What Are Bodies For?

WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
SEASON OF PENTECOST
June 29, 2025

PRELUDE: Simple Gifts Shaker tune, arr. Robert Vandall

CALL TO WORSHIP: (Adapted from A Liturgy For All Bodies)

One: We who have gathered today,
We are a multitude.
All: Here in our joy and our pain,
Here in sorrow and gratitude.
One: Though we share a hope for the world,
We are not the same.
All: Even so, this much we know:
Love has called us by name.
One: Friends, let us sing our way into worship…

*OPENING HYMN (You may rise in Body or Spirit):
#404 Glory to God What Is This Place

UNISON CONFESSION OF OUR NEED OF GOD:

All: Loving God, You have created us, and called us good.
Yet we confess that we often don’t love our bodies the way You do.
So, help us, O God, to be reconciled to our bodies.
Not complacent, nor uncaring, but
help us to love ourselves as You love us.
And may we also learn to love each other,
everyone . . . every body we see;
to celebrate and care for each person in their own Being-ness,
the way You first loved us. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE:

One: Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit:
the forgiving energy of the living Christ
circulating in, between, and among us.
This Spirit-sponsored forgiveness
weaves us together into a global community
of God’s beloved people.
So honor God with your bodies.
And honor all the bodies God loves.
All: Yes! Thanks be to God.

SUNG RESPONSE:
#591 Glory to God Halle, Halle, Hallelujah! (refrain, sing twice)

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.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

One: Almighty God, your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
All: As we hear your Word read and proclaimed this day,
may our hearts be enlightened and our spirits strengthened
that we may be more faithful followers of Jesus, the Word made flesh. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Psalm 16
I Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:12-20

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

MESSAGE: What Are Bodies For? Rev. Jared Witt

*CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:
#27 Glory to God Sacred the Body

WELCOME: News In, Around, and Beyond the Community

SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER:
#205 Glory to God Live in Charity/Ubi Caritas (both verses)

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: When Jesus sent his disciples on their mission, he told them, “Freely. you have received, freely give.” Surely the same applies to us as followers of Jesus today.
All: We are who we are, and we have what we have because of God’s grace freely given in Jesus Christ. With grateful hearts, let us present our tithes and offerings.

OFFERTORY DUET: His Eye Is on the Sparrow Gabriel
Sarah Baxter & Emma Witbolsfeugen

PRAYER OF DEDICATION:

One: Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the undeserved blessings you give us. Most of all, we thank and praise you for your indescribable gift of your Son Jesus Christ. Give us grateful hearts and willing lives so we may follow our Lord where he leads us and serve our Lord as he calls us.
All: Amen.

*CLOSING HYMN (You may rise in Body or Spirit):
#679 Glory to God Let the Whole Creation Cry

*CHARGE AND BLESSING

*POSTLUDE: Gavotte (from English Suite 3) J. S. Bach

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 will meet during the second half of worship in the in the 2nd floor Children’s Space. Children ages 5 through 11 are invited to meet with Martine and Rachel after the Passing of the Peace. They will rejoin their parents after the worship service ends.
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). There will be no Children’s Sunday School in July.

HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES & HEADPHONES available upon request. Talk to Deanna up in the front of the sanctuary at the livestream table if you would like to use one.

CHOIR is on break for the summer. There will be no choir practice after church.
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 once a week in the RESOURCE CENTER and Sundays as part of WESTPORT SHOWERS. Food donations of bread, fruit, meat, cheese, peanut butter are always needed.

RESOURCE CENTER CHANGES! Resource Center is CLOSED next week (July 2). Beginning Friday, July, 11, the Resource Center will be open Fridays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Ella Hinson will be the new director (thank you Kate for all your good work!!)

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

9:40 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 The Idiot, Novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

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

Monday, Jun. 30 5:30 p.m. Westport Center for the Arts: Special Concert Event
“You, Me, Us: A Celebration of Queer Music for Saxophone & Piano”
Nick May, saxophone & Alex Li, piano (Sanctuary)
Artist Talk, Concert & Reception – Presented Free, Donations Welcomed

6:30 p.m. Men’s AA Meeting (Storefront)

7:30 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 60 (Westport Rising Room)

Tuesday, Jul. 1 6:00 p.m. Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)

Wednesday, Jul. 2 No Resource Center
4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer and Silence – 20 min (Chapel)

Thursday, Jul. 3 No Westport Showers

Friday, Jul. 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY (Church Office Closed)

Saturday, Jul. 5 8:30 a.m. Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)

7:00 p.m. KC English Dance (Westport Rising Room)

Sunday, Jul. 6 8-9:30 a.m. Westport Showers (Fellowship Room & Basement)

Connection Hour Small Groups:
9:40 a.m. “Overcoming Dumpster Fire Overwhelm”
10:00 a.m. Book Discussion Group

11:00 a.m. Service of the Lord’s Day (Sanctuary)
Nursery Care (Upstairs Children’s Room)

LOOKING AHEAD:

Tuesday, Jul. 8 5:30 p.m. Happy Hour Gathering (Harpos, 4109 Pennsylvania Ave)

5:30 p.m. Town Hall (Westport Library, 118 Westport Rd)

7:00 p.m. Session Meeting (Fellowship Room)

Sunday, Jul. 13 After Church Lunch Gathering at Jerusalem Café (515 Westport Rd)

MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE SPECIAL SESSION:
from Riva Capellari & The League of Women Voters

Senate Bill 1: $360.56 million capital improvements appropriation bill which was part of the budget but failed to come up for a vote in the House in time. $25 million provides additional emergency aid to low-income households impacted by severe weather. $100 million for disaster relief; $50 million to the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) for the University of Missouri for the construction of the Radioisotope Science Center at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR).

Provides non-General Revenue funding for a number of critical projects across the state, including:
•$55 million to the Department of Agriculture (MDA) for stalling barns at the Missouri State Fair
•$13.25 million to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for State Parks capital improvements
•$20.6 million to the Department of Conservation (MDC) for conservation projects across the state
•$800,000 to DPS for Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Troop A headquarters improvements
•$12.7 million to the Office of Administration (OA) for a new Troop E crime lab
•$35 million to OA for national guard facilities
•$48.1 million to the Department of Mental Health (DMH) for a 200-bed mental health hospital (KC)
•$2.1 million to OA for Supreme Court building improvements

Senate Bill 3 – Authorizes state tax revenue generated by the NFL or Major Baseball team to be redirected to paying off the 30 year public bonds that would finance stadium construction. Offers the teams tax credits to offset a portion of their investments. State’s contribution for each project would be capped at no more than 50% of the cost. If a team relocated to another state before its bonds are paid off, they would have to reimburse state for all prior taxpayer investments while assuming responsibility for the remaining bond debt. The Royals plan to build a new stadium, the Chiefs intend to renovate and expand their existing stadium. However, neither KC team committed to staying in KC after SB3 passed. SB3 also requires many counties to vote on whether to limit future growth in local residential property tax. Annual growth would be capped at 5% in 56 counties, while growth would be held at zero % in another 22 counties. Sixteen counties, including Jackson, would be excluded from this cap. It was pointed out this part of the bill violates state constitutional provisions (translate as lawsuit).
•Tax Credits for Homestead Damage: Creates a tax credit of up to $5,000 for home or renter insurance deductibles incurred due to severe weather damage in a declared disaster area in 2025, with flexible carry-forward and transfer options.
•Tax Credits for Certain Sporting Events: Updates two different tax credit programs related to amateur sporting events in Missouri, to attract and support sports events.
•Property Tax Credit: Requires certain counties to vote on whether to freeze or modestly cap real property tax increases for eligible homeowners.

Senate Bill 4 allows immediate transfer of emergency aid to the Missouri Housing Development Commission when the Governor requests a presidential disaster declaration. Expands existing program eligibility from 50 percent to 75 percent of median household income and removes administrative burdens and costs to expedite aid for Missouri families.

All of these bills were signed into law by the governor on June 14, 2025.

The legislature may be going back in September to discuss the possible unconstitutionality of the past of the stadium bill that has to do with property tax.