Jesus Christ entrusts his Love and Justice to Us to Carry On

Westport Presbyterian Church 1835 – present
WESTPORT RISING WORSHIP SERVICE THANKSGIVING SUNDAY & BAPTISM RENEWAL SERVICE
November 26, 2023

PRELUDE: Now Thank We All Our God (NUN DANKET ALLE GOTT) Larry Shackley
CALL TO RETURN TO OUR SOULS (from Psalm 95):

Pastor: O Come, let us sing to the Lord;
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
People: Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Pastor: For the Lord is a great God,
And a great King above all gods.
People: O come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
Pastor: For he is our God,
And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
ALL: O that today we would listen to his voice!

OPENING HYMN:  Come, Ye Thankful People, Come   GTG#367
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION:

Righteous God, You have crowned Jesus Christ as Lord of all.
We confess that we have not bowed before him, and are slow to acknowledge his rule.
We give allegiance to the powers of this world, and fail to be governed by justice and love.
In love You made us to love and serve You.
When we turned from You and bent our knees to gods of our own making,
You spoke through prophets to bring us back to Your ways.
You gave us a vision of Your holy kingdom that we might hunger after righteousness
And thirst for justice, and long for the day when peace will triumph
over the pride and greed of nations.
In Your mercy, forgive us.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON & GRACE
SUNG RESPONSE CELEBRATING GOD’S GRACE:   Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!   GTG#591
PASSING OF 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 each other.

CHORAL ANTHEM: Simple Gifts arr. Robert Lehman
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

Pastor: Let the words of my mouth
People: And the meditations of our hearts
Pastor: Be acceptable to You,
People: O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Matthew 25: 31-46; Ephesians 1: 15-23
MESSAGE: Jesus Christ entrusts his Love and Justice to Us to Carry On
SUNG PREPARATION FOR BAPTISM: Baptized in Water  GTG#482
BAPTISM RENEWAL AND RECEPTION OF NEW CHURCH MEMBER EDDIE LEWIS  (Congregation please gather with insert at the back of the sanctuary in a circle around the font)   Baptismal insert
HYMN AFTER BAPTISM: Take Me to the Water   GTG#480
WELCOMING
PLEDGE DRIVE MESSAGE – Joe Raach
MORNING PRAYER, LORD’S PRAYER
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
OFFERTORY: Ombra Mai Fu (from XERXES) Handel; Emma Witbolsfeugen, soprano

Tender and beautiful fronds
of my beloved plane tree,
let Fate smile upon you.
May thunder, lightning, and storms
never disturb your dear peace,
nor may you by blowing winds be profaned.

Never was a shade
of any plant
dearer and more lovely,
or more sweet.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION
CLOSING HYMN: Now Thank We All Our God (Stanzas 1 & 2)   GTG#643
BENEDICTION
SUNG BENEDICTION RESPONSE: Now Thank We All Our God (Stanza 3)   GTG#643
POSTLUDE: Now Thank We All Our God setting by Larry Shackley

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, teaching & learning will emphasize Care for the Earth, Sky and all God’s creation. Sunday mornings during the 1st half of worship, beginning at 11:00 am.
• We WELCOME PASTOR SUSAN WESLEY HARTLEY who has been hired by the church Session to serve as our Bridge Pastor for the next several months. If you need pastoral care, please contact the church office.
• We welcome EDDIE LEWIS who is joining our church family today by baptism renewal. If you are interested in becoming a member of Westport Presbyterian Church, please talk to Pastor Susan.
• Everyone is invited to join us after worship today for a FRIENDSGIVING POTLUCK in the fellowship room.
• Our FALL PLEDGE DRIVE is underway. The Session has set a goal of $112,000. Please prayerfully consider what you are able to give in the coming year to help us reach our larger goals of making space for God’s grace here at Westport Presby. Our mission is to uncover what Jesus is doing now—here in the heart of the city—and follow him! PLEASE HELP US REACH OUR GOAL by submitting a pledge card by Wed. Dec. 6! We have $56,300 in pledges so far.
• Volunteers need to help DECORATE THE CHURCH FOR CHRISTMAS & ADVENT on Saturday morning December 2 at 9 a.m. Come help us hang some wreaths, trim the tree, setup some nativity scenes, and get in the holiday spirit.
• Our HOLIDAY COOKIE SALE will be Sat., Dec. 16 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. This is an annual fundraiser for our Westport Concert Series & Music Program. Volunteers are needed to bake cookies and other Christmas treats and to volunteer at the sale to box and weigh cookies! If you can help please sign up to let us know! Setup will begin at 10 a.m. and cookies can be dropped off on the Friday before the sale.

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! Jackets, Sweatshirts, Warm Clothes for this cold weather!
• Thanks to everyone for all you do to make our missions happen all year round! For the Christmas Season, we will be collecting MITTENS, GLOVES and HAND WARMERS over the next few weeks to give out to our Westport Showers guests as a special gift on Christmas Eve morning. If you would like to help, please bring these items in by Dec. 17. (Adult Men’s & Women’s Sizes Needed)

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

• Monday, Nov. 27 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, Nov. 28 6:00 p.m. Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Thursday, Nov. 30 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
• Saturday, Dec. 2 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
  • • 9:00 a.m. Decorating the church for Advent & Christmas (volunteers needed)
• Sunday, Dec. 3 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:

• Friday, Dec. 15 12:00 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts Brown Bag Concert Series:
  Elisa Bickers, organist (Sanctuary)
• Saturday, Dec. 16 11:00 a.m. Holiday Cookie Sale: Fundraiser for Westport Concert Series -2:00 p.m. (Fellowship Room)

STAFF:

Bridge Pastor…………………………………………………………………………………..Susan Wesley Hartley
Music Director……………………………………………………………………………………….Emily Davidson
Office Manager………………………………………………………………………………………..Deanna Capps
Custodians………………………………………………………Jose (Chico) Jimenez & Marisel Myers-Aronson

CONTACT INFORMATION:

www.westportpresbyterian.org
info@westportpresbyterian.org (church contact)
816-931-1032

Follow us on Facebook at: facebook.com/westportpresbyterian