Emotional Multitasking: On Being Angry and Tenderhearted

WESTPORT RISING WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF PENTECOST
August 11, 2024

(Video will be posted LIVE on the church’s FB page at 11am and then cross-posted here afterwards.  If the video doesn’t load properly here, you should be able to click on the Watch on Facebook link and watch as a guest, even if you don’t have Facebook) 

PRELUDE:   Morning Prayer (Bunessan)                                                                        Nicholas Palmer
CALL TO WORSHIP: 

One:          I will bless the Lord at all times.
     All:           God’s praise shall always be in our mouths.
     One:          O celebrate God’s goodness with me,
     All:           and let us exalt God’s name together.

OPENING HYMN:      Morning Has Broken   GTG#664
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:

     All:     Merciful God, we confess that we have not lived in the way of simplicity and joy. We have been angry with the world and nursed grudges against our foes. We have not built up our neighbors with words of kindness but have indulged in negativity and name calling. We have not forgiven the wrongs others have done, even though we desire your forgiveness. Heal us – and give us the grace to love as Christ has loved us. Amen.

SILENT CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE: 

     One:          Let us put away bitterness, wrath, and anger – together with all malice and fantasies of revenge – and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven us.
All:           Thanks be to God. Amen.

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 us share the peace of Christ with one another. 

SCRIPTURE READINGS:     Psalm 34: 1-8     Ephesians 4:25-5:2
CHORAL ANTHEM:   The Rain Will Seek the Rivers                                                Robert J. Powell
UNISON PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION: 

All:   Come, Holy Spirit, and help us as we listen for your good news. Bless our bodies into new ways of being. Soften our hearts and minds for new ways of seeing the world, and ourselves. Amen.

SERMON:   Emotional Multitasking: On Being Angry and Tenderhearted             Rev. Jared Witt
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN: God is Calling through the Whisper   GTG#410
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER:   Come, Bring Your Burdens to God (sing twice)   GTG#851
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER:  (Our Mother and Father in heaven…)
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE
                 Offering link
OFFERTORY SOLO:   God Is My Shepherd;   Dvorak;     Nico Caruso, tenor
UNISON PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

     All:   O Lord, receive these gifts we bring as an expression of our desire to live as new creation people, shaped not by bitterness and complaint, but by sharing and generosity. Amen. 

CLOSING HYMN:  Guide My Feet   GTG#741
BLESSING
POSTLUDE:   Promised Land;     setting by Thomas Keesecker

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.

MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:

• Bread, Buns, Fruit, Water, Meat, Peanut Butter, Cheese are always needed for our INTERRUPT HUNGER work.
• WESTPORT SHOWERS happens on Sunday mornings & Thursday nights. Men’s boxer brief underwear needed. Men’s and Women’s tennis shoes, pants, shorts. Backpacks!
• 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.
• WEEKDAY LUNCH VOLUNTEERS. We could use a few more people to help with making and handing out weekday lunches. Please contact the church office for more information. 

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

•   Monday, Aug. 12               11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
  • • • • 4:30 p.m.         FREDitation – a centering prayer experience – 20 min (Chapel)
        • 6:30 p.m.         Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
        • 7:30 p.m.         Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
•   Tuesday, Aug. 13                                       Boy Scout Troop 60 – Blood Drive Eagle Scout Project (Fellowship Rm)
  • • • • 11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
        • 6:00 p.m.         Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
        • 7:00 p.m.         Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)
•   Wednesday, Aug. 14         10:00 a.m.       Resource Center Open (Storefront)
  • • • • 11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
        • 7:00 p.m.         Zoom Bible Study – contact church office for link (Online) *meets every other week*
•   Thursday, Aug. 15             10:00 a.m.       Resource Center Open (Storefront)
  • • • • 11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
        • 5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
•    Friday, Aug. 16                  11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
•    Saturday, Aug. 17              8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
•                                             10:00 a.m.       Westport Center for the Arts Board Meeting (Fellowship Room)
•    Sunday, Aug. 18                8-9:30 a.m.      Westport Showers (Fellowship Room & Basement)
  • • • • 11:00 a.m.       Service of the Lord’s Day (Sanctuary)
        •                         Children’s Sunday School (Upstairs Children’s Room) 

LOOKING AHEAD:

Wednesday, Aug. 21         8:00 p.m.         Mission & Outreach Committee Meeting (Zoom)
Saturday, Aug. 24              9:00 a.m.         Finucane Service Project: Rockhurst University Students  (Outside Church)