Christ Episcopal Church:
A History and Introduction
Christ Church is an historic parish with a contemporary outlook. We were established as Queen Caroline Parish by the Maryland legislature in 1727. The name Christ Church was first used when our historic “Old Brick” building was consecrated as Christ Church in 1811. It is still used for our 8 a.m. worship each Sunday, as well as other events and celebrations throughout the year. Our current church building, "New Brick," was consecrated in 1993 and provides a home for the majority of our services and gatherings.
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At worship, people of many backgrounds gather to praise God as one body in Christ, and to embrace each other in God’s love. We are a Christ-centered community and an affirming church, a strong, unified, and proudly diverse congregation that regularly and unconditionally celebrates that diversity.
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We are located in the “New Town” of Columbia, Maryland, a town that marked its 50th anniversary in 2017. Even though Columbia is 50 years old, it is still developing - always in flux, and always in need of support. Christ Church recognizes that the prosperity and great features of our community are not shared by all of our residents. We are well aware that even within our own town there is poverty and there is brokenness, and so part of our calling to ministry is serving those most in need.
We celebrate three Sunday services - 8:00, 9:00, and 10:30 a.m. - except in the summertime, when the 9 a.m. service takes a break. The 8 a.m. Eucharist is a spoken service, without music, and is in Old Brick. Our second service is the 9 a.m. Children and Family worship, one centered around the younger members of our parish but welcoming of all ages. The final service of the day, our 10:30 Holy Eucharist in New Brick, is always accompanied by inspiring music and our wonderful Choir. Nursery services are provided for attendees every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. At 9:30, we have a host of Sunday School and Formation gatherings for all ages, and there is always a coffee and tea fellowship that allows everyone to catch up with one another and welcome newcomers to our church.
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Our main campus of approximately nine acres was deeded to the Parish in 1738. There are three buildings on the property: Old Brick, New Brick, and the Parish Hall, the third of which was constructed in 1950 and contains offices, meeting rooms, and a kitchen. The grounds also contain an open field which, in addition to providing space for the local deer to roam, is used for overflow parking when large events are held. There is also a cemetery dating from the 19th century between Old Brick and New Brick. In addition to this cemetery, Christ Church also maintains, but does not own, the Dorsey cemetery, about a mile from our campus. This cemetery contains the graves of descendants of founders of Queen Caroline Parish. The Church also owns a silver flagon, chalice, and paten, and these were purchased by the Parish in 1747; they are still used for Communion. We also have a Bible that was given as a wedding gift to our first Rector, James Macgill, in 1738.
Christ Episcopal Church is an Affirming Parish. We are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and enjoyable environment for all parishioners, visitors, and staff, one free of discrimination based on race, color, gender, creed, age, sexual orientation, relationship status, national origin, disability, or military status, in all of its activities and operations.
We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being.
You can learn more here.
We have a lot to be thankful for, as Christ Church parishioners are very generous in the giving of their time, talent, and treasure. For example, we recently created a Health Ministry so that our parishioners and the wider community have a place to turn for professional health and wellness support, as well as exercise and activities to better all of our lives. Members actively participate in a large variety of inreach and outreach ministries with both local and global impact. Some of these include: the Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center, a local organization assisting those in need of items many take for granted; DreamBuilders, which assists in disaster relief projects throughout the country; regular support to Springfield Hospital, a state mental health facility; and regularly-scheduled, local food drive initiatives at one of the many supermarkets around town. These activities only comprise a mere fraction of the outreach that Christ Episcopal Church is a part of, and you can get a more comprehensive overview here. Many parishioners give freely of their time, volunteering for parish commissions, our music ministry, various youth activities within the church and in the community, and special work projects on the church grounds. Additionally, members provide lay support to church services, and to the parish-at-large. The effective stewardship effort by the congregation has resulted in constant and enriching spiritual growth, a feeling of togetherness and generosity, and a sense of accomplishment - both individually and collectively.
FEEL FREE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PARISH BY VIEWING THE MENU OF MINISTRIES AND PROGRAMS AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE.
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IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WISH TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
And if you are new to Christ Church and are thinking of visiting and attending a service or gathering, please do!
Take a look around our website and sign up at the bottom of this page to receive our email updates. These will give you an excellent perspective of our vibrant and varied common life - but nothing can replace the real thing.
Stop by any time.
We'll make you feel at home - because you are.
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ALL ARE WELCOME.