Today is the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for today: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 111 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Mark 1:21-28 Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

A Tasty Way to Help Bridges to Housing Stability End Homelessness Many recall the excitement as we gathered in New Brick nearly a year ago to hold a chili cook-off to benefit Bridges to Housing Stability. It was February 9th of 2020, in those convivial pre-pandemic days when we selected Chuck Rees as the winning chef. The effort, which included the Youth Group’s collection from Souper Bowl Sunday, raised $1,000. That impressive result led to more excitement last fall as Christ Church won the Silver Ladle Award during the nonprofit’s Chili & Challenge virtual fundraiser. While unable to gather again in the foreseeable future, there’s another way to enjoy a meal for a good cause. Next month you can help Bridges prevent and end homelessness by ordering milkshakes and burgers at Shake Shack. The timeframe is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on February 24th, which is Shake Shack Donation day. On that website for the event, you’ll find a flyer to download, so please spread the word. The restaurant is located on the plaza at Columbia Mall, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044. Please use the code DONATION on the Shack App, web, or kiosk when checking out, and 25 percent of your total meal purchase will go to Bridges. Christ Church parishioners had the opportunity to participate earlier this week in a similar fundraising effort by ordering takeout pizza and other dishes from Coal Fire in Ellicott City. That restaurant gave 20 percent of every designated purchase to Bridges. Every dollar counts as the nonprofit provides critical support and affordable housing to our most vulnerable neighbors. In its 2020 annual report, you can read about Bridges’ efforts such as the vital Alliance Program that has expanded to serve 141 people living in 42 affordable rental homes in Howard County. Because Bridges tenants pay less than the market rate, they spend an average of just 31 percent of their incomes on rent compared with many low-income renters in the county who must spend more than 50 percent on housing. The annual report also lists board members for Fiscal 2021, including Christ Church parishioner James Collins. Prayers Requested as Two Outreach Partners in Africa Face a Surging Coronavirus Prior to the pandemic, Christ Church entered a partnership with two parishes in the Anglican Diocese of Harare in Zimbabwe. They are St. Luke's in Greendale and All Souls in Mt. Pleasant. The arrangement, in which Christ Church agreed to support annual community medical clinics, grew out of a request from parishioners Nancy and Norbert Mugwagwa. In normal times, the Mugwagwas split their residence between Maryland and Zimbabwe, attending Christ Church for a number of months and then All Souls the rest of the time. When they departed the United States more than a year ago, taking some medical supplies in their luggage, they expected that the health clinics would be held in May and June of 2020. The Christ Church Outreach Commission planned to provide more supplies, and Fr. Manny and the Vestry received a letter from the Rev. Paul Gwese, rector of St. Luke’s. He explained how they had been “supporting the vulnerable members of our community who eagerly await this medical intervention and attend our clinics in large numbers.” The pandemic forced the cancellation of the clinics. Even before the outbreak, the rector said, “The health system in Zimbabwe is currently going through serious challenges both in the public and private domains.” Now the situation is far more dire. This month several government officials have perished, according to news reports. On January 24th, Nancy Mugwagwa wrote to the Outreach Commission that COVID-19 is surging with tragic consequences in the communities where our partners are located. All Souls has lost its church administrator and two parishioners, and the Mugwagwas have lost three relatives. “This is the case in most families, and we hope the tight restrictions imposed by the curfew that includes closure of bars and nonessential businesses will help to slow down the spread," she wrote. Please pray for those in our partner parishes, All Souls and St. Lukes. Drive Continues to Fill Yellow Bins to Help CCC and FISH Parishioners are asked to support Columbia Community Care (CCC), an all-volunteer effort that came together in Howard County in response to the pandemic, by collecting diapers and personal care items. The organizers have told Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre that these basics are scarce. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, CCC needs women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” just inside the Parish Hall door. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office at (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming. Meanwhile, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. During winter, please contribute items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you. LEMS Committee: Volunteers Needed The LEMS committee is continuing to contribute to the LEMS Weekend Food Program in 2021! We plan to provide food for ten families one weekend a month in the new year. If anyone is interested in volunteering with the monthly bulk purchasing, bagging, and delivering to the school when New Brick reopens, please contact the committee. With local COVID cases at their peak, we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. The committee has also reached out to the school to find out if they need assistance at the start of the new semester and will let you know what we find out. If you have any questions, please contact lemspc@christchurchcolumbia.org. Donations can be made towards future LEMS support online using Realm and listing LEMS in the memo line.

In my native Ghana is the first co-ed secondary school which was established by the British colonial government in 1927. The school was first named the Prince of Wales College and School but the name was changed to Achimota (ah-ch-ee-m-oh-t-ah). The school is one of the leading secondary schools in Ghana. Christ Church parishioners Nii and Theo Jones-Quartey were students at that school. The first Valentine’s Day card I ever received in the mail was from my first 'girlfriend' who was a sophomore at that school. Prior to that, I didn't even know what Valentine's Day was. I didn’t attend that school but I have siblings, cousins, and friends who did. I am sure you may be asking why on earth I'm talking about a secondary school in Ghana. Well, I am so inclined because of the philosophy of this school. That philosophy is summed up by the school emblem, which is a picture of black and white keys of a piano. The British governor, one of the founders of the school, spoke about the integration of Black and White, male and female, coming together for the good of all. The emblem, itself, was designed by Dr. Aggrey, a native and co-founder of the school. Dr. Aggrey expressed his rationale with these words: “You can play a tune of sorts on the black keys only, and you can play a tune of sorts on the white keys only. But for perfect harmony, you must use both the black and the white keys.” Perfect harmony! Think about that - perfect harmony is made possible by playing both white and black keys. In a few days, we will begin the month of February, which is Black History Month. It is a celebration of African Americans and their contribution to the building of this wonderful and great country. My task this day is not to enumerate the immeasurable and incalculable contributions of African Americans, but to call to mind the possibility of the unity that we seek, the perfect harmony that is only possible when both the black and the white keys are played together. I am very much aware of the challenges African Americans deal with on a daily basis. All of these stem from whether they have a place at the table, and whether their place at the table is deserved and should be honored. In fact, many are those who do not believe that there is even a table, much less a place at the table for the African American. For that reason, they perpetuate policies that seek to relegate the African American to the background. There are those who worship the systemic injustice and racism within our society for the sole purpose of maligning the African American. And there are those who question why the African American cannot lift himself/herself up 'by the bootstraps'. These people forget that there are some African Americans who do not even have the benefit of having boots at all. What saddens me ever greatly is that there are those who out of the desire to hold on to power have created their own god, and have masked this god with the One God who calls us to be ONE. For that reason, some of us have a hard time discerning the actual God who calls us and this masked-up god who is a totem of a deranged mindset. There are those who hold on ever so tightly to this totem of a god because they want to possess this god instead of being possessed by him. There was once a rich man who desired to follow Jesus. He was advised to go sell all his properties, give the money to the poor, and follow Jesus. But he could not. This rich young man believed he was defined by the god he had made out of his possessions - the god he possessed. To follow Jesus, you have to give up something... you have to give up the god you possess for a God who possesses you. The question then is, what are you willing to give up in order to follow Jesus? Growing up in Ghana, I didn’t have to worry about racism. My real brush with the deranged mindset of racism occurred in Philadelphia, where a parishioner refused to honor their pledge because, according to him, a ‘Black man has been hired as Assistant Rector.’ I was totally shocked when I heard the story. I wondered to myself, which God does this person serve? Is it the one he wants to possess, or is it the one who possesses him? I need you, and all of us, to think about this. You, yourself may not be a racist. But you may not necessarily tolerate the idea of playing both the white and black keys for a perfect harmony because you believe that playing both the white and black keys may take something away from you. But I wonder what it is that can be taken away from you. When my former Rector heard the sad, horrific, and patronizing rationale of this parishioner who had decided not to honor his pledge, he simply responded, "We will do just fine." Yes, we will. In fact, we will do more than just fine because our drive, and our hope, is to play both the white and black keys just so we can make that perfect harmony... that harmony which you need to hear, that harmony which I need to hear, and that harmony which our society, community, and world desperately need to hear during this time of deep division. Look around you. Switch on the TV. Go online. Every part of our life is saturated with echo chambers that pitch each against one another... whether it's Americans against Americans, White against Blacks, or Liberals against Conservatives. And the noisemakers of these echo chambers tell us that we should be suspicious of neighbors like you with whom we used to chat with, enjoy a barbeque together, go out to dinner together, watch movies together, worship together, visit each other and watch our children play together. Unlike our Director of Music, Adam, and many of you, I do not know how to play the organ or piano, but I can tell a perfect harmony should I hear one. Our reality is one where none of us is going anywhere. Whites cannot build our communities all by themselves nor can African Americans build our communities all by themselves. Someway, somehow, we have to figure out the best way to play all of the keys in order to achieve a perfect harmony. Dr. King figured it out when he said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” I do not want to die a fool, nor should you desire to do so. We should long for that perfect harmony that heals all our wounds and soothes the soul. For perfect harmony, we should play both the white and black keys. Both you and I make up those keys on God's piano. Manny.

Today is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for today: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Psalm 62:6-14 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark 1:14-20 Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Keep Up the Flow of Personal Care Items, Diapers to Support CCC Parishioners have responded to our invitation to support Columbia Community Care (CCC) by collecting diapers and personal care items for our neighbors who find themselves less fortunate during the pandemic. Please keep up the good work. Organizers of CCC, an all-volunteer effort, had shared word of the scarcity of these essentials with Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, we are collecting women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin that's marked “CCC” located just inside the Parish Hall door. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the Church Office (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming. Since our drive began at the start of 2021, Diane has made several deliveries to one of the pantries that supply CCC distribution sites. Distribution takes place indoors and abides by pandemic precautions at the following three locations: Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Faulkner Ridge Neighborhood Center, 10518 Marble Faun Lane, and Stevens Forest Neighborhood Center, 6061 Stevens Forest Rd. Hours for volunteers and recipients are Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m., with lines open for guests at 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with lines open for guests at 10:30 a.m. Spread the word if you or someone you know needs assistance. Besides the baby and personal items that Christ Church has been collecting, CCC hands out food and cleaning supplies but no clothing, books, or toys. Several parishioners at Christ Church have volunteered or contributed to CCC. Information on volunteer slots can be found on the CCC website and on the group’s Facebook page. Save the Dates: On Feb. 15, March 15, Bring Tasty Dishes for Grassroots If you missed the most recent chance to use your kitchen as a way to reach out to others, now’s the time to mark your calendars for the next few opportunities. Plan to prepare a side dish or dessert for the monthly meal that Christ Church provides to the residents of the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center at its live-in facility on Freetown Rd. Mark your calendars so that you can plan to arrive outside Old Brick on upcoming third Mondays: February 15th and March 15th at 3:30 p.m. each month. Several members of the Women of Christ Church were among volunteers who brought goodies for the Grassroots meal on Jan. 18th. This time, the third Monday fell on the national day of service for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. After the onset of the pandemic, we began these curbside drop-offs in lieu of the monthly meals that we once provided in-person at another Grassroots facility, the Dorsey/Rt. 1 Day Resource Center. It remains closed due to the coronavirus, except for curbside distribution of non-perishables. In this new tradition during the pandemic, co-coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers as they drive up to Christ Church. Nancy then transports the food to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Additional volunteers - and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars to complement our main course - are always welcome. For questions, ask Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth, or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. On their own, parishioners at Christ Church have signed up to provide the evening meal on several evenings in February or March for the 50 adults and children. Consider pitching in by picking a date to provide an entree and side dishes, or just the entree. Grassroots encourages an order of 12 pizzas - four with cheese and the rest with meat (any kind) - or rotisserie chickens (12 to make a meal) but discourages lasagna or other pasta entrees. Another welcome option is takeout from restaurants to help the foodservice workforce. Here is a link to the sign-up list that's maintained by Grassroots. Seize Another Opportunity by Gaining QPR Skills to Help Prevent Suicides Once again, a separate part of Grassroots is offering members of the community a chance to learn skills that could help save a life from suicide. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer -- the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save lives, just as individuals trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver learn what to do. The free online seminar, in which members of Christ Church first participated last June, is being offered remotely in January for Howard County residents, employees, or students. Grassroots and the Horizon Foundation are offering QPR training for adults on Jan. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. To learn more, go here: https://www.grassrootscrisis.org/events/ Or you can email amanda@grassrootscrisis.org to speak directly to Amanda Ganoe, the sessions’ organizer. Those of us who completed the training under her guidance gained important insights and, as a bonus, several resources that can be shared with others. It’s helpful to know that Grassroots operates a 24-hour crisis intervention and supportive counseling hotline (410-531-6677). Individuals may call for various reasons such as suicidal thoughts, family and relationship issues, and addiction, among other problems. Drive Continues to Collect Non-liquid, Non-perishable Foods for FISH During the pandemic, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. In winter, keep the weather in mind and bring items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. LEMS Committee: Volunteers Needed The LEMS committee is continuing to contribute to the LEMS Weekend Food Program in 2021! We plan to provide food for ten families one weekend a month in the new year. If anyone is interested in volunteering with the monthly bulk purchasing, bagging, and delivering to the school when New Brick reopens, please contact the committee. With local COVID cases at their peak, we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. The committee has also reached out to the school to find out if they need assistance at the start of the new semester and will let you know what we find out. If you have any questions, please contact lemspc@christchurchcolumbia.org. Donations can be made towards future LEMS support online using Realm and listing LEMS in the memo line. In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

This past Wednesday morning was a little somber. As glorious as it was to see a new President and Vice-President sworn into office, it was a somber day. The harsh reality of an empty mall filled rather with waving flags instead of Americans cheering on a new president remind me of Jesus’s response to the Pharisees who asked that he rebuke his disciples because of their praise of him. Jesus responded in Luke 19:40 “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones will cry out.” The flags represented, for me, the voice of every American who can see himself or herself as being a part of the big picture. It was disheartening to see former President Trump skip the inauguration of his successor and leave town isolated, diminished, and less triumphant. Save for Jimmy Carter, all living presidents made it to this inauguration, so how come he could not join his predecessors in a show of goodwill to his successor? He did a lot of good as President but in spite of all the good he has done, in twenty, thirty, forty years’ time, not many people will remember efforts such as his tax cuts or even his attempt at reforming the criminal justice system. People will, instead, remember his character and how he treated his successor. And as I shared last week, I am less interested in his politics, or any other person’s politics. I am more interested in his character, and in yours. Having character does not mean being perfect. It simply means that you can draw on a set of core values in your approach to life. Those core values - your substance, if you will - which, in part, is shaped by your faith, always draw you towards uprightness, honesty, integrity, compassion, and love. That is why the gospels invite us ever more deeply into the orbit of gracefulness and purity of heart: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Jesus said. There is a story of a professor who, upon entering a classroom one morning, asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the test paper with the text facing down, as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions… only a black dot in the center of the page. The professor, seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following: “I want you to write what you see there.” The students, confused, got started on the challenging task of explaining what they saw. At the end of the test, the professor took all the completed test papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them, with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, its shape, color, and so on. With all of them having been read and the bewildered classroom silent, the professor began to explain: "I am not going to grade on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused instead on the Black Spot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the Black Spots." Our life is a gift that is given to us by God with love and care, and we always have reasons - more than enough reasons - to celebrate that life: nature renewing itself every day, our friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, the miracles we see every day, and life, itself. However, we insist on focusing only on the Black Spots – political differences, racial differences, religious differences, sexual differences, and many others that set us apart, one from another. The reality is that those Black Spots are exceedingly small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds, create within us a reason for enmity or hatred for another person and build in us walls that are so high that no one can scale over them. For a moment, take your eyes away from the Black Spot in your life. Take your eyes away from the Black Spot that holds you in bondage. Take your eyes away from even the Black Spot in our country. Look beyond that Black Spot, and see the big picture. If we ever felt limited, it was because we failed to be defined by the common objects of our love. If we ever felt limited, it was because we couldn’t embrace the invitation to look beyond the horizon - to seize the opportunities that lie beyond our wildest dreams, to actually understand that God is exiled in each of us - you and me. For that reason, within each of us is that divine mandate to seek union with one another. Hear Jesus’ priestly prayer, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” To seek this unity isn’t about uniformity, nor is it about collapsing all we know and care about ourselves into a sea of water leaving no trace. Rather, it is about the big picture. Do I see the big picture, and can I fit into that big picture? I never thought that Washington, D.C., the capital of a free people, could be sealed off to her citizens because of a potential threat to the safety of her citizens. The insurrection on January 6th changed everything for so many of us. In spite of that, democracy won yesterday. We witnessed a peaceful transfer of power and a call to unity. To me, it is a call that invites us to focus not only on our disappointments or elations about the elections but to also look at the big picture, to focus not only on the Black Spot but everything around it - including the dot itself. After all was said and done, I thought yesterday was a good day. I saw the Black Spot but I saw more than only that Black Spot. I saw myself in the big picture, and I hope you can also see yourself in your big picture. Manny.

Below is the text from Father Manny's sermon for today, and we hope that you'll take the time to read this important message. You can also view our worship livestream here. “We Shall Overcome,” cries the Negro spiritual. For me, it is an assuring cry that feels like something good can come out of Nazareth. But I can only see that good if I embrace the invitation to come and see. Jesus had invited Philip to follow him, and so he did. But then he found his friend Nathaniel and told him about the one person the law and prophets talked about. After hearing these words from Philp, Nathaniel wonders aloud, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In Jesus' day, Nazareth was a poor little town of about four hundred people. Although residents were very religious, the town had little to offer, but Phillip isn’t settled on the idea that Nazareth had little to offer; he simply responds, "Come and See." I can hear Philip say to Nathaniel, "Don’t buy into that narrative that Nazareth has nothing to offer. Come and see." Today is Dr. King Sunday, and one of the remarkable things I like about Dr. King was that he didn’t buy into the narrative that people were so soaked up in racist bigotry and hatred for the African American that they were unwilling to move a feet to change the narrative about the American socio-economic landscape. Dr. King always invited people to come and see - don’t buy into the idea that the human being cannot change, don’t buy into the narrative that systems built to perpetuate a certain debilitating mindset like White supremacy cannot change, and don’t buy into the idea that America has nothing to offer African Americans because of all the dehumanizing policies. No! Believe that We Shall Overcome because something good can come out of the Nazareth that has little to offer African Americans. We Shall Overcome is a hopeful expression by those who bring good news - "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" Isaiah says. Come and see is another expression of hope in the one man from Nazareth who can turn human fortunes, who invites you and me to prove the world wrong by following him, who invites us to be for the world what he was for Israel “As the father sent me, so I send you.” He says. And those who follow Jesus are sent into the world as justice bringers who confront the powers that carve up the world with the good news that there is a different kind of justice which is rooted in a restored creation. A restored creation is about a creation arriving at last at the new place for which it was made in the beginning. For Dr. King and many millions of people who had fought for the restoration of God’s creation and the dignity of the African America, We Shall Overcome meant that they did not have to look very far to acknowledge the prevalence of those invisible instruments that dehumanized African Americans. Although African Americans were free, we are only free as determined by the dominant Christian culture, and not even baptism - which, in fact, establishes the Christian’s freedom in Christ and bestows upon all people the dignity of being children of God and joint heirs with Christ could change the condition of the African American. In Virginia, for instance, the Assembly passed an Act in 1667 which stated, “The conferring of baptisme doth not alter the condition of the person as to his bondage or Freedome.”[1] In an attempt by some to deal with the apparent contradiction between the inherent freedom bestowed in Baptism and the problem of slavery, an Anglican clergyman in South Carolina added an oath to the baptism service for Slaves who came for baptism. Slaves had to take this oath: “that you do not ask for the Holy Baptism out of any design to free yourself from the Duty and Obedience you owe to your Master while you live’”[2] But We Shall Overcome because we know that Baptism changes everything, especially because the baptized who follow Jesus are commissioned and equipped to be new-creation people, justice people, and hope-giving people for a world where injustice still reigns. The very fact that the Church was prepared to look the other way, and to an extent offered a tacit approval of Slavery, Jim Crow and racial discriminatory policies seems to be the conviction which formed the basis of the letter by the eight clergymen some of whom were Episcopal Church bishops to write an open letter “A Call for Unity” while Dr. King was in a Birmingham jail. Dr. King understood that the mindset which gave birth to the indignity suffered by African Americans was not different from the mindset of the clergy who referred to him as an extremist because he dared to challenge the very structures which suffocated millions of African Americans. Their demand that Dr. King stop his demonstrations was not for altruistic purposes; it was to meant to serve the purpose of those who believed in perpetuating a kind of society that still consigned African Americans to the back of the bus. But We Shall Overcome because we know that a new kind of justice has triumphed over the old forms of justice that has let us down again and again. We Shall Overcome because we hear a new voice calling out to us in the middle of the night. It is not like the old tired voice of Eli which was so familiar to Samuel. See, the old voice has lost its relevance because when God revealed Himself to Samuel, he heard a new voice. When Christ revealed himself to Nathaniel, he heard a new voice. When God reveals Himself to us, we hear a new voice which calls us out of the pursuit of injustice to pursue justice. The question this morning is, do you hear that new voice? We know the old, familiar voice that believes in separate but equal; we are familiar with the old, familiar voice that believes that human nobility rests in ones superior nature, or that human nobility depends on being superior over the other. But as Ernest Hemingway reminds us: “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is in being superior to your former self.” That self which is emblematic of the old, tired voice. We believe We Shall Overcome because if something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come out of the dungeons of hunger, poverty, homelessness, violence, and our drug-infested communities of color. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come out of the dungeons of meaninglessness that causes some to use politics as a tool for violence. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come from our nation’s capital. If something good can come out of Nazareth then something good can come out of the violence recently visited upon the Capitol. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come even from the darkest experiences of our lives. And so, like Philip, we should not give up on the ‘Nazareths’ of our lives. We Shall Overcome because like Samuel we have to listen to the new voice that calls us in the morning; to respond to its invitation would mean freeing ourselves from the temptation of believing that the old, familiar voice is the only voice that counts. We Shall Overcome because listening to the new voice that calls us in the middle of the day would mean responding to an invitation that allows us to walk hand in hand with neighbor, believing that the content of a neighbor’s character matters more than their politics. We Shall Overcome because listening to the new voice that calls us in the evening would mean responding to an invitation to shed off the load of the day, with the hope that a new day will open to us a new way of being generous, compassionate and affirming. Jesus Christ calls us to follow Him, and in following him, we must understand that all things are lawful, but not everything is beneficial. But for those things that are lawful AND beneficial, we must pursue with relentless zeal, and we must do so by turning the dungeons in our lives and in our communities into an oasis of peace, compassion, honor, dignity, prosperity, and love. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathaniel asked. Yes, something good can come of out Nazareth because we refuse to give up on human dignity, we refuse to give up on justice, and we refuse to sit at the back of the bus. As the old Negro spiritual says... We Shall Overcome Someday. Amen. [1] MacCulloch, Diarmad Christianity-The First Three Thousand Years p. 725 [2] ibid p. 728

Today is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20) Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51 Sermon for today: Father Manny's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Join Us on Jan. 18th to Help Feed the Hungry at Grassroots If you want to reach out to others on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, here’s one way to help someone. Plan to prepare a side dish or dessert for the monthly meal that Christ Church provides to the residents of the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center at its live-in facility on Freetown Rd. During the pandemic, we began these curbside drop-offs in lieu of the monthly meals that we once provided in-person at another Grassroots facility, the Dorsey/Rt. 1 Day Resource Center. It remains closed due to the coronavirus, except for curbside distribution of non-perishables. In this new tradition during the pandemic, co-coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers as they drive up to Christ Church. (See accompanying photo from Dec. 21.) On Monday, Jan. 18th, please plan to arrive by 3:30 p.m. outside Old Brick. We suggest that you wear both masks and gloves and plan to practice social distancing to keep everyone safe. Nancy then transports the food to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Additional volunteers -- and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars to complement our main course -- are always welcome. For questions, ask Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Now’s the time to mark your calendars for the third Monday of February, which is the date for the next meal that Christ Church will provide. Please plan to drop off your items at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 15th. On their own, parishioners at Christ Church have signed up to provide the evening meal on several evenings in February for the 50 adults and children. Consider pitching in, by picking a date to provide an entree and side dishes, or just the entree. Grassroots encourages an order of 12 pizzas -- four with cheese and the rest with meat (any kind), or rotisserie chickens (12 to make a meal), but discourages lasagna or other pasta entrees. Another welcome option is takeout from restaurants to help the workforce. Here is a link to the sign-up list that's maintained by Grassroots. Another Opportunity to Learn QPR Skills to Help Prevent Suicides Once again, a separate part of Grassroots is offering members of the community a chance to learn skills that could help save a life from suicide. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer -- the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save lives, just as individuals trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver learn what to do. The free online seminar, in which members of Christ Church first participated last June, is being offered remotely in January for Howard County residents, employees, or students. Grassroots and the Horizon Foundation are offering QPR training on two days this month. The session on Jan. 19th, from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., is intended for youth age 13 or older or, if the child is younger, when accompanied by a parent during training. The session on Jan. 25th, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., is for adults. To learn more, go here: https://www.grassrootscrisis.org/events/ Or you can email amanda@grassrootscrisis.org to speak directly to Amanda Ganoe, the sessions’ organizer. Those of us who completed the training under her guidance during the summer came away with important insights and, as a bonus, several resources that can be shared with others. Whether or not you decide to take the training, please be aware that Grassroots maintains a 24-hour crisis intervention and supportive counseling hotline (410-531-6677). Individuals may call for various reasons such as suicidal thoughts, family and relationship issues, and addiction, among other problems. Drives Continue to Collect Specific Items for CCC and FISH Parishioners are asked to support Columbia Community Care (CCC), an all-volunteer effort that came together in Howard County in response to the pandemic, by collecting diapers and personal care items. The organizers have told Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre that these basics are scarce. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, CCC needs women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin that's marked “CCC” and located just inside the Parish Hall door. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming, and wear your mask when on the campus. Thank you. Meanwhile, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. During winter, please contribute items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. January LEMS Committee Update The LEMS committee is continuing to contribute to the LEMS Weekend Food Program in 2021! We plan to provide food for ten families one weekend a month in the new year. If anyone is interested in volunteering with the monthly bulk purchasing, bagging, and delivering to the school when New Brick reopens, please contact the committee. With local COVID cases at their peak, we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. The committee has also reached out to the school to find out if they need assistance at the start of the new semester and will let you know what we find out. If you have any questions, please contact lemspc@christchurchcolumbia.org. Donations can be made towards future LEMS support online using Realm and listing LEMS in the memo line. In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

Any one man can do a lot of good; he can bring out the best in people. In that same vein, any one man can do a lot of evil; he can bring out the worst in others. Dr. Martin Luther King was one who called out the best in people; Adolf Hitler brought out the worst. Any one man can also bring out the best and the evil in people. I followed American politics long before I arrived in the United States. I remember listening to the Republican National Convention speech of George H. W. Bush on a little radio. I also remember riding in a cab from a little town where I was a Vicar to a large town to watch the proceedings of Bill Clinton’s impeachment on CNN. I remember watching television with students, faculty, and staff on September 11, 2001, and will never forget the sight of a student in military garb wailing in the lounge where we were all watching the events of that day. I remember how our society pulled together to comfort each other and become a source of strength to one another. I recall the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American President. I remember the euphoria that greeted his election. It was as though the country had crossed a major threshold that we could all celebrate - at the barest minimum, we could say that we had taken a giant step towards creating that perfect union. I remember when Hillary Clinton won the nomination and ran against Donald Trump, and I remember hearing her share with the world that she had called to concede the election to our current president. If you have not lived in a subjugated society, you may not understand how important it is to concede. If you have not lived in a politically volatile area of our world, you may not understand what it means to be free from political oppression. If you have not lived or suffered under a dictatorship, you may not understand the length to which people go just so they can live. It is for this reason that American democracy and political traditions command a great deal of respect, intrigue, and mystique. We are well acquainted with the process and are assured of the peaceful transfer of power. We know that the process by which we elect our leaders is transparent, free, and fair. And we know that, barring any limits, our democratic life is such that those who do not win an election can run again. I remember a story of Bill Clinton who lost re-election in Arkansas. According to the story, Bill Clinton traveled the whole of Arkansas, one town after the other, to meet with people and understand why he lost his re-election. The beauty of all this is that he did run again, and this time he won. The important principle worth noting is that unless you are constrained by term limits, you can run again, even if you lose an election, and the one man could have graciously conceded the elections and run again but his ego and enablers would not let him. Ronald Reagan called America "the shining city on the hill." John F Kennedy invited us to be a participant and not a spectator. Each American president has called us - all citizens - to uphold a certain truism about America and to believe in it and what it stands for. After all, who lights a candle and hides it under a bushel? as Jesus asked. We set the candle on a table so that the world that sits in darkness might see the light and be drawn to it. The beauty of America does not lie in its superior military might; rather, it lies in its enduring democratic credentials, the adherence to the rule of law, and enviable political traditions. These are the transformative values America shares with the world, and for which reason the world is relatively peaceful. Like you, many of the people I know in Ghana were shocked to the core when they saw the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th this year. Like you, they wondered if this was a third-world country where the rules do not particularly work. Like you, they wondered how on earth America could descend so low. Like you, they wondered if the America that they know was falling apart because one man could not uphold the very tenets which draw people from all over the world to come here in search of freedom. Like you, I could not believe what I saw on TV last week. I watched in horror as fellow American citizens desecrated the sanctity of this country's democracy, and in disbelief as fellow Americans violated the halls where our collective heart beats. Like you, I wondered how Ashli Babbit, an Air Force veteran, could travel from California to Washington, D.C. to demonstrate, only to get shot in the face and die. What a sad, sad story. For a moment, imagine Ashli as a daughter, granddaughter, wife, sister, mother, and friend. How would you feel? Happy? Sad? How pitiful! She may be considered a martyr by some because we do not hesitate to feign devotion if we do not have to pay the price of losing Ashli ourselves or any of the others who lost their lives as a result of the insurrection. I can understand why she came all the way from California. I can understand why she felt she had to walk to the Capitol because one man asked her to ‘fight.’ One man - a leader - was able to convince her and many others that the election was fraudulent, and thus was stolen from him. How was this possible? Which fraud? This one man filed over sixty-five court cases before judges - several of whom were appointed by him. Of these many cases, not a single piece of evidence was offered and compelling enough to have a judge rule in his favor. So wherein lies the fraud? If there ever was any fraud, it was a call this one man placed to a Secretary of State, asking him to find him eleven thousand votes. Where was he going to find the votes... at Walmart, or maybe Costco? That is the fraud I see. I am less worried about this one man’s politics - or any other person’s politics. For me, all politics are transitory. I have lived long enough to know that people change their minds about politics - a Democrat becomes a Republican or an Independent, and a Republican becomes a Democrat or Independent, and so on. For that reason, I am less concerned about your personal politics and more concerned about character - the character of that one man, or of your character - for that is the one thing that actually informs your politics. Theodore Roosevelt, who once occupied the same position as this one man, wrote this: “It is not the critic who counts: Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions who spends himself in a worthy cause who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” I wonder if President Roosevelt ever thought that there will one day be a cold and timid soul who neither knows victory nor defeat, sitting in the same hallowed office as he and inciting citizens against the very government upon which he presides. One man. Compounded by the devastating news of the raging COVID-19 virus, this has been quite a sorrowful week - but we are a people of hope. We believe that the good always triumphs over evil; we believe with the Psalmist that “…weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.” And that joy only reminds us of the steadfast love and mercy of God, which are new every morning. For that reason, I look at the events on January 6th as a stain that ought to change us, change our rhetoric, and more importantly, change the way we look at each other - not as enemies, but as one people who simply have different views about how we should be governed. One man may have caused enough damage to our institutions and provided us with a reason to question those very institutions which, like glue, have held our country together - as imperfect as it may be. But if there’s ever any silver lining, the one man has provided us with a reason - more than enough reason to protect our democracy and political institutions from the likes of him. A couple of weeks ago we began a New Year, but it is never too late to share with you A Prayer for the New Year by Vinita Hampton Wright: God of all time, help us enter the New Year quietly, thoughtful of who we are to ourselves and to others, mindful that our steps make an impact and our words carry power. May we walk gently. May we speak only after we have listened well. Creator of all life, help us enter the New Year reverently, aware that you have endowed every creature and plant, every person and habitat with beauty and purpose. May we regard the world with tenderness. May we honor rather than destroy. Lover of all souls, help us enter the New Year joyfully, willing to laugh and dance and dream, remembering our many gifts with thanks and looking forward to blessings yet to come. May we welcome your lavish love. In this new year, may the grace and peace of Christ bless us now and in the days ahead. It is my hope that, if possible, you will pray this prayer daily, ponder on the gifts that God has given you, and be most especially thankful that not only do you live and breathe freedom, but that no one can take your joy and peace away from you - not even the one man. Manny.

Today is the First Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. Readings for today: Genesis 1:1-5 Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11 Psalm 29 Sermon for today: Deacon Denise's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.