The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
October 1, 2023
9 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.
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
The Rev. Canon Bradley Varnell Celebrant
The Liturgy is found in The Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Hymns and service music (S) are in The Hymnal 1982.
Opening Voluntary
Air for Organ Gerre Hancock (1934-2018)
Hymn 8 Bunessan
The Word of God
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. BCP page 355 People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity page 355
Gloria in Excelsis Communion Service John Rutter (b.1945)
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The First Reading Philippians 2:1–13
Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 686 Nettleton
The Holy Gospel Matthew 21:23–32
Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
After the Gospel reading, the Deacon says The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Children’s Sermon
The Sermon The Rev. Canon Kathy Rock Pfister
The Nicene Creed page 358
The Prayers of the People Form III, page 387
The General Confession page 360
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, after which the people are seated for brief announcements.
The Holy Communion
Offerings of alms and bread and wine are received.
At the Offertory
Anthem Simon Mold (b. 1957)
O perfect Love, all human thought transcending, Lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne, That ours may be the love which knows no ending, Whom thou for evermore dost join in one.
O perfect Life, be our full assurance Of tender charity and steadfast faith, Of patient hope, and quiet brave endurance, With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death. Grant us the joy which brightens earthly sorrow, Grant us the peace which calms all earthly strife; And to life’s day the glorious unknown morrow, That dawns upon eternal love and life. Amen.
— Dorothy Frances Gurney (1858-1932)
The Great Thanksgiving Eucharistic Prayer A, page 361
Sanctus and Benedictus Communion Service John Rutter
The Eucharistic Prayer continues page 362
The Breaking of the Bread
Celebrant Alleluia, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
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
Anthem Arlen Clarke (b.1954)
Help Lord my faith, my hope increase, And fill my portion in thy peace, Live ever bread of love and be My life, my soul, my surer self to me. Come love, come Lord, and that long day For which I languish, come away, When this dry soul those eyes shall see, And drink the unsealed source of thee.
Rise Royal Sion, rise and sing, Thy soul’s kind shepherd, thy heart’s king, Give love for life nor let my day grow, But in new powers to thy name, and praise.
—St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274); trans. Richard Crashaw (1613-1649)
Prayer after Communion page 365
The Blessing
Hymn 437 Birmingham
The Dismissal
Deacon Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. People Thanks be to God.
Closing Voluntary
Tuba Tune Craig Sellar Lang (1891-1971)
Visitor information and refreshments are available in Reynolds Hall.
Readings this Week from the Revised Common Lectionary
The Old Testament Exodus 17:1–7
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
The Epistle Philippians 2:1–13
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
The Gospel Matthew 21:23–32
When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.”
The Book of Remembrance
This week we remember Dorthyle Nicholl Headrick and Anne H. Ribble.
The Beauty of Flowers
The flowers on the Cathedral Altar are given to the glory of God in celebration of the marriage of Kaki Duenner and Brady Hamel Jr.
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, October 1, 2023
Announcements
TODAY
Dean’s Hour — Second Hand Religion • Beginning this morning Dean Katz will introduce the idea of Second Hand Religion and its connection to the notion of sainthood in the Anglican tradition. Over the coming weeks, our Dean and other members of the Cathedral community will introduce their spiritual ancestors whom we celebrate as saints, whether living or dead, during the Dean’s Hour, 10 a.m. in Reynolds Hall, Oct 1, 8, 29; Nov 5, 12; Dec 3, 10.
EMC Kickoff Dinner & Skit • Join us this evening in Reynolds Hall. Doors open at 6 p.m. immediately following The Well service. Visit the EMC table in the Thompson Cloister to register or volunteer. This event will be livestreamed. Register online to attend in person at: https://www. christchurchcathedral.org/emcdinner
Nametags Available • We’d love to know your name! Please stop by our nametag tables and make your own. Wearing a nametag helps us get to know each other better and helps us welcome newcomers their first time at the Cathedral.
Bible Studies • The Cathedral will offer several Bible studies this fall. Learn about your options and how to participate at www.christchurchcathedral.org/ biblestudies
The Anglican Way • This class is intended for those who wish to deepen their understanding of the Episcopal Church, its faith, and its mission. Those new to the congregation and adults seeking to be baptized, confirmed, or received are especially encouraged to attend. This fall classes will run Sundays, Oct 8-Nov 19 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Sanders Hall. Learn more at: www. christchurchcathedral.org/anglicanway
Fall Neighborhood Gatherings • This fall we will have Neighborhood Gatherings at various parishioners’ homes throughout Houston. These intimate evenings are a great opportunity to meet folks from all across the Cathedral in a more relaxed setting. Events are scheduled for Oct. 4, 11, and Nov. 8 from 6-7:30 p.m. RSVP required to Lisa Cantu at: lcantu@christchurchcathedral. org Learn more at www.christchurchcathedral.org/neighborhoodgatherings
Fruits of Hospitality • Join us and celebrate Latino-Hispanic Heritage Month, Mes de la Herencia, at the Cathedral. Events will begin Sunday, Oct. 8, and will continue Oct. 13, 14, and 15. All are welcome, and there will be events for the whole family. Learn more at www.christchurchcathedral.org/mesdelaherencia
Looking for Children’s Ministry • Follow Agnus to the Jones Building where you can find Sunday School at 10 a.m. for ages 2 years–5th grade, as well as childcare for infants (6 weeks–5), or the Huffington Playground. Have questions? Contact KariAnn Lessner at kalessner@christchurchcathedral.org
For more information about these and other events at the Cathedral, visit www.christchurchcathedral.org.
After-Hours Emergency Pastoral Care Line • 713-826-5332
