WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
March 23, 2025
PRELUDE: I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light Kathleen Thomerson, setting by Sara Glick
CALL TO WORSHIP: (from Isaiah 55 & Psalm 63)
One: Everyone who thirsts:
All: Come to the waters, seek the Lord, repent and return so that you may live.
One: All who are hungry for justice:
All: Come to the waters, seek the Lord, repent and return so that you may live.
One: All who need God’s help:
All: Come to the waters, seek the Lord, repent and return so that you may live.
OPENING HYMN: God Is Calling through the Whisper GTG#410
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:
All: Holy Mystery, you set before us a rich feast of blessing, but we are drawn to lesser things that cannot satisfy. Forgive us when we fall short of your claim upon our lives. Disturb our low expectations for life and flicker alive in us the desire for fullness and faithfulness. Be patient with us, as we make changes during the Lenten season. We ask this in the name of the crucified Christ – sign of your undying love for us and for all things. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:
One: God’s love is sure and steadfast, always providing a way out of trouble and a way back home to healing.
All: With gratitude, we receive this good news and promise to keep walking in the way of Christ. Amen.
SUNG RESPONSE: Wait for the Lord (SING TWICE) GTG#90
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 55:1-9 Luke 13:1-9
One: May God bless the reading of Holy Scripture.
All: Thanks be to God.
CHORAL ANTHEM: The Yearning Craig Courtney
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
One: By the power of your Holy Spirit, may your Word be to us a rich feast, satisfying the soul.
All: Amen.
MESSAGE: Small Stories versus Spacious Stories
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN: O Word of God Incarnate GTG#459
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: The Confession of 1967 reminds us that “Life is a gift to be received with gratitude and a task to be pursued with courage.” God has given each of us and all of us a variety of gifts and we are grateful. As an act of worship, let us commit to returning those gifts to God and God’s service.
OFFERTORY SOLO: Child of God Mark A. Miller Emma Witbolsfeugen, soprano
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
One: Gracious God, you give to us out of your abundance.
All: And we give thanks.
One: We dedicate these gifts of time and talents and tithes to you
All: and ask that you continue to lead us as we use these gifts to join your work in this community. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: O Day of Peace GTG#373
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE: Deep River spiritual, setting by Teresa Wilhelmi
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 Deanna 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:
- 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 Wednesdays 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.
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 readings related to various topics including faith, art, culture, politics, earth care. Currently reading Wanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca Solnit.
INREACH & OUTREACH IN THE COMING WEEK: (All Events are at the Church, 201 Westport Rd – unless noted)
- Monday, Mar. 24 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
- 7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
- Tuesday, Mar. 25 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
- Wednesday, Mar. 26 10:00 a.m. Resource Center Open (Storefront)
- 11:00 a.m. Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
- 7:00 p.m. Stewardship Committee Meeting (Online)
- 8:00 p.m. Mission & Outreach Committee Meeting (Zoom)
- Thursday, Mar. 27 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
- Friday, Mar. 28 12:00 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts Brown Bag Concert Series: St. Petersburg String Quartet (Sanctuary)
- Saturday, Mar. 29 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
- 10:00 a.m. Private Space Rental: Batmitzvah (Santuary & Fellowship Room)
- Sunday, Mar. 30 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. Service of the Lord’s Day (Sanctuary)
- Children’s Sunday School & Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
- 12:15 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
OTHER UPCOMING NEWS AND Events:
- Saturday March 29, 8:30 am-noon Chuck Gillam Lecture on Earthkeeping – “A Call to Arms: Protecting Children from Chemicals Causing Disease”. Keynoted by Investigative Journalist & Author Carey Gillam. Panel Discussion follows the Keynote Address. At Village Presbyterian Church, Friendship Hall, South Parking lot, 6641 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS 66208
- This year Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church (GCPC) in Overland Park, Kansas, is celebrating their 40th Anniversary! On Saturday, March 29, from 9am-2pm, our 40th Anniversary Committee is holding a Craft Fair in our concourse and fellowship hall. We would love to invite your church family to attend and enjoy this spring morning of crafts and fellowship.
MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: from Riva and the League of Women Voters
- If you would like to read more about individual bills please go to the house and senate websites (house.mo.gov – HB bills) (senate.mo.gov – SB bills). You will also find bill summaries and the emails to all legislators there.
- If you would like to receive the weekly Legislative Action Newsletter from the League of Women Voters KC, visit the website lwvkc.org and click on the red sign-up box on top of the page. You do not have to be a member of the league to do this. You can also share the alert with others.
- The Missouri Legislature is on spring break from March 17-21. They will be back in session Monday March 24. Check to see if your state senator or representative is having a Town Hall. They should all be back in their districts. You can also check to see if Missouri’s U.S. Senators are having any meet ups with constituents while they are also on break. Check out their websites or call their local KC offices.
- (Schmitt 816-849-6234 and Hawley – 816-960-4694).
- Vote411.org is up and running. Please check out what will be on your specific ballot (put in your address) for the April 8th election. You can also check your voter registration and other important election dates.
- The League of Women Voters of Kansas City is once again holding forums for the candidates for the school board. Here are the dates. If you cannot tune in on those dates, you can go to the LWVKC you tube channel later or the LWVKC.org website to watch the recordings.
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