How to be Wisely Ambitious

WESTPORT RISING WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF PENTECOST
September 22, 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:   Forgive Our Sins, as We Forgive               Charles Callahan
CALL TO WORSHIP (from Psalm 1): 

One:          Happy are the people who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
All:           or take the path that they follow, or sit in the seat of people who make fun of others.
One:          Their delight is in the law of the Lord,
All:           and they meditate on God’s law day and night.
One:          The Lord watches of the way of the righteous,
All:           but the way of the wicked won’t last. 

OPENING HYMN:   Bring Forth the Kingdom    STF#2190
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED FOR GOD: 

All:           God of wisdom, forgive our foolishness. We are easily swayed by the wrong advice. We desire what we don’t need and respond with envy to what others have. You urge us to gentleness, but we stir up conflict. Give us your grace, that we might sow peace and kindness, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Teacher, we pray. Amen.

SILENT CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE: 

One:          Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but people who fear the Lord are to be praised. Hear the good news! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven and live in peace.
All:           Thanks be to God!

SUNG RESPONSE:    I’ve Got Peace like a River (verse 1)   GTG#623
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:     Proverbs 31:10, 16-31     James 3:13 – 4:3, 7-8a
CHORAL ANTHEM:   Ye Shall Go Out with Joy                                                          Ethan McGrath
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION: 

All:           Your Word is our wisdom; it gives us insight, strength, and courage. Open our hearts on this day, that we might learn to be ambitious for all the right things. Amen.

SERMON:   How to be Wisely Ambitious
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:  Arise, Your Light Is Come!   GTG#744
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:
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE
                 Offering link
OFFERTORY SOLO:   Fix Me, Jesus                    African American spiritual                              Josh Stark, baritone
PRAYER OF DEDICATION: 

One:          Generous God, thank you for these gifts we bring from your abundance.
All:           Bless gifts and givers and show your love to all in need, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

CLOSING HYMN:    Be Thou My Vision   GTG#450
BLESSING
POSTLUDE:   Great Is Thy Faithfulness                                                                                   Sara Glick

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 Josh up in the front of the sanctuary at the livestream table if you would like to use one.
• NEXT WEEK: join us for FALL KICKOFF SUNDAY with a POTLUCK LUNCH following our worship service.
• A CONGREGATIONAL MEETING will be held following worship on Sunday, Oct. 20 – for the purpose of amending bylaws and installing an 2024 Nominating Committee.

MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:

• FALL WEATHER CLOTHING DRIVE: To prepare for the colder months ahead Westport Showers is collecting coats, hats, gloves, warm socks, and boots. Look through your closets and see if you have any extra items you can donate.
• Bread, Buns, Fruit, Water, Meat, Peanut Butter, Cheese are always needed for our INTERRUPT HUNGER work. 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.
• 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.

Online Bible Study – Begins This Sunday Evening:

• You are invited to join Presbyterians for Earth Care for a virtual monthly study of: Let Justice Roll Down: God’s Call to Care for Neighbors and All Creation by Patricia K. Tull and Suggestions for Leaders by Rebecca Barnes
  Please join PEC for this unique monthly opportunity for community and meaningful study!
  Day: Fourth Sundays
  Time: 7:00 pm Eastern/ 6:00 pm Central/ 5:00 pm Mountain/ 4:00 pm Pacific. The study will run for 75 minutes each session.
  Dates: Sept. 22nd, Oct. 27th, Nov. 24th, Dec. 22nd, Jan. 26th, Feb. 23rd, Mar. 23rd, Apr. 28th & May 26th
  Study Leaders: Rev. M. Courtenay Willcox and Rev. Lucy Youngblood
  Contact church for link/password for entry

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

• Monday, Sept. 23               11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
  • • • 6:30 p.m.         Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
      • 7:30 p.m.         Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
• Tuesday, Sept. 24               11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
  • • • • 4:30 p.m.         FREDitation – a centering prayer experience – 20 min (Chapel)
        • 6:00 p.m.         Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Wednesday, Sept. 25         10:00 a.m.       Resource Center (Storefront)
  • • • • 11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
        • 6:00 p.m.         Stewardship Meeting (Library)
        • 7:00 p.m.         Zoom Bible Study – contact church office for link (Online) *meets every other week*
• Thursday, Sept. 26             10:00 a.m.       Resource Center (Storefront)
  • • • • 11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
        • 5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
• Friday, Sept. 27                  11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
• Saturday, Sept. 28              8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
  • • • • 3-6 p.m.           Troop 60 Eagle Scout Court of Honor (Sanctuary & Fellowship Room)
• Sunday, Sept. 29                                        FALL KICKOFF SUNDAY
  • • • • 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) after worship  Potluck Lunch (Fellowhip Room) 

LOOKING AHEAD: 

Sunday, Oct. 20                 after worship  Congregational Meeting – to amend bylaws and approve nominating committee

VOTER INFORMATION/BALLOT PRESENTATIONS:

The League of Women Voters Kansas City, the Kansas City Public Libraries, AAUW, Revolucion Educativa and the Cass County Public County are collaborating on presentations in the local libraries to explain the 5 ballot questions that voters will vote on this November. 3 of these ballots were advanced by Missouri citizens, not the Missouri Legislature.

If you are unable to attend any of these events the LWVKC will put recordings of them on their YOUTUBE channel at some time before the election.