January 15, 2023
5 p.m.
We welcome you to Christ Church Cathedral. Since 1839, this Christian community has gathered for worship. The Cathedral is equipped with a hearing loop for assisted listening via telecoil.
We welcome you to Christ Church Cathedral. Since 1839, this Christian community has gathered for worship. To learn more about the ministries we share in this place, you are invited to fill in one of the Welcome cards found in the pew rack.
Masks are available at all welcome tables, and the south transept (to the right) usually has room for those desiring physical distancing. We are glad you are here!
Christ Church Cathedral Houston, Texas
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
five o’clock in the evening
The Rev. Kathy Rock Pfister, Canon Vicar CelebrantLighting of Votive Candles
Worshipers are encouraged to sit in front of the alms basin. During the opening contemplative music, they are invited to observe prayerful quiet or to come forward to light a votive candle in acknowledgement of a prayer, concern, or in memory of a loved one.
Opening Music
Traditional Irish and Scottish Tunes
At the sound of the bell, please stand.
The poem is read by the Celebrant.
Love Bade M e Welcome
Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lack’d anything.
“A guest,” I answer’d, “worthy to be here”; Love said, “You shall be he.”
“I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear, I cannot look on thee.”
Love took my hand and smiling did reply, “Who made the eyes but I?”
“Truth, Lord, but I have marr’d them; let my shame Go where it doth deserve.”
“And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?”
“My dear, then I will serve.”
“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.” So I did sit and eat.
The Word of God
The people remain standing. The Celebrant begins
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 people sit.
The First Reading 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Reader A Reading from the first Letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The reading ends without verbal response. After a pause, the people stand for the hymn.
O God of the elements
entire hymn twice.
the
e le -& ú œ ments, O œ œ œ God ú œ œ of the œ œ œ œ mys te -& ú
œ ries, O ú
God
ú œ œ of the ú œ œ œ
foun& ú
tains, O œ œ
King of ú œ œ kings, O œ œ œ œ King of & ú œ œ kings! Thy ú œ œ joy the
ú œ œ joy, thy
. œ J œ œ œ light the & ú œ œ light, thy ú œ peace the ú œ œ peace to the ú œ œ end of & ú œ œ ends! Thy ú œ joy the
ú œ œ joy, thy ú œ œ light the & ú œ œ light, thy
ú œ peace the
ú œ œ peace to the
. ú end & œ œ œ of
. ú ends! ú
Words: Carmina Gadelica; Music: Celtic aire AgChriostanSìol (Christ the King Epiphany Light) ~ This music arrangement ©2005 Kevin Mayhew, Ltd. ©2000, 2005 Kevin Mayhew Ltd. ~ Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. OneLicense.net #A-726591
The people remain standing.
The Holy Gospel John 1:29-42
Reader A reading from the Gospel according to John. John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
The reading ends without verbal response. A minute of silence is observed.
The Reflection
The Rev. Kathy Rock Pfister, Canon Vicar
Two minutes of silence is observed following the reflection. Prayers of the People (The people may stand or kneel for the prayers.)
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
Celebrant Let us confess our sins.
The People may kneel or 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 people stand for the Peace.
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
The people may be seated for the offertory hymn. Offertory Hymn
Mothering God
& b b b 4 3 . œ j œ œ
1.Mo 2. Mo 3. Mo
ther ther ther
ing ing ing
& b b b . œ J œ œ in off arms
the er bright ing of
ú œ God, Christ, Spir
you you it
--- - - -
ú œ morn me pa
-& b b b ú œ Source grain so
of of in
ú œ ev life, faith
'ry and I
ing your tience
gave me my turing
ú œ took nur
ú œ of food hold
this of me
ú œ sin grape root
-& b b b œ œ œ you your un
gle of and
œ ú birth form, one,
œ ú world. light, close,
œ ú breath. love, grow
are ver til
my y I
ú œ rain, bod flow
my y er
ú œ for and
œ ú
ú Œ -- -
wind, my my I
sun. peace. know.
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. onelicense.net # 726591-A added.
The Great Thanksgiving
The people stand.
Celebrant Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. With friend, with stranger, with young and old, be among us tonight. People 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.
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.
The Invitation to Communion
Celebrant
So, come to this table, you who have much faith, and you who would like to have more; you who have been to this sacrament often, and you who have not been for a long time. You who have tried to follow Jesus, and you who have fallen short. Come. It is Christ who invites you to meet him here.
All are welcome and encouraged to receive Communion, whatever one’s Christian tradition.
Prayer after Communion (The people may stand or kneel.)
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
The Book of Remembrance
This week we remember John Stacy Muire.
The Beauty of Flowers
The flowers on the Cathedral Altar are given to the glory of God in honor of Andrew Sanchez, Gil and Margaret Greenwood, and Elise and Lucy Sargent for their birthdays by Kristy Greenwood.
Weekday Services
Morning Prayer, 7:30 a.m., Monday-Friday on Zoom Evening Prayer, 6 p.m., Monday- Friday on Zoom Oración del mediodía, Mediodía, lunes y jueves en Facebook Contemplative Prayer, 11:15 a.m., Mondays in Mellinger Room Holy Eucharist, Noon, Wednesdays in Golding Chapel Bilingual Holy Eucharist, 6 p.m., Wednesdays in Golding Chapel
Links available at: www.christchurchcathedral.org/weekdayservices
Welcome to Christ Church Cathedral!
We are blessed by your presence. If you are new to the Cathedral, please fill out the WELCOME card in your pew and put it in the offering plate or give it to an usher.
Tours of the Cathedral are available after the 5 p.m. service on the third Sunday every month. If you would like a tour, meet the tour guide by the eagle lectern.
Welcome Team members are in the Cathedral Bookstore after the service to visit with you and answer any questions you may have.
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 Northumbrian Community.
Please be advised that our services are Livesteamed to Vimeo and Facebook. Your participation in the service serves as your consent to the broadcast of your image and voice and to the broadcast of the image and voice of your participating minor children. 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.
