Prelude to the Serenity Prayer 

Westport Presbyterian Church 1835 – present
WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
December 3, 2023

(Video will be posted LIVE on the church’s FB page at 11am and then cross-posted here afterward.  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: Comfort Ye (from MESSIAH) Handel
OPENING HYMN:   Comfort, Comfort You My People   PH#3
ADVENT SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 1: 5-25
LIGHTING OF THE 1ST CANDLE OF ADVENT: The Sweeney Family

Leader: Today we light our first candle on the advent wreath remembering Zechariah and Elizabeth, faithful people of God who knew too well the difficulty of waiting – in their case, waiting for a child or to be released from silence.

• May we remember those couples in our world going thru long months or years, trying to get pregnant or adopt a child,
• those who keep vigil at a loved ones’ bedside,
• frail and homebound persons,
• persons waiting for the chance of a job, or to attend school,
• persons who wait for organ transplants for themselves or a loved one, or for major surgery, or cancer or covid treatment,
• those in the military far from home; hostages hoping for freedom; persons incarcerated, and all their families
• the unhoused and hungry, here or at border crossings or in the midst of war, terrorist massacres, or natural disasters.

LIGHT ONE CANDLE
UNISON PRAYER:

O God, we pray for all people for whom waiting is hard, painful or scary. Help us remember that just as you were with Zechariah and Elizabeth and the baby who would be conceived and become known as John the Baptist, you are present with us and all who wait. Open our hearts to recognize your comforting presence. Amen.

SUNG RESPONSE: While We Are Waiting, Come   GTG#92
SHARING OF THE 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 one another.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

Pastor: May the words of my mouth
People: And the meditations of our hearts
Unison: Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord,
our Strength and our Redeemer, Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Old Testament: Psalm 80: 1-9, 17-19
New Testament: Mark 13: 28-32

CHORAL ANTHEM: Prepare the Way, O Zion arr. Mark Schweizer
MESSAGE: Prelude to the Serenity Prayer
COMMUNION PREPARATION:  Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread   GTG#500

CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION:
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE:

Pastor: Let’s gather around this planet friendly, holy table, With holy bread & drink
People: The promise of Christ coming alive among us
Pastor: This is the welcome table of God where all who intend to experience the non- physical spiritual dimension of life—
People: And live in relationships of freedom and peace with neighbors
Pastor: Hunger no more! Come to eat! Here, all who long for otherwise elusive grace
People: May enjoy the strong love of God in Jesus Christ.
Pastor: Here you are embraced and held by Self Emptying Love!—
People: One of God’s great and holy names!
Pastor: Come to drink, you are invited into this holy mystery.
People: We are ready!
Pastor: Jesus said: “I am the bread of life. All who come to me shall not
hunger, and all who believe in me shall never be thirsty.”
People: We are hungry for Your Love, O God, We are thirsty for Your Deep Peace,
O Lamb of God. We seek an unusual gift— an experience of wonder and joy.
Pastor: Come in, Holy Spirit. Open our eyes to the mystery of
The living Christ’s presence in our midst. Through the broken bread…
People: We are becoming the Body of Christ—
Pastor: Feeding the hungry!
People: Giving showers and clothes to people who are homeless and extremely poor!
Pastor: Becoming anti-racist! Getting into Good Trouble!
People: Let us praise and pray to God by singing an African hymn!

CONGREGATIONAL SUNG PRAYER: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God (SING TWICE)   GTG#851

Pastor: Let us lift up names of the people we wish to pray for, concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (Glory to God, page 35)…

BREAKING AND SHARING OF THE BREAD,  POURING AND SHARING OF THE WINE

Pastor: The Grace, Peace, Love and Joy of Jesus Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Let us pray in unison…

UNISON PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Gracious, loving God, You have called us to become a body of Christ. Thank you for filling us amidst hunger & thirst. Now send us into the world to do the great work You have called us to do—Find the lost & lonely! Heal wounded souls! Free people, including ourselves, who are not at all free! Give compassion to the vulnerable & marginalized! Love Beauty, Planet & Sky, persist in resisting evil, share by how we live the Message of Jesus, Who is The Light in the World. Amen.

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:   Lift Up Your Heads   GTG#93
WELCOME! NEWS IN, AROUND AND BEYOND THE COMMUNITY
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVING
                 Offering link
OFFERTORY SOLO: Every Valley (from MESSIAH) Handel; Joshua Stark, baritone
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
CLOSING HYMN:   On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry   GTG#96
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE:   O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Stanza 1)   GTG#88
BLESSING
POSTLUDE: People, Look East (BESANÇON) arr. Sara Glick

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.
• Our FALL PLEDGE DRIVE is coming to an end. 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 your pledge by Wed. Dec. 6! We have $72,600 in pledges so far.
• 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)6

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

• Monday, Dec. 4 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, Dec. 5 6:00 p.m. Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Wednesday, Dec. 6 Evening Staff Performance Evaluations (Fellowship Room)
  • • 7:00 p.m. Zoom Bible Study – contact church office for link (Online)  *meets every other week*
• Thursday, Dec. 7 8:30 a.m. Eric Garbison/Cherith Brook Meeting (Living Room)
  • • 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
    • 6:00 p.m. Green Party Meeting (Fellowship Room)
• Saturday, Dec. 9 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
  • • 9:00 a.m. Willow Woods Santa Pancake Breakfast (Fellowship Room)
    • 10:00 a.m. WCA Board Meeting (Library)
    • 10:00 a.m. Cub Scouts (Westport Rising Room)
• Sunday, Dec. 10 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:

• Tuesday, Dec. 12 7:00 p.m. Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)
• Friday, Dec. 15 12:00 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts Brown Bag Concert Series: Elisa Bickers, organist (Sanctuary)
  • • 4:00 p.m. Willow Woods Christmas Program (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