Within our darkest night, you kindle a fire that never dies away

WESTPORT RISING WORSHIP SERVICE
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
March 17, 2024

PRELUDE:   Dance setting: DEIRDRE                                                                       Thomas Keesecker
WORDS OF WELCOME                                                                             Pastor Susan Wesley Hartley
OPENING READING:   St. Patrick’s Breastplate                                                Drew Irwin, Liturgist

OPENING HYMN: I Bind unto Myself Today (stanza 5)   GTG#6
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP:   Psalm 119: 1-2, 11, 18 

Leader:     Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the covenant of the Lord.
People:    Happy are those who keep God’s decrees, who seek God with their whole heart.
Leader:     I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.
All:           Open my eyes, O God, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your covenant.

CONFESSION OF OUR NEED FOR GOD:   Psalm 119: 33-37

Leader:     Teach me O Lord, the way of your covenant and I will observe it to the end.
People:    Give me understanding, that I may keep your covenant and observe it with my whole heart.
Leader:     Turn my heart to your decrees and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from looking at vanities.
ALL:         O God, I have longed for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON:   Psalm 119: 41, 76-77, 105

Leader:     O my God, Let your steadfast love become my comfort according to your promise to your servant.
People:    Let your mercy come to me that I may live, for your covenant is my delight,
ALL:         Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path, O God. Keep my steps steady according to your promise and never let iniquity have dominion over me. I long for your salvation.

AFFIRMING OF HEALING, SAVING POWER OF GOD: Within Our Darkest Night   GTG#294
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. 

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 READING:     New Testament:    John 12: 20-37
MESSAGE:   “Within our darkest night, you kindle a fire that never dies away“
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:  At the Name of Jesus  (verses 1,3,4,6)
WELCOMING, NEWS IN AROUND AND BEYOND THE COMMUNITY
SUNG PREPARATION FOR PRAYER: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God   GTG#851
SHARING OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS, LORD’S PRAYER (Mother, Father God who art in heaven…)
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
OFFERTORY SOLO:   The Old Rugged Cross;  arr. Malcolm Archer; Benjamin Ruiz, tenor
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
CLOSING HYMN:   I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say   GTG#182
BENEDICTION:   Ephesians 3:28 (New Revised Standard Version)
BENEDICTION RESPONSE: When Jesus Wept   GTG#194
CHARGE TO CONGREGATION
POSTLUDE:   Dance setting:  ST PATRICK;    Thomas Keesecker 

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 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. Please fill out the enclosed form with whatever contact information you would like to share with the congregation. Name, Address, Phone, Email, Birthdays & Anniversaries.  Please email a photo to use. 

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, Mar. 18               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, Mar. 19               6:00 p.m.         Irish Dance (Westport Rising Room)
• Wednesday, Mar. 20          8:00 p.m.         Mission & Outreach Committee Meeting (Zoom)
• Thursday, Mar. 21             5:30 p.m.         Westport Showers – For Women, Trans, & Gender Non-conforming people (Basement)
• Friday, Mar. 22                  12:00 noon      Westport Center for the Arts’ Brown Bag Concert Series: Marian Thomas and Friends (Sanctuary)
• Saturday, Mar. 23              8:30 a.m.         Living Integrated (Men’s Support Group) (Storefront)
•                                           10:00 a.m.       Westport Center for the Arts Board Meeting (Fellowship Room)
• Sunday, Mar. 24                                        PALM SUNDAY
•                                            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   7:00 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).

VOTING INFORMATION
IN PERSON POLLING LOCATIONS IN JACKSON COUNTY FOR DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ON MARCH 23 FROM 8:00AM – 12:00PM

• Eastern Jackson County Courthouse – 308 W Kansas Ave, Independence, MO 64050.
• IAFF 42 – 6320 Manchester Ave, Kansas City, MO 64133
• Pipefitters Local 533 – 8600 Hillcrest Rd, Kansas City, MO 64138

Find details about the Missouri Democratic Party (MDP) Presidential primary here: https://www.missouridemocrats.org/mdp-primary-information-2024
Participants must be registered to vote and can’t be registered with another party.

Election Day: April 2, 2024            WESTPORT PRESBYTERIAN IS A POLLING PLACE
Polls Open: 6:00 a.m.
Polls Close: 7:00 p.m.
Last Day to Register: March 6, 2024
In Person Absentee Voting Begins: February 20, 2024
Military & Overseas Portal opens: February 13, 2024
To find your election authority go here: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority

Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners
Serving voters in Kansas City within Jackson County
4407 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64130
Phone: (816) 842-4820
Website: https://www.kceb.org

Jackson County Election Board
Serving Eastern Jackson County voters–All of Jackson County outside the city limits of Kansas City
215 N. Liberty
Independence, Missouri 64051
Phone: (816) 325-4600
Website: https://jcebmo.org/
Applications mailed to permanently disabled: February 16, 2024
No Excuse In Person Absentee (Early) Voting Opens: March 19, 2024