Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
July 30, 2023
11:00 a.m.
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!
The Cathedral is equipped with a hearing loop for assisted listening via telecoil.
The Holy Eucharist: Rite One
The Rev. Bradley Varnell, Canon Missioner for Young Adult Ministry Celebrant
The Liturgy is found in The Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Hymns and service music (S) are in The Hymnal 1982.
Opening Voluntary Prayer of Saint Gregory Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000)
Tom Tillotson, trumpet
Hymn 427 Laudes Domini
The Word of God
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. BCP page 323 People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity and the Summary page 323
Gloria in Excelsis S 204 Old Scottish Chant
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And with thy spirit.
Celebrant Let us pray.
O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy, that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The First Reading Genesis 29:15-28
Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b
Confitemini Domino
Read responsively by whole verse. Congregation speaks the bold face verses. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; * make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him, * and speak of all his marvelous works. Glory in his holy Name; * let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Search for the Lord and his strength; * continually seek his face.
Remember the marvels he has done, * his wonders and the judgments of his mouth, O offspring of Abraham his servant, * O children of Jacob his chosen He is the Lord our God; * his judgments prevail in all the world. He has always been mindful of his covenant, * the promise he made for a thousand generations: The covenant he made with Abraham, * the oath that he swore to Isaac, Which he established as a statute for Jacob, * an everlasting covenant for Israel, Saying, “To you will I give the land of Canaan * to be your allotted inheritance.” Hallelujah!
The Second Reading Romans 8:26-39
Hymn 635 Wer nur den lieben Gott
The Holy Gospel Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. People Glory be to thee, O Lord.
After the Gospel reading, the Deacon says The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise be to thee, O Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Elizabeth Parker, Assisting Priest
The Nicene Creed page 326
The Prayers of the People Form III, page 387
The General Confession page 331
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And with thy spirit.
The People greet one another in the name of the Lord, after which the people are seated for brief announcements.
The Holy Communion
Offerings of alms and bread and wine are received.
At the Offertory, solo Giambattista Martini (1706-1784)
Toccata
The Great Thanksgiving Eucharistic Prayer II, page 340
Sursum Corda S 112
Sanctus and Benedictus S114 Healey Willan (1880-1968)
The Eucharistic Prayer continues page 341
Fraction Anthem S 152 Ambrosian chant Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Agnus Dei S 158 Healey Willan
The sacrament of Holy Communion has been precious to Christians for 2,000 years. It is a way in which many sense the reality of God’s forgiveness, our union with God and each other, and the eternal life to which we belong. Please know that you do not have to be an Episcopalian to receive Communion. To receive, you may kneel or stand at the altar rail. Receive the Bread in the palm of your hand and the Wine either by drinking from the cup or by intinction, touching the Bread to the Wine. Gluten-free Bread is available; simply ask at the altar rail. If you need Communion brought to you in the pew, please tell an usher.
At the Administration, solo Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Prelude on Rhosymedre
Prayer after Communion page 339
The Blessing
Hymn 388 Hanover
The Dismissal
Deacon Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. People Thanks be to God.
Closing Voluntary
Trumpet Voluntary John Stanley (1712-1786)
We are pleased that former Cathedral Organist, Bruce Power, is playing our services this morning. Bruce served as Assistant Organist under Clyde Holloway from 1982 to 1993 and returned to be Cathedral Organist from 2000 to 2014. Bruce recently returned to Houston after a distinguished tenure at Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Shreveport, Louisiana. Welcome home, Bruce.
Our guest soloist today is trumpeter Tom Tillotson. Tom attended Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance in 1983. He performs regularly with the Paragon Brass Ensemble, the Symphony of Southeast Texas, and the Opera in the Heights orchestra. He has and continues to teach young trumpet students from all over the Greater Houston area.
Readings this Week from the Revised Common Lectionary
The Old Testament Genesis 29:15–28
Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Laban said, “This is not done in our country — giving the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.
The Epistle Romans 8:26–39
The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Gospel Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52
Jesus put before the crowds another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went
and sold all that he had and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
The Book of Remembrance
This week we remember Robert E. Gossett.
The Beauty of Flowers
The flowers on the Cathedral Altar are given to the glory of God in loving memory of the Rev. John A. Logan Jr. with thanksgiving for his years of ministry at Christ Church Cathedral. The flowers in the floor vases are given to the glory of God in honor of Kate Mumey as she begins her seminary journey by Jane, Rick, and Jack Mumey.
Weekday Services
Morning Prayer, 7:30 a.m., Monday-Friday on Zoom
Evening Prayer, 6 p.m., Monday- Friday on Zoom
Oración del 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 every Sunday following the 11 a.m. service. 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.
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. Please be advised that our services are livestreamed 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.
Welcome
Sunday, July 30, 2023 Announcements
TODAY
Tours • To learn the history of Christ Church Cathedral, meet the tour guide by the lectern after the service.
MOC Blood Drive • The Mission Outreach Council (MOC) of Christ Church Cathedral is hosting a blood drive on July 30 from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sign up for a time to donate in advance at: www.christchurchcathedral. org/giveblood
Education for Ministry • Learn about the Bible, Christian Tradition, and Church History. EfM is a four-year Christian Formation program through the School of Theology of the University of the South at Sewanee. Visit www. christchurchcathedral.org/efm for more information on registration, or contact Lucy Wagner at lmwagner1219@gmail.com
Parks and Rec for Cathedral Kids • Join us for summer 2023’s best way to connect with your Cathedral family in a proven equation: Great Folks + Cool Park = FUN! Bring the kids and your lawn chairs. The final event will take place August 6 at 11 a.m. More information at: www.christchurchcathedral. org/parksrec
Beacon Temporary Services Shift • The Beacon will temporarily redirect some of its services and resources for a two-week period August 5-19. Meals and shower services will shift to Lord of the Streets and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church/Moving Waters, giving individuals options on where to obtain these services. Beacon staff will be present at both sites to welcome clients and help with coordination. Learn more at: www.beaconhomeless.org/FAQS or contact Becky Landes for details at: blandes@beaconhomeless.org
Jerusalem Peacebuilders • We welcome the Jerusalem Peacebuilders to the Cathedral on Sunday, August 6. They will read the lessons in Hebrew and Arabic at the 9 a.m. service and will present at the Dean’s Hour at 10 a.m. in Reynolds Hall. JPB is an interfaith, non-profit organization, with a mission to create a better future for humanity across religions, cultures, and nationalities.
Skills for Showing Up in Hard Places • Join Pastoral Care for a 3-week series and build practical skills for those who want to engage in pastoral care ministry. August 6, 13, & 20 at 3 p.m. in the Mellinger Room. Contact Minister for Pastoral Care, Claire Soard with questions at: csoard@christchurchcathedral.org
Cathedral Reads • Cathedral Reads, our summer reading program for adults, will dive into The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. Don’t miss our final discussion August 13 at 10 a.m. in Reynolds Hall. Recordings from earlier lectures and additional information available at: www.christchurchcathedral. org/cathedralreads
Wednesday Tours at the Cathedral • Tour guides are here to welcome you at the bell tower from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. You may spend your time alone or the guide will share the Cathedral’s rich history with you. If you’re interested in learning about becoming a tour guide, contact Valerie Meisel at: vhmtexas@ gmail.com
After-Hours Emergency Pastoral Care Line • 713-826-5332
