Westport Presbyterian Church 1835 – present
Season of Epiphany
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday
January 19, 2025
(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)
WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF EPIPHANY
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SUNDAY
January 19, 2024
PRELUDE: My Lord, What a Morning arr. John Purifoy
CALL TO WORSHIP (based on Psalm 36:7-9):
One: How precious is your steadfast love, O God! May all people take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
All: We feast on the abundance of your house, and you give us drink from the river of your delights.
One: For with you is the fountain of life;
All: in your light we see light.
OPENING HYMN: Lift Every Voice and Sing GTG#339
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:
All: You have blessed us with a variety of gifts, Holy God, but we are reluctant to share. We hoard what is most valuable and make excuses for ourselves when called to share. The Spirit has blessed each of us uniquely, but we hide our light under a bushel and fail to rise to our potential. God, forgive us and embolden us. Help us to claim our gifts and put them to good use. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:
One: Our God is a loving God, full of mercy. In Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Believe in this forgiveness, be at peace, and respond in grateful service.
All: Amen.
SUNG RESPONSE: Halle, Halle, Hallelujah! GTG#591
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 READINGS: Isaiah 62:1-5 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
One: May God bless the reading of Holy Scripture.
All: Thanks be to God.
CHORAL ANTHEM: Star in the East Frank Pesci
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
One: Holy God, we need the guidance of your Word. Help us be honest with ourselves and with you in this sacred moment of proclamation. Amen.
All: Amen.
MESSAGE: Reimagining Beloved Community Rev. Jared Witt
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN: Precious Lord, Take My Hand GTG#834
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith):
All: We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel. Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.
WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God GTG#851
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.
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES/INVITATION TO GIVE:
One: Our God blesses us with extravagance and abundance. Grateful for all we have been given, let us present our tithes and offerings to the Lord.
All: Amen.
Offering link
OFFERTORY SOLO: Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel arr. Harry T. Burleigh Nico Caruso, tenor
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
One: Just as Jesus turned gallons of water into wine, we too know God’s extravagant blessings.
All: Take these gifts we give today and bless them, Holy God, that others may know your abundance and live whole and healthy lives. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: Bring Forth the Kingdom STF#2190
POSTLUDE: Variation on “We Shall Overcome” Gaël Liardon
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 Josh up in the front of the sanctuary at the livestream table if you would like to use one.
- 2025 PER CAPITA is $44.98 per member. This money helps support our denomination on the regional and national levels. The breakdown is: $10.84 to General Assembly, $3.15 to Synod of Mid-America, and $30.99 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!
MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:
- WINTER WEATHER CLOTHING DRIVE: Westport Showers is collecting coats, hats, gloves, warm socks, and boots. Look through your closets and see if you have any extra items you can donate.
- 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 bread, fruit, meat, cheese, peanut butter are always needed.
CONNECTION HOUR SMALL GROUPS:
Sunday Mornings
9:30 a.m. “Overcoming Dumpster Fire Overwhelm” lead by Jennifer White. Children’s room.
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. Library.
Readings related to various topics including faith, art, culture, politics, earth care.
INREACH & OUTREACH IN THE COMING WEEK: (All Events are at the Church, 201 Westport Rd – unless noted)
- Monday, Jan. 20 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY (Church Office Closed)
- 12 noon Westport Center for the Arts’ Brown Bag Concert Series: Doug Talley Quartet – A Concert to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Sanctuary)
- 1 p.m. WCA & Jan Jensen Artists presents Visual Art Exhibit featuring work by local Black artists. (Chapel)
- 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
- 7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
- Tuesday, Jan. 21
- 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
- Thursday, Jan. 23 No Resource Center or Lunches this week
- 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
- Saturday, Jan. 25
- 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
- 10:00 a.m. Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby (Westport Rising Room)
- 10 a.m. Westport Center for the Arts Board Meeting (Fellowship Room)
- 2-4 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts: Historic Steptoe Neighborhood
- Photography Exhit: Opening Reception with Music & Storytelling (Fellowship Room)
- Sunday, Jan. 26 8-9:30 a.m. Westport Showers (Fellowship Room & Basement)
- Connection Hour Small Groups:
9:30 a.m. “Overcoming Dumpster Fire Overwhelm”
10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group - 11:00 a.m. Worship Service (Sanctuary)
- Children’s Sunday School & Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
- 12:15 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
- Connection Hour Small Groups:
LOOKING AHEAD:
- Wednesday, Jan. 29 7 p.m. Stewardship Committee Meeting (Online)
- Friday, Jan. 31 3-6 p.m. Bauer Memorial Service – (Sanctuary & Fellowship Room)
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