Sunday, May 3 5 p.m.
Christ Church Cathedral Houston, Texas
Fourth Sunday of Easter five o’clock in the evening The Very Rev. Barkley S. Thompson, Dean Officiant We welcome you to Christ Church Cathedral. Since 1839, this Christian community has gathered for worship.
Interlude on the Hymn “Loving Shepherd of Your Sheep”
The Word of God Welcome to this holy place. Friend and stranger, saint and sinner, all who gather here. Come all who hunger, all who thirst for life in all its fullness. Come with hope or hesitation; come with joy or yearning; come. People Generous God and generous Savior, touch us through your Spirit. Officiant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Officiant Let us pray. Officiant People Officiant
Stay with us, Lord, since the day is far spent and the night is coming; kindle our hearts on the Way, that we may recognize you in the scriptures, in the breaking of the bread, and in each other. Amen.
First Reading Reader
Acts 2:42–47
A Reading from the Acts of Apostles.
Those who had been baptized devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. Reader People
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Interlude on the Hymn “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” 1
The Holy Gospel
John 10:1–10
Deacon A Reading from the Gospel according to John.
Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Deacon The Word of the Lord. People
Thanks be to God.
The Reflection
The Rev. Arthur A. Callaham, Canon Vicar
Interlude on a Scottish Tune by Alison Kinnaird Expression of Faith Lord, you have always given bread for the coming day; And though I am poor, today I trust in you. Lord, You have always given strength for the coming day; And though I am weak, today I trust in you. Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day; And though of anxious heart, today I trust in you. Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials; And now, tried as I am, today I trust in you. Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day; And though it may be hidden, today I trust in you. Lord, You have always lightened this darkness of mine; And though the night is here, today I trust in you. Lord, You have always spoken when time was ripe; And though you may be silent now, today I trust in you. 2
Prayers of the People (The People may remain seated) The Leader begins
As evening falls and courage sometimes falters, let us turn our hearts to God in prayer. Silence
We pray for those gathered here and all that lies heavy on our hearts. We pray that you would know our needs even before we recognize them. Grant us those good things for which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot, ask. Silence
We pray for those in positions of leadership in the world, our nation, our state, and our city. Grant them the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice, that they may promote the well-being of all people. Silence
We pray for the sick, the bereaved, the oppressed, and the homeless, that they may be comforted by your Holy Spirit, who brings light to the darkest places. Silence
We pray for the broken and torn fabric of the earth as it yearns for healing, trusting that you make all things new. Silence
We pray for this and all communities of faith. We pray that you would open the hearts of your faithful to seek your truth and pursue it in love. Silence
We pray that you would disturb us, Lord, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little; when with the abundance of things we possess we have lost our thirst for the water of life. Push back, we pray, the horizons of our hopes, and move us into your future in strength, courage, hope, and love.
The Confession and Absolution Officiant
Let us confess our sins.
God of all mercy, we confess that we have sinned against you, opposing your will in our lives. We have denied your goodness in each other, in ourselves, and in the world you have created. We repent of the evil that ensnares us, the evil we have done, and the evil done on our behalf. Forgive, restore, and strengthen us 3
through our Savior Jesus Christ, that we may abide in your love and serve only your will. Amen. Officiant
Through the cross of Christ, God have mercy on you, pardon you, and set you free. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. God strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in life eternal. Amen.
Interlude on a Tune by Turlough O’Carolan The Dismissal Officiant People
Let us go forth in the name of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia. The Book of Remembrance This week we remember Mont Powell Hoyt.
The Beauty of Flowers The flowers on the Cathedral Altar are given to the glory of God in loving memory of their nephew, Tyler Bludau, by Shirley Bludau and Mike Grimes.
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Welcome
Sunday, May 3, 2020 Announcements May Fete will be celebrated next Sunday, May 10 • The annual tradition continues — safely with social distancing! There will be recipes to make, photos to see and share on social media, and more. Tune in to the Thursday enews to find out how to participate next Sunday. Virtual worship continues until June 1 • Bishop Doyle and Dean Thompson have joined bishops, clergy, and other faith leaders from Houston Episcopal, Baptist, United Methodist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches in writing a letter to say that, following the consensus of medical leaders in Houston, Christ Church Cathedral parishioners will continue to worship virtually from home until June 1. Dean Thompson has created a task force that will be thinking through what future on-campus gatherings at the Cathedral will look like. In the latter half of May, he will update everyone on those plans. Acts in Easter, a new way for the Cathedral to engage our faith and stay connected • Acts is about how the Holy Spirit forms and shapes Christian community in times of uncertainty. Join in reading the book together, bit by bit over the 50 days of Easter. Adult, children, and youth ministries are programming around Acts, so Cathedral members of all generations can participate. This week’s reading assignment is Acts 9:1–12:25. Learn more on our website. Look on the homepage under the images for the button labeled “Acts in Easter.” Every weekday at 12:05 p.m., go to Facebook for a live worship service • Our intrepid priests are on live video every weekday for the Noonday Prayer. Leave a comment and we will pray for you. Go to facebook.com/cccathedraltx to tune in. During the 50 days of Easter, these weekday worship services will focus on the book of Acts. Connect with the Cathedral digitally • Go to our website, christchurchcathedral.org, to learn about how you can connect with the Cathedral on Facebook, Instagram, Zoom, and elsewhere. It’s easier than you think, it’s fun, and it’s a really wonderful way to stay connected to your community and engage your faith. How to make a donation online • It is simple to make a donation on the Cathedral website, as an Easter offering or for any other reason. Look for the tab at the top of the site that says, “Give.” Click on the tab for a variety of ways to make a gift to the Cathedral. We are now offering options to pay via PayPal as well as a new “text-to-give” option. Simply text “Give” to 888-998-1634, and follow the instructions. If you have questions, contact Chief Administrative Officer and Minister for Stewardship Karen Kraycirik at kkraycirik@ christchurchcathedral.org or 713-590-3338. For more information about these and other events at the Cathedral, visit christchurchcathedral.org, or cccathedraltx
After-Hours Emergency Pastoral Care Line • 713-826-5332 5
The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of Texas The Rt. Rev. Jeff W. Fisher, Bishop Suffragan The Rt. Rev. Kai Ryan, Bishop Suffragan The Rt. Rev. Hector Monterroso, Assistant Bishop The Very Rev. Barkley S. Thompson, Dean The Rev. Arthur A. Callaham, Canon Vicar The Rev. Simón Bautista Betances, Canon Missioner for Latino Ministries The Rev. Becky Zartman, Canon Missioner for Welcome and Evangelism The Rev. Gregory Seme, Curate The Rev. John A. Logan Jr., Canon Emeritus The Rev. Edward L. Stein, Assisting Priest The Rev. Jim Morgan, Pastoral Associate, Chaplain at The Beacon Robert L. Simpson, Canon for Music Daryl Robinson, Cathedral Organist Thomas Marvil, Organ Scholar Lucy Chambers, Bookstore Manager
1117 Texas Avenue • Houston, Texas 77002 • 713-222-2593 christchurchcathedral.org Portions of this service are adapted from the Iona Community Worship Book and the Prayer Books of the Church of Ireland, the Anglican Church of New Zealand, and the the Northumbrian Community. Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun. Pursuant to Section 30.07, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with an openly carried handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a handgun that is carried openly.