Second Sunday of Easter—The Resurrection#2!
April 16, 2023, 11:00 am
(Video will be posted LIVE on the church’s FB page at 11am and then cross-posted here. 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: Six Ecossaises (1-3)—Beethoven
CALL TO RETURN TO OUR SOULS
Pastor: Come and find the quiet center in the crowded life we lead.
People: Find the room for hope to enter. Find the frame where we are freed. Pastor: Clear the chaos and the clutter. Clear out eyes that we can see
People: All the things that really matter. Be at peace and simply be.
Pastor: In the Spirit let us travel, open to each other’s pain.
People: Let our lives and fears unravel. Celebrate the space we gain.
Pastor: There’s a place for deepest dreaming. There’s a time for heart to care.
People: In the Spirit’s lively scheming, there is always room to spare.
–Shirley Erena Murray
HYMN: The Strife is O’er GTG#236
CALL TO CONFESSION
Pastor: O God, full of compassion, I commit and commend myself to you, in whom I am, and live, and know. Be the goal of my pilgrimage, and my rest by the way.
People: Let my soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thought beneath the shadow of your wings. Let my heart, this sea of restless waves find peace in you, O God.
Pastor: So God heals us of all sin, all brokenness all foolishness and fury and regret. Amen
—adapted from a prayer by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430
TIME FOR SILENT MEDITATION (30 seconds, concluded by ringing of gong)
RESPONSIVE INVITATION TO ENJOY GOD’S GRACE
Pastor: Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful Be optimistic.
People: Our struggle is not the struggle of a day a week, a month or a year.
Pastor: It is the struggle of a lifetime.
People: Never, ever be afraid to make some noise
Pastor: And get in good trouble, necessary trouble.
People: Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people
Pastor: To make a difference in our society,
People: Because human beings are the most dynamic link to the Divine on this planet.” —John Lewis
HYMN: Just a Closer Walk with Thee STF#2158
BIBLE READING: Luke 24:13-49 The Road to Emmaus — Josh Stark
ANTHEM: I Know My Faith Is Founded (NUN LOB, MEIN SEEL)—arr. Mark Schweizer
PRAYER BEFORE SERMON
Pastor: May the words of my mouth
People: And the meditations of our hearts
Pastor: Be acceptable to you, O Lord
People: Our Strength and our Redeemer. Amen.
SERMON: Resurrection#2
HYMN: Thine is the Glory GTG#238
WELCOMING
PRAYER: Prayer Merged with Matthew 25 Prayer, Lord’s Prayer, Sung Response: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God(sing twice) GTG#851
OFFERTORY: This Joyful Eastertide— Vernon Hoyle, The ensemble
Offering link
UNISON PRAYER OF DEDICATION
May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind Quickly be freed from their illnesses. May those frightened cease to be afraid, And may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, And may people think Of befriending one another. May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wilderness— The children, the aged, the unprotected— Be guarded now and always. Amen.
–Buddhist prayer
HYMN: Guide My Feet (stanzas 1-5) GTG#741
BENEDICTION
SUNG BENEDICTION RESPONSE: Guide My Feet (stanza 6) GTG#741
POSTLUDE: Sonata in G major, no. 17—Joseph Haydn, 3. Presto
CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NEWS
- Bread, Buns and Fruit are needed for the INTERRUPT HUNGER work we are doing.
- Thanks to everyone making WESTPORT SHOWERS happen on Sundays and on Thursday nights. You make space for grace! We need men’s pants in all sizes!
- Children’s Sunday School has restarted! During worship with teachers in the redesigned 2nd floor Children’s Space, teaching & learning will emphasize Care for the Earth, Sky and all God’s creation. 11:00 am start time.
- EARTH DAY SUNDAY is next Sunday, April 23, 11 am. During the service there will be a DIALOGUE SERMON with Jim Turner, leader of Westport’s Earth Care team, and Rev Scott.
- The #GoodTrouble KC team will be meeting with KCMO Board of Police Commissioner Dawn Kramer this Tuesday, April 18. We are discussing and thinking together with policing leaders about 1) How to hire and promote more Black and Brown police officers, especially women, 2) How to achieve an audit that will change what Police Chief Stacey Graves herself has called “the good ol’ boy” culture in the KCPD, 3) Working for Local control 4) Police leaders committing to common sense gun reform and ban on sale of assault weapons. Karen Daniels (family member of first Black police chief of KCK, Boston Daniels), Brother John Anderson, Doug Kinney of St Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, Stan Morgan, Rev Scott, Marian Thomas are the catalysts for this DIALOGUE experimental method of social change and transformation.
- We are committed to Steptoe Lives in an effort to honor and preserve WHAT remains of the historic Black Westport community of Steptoe. A major event now being planned is Juneteenth in Steptoe, on the Sunday afternoon, June 18, 4 pm, the day before the new national holiday. Events will be held in the neighborhood (parade with drill team), at the St. James Missionary Baptist Church (music and Dancing Word) and here at Westport Presby (film) Want to join in the effort? Stan Morgan, Rev Scott and Mary Jo Draper, our church’s electronic newsletter publisher, and Taylor Brown, Westport Center for the Arts Executive Director, are participating so far.
- Friendship Time before and after worship with snacks and coffee. Starts at 10:20 am in the main hallway. Continues after worship. Time for spontaneous friendship interaction. Smile.
- FREDitation, a centering prayer time named in honor of Fred Culver, Monday 4:30 p.m. 20 minutes.
- Following a friendly, well conceived, one hour presentation last Tuesday, by Rev. Carlton Johnson (spiritual leader in our national church, African American leader of the Vital Congregations Initiative, 20 year music leader in churches)—our church elders discussed, then decided to commit to this 3 year initiative, which we hope will help us meet the challenges of this post pandemic time. Illustrations of VCI thinking: 1. Pay attention to the needs of people walking in the door. These needs are holy. 2) A church’s vitality or lack of vitality is the community’s assessment, not the church’s self assessment. This initiative starts with Session, and, in time, includes the congregation.
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