens on Sunday mornings & Thursday nights. Items Needed for our CLOTHING CLOSET include: Sneakers, T-shirts, Underwear (Men’s Boxer Briefs), Socks, Women’s pants/shorts size 0-8, Men’s pants/shorts size 28-40, Bandaids, Sweatpants, Leggings, Belts, Backpacks, Body wash, Sports bras, & Washcloths.
• WESTPORT SHOWERS is looking for additional volunteers to help with Sunday mornings. With the increase in guests, we would like to have teams of 2 volunteers upstairs working together at the door and 2 downstairs working in the shower/laundry room each Sunday. You would be working with experienced volunteers who can train you in what is needed. If you would like to help, and are willing to volunteer 1 Sunday morning a month, reach out to Drew Irwin or Allison Rozga for more information.
• We are giving out lunches on Wednesdays in the RESOURCE CENTER and Sundays as part of WESTPORT SHOWERS. Food donations of bread, fruit, meat, cheese, peanut butter are always needed.
• BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED: Westport Center for the Arts is seeking board members who are interested in helping us keep community arts alive in Westport. We are a volunteer board who meets monthly (usually on the 4th Saturday of the month at 10 am) to work on planning programming, fundraising, community partnerships, and marketing. With the recent loss of our board president, we need people who are willing to fill some leadership roles within the organization. Our programming includes Monthly Brown Bag Concerts, Independent Professional Theater, The Dancing Word (poetry & dance) and Visual Art Exhibits. If you have an interest in the arts or know anyone who may be interested in serving on the board, please contact us at admin@wcakc.org. Support from our community is needed to keep our organization thriving.

CONNECTION HOUR SMALL GROUPS:   Sunday Mornings
9:30 a.m. “Overcoming Dumpster Fire Overwhelm” lead by Jennifer White.
Does it feel like everywhere you look the world is on fire? This weekly workshop will give you 1-5 minute tools to help deal with the stresses of our modern way of living.
10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group readings related to various topics including faith, art, culture, politics, earth care. Currently reading Wanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca Solnit.

INREACH & OUTREACH IN THE COMING WEEK:  (All Events are at the Church, 201 Westport Rd – unless noted)

• Monday, May 12 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
  • 7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
• Tuesday, May 13 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
  • 5:30 p.m. Happy Hour Gathering – All Are Welcome  (Location To Be Announced)
  • 7:00 p.m. Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)
  • 6:00 p.m. Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Wednesday, May 14 10:00 a.m. Resource Center Open (Storefront)
  • 11:00 a.m. Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
• Thursday, May 15 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
• Friday, May 16 12:00 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts’ Brown Bag Concert Series: Jan Kraybill, organist (Sanctuary)
  • 1:00 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts’ Visual Art Exhibit: Kēvin Callahan Opening Reception (Fellowship Room & Chapel)
• Saturday, May 17 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
  • 9:00 a.m.- Private Event Rental: MISD Tea Fundraiser & Art Show
  • 6:00 p.m. 1-4 Art Show, 2-4 Tea (Fellowship Room)
  • 2:00 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts presents      The Dancing Word: “The Layers of Life: Where Do They Begin?” (at Center for Spiritual Living, 1014 W. 39th St. KCMO)
• Sunday, May 18 8-9:30 a.m. Westport Showers (Fellowship Room & Basement)
  • Connection Hour Small Groups:
    9:30 a.m. “Overcoming Dumpster Fire Overwhelm”
    10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group
  • 11:00 a.m. Communion Worship Service (Sanctuary)
    Children’s Sunday School & Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
  • 12:15 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

LOOKING AHEAD:

Friday, May 23 4:00 p.m. Willow Woods Spring Program & Graduation (Sanctuary)

MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:  from Riva and the League of Women Voters

If you would like to read more about individual bills please go to the house and senate websites (house.mo.gov – HB bills) (senate.mo.gov – SB bills). There is a place where you can put in the bill number and it will take you to that bill page. You will also find the emails to all legislators there. If you would like to receive the weekly Legislative Action Newsletter from the League of Women Voters KC, visit the website lwvkc.org and click on the red sign up box on top of the page. You do not have to be a member of the league to do this. You can also share the alert with others.

Concerning bills that are moving through the legislature:

• SCS SJRs 47, 30, & 10 – Passage of a Citizen Initiative Petition (like the reproduction amendment passed last November) would be dependent on both a statewide majority and a majority of state House districts. It would be close to impossible to meet this requirement. Currently measures must pass by a statewide majority like the amendments put forward by the legislature. This two-condition threshold is unnecessary and cumbersome and unfair.
• HCS for HJR 73 (this House bill is now in the Senate) A Constitutional Amendment that would prohibit abortion except in cases of medical emergency (who decides this?), rape or incest, no later than 12 weeks gestational age (they did remove the requirement that rapes had to be reported to the police before an abortion could be granted – I do believe this is a result of lots of pushback). Contains language regarding gender transition and possible prosecution of medical professionals. It repeals the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative which was approved by the voters on November 5, 2024 to allow abortion up to fetal viability for any reason.
• HCS HB 1175 (House bill now in the Senate) – Reestablishes the “Second Amendment Preservation Act” (SAPA), which invalidates Federal laws and regulations that infringe upon the Second Amendment (who decides which laws these are? Federal laws have already been vetted to honor the 2nd amendment), and prohibit their enforcement in Missouri. Interferes with law enforcement’s ability to enforce federal firearms regulations designed to protect citizens. The US Constitution establishes that federal law takes precedence over state law, and therefore, state laws that conflict with federal laws are invalid. (Many parts of a slightly different version of this bill were found unconstitutional last year. There will probably be lawsuits brought against it – again).
• HCS#2 HBS 567, 546, 758 & 958 – Repeals and modifies the schedule of minimum wage increases and provisions related to paid sick leave as approved by voters in November with Proposition A. The sick day element of this bill was enacted on May 1, but the legislature is still trying to undue it.

There are 5 more working days for this legislative session. The last day of session is May 16.