God Prays In Us, For Us and For the World

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
PENTECOST SUNDAY
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
May 19, 2024 at 11am

(Video will be posted LIVE on the church’s FB page at 11am and then cross-posted here.  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)

WORDS OF WELCOME
PRELUDE:   Sonata in B-flat Major, HWV 357: Allegro;      G.F. Handel;  Meribeth Risebig, oboe
OPENING SCRIPTURE READING:   Acts 2: 1-21 (The Message)                 Bobbie Testa, liturgist

When the Feast of Pentecost came, the men and women who followed Jesus from Galilee were all  together in one place. Without warning, there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force — no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then like a wildfire, Holy Spirit spread through the ranks and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the spirit prompted them.

OPENING HYMN:    Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove   GTG#279
CALL TO WORSHIP: 

People:    There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues spoken. They were thunderstruck. They couldn’t for the life of them, figure it out what was going on, and kept saying, “Aren’t these all Galileans? How come we’re hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?”
Leader:     Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene; Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; Even Cretans and Arabs!!

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:   On Pentecost They Gathered   GTG#289 

People:    “These people are speaking our languages, describing God’s mighty works!” Their heads were spinning they couldn’t make heads or tails of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: “What’s going on here?” Others joked, “They are drunk on cheap wine.”
Leader:          That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven’t had time to get drunk — its only nine o’clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen.”
ALL:         “In the Last Days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people;  your sons will prophesy, also your daughters, Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams. When the time comes, I’ll pour out my Spirit On those who serve me, men and women both, and they’ll prophesy. I’ll set wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billowing smoke, the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, before the Day of the Lord arrives, the Day tremendous and marvelous; and whoever calls out for help to me God, will be saved.” 

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN: Spirit, Sprit of Gentleness   GTG#291
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:   Sonata in B-flat Major, HWV 357: Allegro;  G.F. Handel;     Meribeth Risebig, oboe
UNISON PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION: 

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to You, O God, our rock and redeemer.

SCRIPTURE READING:   Romans 8: 18-28
MESSAGE:   God Prays In Us, For Us and For the World
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:  Breathe on Me, Breath of God   GTG#286
WELCOME! NEWS IN, AROUND AND BEYOND THE COMMUNITY
SUNG PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION:      Come Down, O Love Divine   GTG#282
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
CONGREGATIONAL SUNG PRAYER: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God   GTG#851
Pastor:      Let us lift up names of the people or situations we wish to pray for, concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (Glory to God, page 35 – Mother, Father God…)
BREAKING AND SHARING OF THE BREAD, POURING AND SHARING OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE 

     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 God, may we who have received this sacrament live in the unity of your Holy Spirit, that we may show forth your gifts and your love and hope to all we meet.  Take us, O God, and shape us according to you will in the service of Jesus Christ. Send us into your world to live Christ’s life in Power and Compassion. Amen.

THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES / INVITATION TO GIVING
                 Offering link
OFFERTORY SOLO:   His Eye Is on the Sparrow—    Charles Gabriel; Anne McCormick, soprano;   Marian Thomas, piano
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
CLOSING HYMN:   Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us   GTG#280
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE: Come, O Holy Spirit, Come   GTG#283
CHARGE TO CONGREGATION
POSTLUDE:      Toccata in Seven                              John Rutter

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.
• Sunday, May 19th, which is Pentecost & Communion Sunday, at 12:10pm (following Worship Service), please join us for a Bon Voyage Party in honor of Marian Thomas in the Fellowship Hall.  Light refreshments will be served as we wish Marian warmest wishes as she embarks on her latest adventure – relocating to Oberlin, Ohio. Please contact Laura Hughes by text or phone at (315) 345-4524 for more information.

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, pants. Backpacks!
• *WEEKDAY LUNCH VOLUNTEERS. We could use a few more people to help with making weekday lunches. We have an opening on Wednesdays (to make lunches to be given out on Thursdays).
• 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, May 20                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, May 21                6:00 p.m.         Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
•      Wednesday, May 22          7:00 p.m.         Zoom Bible Study – contact church office for link (Online)  *meets every other week*
•                                                 7:00 p.m.         IPNC Mtg (zoom)
•      Thursday, May 23              5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
•       Friday May 24                    10:00 a.m.       Children’s Mercy Ties meeting (fellowship room)
•      Saturday, May 25              8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
•                                                 10:00 a.m.       WCA Board Meeting (fellowship room)
•      Sunday, May 26                 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)