August 16, 2020 5 p.m.
Christ Church Cathedral Houston, Texas
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost The Holy Eucharist five o’clock in the evening The Very Rev. Barkley S. Thompson, Dean We welcome you to Christ Church Cathedral. Since 1839, this Christian community has gathered for worship.
Opening Music One Scottish and Two Irish Traditional Tunes Hymn “Holy Ghost Dispel Our Sadness”
Shipston
SHIPSTON; English Folk Song; Harm. & Arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958); Collected by Lucy Broadwood (18581929); Melody and harm. from Worship II, GIA Pub., ©1975; Music from THE ENGLISH HYMNAL by permission of Oxford University Press; Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. CCL #11426131
The Word of God Celebrant Welcome to this holy place. People Friend and stranger, saint and sinner, all who gather here. Celebrant 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. Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray.
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.
The First Reading Reader
Genesis 45:1–15
A Reading from the Book of Genesis.
Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in 1
which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there — since there are five more years of famine to come — so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him. Reader People
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hymn “Mothering God”
Ae Fond Kiss
text © Jean Janzen based on Julian of Norwich ~ AE FOND KISS ~ music: Melody Scottish Trad.; arr. The Iona Community; (Scotland) 1988 WGRG (used by permission of GIA Publications, Inc.) ~ Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. CCL # 11426131
The Holy Gospel Deacon People
Matthew 15:10–28 The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.” Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only 2
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly. Deacon People
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Reflection
The Very Rev. Barkley S. Thompson, Dean
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.
3
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 Celebrant Let us confess our sins. The People stand.
Merciful God, we have sinned in what we have thought and said, in the wrong we have done and in the good we have not done. We have sinned in ignorance; we have sinned in weakness; we have sinned through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry. We repent and turn to you. Forgive us, for our Savior Christ’s sake, and renew our lives to the glory of your name. Amen. Celebrant
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.
The Peace Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And also with you.
The People greet one another in the name of the Lord.
The Holy Communion Offertory Solo “You, Whose Breathing Fills Our Bodies” Joshua Chavira, soloist Tune: BLAENWERN by William Penfro Rowlands, arr. Keith Duke ~ Text: Ray Simpson echoing Angela Morgan; text copyright Ray Simpson; Music: Copyright G. A. Gabe, Swansea ~ Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. CCL #11426131
The Great Thanksgiving Celebrant Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. With friend, with stranger, with young People
and old, be among us tonight. Come close to us that we may come close to you. Strengthen us that we may strengthen one another. Renew us that where we have failed, we may begin again.
The People kneel or stand. 4
In the beginning God made the world. The world flowed from God and God shaped it, filling it with light and life. God knew the world, but we chose not to know God. We turned from God, and though God sought us through patriarchs, matriarchs, and prophets, still we strayed. Our rebellion imperiled the fullness God intends for us, and when the world could bear no more, God sent Jesus, his Son. Among friends, gathered round a table, Jesus took bread, and, having blessed it, he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples saying, “This is my body which is given for you.” In the same way he took wine, and, having given thanks for it, he poured it and gave the cup to his disciples saying, “This cup is the new covenant with God, sealed with my blood. Take this and share it.” Lord Jesus Christ, present with us now, as we do in this place what you did in an upstairs room, breathe your Spirit upon us and upon this bread and wine, that they may be heaven’s food and drink for us, renewing, sustaining, and making us whole, and that we may be your body on earth, loving and caring for the world. Through, with, and for the love of Christ, we share this bread and cup in the unity of your Spirit, Father Almighty. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia. Celebrant and People
Eternal Light, shine in our hearts. Eternal Power, be our strength. Eternal Wisdom, guide us as we serve you. Eternal Goodness, you have drawn us to your heart and united us in the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood. Now grant that with all our heart, mind, and strength, we may evermore seek your face in all those we meet in the world. Amen.
The Blessing 5
The Dismissal Celebrant Deep peace of the running wave to you. Deep peace of the flowing air to
People
you. Deep peace of the quiet earth to you. Deep peace of the shining stars to you. Deep peace of the Son of God to you. Deep peace, deep peace. Thanks be to God.
Closing Music Traditional Irish Tune “The Butterfly� Becky Baxter, Music Coordinator and Harpist for The Well Kimberly Clark, flautist Sally Keller, cellist The Book of Remembrance This week we remember Audrey Jones Beck. The Beauty of Flowers The flowers on the Cathedral altar are given to the glory of God in loving memory of Paul Bayless Harrison by his wife Blanche Harrison. The flowers in the floor vases are given to the glory of God in honor of Barbara Barnes in celebration of her 70th birthday by her family.
Welcome
Sunday, August 16, 2020 Announcements This Saturday, learn how to experience God using your five senses • “Come to your Senses” is a free virtual retreat happening this Saturday, August 22, from 9 a.m. to noon on Zoom. Using simple surroundings readily available at home or wherever a person may be, this retreat will help you experience God through hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting. To learn more and register, email Canon Vicar Kathy Pfister at kpfister@christchurchcathedral.org. Next Sunday is the all-Cathedral discussion for Cathedral Reads • Have you read A Prayer for Owen Meany with the Cathedral this summer? Whether you’ve participated in a small group and the previous two monthly discussions or not, you are welcome to join the all-Cathedral discussion led by Dean Thompson on Sunday, August 23, at 2 p.m. Email Minister for Community Life Bethany Podgorny, bpodgorny@christchurchcathedral.org, for the link to the Zoom event, and save the date for the final two Cathedral Reads events: Popcorn Theology on August 28, and the Dean’s Book Club on September 2. Save the date for Rally Day on August 30 • Rally Day 2020 is a celebration of all the ways technology allows us to come together to worship, to serve, and to rejoice. There’s a full menu of options in English and Spanish, and a variety of ways to participate throughout the day. Choose what interests you. Join us in real time and engage with others or enjoy the programs on your own later. Visit www.christchurchcathedral.org/rallyday to learn more. Registration is open for Education for Ministry (EfM) • Six to twelve participants and a trained mentor will meet weekly over the course of the academic year to study the Old Testament, New Testament, church history, and theology. EfM will meet on Tuesdays from 6:30-9:00 p.m. beginning September 8. For more information on tuition, registration, or about EfM in general, contact one of the mentors: Lucy Wagner, lmwagner1219@gmail.com, or Marilyn Dyess, marilyndyess@gmail.com. Community of Hope International training to become a Lay Chaplain • Lay Chaplains support parishioners by “being ‘present’ in a listening, compassionate, non-controlling manner to an individual or group for the purpose of consciously or unconsciously representing God to them and seeing to respond to their spiritual needs” as the COHI brochure describes. Please contact Minister for Pastoral Care Jody Gillit, jgillit@christchurchcathedral.org, to indicate your interest in serving our community in this meaningful role. How to make a donation online • It is simple to make a donation on the Cathedral website. 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