Persuade Us To Rejoice

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
18TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
September 27, 2026

PRELUDE: Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart arr. L. Smith
CALL TO WORSHIP:

One: Why do you come to this place?
All: We seek the path of light and life, the way of peacemaking and truth-telling.
One: Do you come ready to pay attention to God’s lively Word, and to experience the risen Christ?
All: We come with open hearts and minds seeking to learn how deeply we are loved, and how we might love God and our neighbors in return.
One: Friends, lend your ears and open your hearts because this is God’s house, built by love and sustained by hope, where God makes us co-creators of a new world.

OPENING HYMN:    Come Sing, O Church, in Joy! (verses 1, 2, 3)    GTG#305
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:

All: Eternal God, you know the truth of our hearts before we utter a word. You know when our good intentions exceed our capacity to live faithfully. You know when we embrace the good news of liberation but don’t change our way of life. Forgive us when we fail to live the words we say. Restore us in the confidence and courage of people who have heard good news. Remind us that even when we arrive late, there is still work to be done. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:

One: Friends, believe this good news, in Christ we are new creations. We are forgiven; we are set free; and we are made ready to live as God’s friends.
All: Thanks be to God!

SUNG RESPONSE: I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me (verses 1, 2)   GTG#700
TIME WITH YOUNG DISCIPLES
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: God of life and light, illumine our hearts and spirits and attune us to the reading and hearing of your word. May our hearing be discerning and may this proclamation be faithful and, in all things, may we approach your word with joy and humility.
All: Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Exodus 17:1-7 (page 61)    Philippians 2: 1-13 (page 186)

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

CHORAL ANTHEM: How Can I Keep from Singing? Arr. Gilpin
PCUSA’S REGENERATIVE FARMING OVERTURE    Jim Turner
MESSAGE: Persuade Us To Rejoice      Rev. Dr. Jared Witt
MOMENT FOR SILENT REFLECTION
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:   At the Name of Jesus (verses 1, 3, 4)   GTG#264
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER:   Lord, Prepare Me (sing 2x)   GTG#701
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER:

All: 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: Friends, we are all in this together and it is only together that the work of Christ in this church is done. Let us bring our tithes and offerings for the work of the church in the world, prayerfully and joyfully.

OFFERTORY: Simple Gifts arr. Mark Hayes     Billy Holdeman, baritone
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

One: Holy God, bless these gifts for your good use. May these tokens of our gratitude be of service in blessing the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing and sheltering those struggling to survive. Use these gifts to further Christ’s mission and ministry in a hurting world.
All: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN: Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore (verses 1, 2, 3)    GTG#721
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE: Change My Heart, O God by E. Espinosa, arr. M. Hayes

 

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 will meet during the second half of worship in the in the 2nd floor Children’s Space. Children are invited to remain in the service until the “Time for Young Disciples” and then go upstairs for the remainder of the service.
• 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.
• CHILDREN’S CHOIR PRACTICE: Kids that want to sing with the choir are invited to join Renee in the front of the sanctuary on Sunday mornings from 10:00-10:25 a.m.
• DISCUSSION GROUP is reading The Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang in September. Book Discussion Group meets Sundays at 10 a.m. before church in the living room/library.

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

Monday, Sept. 28 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Chapel)
7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
Tuesday, Sept. 29 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
Wednesday, Sept. 30 7:00 p.m. Stewardship Committee Meeting (Zoom)
Thursday, Oct. 1 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Resource Center Open & Sack Lunches Distributed (Fellowship Room)
5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
Friday, Oct. 2 11:30 a.m. Children’s Mercy Healthy Families Group (Fellowship Room)
6-9 p.m. WCA Visual Art Exhibit: Morgan Smith, Sketchbook Artist
Opening Reception (Chapel & Fellowship Hall)
Saturday, Oct. 3 8:30 a.m. Private Rental – Meeting (Living Room/Library)
12:00 noon Steptoe Oral History Celebration: Luncheon (Fellowship Room)
7:00 p.m. KC English Dance (Westport Rising Room)
Sunday, Oct. 4 6:30-9:00 a.m. Westport Showers (Fellowship Room & Basement)
10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group (Library)
10:00 a.m. Children’s Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
11:00 a.m. Service of the Lord’s Day (Sanctuary)
Children’s Sunday School/Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
12:15 p.m Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

LOOKING AHEAD:

Saturday, Oct. 10 11:00 a.m. AGO Group Visit (Sanctuary)
Tuesday, Oct. 13 TBA MO Workers Center Press Conference/Rally (Front Steps & Fellowship Hall)
Friday, Oct. 16 10 a.m. Westport Center for the Arts – Brown Bag Concert: The Salon Recital: Trumpet & Piano with Alan Wenger & Mia Kim (Sanctuary)

INFORMATION ON AMENDMENTS (LWVMO):

• Amendment 3 was proposed by the Missouri legislators to be placed on the ballot to overturn the Reproductive Rights Amendment that was approved by voters in 2024, including legalizing abortion in Missouri up to fetal viability in 2024. The November 2026 Amendment 3 would ban all abortions with a few exceptions for emergencies, fetal anomalies, and rape and incest only under 12 weeks of gestational age, when most women/girls do not know they are pregnant. It will reinstate previous Missouri laws regulating abortion such as the 72-hour waiting period, requiring a physical exam, and requiring an ultrasound. These were ruled unconstitutional under the 2024 Reproductive Freedom law. Amendment 3 is being promoted as a way to prohibit gender transition procedures for minors, but this is already illegal. The prohibition on surgeries and Medicaid reimbursement is permanent. This claim is not factual and is simply ballot candy to convince people to vote to ban abortion. It also permanently bans cross-sex hormones and puberty-blocking drugs for minors. While the current prohibition on hormone treatments sunsets in 2027 (a date that can be removed by the legislature), Amendment 3 would make it permanent.
• Amendment 6 is a citizen-initiated petition. In recent years, the Missouri Legislature has overturned or attempted to overturn the vote of Missourians to adopt an amendment by rewording and putting it back on the ballot (Clean Missouri (2018) and they are now attempting to overturn Reproductive Rights (2024). They overturned laws passed by the citizens (Puppy Mills (2010) and Paid Sick Leave (2024).) Amendment 6 puts restrictions on legislators’ ability to overturn the vote of the people. It prohibits them from requiring more than a simple majority to pass a constitutional amendment and allows the courts to revise ballot language to be clear. It requires support from 80% of both chambers to send any changes back to a vote of the people that have voted into law. The intent of Amendment 6 is to protect the citizen’s right to the initiative petition process.
• Amendment 7 would create a state-run endowment fund to be invested in exchange-traded stocks. The intention is to grow the money to the point that it’s interest would be used to offset taxes. In order to generate enough interest, there would have to be a sizable principal amount. To fund Missouri’s current $13.5 billion budget, we would need a $450 billion principle for 3% a year to make up the difference paid in taxes. Other states that have endowment funds have resources like gas, oil or minerals to generate money that goes into the fund. Missouri does not have those resources. Funding allocated by the General Assembly would most likely be diverted from current taxes and budget cuts (it is not clear where the principle to fund this will come from). Missouri currently has a shortfall of money to meet its current budget so funding the endowment would likely make deeper cuts to Missouri programs including schools, healthcare and public services.
• Amendment 8 would put the current statutes to elect a county sheriff and his /her duties, in the Missouri Constitution. The removal of a sheriff could only be initiated by the MO Attorney General. A “constitutional sheriff” holds law enforcement powers that supersedes those of any agent, officer, elected official or government employee. Constitutional sheriffs assert that they have the power to determine the constitutionality of the laws and may refuse to enforce any laws that they believe unconstitutional, such as mask laws. The “constitutional sheriff” movement has attempted to mobilize law enforcement to intervene in election authority, to investigate election fraud, has seized ballots from the CA 2025 special election, etc. Amendment 8 would expand sheriffs’ authority while restricting the mechanisms to check that authority. It would remove local control of removing a sheriff deemed unfit.
• Proposition A is the result of a Veto Referendum, ie, a citizen right established in the Missouri Constitution to approve or reject any act of the General Assembly by requiring the law to go to a vote of the people before it can be enacted. In 2025, the state legislature divided up Kansas City into three sections. They did the same with districts 2 and 3, affecting about half of the state to gain more political dominance. The group People Not Politicians raised enough signatures to put the new district law on the ballot for the people to vote whether they want to keep the new gerrymandered map or if they want to veto it and go back to the 2022 map.

STATEMENT OF FAITH
Rev. Dr. Jared Witt

I believe that the three-fold God is closer to us than our own breath. Of course we are usually unconscious of our breathing. I believe that this three-fold God is the light that makes everything visible. So – better to see things in God’s light than complain that we are left only with traces. Otherwise, you’re trying to catch your peripheral vision square.

Yet in the humble, crucified face of Jesus Christ, the light of God’s glory shines. This face is the world’s joy, and mine. This face is the freedom of God to dwell among us in time and space. This is the face that gives God’s people confidence and courage to bet on Jesus’ way of life. This is the face of concrete gladness within the world. Lest the world be left without this gladness, God pours out the Spirit on the church. And this “body of Christ” is a continuation in space and time of Christ’s own gladness.

No longer in a singular face, but now in many faces, God’s gracious and forgiving presence animates the church. Facing one another, we’re learning to live together as a sign of God’s arriving realm. As a community, we traffic neither in the “back there and then” nor merely in the “some day.” Today is the day of God’s gracious favor towards the world. Let us be glad in it.

Of course we couldn’t choose this path were it not for the Spirit’s gifting us with faith, hope and love. And of course we couldn’t stay on this path were it not for the Spirited, body-oriented sacraments of a bath and a meal. For a fragile, wavering people, the wetness of the water and the materiality of the meal is, in fact, the point.

The church is the community called to sing and pray and love in wonder. This is our way of sharing in God’s triune richness. In a more hum-drum way, we are the community empowered by the Spirit to keep alive in the world the jarring, surprising, and unlikely stories of Scripture. Here in the testimony of Israel and of the early followers of Jesus, God speaks a lively word into our midst. And because we recognize our faith tradition as one “wisdom way” among many others, we stay open to good news from all angles.

In the depths of our lives the Spirit enables a language of prayer to develop that is shot through with desire. And our life-long prayer-project is editing the rough draft of what we most want to say. We have, I suppose, from now until we die.

And by God’s grace and the Spirit’s help, we are learning to say “Yes” – “Yes” to God’s grace and forgiveness, and to our neighbors’ needs, and to all of fragile finitude itself –“Yes.” “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ . . . was not ‘Yes and No’; but in him it is always ‘Yes’.” (2 Corinthians 1:19).

I suspect that this ultimate, definitive, resurrected “Yes” cannot be said; only sung.

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 Thursdays in the RESOURCE CENTER and Sundays as part of WESTPORT SHOWERS. Food donations of fruit cups, meat, cheese, peanut butter, squeeze jelly are always needed.