On Wisely Not Wasting Time

WESTPORT RISING WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF PENTECOST
August 18, 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:   Prelude in F major, BWV 556                                                                                     JS Bach
CALL TO WORSHIP:
     One:          Come, Spirit of fire and courage, as we receive the gift and blessing of risk and struggle, of singing and laughter –the only life we’re offered.
     All:           We welcome the dazzling darkness who births the good news of Jesus Christ into our lives.
OPENING HYMN:  Arise, Your Light Is Come!   GTG#744
CONFESSION OF OUR NEED FOR GOD:
     All:     Lord, we have squandered time – complaining, drifting, and daydreaming. We repent of the ways we waste good time – with silly dreams of easy ministry, of leadership without stress; joy without tears; love without cost; or discipleship without risk. Forgive us and help us make the time matter.
SILENT CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:
     One:          Through God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and restored, free once more to make the most of our time.
     All:           Yes! 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 us share the peace of Christ with one another.
SCRIPTURE READINGS:     1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14      Ephesians 5:15-20
CHORAL ANTHEM:   Fill-Me Up                                                                               Pepper Choplin
UNISON PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
    All:   Come, Holy Spirit, and help us as we listen for your good news. Bless our bodies into new ways of being. Soften our hearts and minds for new ways of seeing the world, and ourselves. Amen.
SERMON: On Wisely Not Wasting Time
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:   Lord of All Good   GTG#711
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:  (Our Mother and Father in heaven…)
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE
                 Offering link
OFFERTORY SOLO:            In VainDave;    Ragland;    Sarah Baxter, alto
UNISON PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
     All:   O Lord, receive these gifts we bring as an expression of our desire to live as new creation people, shaped not by bitterness and complaint, but by sharing and generosity.     Amen.
CLOSING HYMN (You may rise in Body or Spirit):    Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door   GTG#728
BLESSING
POSTLUDE: This Little Light of Mine          setting by Bradley Sowash

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 Deanna up in the front of the sanctuary at the livestream table if you would like to use one.
• Deacon’s would like to update our church’s PRAYER CHAIN LIST. If you would like to be included on the prayer chain (to receive a call when there is a prayer concern among those in the congregation, and pass it on to the next person) please let Nancy Gay know that you are interested.

MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:

•  Bread, Buns, Fruit, Water, Meat, Peanut Butter, Cheese are always needed for our INTERRUPT HUNGER work. WESTPORT SHOWERS happens on Sunday mornings & Thursday nights. Men’s boxer brief underwear needed. Men’s and Women’s tennis shoes, pants, shorts. Backpacks!
• 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/or handing out weekday lunches. Please contact the church office for more information. 

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

• Monday, Aug. 19               11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
  • • • 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, Aug. 20               11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
  • • • 6:00 p.m.         Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Wednesday, Aug. 21         10:00 a.m.       Resource Center Open (Storefront)
  • • • 11:00 a.m      Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
      • 8:00 p.m        Mission & Outreach Committee Meeting (Zoom)
• Thursday, Aug. 22             10:00 a.m.       Resource Center Open (Storefront)
  • • • 11:00 a.m      Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
      • 5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
• Friday, Aug. 23                  11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
• Saturday, Aug. 24              8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
  • • •  9:00 a.m.         Finucane Service Project: Rockhurst University Students (Outside Church)
      •  10:00 a.m.       Cub Scouts (Westport Rising Room)
•      Sunday, Aug. 25                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)
      • 12:00 noon      Session Meeting (Library)

LOOKING AHEAD:

•      Wednesday, Aug. 28         6:00 p.m.         Stewardship Meeting (Library)
  • • • 7:00 p.m.         Zoom Bible Study – contact church office for link (Online)  *meets every other week*