The Arrival of Joy 

Westport Presbyterian Church 1835 – present

“Blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for they are good, for
God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
-Psalm 118:26, 29

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
PALM/PASSSION SUNDAY
April 13, 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) 

PRELUDE: All Glory, Laud, and Honor Alec Wyton
CALL TO WORSHIP: (A poem attributed to The Buddha)

One: Let us live in joy, not hating those who hate us.
All: Among those who hate us, we live free of hate.
One: Let us live in joy, free from disease among those who are diseased.
All: Among those who are diseased, let us live free of disease.
One: Let us live in joy, free from greed among the greedy.
All: Among those who are greedy, we live free of greed.
One: Let us live in joy, though we possess nothing.
All: Let us live feeding on joy, like the bright gods.

OPENING HYMN: All Glory, Laud, and Honor (with waving of palms)   GTG#196
UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:

All: God of heaven and earth, we give you thanks for sending us Jesus Christ. We want to welcoming him into our lives with joy, and yet in times of trial we too often deny him. Forgive us and heal us as we pledge our lives to the joyful way of Jesus.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:

One: Because God has turned her face towards us In the face of Jesus Christ, we have nothing to fear. Forgiven and freed, let us live in peace with one another.
All: Thanks be to God!

SUNG RESPONSE:  Live in Charity (English & Latin)   GTG#205
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: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29      Luke 19:28-40

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

CHORAL ANTHEM: Festival of Palms arr. Joseph Martin
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

One: Illuminating God,
All: shine your light into every corner of our hearts.
One: As we reflect together on the stories of Scripture,
All: may we welcome the joy that is ours in the risen Christ, Amen.

MESSAGE: The Arrival of Joy
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna   GTG#197
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: Jesus tells us it is more blessed to give than to receive. May we who have received so much from the Lord give back as we receive the offering.
Offering link

OFFERTORY SOLO: The Holy City Stephen Adams       Josh Stark, baritone
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

One: Giver of all good gifts, we thank you for all that you have graciously poured out on us. As we begin Holy Week and walk the final steps to the cross, and then to Easter joy, we give you thanks for the gift of Christ among us.
All: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN:    O Sacred Head, Now Wounded    GTG#221
CHARGE AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE: Weepin’ Mary Burleigh     Sarah Baxter, alto

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.
• BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED: Westport Center for the Arts is seeking board members who are interested in helping us keep community arts alive in Westport. We are a volunteer board who meets monthly (usually on the 4th Saturday of the month at 10 am) to work on planning programming, fundraising, community partnerships, and marketing. With the recent loss of our board president, we need people who are willing to fill some leadership roles within the organization. Our programming includes Monthly Brown Bag Concerts, Independent Professional Theater, The Dancing Word (poetry & dance) and Visual Art Exhibits. If you have an interest in the arts or know anyone who may be interested in serving on the board, please contact us at admin@wcakc.org. Support from our community is needed to keep our organization thriving.

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.

HOLY WEEK AT WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

• GOOD FRIDAY TENEBRAE SERVICE Friday, April 18 7:00 p.m.
• EASTER SUNDAY COMMUNION SERVICE Sunday, April 20 11 a.m.
• TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to order an Easter Lily for Easter Sunday, please use the sign-up sheet at the back of the sanctuary (please include your dedication), or you may contact the church office. The cost is $15 each. You can pay by check or cash and write Easter Lily in the memo line or on the pew envelope.

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

• Monday, Apr. 14
  • 6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)
  • 7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)
• Tuesday, Apr. 15
  • 4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)
  • 6:00 p.m. Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Wednesday, Apr. 16
  • 10:00 a.m. Resource Center Open (Storefront)
  • 11:00 a.m. Sack Lunches Distributed (Storefront)
• Thursday, Apr. 17
  • 5:30 p.m. Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non- conforming people (Basement)
• Friday, Apr. 18 GOOD FRIDAY
  • 7:00 p.m. Good Friday Tenebrae Service (Sanctuary)
• Saturday, Apr. 19
  • 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
• Sunday, Apr. 20 EASTER SUNDAY
  • 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. Communion Worship Service (Sanctuary)
    Children’s Sunday School & Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)
  • 12:15 p.m. Easter Eats – Join us after worship to share some finger sandwiches & spring treats (Fellowship Room)

LOOKING AHEAD:

• Wednesday, Apr. 23 8:00 p.m. Mission & Outreach Meeting (Zoom)
• Saturday, Apr. 26 10:00 a.m. Westport Center for the Arts Board Meeting (Fellowship Room)

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.

Concerning bills that are moving through the legislature:

• SS#2 SCS SB 22 – This prohibit courts from re-writing summary statements on legislatively referred constitutional amendments. This allows the legislature to write ballot language that could be misleading and often times, unconstitutional. This has occurred many times in the past and the courts were called upon to change it. This bill is important because it will allow the legislators to write deceptive ballot language to intentionally confuse citizens to vote for it. This bill was filed so that the language of HJR 54 could not be changed.
• HJR 54 – There seems to be much contention about the wording of this ballot. It has gone through several committees, and several versions. All of them are confusing but basically strip the rights away from Amendment 3 (reproductive rights) that were passed last November.
• HCS HB 328 – Would allow concealed carry permit holders to carry firearms on public transportation and lowers the age requirement for concealed carry permits. Lowers the age for a concealed carry permit to 18 from 19. (The requirement for all churches to allow guns has been dropped from this one).

If you are concerned about these bills or others, please contact your legislators.