WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY
October 4, 2026, 11am
PRELUDE: Let Us Break Bread Together R. Swift
CALL TO WORSHIP: (from Luke 13:29)
One: People will come from east and west,
All: from north and south,
One: and will eat in the kingdom of God.
All: Thanks be to God for welcoming us to the table.
OPENING HYMN: We Come as Guests Invited GTG#504
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:
All: Gracious God, all we are and all we have flows from your generosity. But we fail to live as good stewards of all you have given. We confiscate and consume far more than our fair share. We neglect the poor and trap people in poverty, making excuses for harms done. God, liberate us from our spiritual and economic bondage. Liberate us into a free-flowing economy where all have enough. Reorder our priorities so all your nations and peoples may thrive. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE: (from 2 Corinthians 5:17)
One: Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace.
All: Amen.
SUNG RESPONSE: I Come with Joy (verses 1, 2, 3) GTG#515
TIME WITH YOUNG DISCIPLES
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.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
One: Bless us, O God, with ears to hear your truth, vision to discern your path, and feet ready to move into action, responding to your call. Inspire us as we hear your Word read and proclaimed.
All: Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Exodus 16:11-16, 31 (pages 60-61) I Corinthians 11:23-26 (page 163)
CHORAL ANTHEM: O Salutaris, Delibes public domain Nico Caruso, tenor
MESSAGE: God Provides Rev. Jared Witt
MOMENT FOR SILENT REFLECTION
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER: Come to the Table (verses 1, 3) GTG#508
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER:
All: 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.
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION:
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE: (from Philippians 3:8)
One: With God’s invitation to become Jesus’ friends, we have everything we need. Lacking nothing, we offer our lives and our gifts.
OFFERTORY SOLO: O Lamb of God T. Paris Emma WitbolsFeugen, soprano
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
One: Holy God, bless these gifts for your good use. May these tokens of our gratitude be of service in blessing the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing and sheltering those struggling to survive. Use these gifts to further Christ’s mission and ministry in a hurting world.
All: Amen.
INVITATION TO THE TABLE
GREAT THANKSGIVING
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION:
One: God incarnate, in these ordinary elements you have fed us with the body of the living Christ, that we might become the body of the living Christ. Increase in us faith, hope, and love, that we might be your friends, co-creators of a new world.
All: Amen.
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
CLOSING HYMN: Loaves Were Broken, Words Were Spoken (verses 1, 2, 4) GTG#498
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE: Meditation on Beach Spring arr. Melissa Blanton
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! NURSERY care is available in the upstairs children’s space. Parents are asked to fill out a brief registration form before church begins. (This form only needs to be filled out once). Children’s Sunday School will meet during the second half of worship in the in the 2nd floor Children’s Space. Children are invited to remain in the service until the “Time for Young Disciples” and then go upstairs for the remainder of the service.
- 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.
- CHILDREN’S CHOIR PRACTICE: Kids that want to sing with the choir are invited to join Renee in the front of the sanctuary on Sunday mornings from 10:00-10:25 a.m.
- NEW BIBLE STUDY FOR THE FALL: WPC will experiment with a new format for a mid-week Bible study and discussion group this Fall. The goal for the gatherings will be two-fold: First, to help persons become more skilled in understanding Scripture and better able to relate the Bible to daily life; and second: to learn from one another as we deepen our connections as a community. Please let Jared know if you are interested in participating. The next two Bible Study dates in the Fall will be Wednesdays: Oct. 21, and Nov. 18 (all 5:45-7pm).
- DISCUSSION GROUP is reading The Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang in September. Book Discussion Group meets Sundays at 10 a.m. before church in the living room/library. The next two books this fall will be: Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Reslilient Disabled Body, by Rebekah Taussig & The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture, by Wendell Berry
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 Thursdays in the RESOURCE CENTER and Sundays as part of WESTPORT SHOWERS. Food donations of fruit cups, meat, cheese, peanut butter, squeeze jelly are always needed.
INREACH & OUTREACH IN THE COMING WEEK: (All Events are at the Church, 201 Westport Rd – unless noted)
- Monday, Oct. 5 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Fellowship Room)
7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room) - Tuesday, Oct. 6 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
- Thursday, Oct. 8 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Resource Center Open & Sack Lunches Distributed (Fellowship Room)
5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
6:00 p.m. Worship & Christian Ed Meeting - Friday, Oct. 9 11:30 a.m. Children’s Mercy TIES Group (Fellowship Room)
- Saturday, Oct. 10 8:30 a.m. Private Rental – Meeting (Living Room/Library)
10:00 a.m. Cub Scout Pack 2025 (Westport Rising Room)
11:00 a.m. AGO Group Visit (Sanctuary) - Sunday, Oct. 11 6:30-9:00 a.m. Westport Showers (Fellowship Room & Basement)
10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group
10:00 a.m. Children’s Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
11:00 a.m. Service of the Lord’s Day (Sanctuary)
Children’s Sunday School/Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
12:15 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
LOOKING AHEAD:
- Tuesday, Oct. 13 TBA MO Workers Center Press Conference/Rally (Front Steps & Fellowship Hall)
5:15 p.m. Session Meeting (Fellowship Room) - Friday, Oct. 16 10:00 a.m. Westport Center for the Arts – Brown Bag Concert: The Salon Recital: Trumpet & Piano with Alan Wenger & Mia Kim (Sanctuary)
- Saturday, Oct. 17 10:00 a.m. WCA Board Meeting (Fellowship Room)
- Sunday, Oct. 18 6:15 p.m. Brad Gregory Sextet (Fellowship Room)
ELECTION NEWS: NO EXCUSE VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 20
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