Before the Service

Welcome one and all this morning! Welcome long-time parishioners and visitors alike. If you are new here, we would love to get to know you a bit better. Please fill out a brief welcome form at hcec.link/welcome

Please ask an usher for an assistive listening device to help hear the service. Also find our services online at www.hcec.link/watch.

Our Mission

We worship God, love our neighbors, create community, follow Jesus, and steward our resources.

Welcome & Announcements

Opening Acclamation

Opening Acclamation (BCP p. 323)

Collect for Purity and Great Commandments (BCP p. 323)

The Celebrant:

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Song of Praise

Song of Praise (BCP p. 324)

Glory be to God on high,

and on earth peace, good will towards men.

We praise thee, we bless thee,

we worship thee,

we glorify thee,

we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,

O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

that takest away the sins of the world,

have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sins of the world,

receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father,

have mercy upon us.

For thou only art holy;

thou only art the Lord;

thou only, O Christ,

with the Holy Ghost,

art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Collect of the Day

COLLECT OF THE DAY (BCP p. 325)

Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lessons

First Lesson — Exodus 20: 1-4, 7-9, 12-20

First Lesson: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

A Reading from the book of Exodus.

¹Then God spoke all these words: ²I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ³you shall have no other gods before me. ⁴You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁷You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. ⁸Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work. ¹²Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. ¹³You shall not murder. ¹⁴You shall not commit adultery. ¹⁵You shall not steal. ¹⁶You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. ¹⁷You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. ¹⁸When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, ¹⁹and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” ²⁰Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”

Psalm 19

Psalm 19 (BCP p. 606) Read responsively by whole verse.

¹The heavens declare the glory of God,
 and the firmament shows his handiwork.
²One day tells its tale to another,
 and one night imparts knowledge to another.
³Although they have no words or language,
 and their voices are not heard,
⁴Their sound has gone out into all lands,
 and their message to the ends of the world.
⁵In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun;
 it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
⁶It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again;
 nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

⁷The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul;
 the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
⁸The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart;
 the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.
⁹The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever;
 the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,
 sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
¹¹By them also is your servant enlightened,
 and in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²Who can tell how often he offends?
 cleanse me from my secret faults.
¹³Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me;
 then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.
¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
 O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Second Lesson — Philippians 3: 4b-14

Second Lesson: Philippians 3:4b-14

A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Church in Philippi.

⁴If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. ⁷Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. ⁸More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. ¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, ¹¹if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. ¹²Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel — Matthew 21: 33-46

Gospel: Matthew 21:33-46

[Jesus said,] ³³“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. ³⁴When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. ³⁵But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. ³⁷Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ ³⁹So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” ⁴²Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the LORD’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? ⁴³Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. ⁴⁴The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” ⁴⁵When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

The Sermon

The Sermon Please be seated as you are able for the sermon.

A moment of reflection.

The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed (BCP p. 326) – Please stand.

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,

begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the

dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayers of the People

The Prayers of the People (BCP p. 328)

Please use the form at www.hcec.link/pray to add a concern to our prayers.

Deacon: Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church and the world.

Almighty and everliving God, who in thy holy Word hast taught us to make prayers, and supplications, and to give thanks for all men: Receive these our prayers which we offer unto thy divine Majesty, beseeching thee to inspire continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord; and grant that all those who do confess thy holy Name may agree in the truth of thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love.

Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and other ministers, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth thy true and lively Word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments.

And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and especially to this congregation here present; that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy Word, truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.

We beseech thee also so to rule the hearts of those who bear the authority of government in this and every land, that they may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world.

Open, O Lord, the eyes of all people to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works, that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, they may honor thee with their substance, and be faithful stewards of thy bounty.

And we most humbly beseech thee, of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succor Andy, Connie, Tom, Bob, Kathleen, Fortino, Juanita, Diane, Carol, Henry, and all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity.

Please offer additional petitions and thanksgivings at this time.

And we also bless thy holy Name for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear, beseeching thee to grant them continual growth in thy love and service; and to grant us grace so to follow the good examples of all thy saints, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom.

Grant these our prayers, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Celebrant and People:

Gracious God, whose Son Jesus calls the dead to new life: awaken us to your will, deepen our love for one another, and give us a clear vision, that we may be a place of holy comfort in a hurting world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Confession of Sin

Confession of Sin (BCP p. 330)

Deacon: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.

Deacon and People:

Most merciful God,

we confess that we have sinned against thee

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done,

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved thee with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in thy will,

and walk in thy ways,

to the glory of thy Name.

Amen.

Celebrant:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him.

This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Timothy 1:15

The Peace

The Peace (BCP p. 332)

Offertory

Offertory Sentence (BCP p. 343)

Celebrant: Worthy art thou, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and by thy will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11

Place wooden tokens and financial gifts in the offering plate. You may make a gift online in Church Center at www.hcec.link/give.

Please stand as the gifts of bread, wine, and money are brought to the altar.

The Great Thanksgiving

The Great Thanksgiving (BCP p. 333)

It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God.

Who by water and the Holy Spirit hast made us a new people in Jesus Christ our Lord, to show forth thy glory in all the world.

Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and saying,

Sanctus

SANCTUS: (BCP p. 334)

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts:

Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.

Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Please remain standing or kneel as you are able.

All glory be to thee, Almighty God, our heavenly Father, for that thou, of thy tender mercy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death and sacrifice, until his coming again.

For in the night in which he was betrayed, he took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of this; for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, according to the institution of thy dearly beloved Son our Savior Jesus Christ, we, thy humble servants, do celebrate and make here before thy divine Majesty, with these thy holy gifts, which we now offer unto thee, the memorial thy Son hath commanded us to make; having in remembrance his blessed passion and precious death, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; rendering unto thee most hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same.

And we most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, to hear us; and, of thy almighty goodness, vouchsafe to bless and sanctify, with thy Word and Holy Spirit, these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine; that we, receiving them according to thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood.

And we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant that, by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we, and all thy whole Church, may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion.

And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee; humbly beseeching thee that we, and all others who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion, may worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body with him, that he may dwell in us, and we in him.

And although we are unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offenses, through Jesus Christ our Lord;

By whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. AMEN.

The Lord's Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer (BCP p. 336)

Celebrant: And now, as our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold to say,

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

forever and ever. Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD (BCP p. 337)

Celebrant and People

We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

Celebrant: The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

The minister receives the Sacrament in both kinds, and then immediately delivers it to the people. The Bread and the Cup are given to the communicants with these words:

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. [Amen.]

The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. [Amen.]

All who seek God’s blessing are welcome. If you are not yet baptized, or do not wish to receive for any reason, cross your arms over your chest and you will be given a blessing.

All baptized Christians are invited to receive the bread and wine. To receive a wafer of bread, extend your hands with your palms up, to receive a gluten free wafer, extend your hands with your palms down. You may either drink from the chalice or dip the bread in the wine. If you wish to be baptized, please let our clergy know.

Post-Communion Prayer

Post-Communion Prayer (BCP p. 339)

Please stand or kneel.

Celebrant: Let us pray.

Celebrant and People:

Almighty and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee for that thou dost feed us, in these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and dost assure us thereby of thy favor and goodness towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of thy Son, the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs, through hope, of thy everlasting kingdom. And we humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with thy grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

Blessing

Dismissal

Dismissal (BCP p. 340)

Announcements

Vestry Person of the Day – Becky Palmer

Generous God, Generous People — 2027 Pledge Campaign: Commitments due November 1. At Holy Comforter, we are called to “worship God, love our neighbors, create community, follow Jesus, and steward our resources.” James 1:17, “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,” reminds us of God’s great generosity for which we give thanks. Because God has been so generous to us, we now have the opportunity to be generous with one another. Please submit your commitment by November 1 using a pledge card or online at hcec.link/pledge2027.

Bible Study on Acts: October 4, 2026 - August 22, 2027. Journey through the Book of Acts with us! Each week, we’ll explore a different passage and take a closer look at the spiritual practices of the first Christians. Come discover what their experiences can teach us about following Jesus and living out our faith today.

Prayer Class - Turning and Returning to God: October 4 - November 1. Prayer can take many forms, and there is always more to discover! Join us for Turning and Returning to God as we explore a variety of prayer practices and ways to deepen our relationship with God. All are welcome, wherever you may be in your prayer life. Sign up at hcec.link/Returning

Lunch Bunch: Today at about noon, join us at Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant (4334 FM 2920, Spring , TX 77379) after the Discipleship Hour.

Vestry Elections: Interest Forms Due October 15. In the coming months, one-third of our Vestry members will complete their terms, and we are looking for parishioners who feel called to help guide and support the work of Holy Comforter. If you are interested in learning more about serving on Vestry, please speak with any current Vestry member. Those who would like to be considered for Vestry service can complete the online interest form at hcec.link/Vestry. Interest forms are due October 15.

Community Table: The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is hosting Community Table on October 11 with a breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and juice.

Trunk or Treat: October 25, 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Join us for Trunk or Treat at Holy Comforter! Food, games, crafts and more. All are welcome! If you would like to sign up your car, please visit: hcec.link/TrunkorTreat26

Monday Morning Maintenance Muster: Monday, October 5 at 8am. Please bring a weed-eater, loppers and/or trimmer as we continue to spruce up our campus. We also need someone to assess a non-working electrical outlet in the Parish Hall. Questions? jrwarden@holycomforterspring.org

Election Day Prayers: Tuesday, November 3, 7am-7pm. The church will be open for prayers as people vote. Come by at any point for a few minutes to say some prayers. Prayer guides will be provided.

“The Dove” Monthly Magazine: The October 2026 edition of The Dove is out now! To read, visit www.hcec.link/dove

Community Table

October 11: Breakfast from Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Sunday Schedule

Nursery is available from 8:45-11:45am

8 am – Rite I Holy Eucharist

8:45 am – Community Table in Parish Hall

9:30 am – Rite II Holy Eucharist with Music

Weekly Schedule

Various Times – Discipleship Small Groups, www.hcec.link/dsg

Wednesday 9 am – Morning Prayer Rite II – Chapel

Monthly Meetings

Book Club – Third Wednesday at 7 pm – Zoom, hcec.link/bookclub

Maintenance Mondays – First & Third Mondays at 8am

Clergy & Staff

John Soard, Rector

john@holycomforterspring.org

Ebele Okonkwo Onuigbo, Deacon

ebele@holycomforterspring.org

Kate Mumey, Curate

kate@holycomforterspring.org

Debbie Daigle, Assisting Priest

debbie@holycomforterspring.org

STAFF

Faith Almond, Newcomers Minister

faith@holycomforterspring.org

Kim Faasse, Director of Youth Ministries

kim@holycomforterspring.org

Ashley Andreevska, Director of Music

ashley@holycomforterspring.org

Julie Rhodes, Financial Administrator

julie@holycomforterspring.org

Taylor Brittain, Communication Coordinator

taylor@holycomforterspring.org

Email the vestry with thoughts and questions at vestry@holycomforterspring.org

www.holycomforterspring.org (281) 288-8169