Creator, open our hearts to peace and healing between all people. Creator, open our hearts to provide and protect for all children of the earth. Creator, open our hearts to respect for the earth, and all the gifts of the earth. Creator, open our hearts to end exclusion, violence, and fear among all. Thank you for the gifts of this day and every day. Alycia Longriver – 1995

Refrain: Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you. 1. Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet, Master who acts as a slave to them. Refrain 2. Neighbors are rich and poor, Neighbors are black and white, Neighbors are nearby and far away. Refrain 3. These are the ones we should serve, These are the ones we should love. All are neighbors to us and you. Refrain 4. Loving puts us on our knees, serving as though we were slaves; this is the way we should live with you. Refrain Hymnal #602

Traditional ways to show one’s love may include saying ‘I love you’, perhaps giving someone flowers, or a hug. As I reflected on the phrase “Love Re-imagined” it made me think of unique ways people show God’s love to others. This past year I had the privilege of going on a week-long medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic with Somos Amigos Medical Missions (more info is on the Christ Church website). Here, I witnessed first-hand several examples of such “Love, Re-imagined”. I found Love, Re-imagined: -in the Mission and Vision of Somos Amigos Medical Missions – providing reliable healthcare to isolated mountain communities in the Dominican Republic. -in the involvement of the community of Naranjito who has been partnering with the Somos Amigos Medical Mission team every year, and multiple times a year, so that the delivery of this healthcare is made possible, thus bringing healing and hope to those who are struggling. -in the perseverance of Frank Brightwell. He is the founder of Somos Amigos Medical Missions. His journey began with a bunch of high school kids whom he led there to lay roads and provide some basic amenities. While there, he identified the need for medical and dental care in the community and resolved to return. So he went back - not once or twice but every single year after that. Each time he went back, he took along with him a team of medical and dental professionals and volunteers, whom he put together himself. He also took with him medical and dental supplies, so he could help the people of Naranjito and the neighboring communities. Each time he achieved a milestone he pushed for more, to the point that he now takes teams to the Dominican Republic 4 times a year! He is also constantly developing new programs - for instance, the Diabetes program is finding a way to bring something as simple as insulin to those people who depend on it. -in the hospitality of Lourdes and Chucho. They open their home to all the volunteers and mission team members every year, multiple times a year, for an entire week at a time. Not only that, but they provide nutritious and delicious food for the team 3 times a day for that week without expecting anything in return. The teams are not small groups, either - on many occasions there are up to 50 people in a group! -in the magnanimity of all the other families of the community of Naranjito—I don’t know all their names, but I know this much - what little they have, they share ungrudgingly. They open their homes freely to the various volunteers, so they can get some rest at night while they carry on their mission work. -in the ardor of the volunteers. From high schoolers who are giving up their free time to help the clinic to function efficiently, to the translators who with their knowledge of Spanish and Haitian Creole help facilitate communication key for mission work, and of course all who sort through the medications so that the correct one can be dispensed. There were even a couple of local Dominicans who joined the group to help their fellow countrymen. One specific volunteer deserves special mention - the ‘pee lady’ - our own Ministry Coordinator - who has a specific function, and who has not yet missed a single mission trip. -in the dedication of the doctors who give up their busy practices and lives and come to a busier clinic to help an underserved group of people. Cardiologists bringing their own equipment and staff in order to do meaningful work in a place where such services would be otherwise inaccessible. One such example is that of a little boy, Franci, who’s heart condition was diagnosed because there was such sophisticated equipment available to utilize. -in the devotion of the dentists and dental students who come back every year, multiple times a year, with the required equipment to take care of a basic need for people who otherwise would not understand or experience the significance of good dental hygiene. -in the commitment of Magaly, the local school teacher. Educating the local kids in the one room school room is her main objective. Due to the limited resources available to her, she must be innovative in getting new supplies. She goes out of her way to plan for various meaningful lessons for the kids. Not only that, but she also opened her home to a family of 4 kids from a local tribe since their father was unable to provide the education his kids needed. One of these kids is Franci. -in the generosity of a church community - our very own Christ Episcopal Church in Columbia, Maryland. They opened their purses so graciously for this same little boy, Franci, so he could have open heart surgery. Thanks to their generosity, he can “be a kid again” and participate in normal activities like the other kids, as well as keep up with his education. Even though he was so far away, they cared for him as if he is one of their own. These are just a few of the examples of Love, Re-imagined in a small community in the hills of Dominican Republic that I can recount here. I see God’s Love Re-imagined in each and every one of these instances. ~Preethi

May God bless you with discomfort, At easy answers, half-truths, And superficial relationships So that you may live Deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger At injustice, oppression, And exploitation of people, So that you may work for Justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears, To shed for those who suffer pain, Rejection, hunger, and war So that you may reach out your hand To comfort them and To turn their pain to joy And may God bless you With enough foolishness To believe that you can Make a difference in the world, So that you can do What others claim cannot be done To bring justice and kindness To all our children and the poor. Amen

The heartbeat of this world is love. It’s an underlying thrum, a barely perceptible vibration that runs through every breath and prayer, through every caring act. It’s even where love seems to be entirely lacking, but how much better for humanity if we tune our dials to the love channel, all of us seeing, hearing, expressing and manifesting love in its infinite imagining. ~from Breath of Joy by Danna Faulds

Emptiness brings fullness, so says the Indigo Girls in their song "Hand Me Downs". On the surface, the idea of emptiness bringing fullness seems like a misnomer. But in a very real way, that is also the path of a coherent and rich spirituality, especially if you are very keen about being filled, or exploring the many ways in which you can be filled. Thomas Merton wrote that “The will to pray is the essence of prayer and the secret of prayer is a hunger for God.” The hunger for God is a manifestation of our emptiness, and the desire to be filled, of which meditation is one, is key in our endless attempt to be filled. Last Tuesday evening, a new meditation group at Christ Church had its first meditation session in Old Brick. It was a really, really powerful moment for me, one that will stay with me a long time because this was my first meditation with a group since I began my ministry here at Christ Church. I had the benefit of meditating within the context of worship at my former parish, and so I have been very open to the idea of a group here at Christ Church. A conversation about offering meditation here at Christ Church began last year after a presentation on Mindfulness and Wellness by parishioner Joan Burleyson. Unfortunately, however, we didn’t see any movement on it until a few weeks ago, when after another presentation at Adult Forum, some of our parishioners committed themselves to being a part of this new group. I cannot tell you how special it was to sit in a somewhat circle of sorts with parishioners, to re-engage myself in a more intentional and focused meditation. This is a practice that I miss. With my eyes closed, it was such a joy breathing in and out, following my breath, and in silence, whispered to myself, "Emptiness Brings Fullness." As I breathed out, I could feel the metaphorical emptiness within me, and so I asked myself, "How often do you feel empty?" And as I breathed in, I asked myself, "How does the spirit of God fill my emptiness, and in fact makes me really full?" I know, deep within me, that something has to give, for if God is to fill me up, I must in fact be empty, totally empty, in order to be filled up. And like you, there are times when I feel incredibly empty and rudderless, and so I seek to be filled and be provided with some clear sense of direction. The challenge is that which direction to be led in may not be all too clear or, in fact, I may desire to be filled with something other than what I may desperately need. That is why the imperativeness to discern God’s will is not only important for deepening our own spirituality, but that meditation provide us with an incredible means by which we can be still - even amidst the chirping of birds and the humming of motor vehicle engines and - wait upon God. The added benefit is that it even lowers your blood pressure!! The season of Lent provide us with moments of reflection, and we can, in fact, tell of the depth to which we have been emptied out if we can actually take a moment to engage ourselves in total self-reflection, of which prayer and meditation is an integral part. And I believe it is through a process of meditation and prayer that we can discover a new kind of fullness and wholeness that has been available to us all along, but which we have not actually made use of. I am sure you have heard the cliché ‘empty barrels make the most noise’. Our emptiness leads us into making a different kind of noise. But recognizing the emptiness and the noise we make thereof begins for us the movement towards being filled. And for that I am convinced that if we open ourselves up to being filled with the breath of God’s spirit, we still can make some noise, but we will rather make a joyful noise to the Lord. Manny.

“Remember when you leave this Earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received but only what you have given- a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.” Saint Francis of Assisi “Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of Community” Anthony J. D’Angelo “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and individual valuing” Rollo May “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that because the world needs people who have come alive” Gil Bailie “Find our what makes you kinder, what opens you up and brings out the loving, most generous and unafraid version of you and go after those things as if nothing else matters. Because actually nothing does.” George Saunders “What you do makes a difference and you must decide what kind of difference you want to make” Jane Goodall “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care” Teddy Roosevelt

Oh, Lord, Hold me, So that I can Strive to Stand In Your Glory. Fortify My soul, So it does Your Bidding. Guide My feet So that they Do not Stumble. Sweeten My thoughts So that My brothers And sisters Hear them Gently. Strengthen My heart So that Those To whom I go Know that It beats for You. Lift my Willing Wings. Amen ~P. P. Nov. 5, 2018

Welcome to the Third Sunday in Lent. The Collect of the Day: Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Readings for this Sunday are: Exodus 3:1-15 Psalm 63:1-8 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9 This week's Sermon, delivered by our own Rev. Emmanuel Ato Mercer, can be read here. Be sure to check our website each day, as we post the Daily Lenten Meditation each morning.

Welcome to the Fourth Sunday in Lent. The Collect of the Day: Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Readings for this Sunday are: Joshua 5:9-12 Psalm 32 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 The Sermon for today is given by Father Manny. You can read it here, or you can stream and/or download it below. Be sure to check our website each day, as we post the Daily Lenten Meditation each morning.

"To give someone a blessing is the most significant affirmation we can offer. To give a blessing creates the reality of which it speaks. The problem of modern living is that we are too busy to notice that we are being blessed." ~ Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen After a week of unbearably cold temperatures, a spring-like day appeared. I was planning to take full advantage of the glorious weather by taking a long and brisk walk. I started out at a good pace when I ran into a neighborhood acquaintance. Greeting her, I fully expected to continue on my way when she shared the sad news that her beloved dog had died, and she missed those walks they took together. She was having trouble getting back into a routine again. Then she asked if I minded if she walked with me. How could I say no? We walked and picked up trash and most important of all ---- we talked. We talked about her beloved dog, about our neighborhood, the new grocery store, the needs of poorer families in the community, about ways to keep our open spaces free of litter, her community involvement and her creative work. We parted with a hug and I could see that our time together had lifted her spirits. That chance encounter which led to a slow walk brought us both a sense of togetherness, caring, listening, and affirming our shared humanity. What an unexpected blessing!