Who do YOU say that I am?

Westport Presbyterian Church   1835 – present
Second Sunday of Lent
February 25, 2024­­

(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)

WELCOME
PRELUDE:   Honeysuckle;       Florence Price
OPENING SCRIPTURE:   Genesis 17:1-7, 15-17 (Covenant with Abraham & Sarah)-  Liturgist Jeff Kuhn
CALL TO WORSHIP: (Psalm 139: 1-2, 23-24) 

Leader:     Search me O God, and know my heart;
People:    Try me and know my thoughts.
Leader:     You search out my path, and know my lying down.  You are acquainted with all my ways.
All:           Lead me in The Way everlasting. 

OPENING HYMN:  To Abraham and Sarah (I Will Be Your God)  GTG#51
CONFESSION OF OUR NEED TO RETURN TO GOD: 

It is hard, O God, to start out on journeys that we did not expect, to be asked to give birth to your future people when we thought we were way too old and our numbers too few to follow your risky Way of Love and Life as individuals, and as your community of people. Our hearts and minds want to follow the Way of Love and Life that Jesus called us to follow, but we get overwhelmed and falter sometimes, trying to take matters in our very familiar human hands and solutions. In your love forgive us and lead us in your everlasting way. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVING PRESENCE: 

God of our forebears, as your chosen servants Abraham and Sarah were given faith to obey your call, go out into the unknown, and make mistakes during their journey. They discovered that you did not abandon them. So may we, your church, be granted such faith that we may follow you with courage, and trust your presence with us for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives with You and Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

AFFIRMING OF HEALING, SAVING POWER OF GOD:     Live in Charity (English & Latin)  GTG#205
PASSING 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 each other. 

CHORAL ANTHEM:   Precious Lord, Take My Hand                                               arr. Scott Hyslop
                                          Text can be found in the Glory to God hymnal #834

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

Leader:     May the words of my mouth
People:    And the meditations of our hearts
Unison:    Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, Our Strength and our Redeemer, Amen. 

SCRIPTURE READINGS:

New Testament:    Romans 4: 1-3, 16-25;   Mark  8: 27-38
Old Testament:      Psalm 22: 1-5, 23-31

MESSAGE:   “Who do YOU say that I am?”                                           Pastor Susan Wesley Hartley
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:    In the Cross of Christ I Glory   GTG#213
WELCOMING, NEWS IN AROUND AND BEYOND THE COMMUNITY
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER:  Come, Bring Your Burdens to God   GTG#851
MORNING PRAYER, LORD’S PRAYER (Mother, Father God who art in heaven…)
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
                 Offering link
OFFERTORY SOLO:   Because;     Florence Price;   Emma Witbolsfeugen, mezzo soprano
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
CLOSING HYMN: I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say   GTG#182
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE:  Spirit of the Living God  GTG#288
CHARGE TO CONGREGATION
POSTLUDE:   Honeysuckle at Dusk;    Florence Price

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.
• WELCOME FAMILIES! Children’s Sunday School is back in action in the redesigned 2nd floor Children’s Space, Sunday mornings during the 1st half of worship, beginning at 11:00 am.
• 2024 PER CAPITA is $43.94 per member. This money helps support our denomination on the regional and national levels. The breakdown is: $9.80 to General Assembly, $3.15 to Synod, 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!
• CHURCH DIRECTORY UPDATE:   We are gathering information for a new church directory which will be available securely online and as a printed booklet.

MISSION & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES:

• 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. Backpacks! Coats, Sweatshirts, Warm Clothes for this cold weather!
• 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. 

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

• Monday, Feb. 26                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, Feb. 27                6:00 p.m.         Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
•  Wednesday, Feb. 28           6:00 p.m.         Presbyterian Urban & Immigrant Ministry Network (PUIMN) Meeting (Fellowship Room)
  • • • • 6:00 p.m.         Stewardship Meeting (Library)
• Thursday, Feb. 29              5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
• Friday, Mar. 1                    10:00 a.m.       Children’s Mercy Healthy Families (Fellowship Room)
• Saturday, Mar. 2                8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
  • • • • 10:00 a.m.       Cub Scouts (Westport Rising Room)
        • 7:00 p.m.       Historical English Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Sunday, Mar. 3                  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)
        • 12:15 p.m.       Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

HOLY WEEK AT WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

• PALM/PASSION SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE   Sunday, March 24   11 a.m. 
• Good Friday TENABRAE Service   Friday, March 29   7:30 p.m.
• EASTER SUNDAY COMMUNION SERVICE   Sunday, March 31   11 a.m. 

If you would like to order an Easter Lily for Easter Sunday, please use the sign-up sheet at the back of the sanctuary, or you may contact the church office. The cost is $10 each. You can pay by check or cash and write Easter Lily in the memo line or on the pew envelope. Orders are due by March 24 (Palm Sunday).