WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF PENTECOST
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
August 3, 2025
PRELUDE: Morning Prayer Nicholas Palmer
CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Friends, we have been raised with Christ to new life,
All: We don’t always see this, but we want to!
One: We’ve been freed from every fear and granted every grace.
All: We don’t always experience this, but we want to!
One: Let’s do our best to pay attention, singing with gladness,
open to what God can accomplish in us and through us.
OPENING HYMN: #314 Glory to God Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:
All: Holy Mystery, you lavish our lives with gifts, yet we settle for far less, missing out on what’s possible. We hold fast to our anxieties and give in to our greed. We desire things that make our lives smaller, not bigger. Forgive us when our lives bend away from your goodness, and sustain us by the strength of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:
One: If God is on our side, who can be against us? In Jesus Christ you have been set free. Know that you are forgiven, loved, and called to use your gifts.
All: Thanks be to God!
SUNG RESPONSE: #591 Glory to God Halle, Halle, Hallelujah! (refrain, sing twice)
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.
SCRIPTURE READING: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
Colossians 3:1-11
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
One: Wise God, share with us the gift of wisdom.
All: By the power of your Holy Spirit, open the Scriptures to us today, so that in the Word read and proclaimed we might be transformed by good news. Amen.
MESSAGE: Moving Forward with Wisdom & Courage
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN: #527 Glory to God Eat This Bread
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 bestows blessings so that we can gladly share what we have.
With joy, let us bring our tithes and offerings to God.
OFFERTORY SOLO: It Is Well with My Soul Philip P. Bliss, arr. Chris Rice Joshua Stark, Baritone
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
One: Generous God, all that we are and all that we have comes from you.
All: Take these gifts and increase our generosity, that everything we say and do might be expressions of your love. 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.
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
CLOSING HYMN: #48 Glory to God Rain Down (Sing Twice)
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE: Christ, Be Our Light
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! The upstairs children’s space is currently under renovation. We are installing new flooring. NURSERY care will be available today in Westport Rising Room downstairs. 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.
- 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.
- NEXT SUNDAY 8/10 – REVIEW OF CONGREGATIONAL ASSESSMENT: Following a condensed worship service, we’ll gather in fellowship hall for refreshments and Jared will lead a discussion about the results from our congregational assessment.
- Earlier this summer, Music Director Emily Davidson submitted a letter of resignation to the Session. Emily plans to stay with us until we find our next Music Director. Emily has served the congregation with excellence for over a decade. Join us for a POTLUCK lunch in Emily’s honor on 8/17.
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.
CONNECTION HOUR SMALL GROUPS:
Sunday Mornings
- 9:40 a.m. “Overcoming Dumpster Fire Overwhelm” lead by Jennifer White.
Does it feel like everywhere you look the world is on fire? This weekly workshop will give you 1-5 minute tools to help deal with the stresses of our modern way of living. - 10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group Next week’s discussion: Share a Movie that you really love or has made an impact on you.
INREACH & OUTREACH IN THE COMING WEEK: (All Events are at the Church, 201 Westport Rd – unless noted)
- Monday, Aug. 4 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room) - Tuesday, Aug. 5 6:00 p.m. Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
- Wednesday, Aug. 6 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
- Thursday, Aug. 7 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
- Friday, Aug. 8 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Resource Center Open (Storefront)
11:00 a.m. Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront) - Saturday, Aug. 9 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
- Sunday, Aug. 10 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)
After church Review of Congregational Assessment (Fellowship Room)
LOOKING AHEAD:
- Sunday, Aug. 17 After church Third Sunday Potluck: Celebrating Emily Davidson
(Fellowship Room)
0 Comments