WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF EPIPHANY
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
February 4, 2024
WORDS OF WELCOME
PRELUDE: Voluntary on BEACH SPRING Jason Krug
OPENING SCRIPTURE READING: Mark 1: 29-31
OPENING HYMN: All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly GTG#509
RESPONSIVE CALL TO RETURN TO OUR SOULS: Isaiah 40: 21-31 Selected Verses from NRSV and The Message translations
Leader: Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
People: Why do you say O Jacob, and speak O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD. God has lost track of me, God doesn’t care what happens to me!”
Leader: God doesn’t come and go. God LASTS. God does not faint or grow weary. God knows everything inside and out. God energizes those who get tired, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and grow weary.
People: But those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles.
All: They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
SUNG RESPONSE: Jesus, We Are Here (English & Shona) GTG#392
SHARING OF THE PEACE:
Pastor: The grace, peace, love and joy of Jesus Christ be with you
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Let us share the peace of Christ with one another.
CHORAL ANTHEM: O Come, Ye Servants of the Lord Christopher Tye
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
Pastor: May the words of my mouth
People: And the meditations of our hearts
Unison: Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer, Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING: New Testament: Mark 1: 35-39
MESSAGE: Follow Jesus’ Rhythm: Serve, Heal, Teach and Renew with Prayer Pastor Susan Westley Hartley
SUNG PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION: Loaves Were Broken, Words Were Spoken (verses 1 & 4) GTG#498
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION:
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE:
Pastor: Let’s gather around this planet friendly, holy table, With holy bread & drink
People: The promise of Christ coming alive among us
Pastor: This is the welcome table of God where all who intend to experience the non- physical spiritual dimension of life—
People: And live in relationships of freedom and peace with neighbors
Pastor: Hunger no more! Come to eat! Here, all who long for otherwise elusive grace
People: May enjoy the strong love of God in Jesus Christ.
Pastor: Here you are embraced and held by Self Emptying Love!—
People: One of God’s great and holy names!
Pastor: Come to drink, you are invited into this holy mystery.
People: We are ready!
Pastor: Jesus said: “I am the bread of life. All who come to me shall not hunger, and all who believe in me shall never be thirsty.”
People: We are hungry for Your Love, O God, We are thirsty for Your Deep Peace, O Lamb of God. We seek an unusual gift— an experience of wonder and joy.
Pastor: Come in, Holy Spirit. Open our eyes to the mystery of The living Christ’s presence in our midst. Through the broken bread…
People: We are becoming the Body of Christ—
Pastor: Feeding the hungry!
People: Giving showers and clothes to people who are homeless and extremely poor!
Pastor: Becoming anti-racist! Getting into Good Trouble!
People: Let us praise and pray to God by singing an African hymn!
CONGREGATIONAL SUNG PRAYER: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God (SING TWICE) GTG#851
Pastor: Let us lift up names of the people we wish to pray for, concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (Glory to God, page 35)…
BREAKING AND SHARING OF THE BREAD, POURING AND SHARING OF THE WINE
Pastor: The Grace, Peace, Love and Joy of Jesus Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Let us pray in unison…
UNISON PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:
Gracious, loving God, You have called us to become a body of Christ. Thank you for filling us amidst hunger & thirst. Now send us into the world to do the great work You have called us to do—Find the lost & lonely! Heal wounded souls! Free people, including ourselves, who are not at all free! Give compassion to the vulnerable & marginalized! Love Beauty, Planet & Sky, persist in resisting evil, share by how we live the Message of Jesus, Who is The Light in the World. Amen.
COMMUNION RESPONSE: O Lord, Hear My Prayer (verse 1, SING TWICE) GTG#471
WELCOME! NEWS IN, AROUND AND BEYOND THE COMMUNITY
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES / INVITATION TO GIVING
OFFERTORY SOLO: Climbing Up the Mountain, Patsy Ford Simms; Joshua Stark, baritone
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
CLOSING HYMN: You Who Dwell in The Shelter of the Lord (On Eagle’s Wings) GTG#43
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE: You Who Dwell in the Shelter of the Lord (REFRAIN ONLY) GTG#43
CHARGE TO CONGREGATION
POSTLUDE: Every Time I Feel the Spirit African American, arr. John Carter
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 is back in action in the redesigned 2nd floor Children’s Space, Sunday mornings during the 1st half of worship, beginning at 11:00 am.
- 2024 PER CAPITA is $43.94 per member. This money helps support our denomination on the regional and national levels. The breakdown is: $9.80 to General Assembly, $3.15 to Synod, 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!
MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:
Bread, Buns, Fruit, Water, Meat, Peanut Butter, Cheese are always needed for our INTERRUPT HUNGER work. WESTPORT SHOWERS happens on Sundays & Thursday nights. Men’s boxer brief underwear needed. Men’s and Women’s shoes. Backpacks! Coats, Sweatshirts, Warm Clothes for this cold weather!
INREACH & OUTREACH IN THE COMING WEEK: (All Events are at the Church, 201 Westport Rd – unless noted)
Monday, Feb. 5 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, Feb. 6 6:00 p.m. Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
Thursday, Feb. 8 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
Saturday, Feb. 10 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
Sunday, Feb. 11 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)
12:15 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
LOOKING AHEAD:
Tuesday, Feb. 13 7:00 p.m. Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)
Wednesday, Feb. 14 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Worship Service (Sanctuary)
Friday, Feb. 16 12 noon Westport Center for the Arts Brown Bag Concert Series: Kansas City Baroque Consortium“ Music and Love – Wings of the Soul” (Sanctuary)
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