Serving and Living in Forgiveness

Serving and Living in Forgiveness

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
July 7, 2024

(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) 

WORDS OF WELCOME          Pastor Susan Wesley Hartley
PRELUDE:   Simple Gifts                                                                                   setting by John Leavitt
OPENING SCRIPTURE READING:   2 Corinthians 12: 5b-10                        Jeanne Reiss, liturgist
OPENING HYMN: Jesus Calls Us    GTG#720
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP:

     Leader:     We come from the day-to-day busyness of our lives.
     People:    We come with cares and worries, joys and celebrations.
     Leader:     Let us set it all aside and enter this time of worship.
     People:    May our hearts and minds be open to what God might say to us this day.
     Leader:     Trusting always in the Spirit to meet us,
     People:    let us gather to worship God!

SUNG RESPONSE:    Glory Be to the Father   GTG#581
CALL TO CONFESSION:

When we gather to worship God, we must first be honest with ourselves. We are not who God has called us to be as a people. We have not cared for others in every instance. We have made many mistakes. Let us unburden ourselves and confess our sins, knowing that God awaits to forgive and renew.

UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION: 

Gracious God, we live in the tension of what we are called to be and our lived reality. We often fall short of the good we intend and our growing in the likeness of Christ is painfully slow at best. Forgive us we pray. Offer us the peace that passes all understanding that we might be forgiven and begin anew. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 

Leader:     Hear the Good News! The old life is gone, a new life has begun. You are not who you were, may you live into who you can be. Know you are forgiven and be at peace.
People:    Thanks be to God! Amen.

SUNG RESPONSE:  In God Alone   GTG#814  
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. 

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:  Trust in God    GTG#848
UNISON PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:  Loving God, open our hearts and minds to what you would say to us this day. Speak Lord, for your people are listening. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING:   Mark 6: 1-13
MESSAGE:   Serving and Living in Forgiveness                                  Pastor Susan Westley Hartley
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:  You Are My Strength When I Am Weak    GTG#519
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    GTG#851
Pastor:      Let us lift up names of the people or situations we wish to pray for, concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (Glory to God, page 35 – Mother, Father God…)
BREAKING AND SHARING OF THE BREAD,  POURING AND SHARING OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE 

     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.

COMMUNION RESPONSE:   Help Us Accept Each Other          Glory to God#254
WELCOME! NEWS IN, AROUND AND BEYOND THE COMMUNITY
THE OFFERING OF OURSELVES / INVITATION TO GIVING
                 Offering link
OFFERTORY ANTHEM:   Create in Me a Clean Heart                                                      John Leavitt
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:  Gracious God, we offer these gifts to you. May they be used to bring grace and healing to this hurting world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN:     Give Thanks          Glory to God#647
BENEDICTION AND CHARGE TO CONGREGATION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE:  In God Alone         Glory to God #814
POSTLUDE:   Morning Song                          John Leavitt

 

 

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).

MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:

  • *We are taking up a Special Offering for Rev. Eric Garbison & his wife Jodi who will be going on a sabatical during the months of September & October after serving 24 years in ministry. Session suggested that some in the congregation may want to help, so over the next few weeks we will be accepting donations for this purpose. If you would like to help, you can make a check out to Westport Presbyterian Church or place money in a giving envelope and include “Sabatical Fund” in the memo line. Thanks!
  • 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, pants. Backpacks!
  • 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.
  • *WEEKDAY LUNCH VOLUNTEERS. We could use a few more people to help with making and handing out weekday lunches. Please contact the church office for more information.
  • The RESOURCE CENTER (Tuesdays & Thursdays in the Storefront) will be closed on July 9, 11 and 16 as Kate will be going out of town. Lunches (upstairs) and Thursday night showers will still be available.

 

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

     Monday, Jul. 8                    11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
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, Jul. 9                    9 a.m.-5 p.m.   General Assembly Planning Team (Library)
11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
6:00 p.m.         Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
7:00 p.m.         Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)
Wednesday, Jul. 10            9 a.m.-1 p.m.   General Assembly Planning Team (Library)
11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
5:15 p.m.         WCA Grants Meeting (Fellowship Room)
     Thursday, Jul. 11                11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
Friday, Jul. 12                     10:00 a.m.       Children’s Mercy TIES Group (Fellowship Room)
11:00 a.m.       Sack Lunches Distributed (Front Door)
Saturday, Jul. 13                8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
     Sunday, Jul. 14                   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)

 

LOOKING AHEAD:

Wednesday, Jul. 17             7:00 p.m.         Zoom Bible Study – contact church office for link (Online)    *meets every other week*
8:00 p.m.         Mission & Outreach Committee Meeting (Zoom)

 

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