The Purpose of Prayer

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF EPIPHANY
February 8, 2026

PRELUDE: Wayfaring Stranger setting by David Gale
CALL TO WORSHIP: Jennifer White, liturgist

One: No matter how far from God we seem to be,
All: We do not lose heart.
One: No matter how many obstacles we face in life,
All: We do not lose heart.
One: No matter how hard it is to continually pray and work for justice,
All: We do not lose heart.

OPENING HYMN: Open the Eyes of My Heart (sing twice)   GTG#452
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:

All: Gracious God, we are learning to pray, to pay attention. But we are easily distracted. We are pulled into pettiness and struck by the sensational. Help us to pay attention to the way of Jesus. Help us to meditate on how his story enlarges our own. Forgive us when we grow weary – fatigued and frustrated. Forgive us when our prayers reflect a bias towards our own comfort. Fill us with hope so that we can keep going. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:

One: Friends, God promises to forgive us. God gives us more than second chances. God gives us a new beginning – along with the strength we need for a new start.
All: Thanks be to God! Amen.

SUNG RESPONSE:   In My Life (verses 1-2)   GTG#468
[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: Holy God, before we even come to you in prayer, Your Spirit stirs in our hearts, making a garden in us, seeds planted in order to flower and flourish. Help us to hear in these ancient texts a new hope for today.
All: Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING: Job 28:20-28   Luke 18:1-8

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

CHORAL ANTHEM: Christus Lux Mea H. Sorenson
MESSAGE: The Purpose of Prayer    Rev. Melissa Bower
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:   In the Cross of Christ I Glory (verses 1-3)    GTG#213
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER:  Kum ba Yah (verses 1, 4)   GTG#472
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE, BLESSINGS, 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.

THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE: (from 2 Timothy 3:17; 4:5)

One: Our ministry is most fully carried out when our hearts are full – full of love, justice, and generosity in sharing what we have with others.
Equipped for every good work, we now present ourselves and our offerings before God.

OFFERTORY SOLO: My Lord What a Morning arr. Burleigh   Emma WitbolsFeugen, soprano
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

One: God of generous providing, we belong to you and all that we have belongs to you. Use these offerings in service of the justice that is breaking into the world through the risen Christ at work in ordinary people like us.
All: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN: Lord, Are Both Lamb and Shepherd (verses 1-3)   GTG#274
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE: Standing in the Need of Prayer Spiritual, 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! 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. Children are invited to remain in the service until the “Time for Young Disciples” and then they can go play in the upstairs children’s room.
• TODAY we welcome Rev. Melissa Bowers who is leading our worship service while pastor Jared is on vacation. Melissa is a chaplain, pastor, and spiritual director. When she is not helping patients, families, and spiritual seekers she enjoys motorbiking and gardening. She and her husband Tim have three grown children and two grandchildren. They live in Kansas City with their cute poodle, Sparky! You can reach her at [email protected]
• WELCOME to Emily Davidson who is leading our music today, as Renee is on vacation!
• 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.
• 2026 PER CAPITA is $45.91 per church member. This money helps support our denomination on the regional and national levels. The breakdown is: $11.26 to General Assembly, $3.15 to Synod of Mid-America, and $31.50 to Heartland Presbytery. If you would like to help out the church by paying your own Per Capita, make your check out to Westport Presbyterian Church or place money in a pew envelope and include “per Capita” on the memo line. Thank You!
• CHILDREN’S CHOIR PRACTICE: Any kids that want to sing the anthem with the choir on Feb. 22 please join Renee at the front of the sanctuary 10:00-10:15 starting January 25.

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.
  The OVERCOMING OVERWHELM group (meets Sunday mornings at 9:40 a.m.) has decided to take a break from our regular class activities to do some small projects that would help benefit the church. Some possibilities include: helping with mailings, folding brochures, cleaning out or organizing areas of the church that need attention, and anything else we can come up with. Anyone is welcome to join us in that week’s activities, and if we have time we may do a meditation as well. 😊
• 10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group readings related to various topics including faith, art, culture, politics, earth care. Currently reading Breathing Under Water: The Spirituality of the 12 Steps, by Richard Rohr.

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 fruit cups, meat, cheese, peanut butter are always needed.
• WINTER WEATHER CLOTHING DRIVE: Through the cold weather months Westport Showers will be collecting coats, hats, gloves, warm socks, shoes and boots. Look through your closets and see if you have any extra items you can donate.
• BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED & PAID PART-TIME POSTITIONS AVAILABLE: Westport Center for the Arts, an non-profit organization founded by our church that has dedicated itself to bringing free art exhibits, concerts, dance performances, etc. to the neighborhood, has several positions that need filling. They need a board president to set a meeting agenda and keep track of who is doing what, and they are looking to fill several paid positions: Photographer, Grant Writer, Visual Arts Program Director. If interested, email [email protected] or speak with Josh Stark or Deanna Capps.

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

• Monday, Feb. 9 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
  • 7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
• Tuesday, Feb. 10 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
  • 5:30 p.m. Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)
• Thursday, Feb. 12 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
• Friday, Feb. 13 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Resource Center Open & Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
• Saturday, Feb. 14 VALENTINE’S DAY
  • 8:30 a.m. Private Rental – Meeting (Storefront)
• Sunday, Feb. 15 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
  • 10:00 a.m. Children’s Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
  • 11:00 a.m. Service of the Lord’s Day (Sanctuary)
    Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
    • 12:15 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
  • After Church Community Potluck – Bring an Entrée, Side, Salad, or Dessert to Share (Fellowship Room)
    • 12:30 p.m. Valentine’s Sing Along (Chapel)

LOOKING AHEAD:

• Wednesday, Feb. 18 6:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service (Sanctuary)
• Friday, Feb. 20 12:00 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts – Brown Bag Concert Series:  La Gioia Winds, Quintet (Sanctuary)
• Saturday, Feb. 21 1:30 p.m. AIRR Immigration Rapid Response Training (3210 Michigan Ave.)
  • • 2:30 p.m. PNC Meeting (Fellowship Room)
• Saturday, Mar. 7 5:45-7:30 p.m. Iftar Gathering/Ramadan Fast Breaking Dinner
  Second Pres, Rolling Hills Pres & Westport Pres with the Dialogue Institute of Kansas City
  (at Second Presbyterian Church, 318 E 55th St, KCMO)

MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:  from Riva and the League of Women Voters

• Bill #: SB 908 removes ability of municipalities to enact any type of firearms ordinances.
  A one-size fits all policy that ignores local conditions and police and local problem solving of firearm issues. This bill carries threats a $50,000 fine to said municipality for every infringement.
• HB 2176 Anti-redflag
  Blocks cooperation with federal or out-of-state red-flag orders (laws that allow law enforcement, even family members to remove firearms from individuals posing a threat to themselves or others). Also removes ability of any municipality to enact any firearm law of their own. (See above bill).
• SB 952 Prohibits police and sheriffs from enforcing federal firearms laws against law-abiding citizens of Missouri, imposes civil penalties for violations (on law enforcement officers). It creates confusion for officers in the field about what they can legally do and lets dangerous offenders slip through the cracks.
• What is “Jackxit?”
  Every 10 years voters across the state will be asked to vote on whether to split Jackson County in two. Even if Jackson County voters ultimately say “no,” a majority of voters in the state could force the county to split. If approved, the city and county would present a plan to be approved both by Kansas City and eastern Jackson County voters. Eastern Jackson County and Kansas City would each have to create a government from the ground up. Clay or Platte residents that have Kansas City addresses would remain within their respective counties. Some find “needs are different in a large commercial areas vs smaller more divided districts that makes up the eastern half of the county. Fewer than half of all Jackson County residents now live in Kansas City. There is concern that Kansas City has too much influence over Jackson County politics. Administrative challenges would be substantial; ie, duplication of many services; separate tax collection systems, separate jails. The Beacon.

Ballot Language Fallout

• Five times in recent months ballot summaries written by Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins have been tossed out by the courts, been blocked or rewritten. These include ballots for public education, funding, private school vouchers, abortion rights, gerrymandering and the initiative petition process. Hoskins’ attorneys acknowledged in court that he had written a ballot summary “likely to create prejudice” against a possible referendum on Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map.
  A law passed by Republican lawmakers last year gave the secretary of state three chances to rewrite ballot language deemed insufficient or biased before a judge could intervene. The Missouri Supreme Court struck that law down last month as unconstitutional. It functioned less as a safeguard than as a tool to delay the initiative petition process, a process governed by hard deadlines. Research shows voters rely heavily on ballot language, particularly for down-ballot measures where campaigns are less visible and partisan cues are weaker. The danger is not simply biased wording on a handful of measures, but the gradual erosion of trust in a system meant to give citizens a direct voice.

Village Presbyterian Church is delighted to welcome the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III as the 2026 Meneilly Visiting Scholar. Dr. Moss is an engaging, compelling, and passionate advocate of the Gospel, an impactful author, and the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago—a church that identifies itself as “Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian.” He was recognized by Baylor University as one of the 12 most effective preachers in the English language and by Root 100 in its inaugural list of extraordinary African-American leaders. The event is free of charge, but registration is required. You may register for one or both sessions. We hope to see you there!
Session 1: Punching Holes in the Darkness 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27
Session 2: Dancing in the Darkness 9-11:45 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28