I Was A Stranger

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF PENTECOST
August 24, 2025 

PRELUDE:   A Poor Wayfaring Stranger                                                                               Sara Glick
CALL TO WORSHIP:

One:         The Lord God is our shepherd.
All:           We are the people of God’s pasture, The sheep of God’s hand.
One:         God will seek the lost, feed the hungry, and strengthen the weak.
All:           But the proud and power-hungry will be fed with justice. 

OPENING HYMN:  Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us   GTG#187
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:

All:           Arriving One, we feel unready for your holy arrival.  You guide us toward right paths, but we get distracted. You love and feed and care for us, but we’re often too busy to love and serve others. Forgive us and return us to your fold. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:

One:         However long we wander, however far we stray, God’s steadfast love endures forever. Friends, know that in Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
All:           Thanks be to God!

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’s share the peace of Christ with one another.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION: (from Ephesians 1: 17-18)

One:          Holy Mystery, open your Word. Give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that our eyes may be enlightened and we may know the hope to which we have been called.
All:           Through Jesus Christ, Amen.

 SCRIPTURE READINGS:Psalm 100 

¹ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Serve the Lord with gladness;
come into God’s presence with singing.

³ Know that the Lord is God.
It is God who made us, and we belong to the Lord.
we are God’s people and the sheep of God’s pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and her courts with praise.
Give thanks to him; bless her name.

⁵ For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever
and her faithfulness to all generations.

Matthew 25:31-46 (read by Rev. Brian Ellison within the sermon)

One:         May God bless the reading of Holy Scripture.
All:           Thanks be to God.

VIDEO SERMON MESSAGE:   I Was A Stranger                                            Rev. Brian Ellison
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:     O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright   GTG#666
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God   GTG#851
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

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.

THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE

One:          In gratitude for the immeasurable gift of God’s love in Jesus Christ, let us bring our tithes and offerings to God.

OFFERTORY SOLO:   Great Is Thy Faithfulness        text, Thomas O. Chisholm; music, William Marion Runyan      Nico Caruso, tenor
PRAYER OF DEDICATION: 

One:          Fount of all good, use us, and these gifts, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and honor your presence in all people.
All:           Amen. 

CLOSING HYMN:  We’ve Come This Far by Faith   GTG#656
CHARGE AND BLESSING: 

One:          Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, welcoming all people into God’s new way of life.  May the grace of Christ surround you, the love of God astound you, and the Holy Spirit keep you, this day and forevermore.

POSTLUDE:   Anthem                                                                        Music by Mikhail Verbytskyi

 

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 usually meets during the second half of worship in the in the 2nd floor Children’s Space, but is on break for the summer.
• Our MICROPHONE SOUND SYSTEM is under repair. We hope to have it fixed soon. If you have trouble hearing, please consider sitting near the front of the sanctuary.
• CHOIR is on break for the summer. There will be no choir practice after church.
• Pastor Jared is on vacation today. He will return on Monday, Aug. 25. If you need assistance, contact the church office.

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 Fridays in the RESOURCE CENTER and Sundays as part of WESTPORT SHOWERS. Food donations of bread, fruit, meat, cheese, peanut butter are always needed.
• BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED: Westport Center for the Arts is seeking board members who are interested in helping us keep community arts alive in Westport. We are a volunteer board who meets monthly (usually on the 4th Saturday of the month at 10 am) to work on planning programming, fundraising, community partnerships, and marketing. With the recent loss of our board president, we need people who are willing to fill some leadership roles within the organization. Our programming includes Monthly Brown Bag Concerts, Independent Professional Theater, The Dancing Word (poetry & dance) and Visual Art Exhibits. If you have an interest in the arts or know anyone who may be interested in serving on the board, please contact us at [email protected]. Support from our community is needed to keep our organization thriving.

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

Monday, Aug. 25               5-7 p.m.           Living in Tents (Shirley Stiles Gallery, 4700 Rainbow Blvd.)
6:30 p.m.         Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
7:30 p.m.         Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
Wednesday, Aug. 27         4:30 p.m.         Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
8:00 p.m.         Mission & Outreach Committee Meeting (Zoom)
     Thursday, Aug. 28             5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
Friday, Aug. 29                  10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.       Resource Center Open (Storefront)
11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
7:00 p.m.         Westport Center for the Arts – The Dancing Word: “Where Do We Go From Here? The road not taken, or on the beaten path?” (Center for Spiritual Living, 1014 W 39^th St.)
Saturday, Aug. 30              8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
1-3:30 p.m.      Stand Up KC Training (Fellowship Room)
2:00 p.m.         Westport Center for the Arts – The Dancing Word: “Where Do We Go From Here? The road not taken, or on the beaten path?” (Center for Spiritual Living, 1014 W 39^th St.)
     Sunday, Aug. 31                8-9:30 a.m.      Westport Showers (Fellowship Room & Basement)
Connection Hour Small Groups:
9:40 a.m.         “Overcoming Dumpster Fire Overwhelm”
10:00 a.m.       Book Discussion Group

11:00 a.m.       Service of the Lord’s Day (Sanctuary)
Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
3-5:30 p.m.      Stand Up KC Training (Fellowship Room)

LOOKING AHEAD: 

Monday, Sept. 1                                         LABOR DAY (Church Office Closed)
Wednesday, Sept. 3           6:30 p.m.         Stewardship Committee Meeting (Online)
Friday, Sept. 19                  12:00 p.m.       Westport Center for the Arts – Brown Bag Concert Series: Paul Davidson, bass & Robert Pherigo, piano             “Dvořák in America” (Sanctuary)

Election News for Jackson County: 

• Voters will have the chance to recall Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. in a special election on September 30.
  The ballot language as approved by the Jackson County Legislature:
  Shall Frank White, Jr. be recalled from the office of County Executive in Jackson County, Missouri?
  Approximately one week before the election, voters will be mailed a notification card detailing their polling information. Voters can also confirm their details at kceb.org
  On Election Day, voters can vote at any poll, including KCEB, by using a Ballot Marking Device. Those who wish to vote on a pre-printed paper ballot must do so at their assigned polling location.
• Voters who wish to vote absentee before Election Day in Kansas City can do so with an excuse starting Aug. 19, at KCEB, 4407 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Voters without an excuse will be able to vote at KCEB and additional satellite locations starting Sept. 16. Additional details on satellite locations and hours will be announced in the coming days.
• The Registration to Vote Deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 3.
  For Jackson County voters, all 103 normal voting locations will be open.
  Military ballots will be mailed Friday, Aug. 15.
  Absentee voters can vote at the normal location at 110 N. Liberty in Independence, starting Aug. 19.
• Jackson County is working to schedule election judges and volunteers. Again, all Jackson County locations will be open on election day, but there may be fewer workers, but with only one question on the ballot, they expect voting to go quickly and smoothly.
  —More information at www.ballotpedia.org