Life Under the Influence of Spirit

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF PENTECOST
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
September 7, 2025

PRELUDE:   God of the Sparrow                                                                   Sally Drennan Mossing
CALL TO WORSHIP:

One:         Like clay on a wheel
All:           God’s Spirit forms us: shaping us, molding us, creating us.
      One:         And like moldable clay,
All:           God’s Spirit continues to shape us.
      One:         Let us worship God.

OPENING HYMN:  Change My Heart, O God   GTG#695
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD: 

All:           Creator God, you know us better than anyone else. You formed our lives in your own image. And yet, we sometimes live beneath this gift and possibility. We get stuck in rhythms and routines that aren’t good for us. Forgive us, Lord. Let us open the sails of our lives to catch the wind of Spirit. Help us as we grow into maturity, leaving childish ways behind. 

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:

One:         Friends, the good news is this: God is not done with us. God’s Spirit is still forming and shaping us, forgiving us, and helping us to grow.
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: 

One:         Lord, help us listen for good news, especially where there are questions or challenges. Help us to grow up in love and wisdom.
All:           Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING:   I Timothy 1:12-17                       John 3:5-8
MESSAGE:   Life Under the Influence of Spirit                                                      Rev. Jared Witt

5 metrics for spiritual maturity.

1. 1. Maturing in _____________________
   2. Maturing in _____________________
   3. Maturing in _____________________
   4. Maturing in _____________________
   5. Maturing in _____________________

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:  Take My Life (verses 1-4)   GTG#697
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. 

CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION:
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE: 

One:         God’s Spirit continues to fill our lives with generosity. With thanks for God’s ever-present love for us, let us give back a portion of what God has given to us.

OFFERTORY CHORAL ANTHEM:   Child of God                 Mark A. Miller           Emma Witbolsfeugen, soloist
PRAYER OF DEDICATION: 

One:         We give because we have been given so much.  Lord, take these gifts and use them to bless our neighborhood and wider world.
All:           Continue your work in the world where it is most needed. 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.  Now fed and filled with courage, we welcome our new lives as your friends, co-creators of a new world.
All:           Amen. 

COMMUNION RESPONSE:  Lord, We Have Come at Your Own Invitation (verse 3)   GTG#503
WELCOME:   News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
CLOSING HYMN:  Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing   GTG#546
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE:   The Holy Ghost Jigs                                                                     Thomas Keesecker

 

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.
• JOB OPENING: The church is looking to hire another PART TIME CUSTODIAN. This is a great opportunity for someone looking for some extra income with a flexible schedule.  Tasks include things like taking out trash, cleaning and stocking restrooms, etc. If you know of anyone who might be interested, have them reach to Pastor Jared or Bobbie Testa.

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, Sept. 8                 6:30 p.m.         Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
•                                              7:30 p.m.         Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
• Tuesday, Sept. 9                 5:30 p.m.         Happy Hour Gathering (Harry’s Bar & Tables, 501 Westport Rd)
•                                               7:00 p.m.         Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)
• Wednesday, Sept. 10         4:30 p.m.         Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
•                                               7pm                 Scouting America Training Meeting (Fellowship Room)
• Thursday, Sept. 11             5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
•                                             5:30 p.m.         Heartland Presbytery “Night Under the Stars” Fundraiser (Heartland Camps, 16965 MO-45, Parkville, MO)
• Friday, Sept. 12                  10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.       Resource Center Open (Storefront)
•                                             11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
•                                             11:30 a.m.       Children’s Mercy TIES (Fellowship Room)
• Saturday, Sept. 13              8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
• Sunday, Sept. 14                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)
•                                             12:15 p.m.       Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

LOOKING AHEAD:
     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)
     Sunday, Sept. 21             After Church      Lunch Gathering (Pinches Tacos, 4059 Broadway Blvd)
Tuesday, Sept. 30                                       SPECIAL ELECTION (Fellowship Room) 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

• Contact legislators regarding the special session to redistrict called for September 3^rd. Litigation is expected.
  Dear Representative/Senator [Last Name],  (feel free to edit)
  My name is [Your Name], and I am a concerned constituent residing in [XX community of [CITY]]. I am writing to express my strong opposition to any effort to redraw voting maps in [insert state] outside of the regular redistricting cycle. Mid-cycle redistricting is more about political power than fairness to voters.
  Redistricting is intended to reflect population changes captured in the U.S. Census, a process that occurs once every ten years. Conducting it in between those periods breaks trust with communities and undermines the promise that every person’s voice matters equally.
  People, not politicians, should choose their representatives. When maps are redrawn for partisan gain, people lose their ability to hold leaders accountable. In many cases, mid-cycle redistricting has also been used to weaken the political power of communities of color, undermining hard-won protections against racial discrimination in voting and silences underrepresented voices. It also runs counter to the principles of equal representation guaranteed by our democracy.
  Fair maps should be created in a process that is transparent, community-driven, and consistent. Stability matters. When elected officials change the rules mid game, it is the public who loses representation and confidence in the system.
  I urge you and your colleagues to reject any proposal for mid-cycle redistricting. Redistricting should serve the people, not politicians.
  Thank you for your time and consideration of this urgent matter.
  [Your Name]Governor Mike Kehoe     573-751-3222, https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us
  Senator Cindy O’Laughlin, Senate President Pro Tem     [email protected],  573-751-7985
  Senator Tony Luetkemeyer, Senate Majority Floor Leader   [email protected], 573-751-2183
  Representative Jon Patterson, Speaker of the House    [email protected], 573-751-0907
  Representative Chad Perkins, House Speaker Pro Tem    [email protected], 573-751-4028
  Representative Alex Riley, House Majority Floor Leader    [email protected], 573- 751-2210“Missouri’s state constitution is clear: The legislature is required to draw new congressional lines by law each decade when the census determines the number of districts and the state has received its new census data. There is no authority to pass a Congressional redistricting law midway through the decade or any other time.”

FURTHER ACTION   Jobs for Justice and Indivisible
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 12:00 PM –  2:00 PM CT
Missouri State Capitol, 201 W Capitol Ave, Jefferson City, MO 65101 (bus transportation available)
https://secure.everyaction.com/Vpuyv0iR1kG56JLCbRph0Q2

Harness Your Power Organizations (a beginning list)
Indivisible
Common Cause
League of Women Voters
ACLU (donate)