The WOCC's next monthly meeting will take place on Monday, October 4th, at 1:00 pm. Once again, we will be meeting via the Zoom meeting app, which is free and available for sign-up on www.Zoom.us. Please go to their site and sign up prior to the meeting. If you're a woman 18 and older, you're already a member of the WOCC, so feel free to join us! The Zoom details will be in that morning's This Week on Zoom email or you can email wocc@christchurchcolumbia.org. The WOCC is also invited to a special event - a Labyrinth Walk at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ellicott City on Monday, October 11th. From ancient times, labyrinths have been used for walking-meditation and prayer. Often they were built in churches so that pilgrimage journeys could be walked by those who could not travel long distances. St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ellicott City has a lovely outdoor labyrinth in the medieval or Chartres style (after Chartres Cathedral, France) and invites all WOCC members to take part. You can read more about this event here.

Today is the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; 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: Proverbs 31:10-31 Psalm 1 James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9:30-37 Sermon of the Day: Deacon Denise Schiavone delivers this week's Sermon, and you can read the text here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Times of uncertainty push us to engage our faith and deepen our caring in ways that we may not in more stable times. This is especially true for faith communities like ours. As we draw close to two years of persevering through challenges, negotiating change, and facing new and unprecedented community needs, Christ Episcopal Church remains committed to being a touchstone of consistency for its parishioners and those whom we serve. Throughout 2021, worship itself has continued to evolve. Some of the virtual worship options created in the early days of the pandemic will remain, even as some of us have returned to in-person worship. Through these options, Christ Church has become a church that serves its parish flexibly, allowing us to remain a community as we strive to keep ourselves, and our families, safe and well. We have maintained our service commitments to the Route 1 Shelter by providing for those who receive services there, and to Lake Elkhorn Middle school, where we support families and children in need of school supplies, and more. We have hired a new Youth Minister, Todd. We plan to substantially increase our annual support to Outreach. And we are presently exploring the possibility of supporting refugees from Afghanistan. These are only a few of the many ministry initiatives that Christ Church is supporting. Even as we return to some sense of normalcy, the financial needs of the parish remain. Your contribution to the Ministry Resource Budget will help sustain the home and heart of our faith community so that it may go on providing for the needs of our community-at-large in whatever way we must rise to next. Your pledge also allows Christ Episcopal Church to continue gathering on Sundays, in person and remotely, providing for those in need at home and abroad, and supporting our community members through life’s trials. It is our joy to assure you that there are several ways in which you may return your pledge information for the upcoming year. Enclosed in our recent postal mailing is a pledge card that we hope you will bring to church on Pledge Sunday, November 7th. They will also be made available in the narthex. Once you complete the information, you can mail the pledge card back to the church. Alternatively, you can go online at www.christchurchcolumbia.org to make your pledge. You can click on the "Pledge for 2022" banner at the top of the page, or click here for a direct link. Dwelling ever deeply on our annual theme, “Be One Body in Christ, Belonging to Each Other,” we will be counting on your generosity and kindness. Sincerely, The Stewardship Committee Hugh Fatodu, Chair Anne Moore Germai Kwerkeh Nancy Schempp Jim Schempp Andrea Leeman Andrew Eaton Kelly Tokasz Elizabeth Everett

Christ Church’s Racially Aware Group of Episcopalians is pleased to announce our fall programming line-up, which aims to help our congregation fulfill our baptismal promises to seek and serve Christ in all persons, strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. Join us as we Educate, Pray, and Act to end racism in all its forms. All parishioners are welcome! Please mark your calendars for these events: · On Tuesday, September 21, 7:30p.m. – 8:30p.m., we will explore our own inherent biases. We ask those joining the conversation to take about 20 minutes to complete the Race Task Implicit Bias survey in advance, at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html. Please note your results to keep in mind for Tuesday’s discussion. Zoom details to follow. · On Saturday, September 25, 12:00p.m., we will install our parish’s “Reject Racism” signage on campus, to let all in our community know our stance in the ongoing fight against racism and systemic oppression. Father Manny will lead a short prayer service to commemorate the installation of the sign and our commitment. · On Tuesday, October 5, 7:30p.m. – 8:45p.m., we will reflect on lessons from the popular podcast series, NPR’s Code Switch. Code Switch presents “…fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, [it] tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor [and explores] how race affects every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between.” Zoom details to follow. · On Tuesday, October 19 and Tuesday, November 2, 7:30p.m. – 8:30p.m., we will explore the local historical perspective on racism in our own community and identify specific actions we can take to help build up communities in Howard County whose lives have been impacted by our history with slavery, oppression, and systemic racism. Zoom details to follow. · On Saturday, October 30, 9:30a.m. – 2:30p.m., we are invited to join members of St. John’s in Ellicott City in “Becoming Beloved Community: Witnessing and Sharing Sacred Stories and Histories of ‘Race’” (part of the John L. Rabb Lectures in Cotemporary Theology). The event will be led by guest-lecturer Katrina Browne, Director/Producer of the Emmy-nominated documentary Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North. Cost is $30, which includes a light breakfast/lunch. More details/information on registration will be forthcoming. · On Tuesday, November 16, 7:30p.m. – 8:45p.m., we will reflect on lessons from the podcast The Crib, with Boston College sociology professor, Dr. C. Shawn McGuffey, expert on intersectionality in race, gender, sexuality and social class. Details to follow. We hope you will join us in demonstrating God’s love through our day-to-day work to dismantle the persisting sins of systemic racism and white privilege in our world. If you have questions about this ministry, feel free to contact ministry leaders Duane Smith and Lexi Couch, or Deacon Denise.

Go for Gold! Help Fight Homelessness via Bridges to Housing Stability’s 2021 Chili & Challenge Due to the pandemic, Bridges to Housing Stability is once again hosting a virtual event to raise critical funds to support programs that help individuals and families experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in Howard County find and maintain stable housing. You can support this event in three ways (the first two will help Christ Church compete for the Golden Ladle!!): 1) purchase meal tickets ($20 each), a portion of which ($12) will be donated to Bridges; 2) donate directly; and 3) participate in Bridges’ virtual silent auction online. The congregation that raises the most money through 1 & 2 above (meal ticket proceeds and/or direct donations) by Friday, October 8, will win the Golden Ladle. Two runners-up will win silver ladles as Christ Church did in 2020, shown in this photo). Help Christ Church go for the Gold and prevent homelessness by using this link to purchase meal tickets and/or donate directly: Bridges to Housing Stability - Christ Episcopal Church 's fundraiser (networkforgood.com) 1) Bare Bones Grill and Bar is providing three delicious chilis (beef, chicken, and vegetarian) this year with cornbread and coleslaw. Chili meals are available for purchase at the link above until Monday, October 4, 2021. All meals must be picked up curbside between 12 – 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 10. Bare Bones is located at 9150-22 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042. Curbside pickup details will be provided closer to the event date. 2) If you want to donate toward Bridges’ $12,000 goal for its operations and housing programs, please do so by Friday, October 8, through the Christ Episcopal Church link above. If you prefer to donate via check, please make it out to Bridges to Housing Stability (not Christ Church) and note Christ Episcopal Church/Chili & Challenge in the memo line. You must get it to Christ Church by Wednesday, October 6, so that we can take checks to Bridges in time to count toward our total on October 8. 3) Bridges’ virtual silent auction is being hosted by “Charity Auctions Today” between Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 9. The high-quality baskets will be available for viewing online soon. Please see the Christ Church event page on Bridges' website and future Gatherings notices for updated information. You can also check out Bridges’ web page Chili & Challenge (2021) – Bridges to Housing Stability (bridges2hs.org) Alternatively, you can go to Bridges’ website directly to purchase meal tickets and/or donate. If you are purchasing meals, you can click on the congregation you are supporting in an information section after saying how many meals you want. If you are donating directly, you can enter Christ Episcopal Church/Chili & Challenge in the donor scroll box. If you do not want it to show publicly, click on the box. Save the Dates: Grassroots Meal Drop-Offs on Monday, Sept. 20, Monday, Oct. 18 Once again, parishioners and volunteers who join their efforts are looking ahead to the monthly meal that we provide at Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. Save the dates: Sept. 20 and Oct. 18, arriving between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. at the parking lot outside Old Brick. Plan to bring a side dish, a dessert, or items for their pantry to be enjoyed round-the-clock by the 50 residents of the live-in facility on Freetown Rd. To sign up, use our electronic registry no later than noon on the Sunday prior to the meal on Monday. Click on the Christ Church Grassroots Meal link on SignUpGenius to view requested items and to tell coordinators what you’ll bring. As usual, co-coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers (see photos of July 19). Nancy then transports the hot or cold foods to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Christ Church continues to support Grassroots’ Day Resource Center (DRC) at the Dorsey Center. The DRC has not yet resumed the hot meals that Christ Church had helped serve prior to the pandemic, but it fulfills other needs of our homeless friends. Grassroots lists some other needs for curbside distribution at the DRC or for the pantry at the Freetown Road facility. Look for its attached file at our sign-up link. For any questions contact Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Keep Up the Flow of Infant Care Items, Diapers to Support CCC At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to continue supporting Columbia Community Care (CCC) by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Please put any of these items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. You can drop off items on weekdays when the church office is open, but we ask that you call the office at (410) 381-9365 ahead of time. Donate Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies for FISH in Bin on our Breezeway Organizers for FISH of Howard County request household cleaning supplies such as liquid dish soap, bleach, and cleanser as well as personal items such as deodorant, shampoo, and bath soaps. The bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. 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.

Today is the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: Proverbs 1:20-33 Psalm 19 James 3:1-12 Mark 8:27-38 Collect of the Day: The Reverend Marcia Davenport delivers this week's Sermon, and you can read the text here. Reverend Marcia was at Christ Church two decades ago, and we are blessed to have her now return to our parish this fall. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Saturday will be the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on our nation. It feels surreal to use the term on our nation because, at the time this tragedy occurred, I was an immigrant student with an F-1 visa, studying at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. I remember watching the events of that morning at Candler Hall. I remember how a female soldier who was in her military fatigue that morning reacted to the news on TV. I was then an immigrant. But now, I am a citizen, and it feels surreal to talk about our nation because I am a part of it. But how did I get into Emory University? There’s this story that you may not know about me. As an immigrant, I had little-to-no idea how things worked in America. It felt good to be here... but how was I supposed to survive? I started off at Mercer University but ended up at Emory because the Rector at Atlanta's All Saints Episcopal Church, The Reverend Geoffrey Hoare - now the Rector of St. Albans, Washington, D.C. - believed that the best place for me was Emory University. Geoffrey encouraged me to apply to the school, and not only that, he made sure that I secured the necessary funding to be able to attend it for free while I interned at All Saints. It was the best of both worlds! Geoffrey didn’t know me from anywhere. He hadn’t met me before. He didn’t know anyone that I knew, nor was anyone my advocate. I simply appeared on his door one cold, Sunday morning, and he took me in as if he had known me all along. The good news is that the load that I carried became his load. I tell this story because of a hypothetical that Steve Alpern shared with us at our recent meeting on discerning Christ Church’s response to the refugees from Afghanistan. Here is the hypothetical: If we wake up one morning and we have a refugee family at Christ Church’s door, what would we do? Interesting question, isn’t it? "Nothing like that would ever happen," is a response I can hear from some. "We will offer the best that we can offer to the family" is another response I can hear. Is it possible that we can wake up one morning and have on our hands a refugee family to take care of? Absolutely! The scripture passage for Tuesday’s meeting was the story of the Good Samaritan. I learned something new from the story, and that was: Sharing The Load. Much as the focus of the story is about the generous spirit of the Samaritan and the help he extended to the wounded man, the story is also about the innkeeper who accepted the invitation to participate in the healing of the wounded man. The Samaritan recognized that he couldn’t do it all by himself, and in order to achieve his goal - which was the wholeness and healing of the wounded man - he had to share the load by inviting the innkeeper to participate in his vision, to take care of the wounded man. Steve’s hypothetical resonated with me because I was once a refugee on Geoffrey’s door. As I indicated earlier, he didn’t know me or know anything about me. He could simply have turned his back on me and walked away and no one would have noticed. But what is the power of the gospel if it cannot move you to act or if it cannot move you to open a door? The fundamental question he confronted then, and we now confront in our discernment, has always been this: Are you willing to open the door? Are you willing to participate in sharing the load? Geoffrey, I believe, has done a lot of good for a lot of people, many of whom he probably doesn’t know. In a few weeks, I will celebrate four years as priest and pastor of Christ Church. One thing I know is that, beyond thanking God for my ministry here at Christ Church, if you feel blessed by this ministry as I do, then you can also be grateful to the one man who heartily opened the door for me, and invited others to share in the load - the load which they gladly did share without counting the cost. You can also open the door and invite others to share the load with you. Here’s another story for you, one of a blind man being stopped in a bad piece of road, met with a lame man, and entreated him to guide him through the difficulty he had got into. How can I do that,” replied the lame man, “since I am scarcely able to drag myself along? But as you appear to be very strong, if you will carry me, we will seek our fortunes together. It will then be my interest to warn you of anything that may obstruct your way; as your feet shall be my feet, and my eyes your eyes.” “With all my heart,” returned the blind man, “let us render each other our mutual services.” So taking his lame companion on his back, they, by means of their union, traveled on with safety and pleasure. That story reminds us that together, with varied gifts, strengths, resources, and even limitations, all drawn together, we can make the kind of progress that we need to make, we can rise above our fears, and engage in extraordinary ministry. Together. As Christians, our task is always to create that holy space where others may find a sense of dignity, healing, comfort, solace, and refreshment. More than that, it is about opening the door for others and sharing in the load. “Come to me all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,” Jesus said. For all you know, you may be that ‘Jesus’ whose duty it is to provide rest for the weary ones among us. Will you bet on that? ~Manny

Hurricane Ida Disaster Aid Goes to Episcopal Relief and Development After Hurricane Ida slammed the Gulf Coast on August 29th, remnants of the storm moved north, bringing death and destruction in a swath from the Mid-Atlantic to Rhode Island. On August 30th, Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) announced steps it had begun taking to relieve suffering and help in recovery. On behalf of Christ Church parishioners, members of the Outreach Commission voted last week to contribute $1,000 to ERD to assist in relief efforts. These are Vestry-approved funds derived from your pledges and contributions. Heartfelt thanks go out to one and all who make possible such a timely response. In a time of climate change, the need for funds to address natural disasters in 2021 has already exceeded that in recent years. On your behalf, the Outreach Commission sent $1,000 in August to ERD to help Haitians who suffered through an earthquake followed by Tropical Storm Grace. In February, we donated $675 to ERD to help people coping with the aftermath of extreme weather in Texas and surrounding states. On both of those occasions, besides sharing word of the donations, we asked for your prayers. Once again, please pray for people near and far who have been harmed during the latest storm, keeping in mind that other natural disasters may lie ahead. On ERD’s page of “Hurricane Season Prayers,” you’ll find five. They are “Have Mercy on All Those in the Path of the Hurricane,” “A Prayer of Comfort in Times of Crisis,” “A Prayer for First Responders,” “A Prayer for People Facing Great Uncertainty,” and “A Prayer, The Threat of Additional Hurricanes.” On its page, “Responding to 2021 Hurricanes,” ERD said it continues to work with regional partners. In the South, more than a million people were left without power that, for many, may take weeks to restore. ERD is collaborating with the Episcopal dioceses of Louisiana, Mississippi, Western Louisiana, and Texas to assess and respond to damage. Using technology to help in ERD’s efforts, the Diocese of Louisiana employs AlertMedia, a cloud-based disaster communications tool that allows diocesan staff to text congregational leaders. ERD and dioceses also coordinate with local Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and utilize an Episcopal Asset Map of the region to share information. If you wish to donate personally, go online to ERD’s Hurricane Relief Fund. Or those who prefer writing a check to ERD should put “Hurricane Relief” on the memo line. Mail it to ERD, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. Inviting One and All to Get Involved in Christ Church Outreach - Next Monday The Outreach Commission is making an effort to better spread the word about what we do and, in turn, persuade more volunteers to participate during 2021. As fall beckons, consider joining us at our next meeting to learn more about opportunities. It will be held virtually at 7:30 p.m. next Monday, September 13th. The Zoom link is here, Meeting ID is 876 3365 4968 and the Password is Outreach! To become active in other ways, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Keep in mind the scripture that underpins our mission: And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Matthew 25: 40 Columbia Community Care Returns from a Holiday Break on September 18th With the end of summer and the start of the school year, Columbia Community Care (CCC) will resume distribution on Saturday, September 18th. This week the sites of the all-volunteer organization remain closed for a Labor Day break that began Sunday, September 5th. For those wishing to volunteer, the signups on the “I Can Help” part of CCC’s website, or in the volunteering posts of the CCC group on Facebook, stretch from Saturday the 18th to Saturday, October 30th. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to noon for recipients. Volunteers and donation drop-off begin at 9 a.m. The distribution sites are at Oakland Mills Middle School, 9540 Kilimanjaro Road; at Long Reach Village Center, Suite 9, 8775 Cloudleap Ct., and at Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., all in Columbia. At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to continue supporting CCC by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Please put any of these items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. You can drop off items on weekdays when the church office is open, but we ask that you call the office (410) 381-9365 ahead of time. The point of contact is Violet Smith, who transports the items to CCC from Christ Church. Donate Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies for FISH in Bin on our Breezeway Organizers for FISH of Howard County request household cleaning supplies such as liquid dish soap, bleach, and cleanser as well as personal items such as deodorant, shampoo, and bath soaps. At present, its pantry has an adequate supply of groceries. The bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. Thank You Sincere appreciation to all of you for your generous contribution towards the Lake Elkhorn Middle School Supplies Drive. Your generous giving made it possible for us to contribute significant support to the students at our partnership school. Deepest appreciation to Cathy Whitaker and Oyinkan Williams for leading this effort. We also want to thank all those who helped in many other ways to make the stuffing and delivery possible. You can find a collage of images below, or visit our website's Parish News page. 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.

Today is the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 Psalm 125 James 2:1-10, [11-13], 14-17 Mark 7:24-37 Collect of the Day: Kathy Lyon delivers this week's Sermon, and you can read the text here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

The Reverend Marcia (Johnston) Davenport was born in Detroit, Michigan, along with her twin, Peggy McCormick. At age 6, the twins and their mother, Beth, journeyed to West Berlin, Germany, where Beth married Frank Weeren, a German engineer. This was the beginning of a long history of international living. In high school, Marcia went from Ferndale, MI to Alexandra College, Dublin to The American School in Switzerland, Lugano. Her family lived in Berlin during her college years. In 1967, Marcia married David F. Johnston. They subsequently lived, and Marcia worked, in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Hong Kong. In 1980, Marcia and her family returned to Maryland, where she entered the Pastoral Counseling program at Loyola College, Columbia, MD. It was at this time that Marcia became an active member of Christ Church, Columbia, serving as a vestry member, Christian education committee chair, chalicist, and, most proudly, member of the Baptism Study Group which led to the revised baptismal program and policies at Christ Church. It is these policies that we follow to this day. Her husband, David, and children, Dylan and Lexi, were active in the parish, then followed by Victoria in 1983, who was one of the first infants to participate in the revised baptismal program. Under the loving guidance of Fr. James Shields, Marcia entered the discernment process for ordained ministry and in 1987, entered Virginia Theological Seminary. She graduated in 1990 and was ordained deacon. The next year, as curate at St. Anne’s Church, Annapolis, Marcia was ordained to the priesthood. After the death of David, Marcia served as interim Dean of the Cathedral in Easton, and Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Trappe, MD. Marcia and the Rev. Bob Davenport were married at Christ Church, Columbia by Fr. Shields in 1995. Ministries as chaplain of St. Anne’s Day School, Annapolis, and Grace Church, Brunswick followed before moving to the Diocese of Southwest Florida where Marcia served as Assistant to the Rector and Day School Chaplain at St. John’s, Tampa. Her international roots, which had led to establishing a mission ‘sister parish’ relationship with the Maya Quiche seminary in Chichicastenango, Guatemala, were followed by establishing a sister school relationship between St. John’s, Tampa, and Kamaiba Primary School in Kasese, Uganda. In 2009, Marcia and Bob retired to their beloved Irish cottage in Bruckless, Donegal, Ireland. The Reverend Bob Davenport died in 2011. Marcia lived and served as supply priest and active member of St. Peter’s, Killaghtee Parish in Donegal along with training as a TESL teacher and working short term in a number of European countries when not traveling. Her Irish neighbors teased her about being the ‘Roving Reverend’! In 2020, Marcia began talks with Fr. Manny about "returning home" to Christ Church to serve as a non-stipendiary associate. Marcia then moved back to Maryland in July of this year and will be enjoying a new home in Columbia as of this week. Not incidentally, Grame Marcia has five grandchildren ~ Maddie, James, Mia, Rowan, and Penny! ~Manny

Our local schools begin the 2021/22 season this week, and so it was time for Christ Church to deliver all of the school supplies donated to Lake Elkhorn Middle School by our parishioners over the summer. You can read more about our school supply drive here and read about its progress here. With the strong leadership of Catharine Whittaker and Onyx Williams, and following the guidance of Deacon Denise, we far surpassed our goal. Many, many thanks to all of you who donated time and/or treasure so that we can help students in need begin the school year with the necessary tools - and then some - for success. When it came time for the assembly of the school supply bags, Melissa Shindell, principal at LEMS, sent us a list of 14 items that each middle schooler would need. Yetti was a tremendous help in ordering all the supplies online for us, and they were delivered directly to the church so that when Onyx, Virginia, Jo Emily, Angela, and others came to Christ Church on August 11th to put the bags together, it only took a few hours. They also organized and labeled all the additional supplies in boxes so that school staff knew what was available if families just needed individual items. On August 23rd, Nathaniel and Jo Emily came with their truck and we were able to load all the boxes in it. Father Manny organized the boxes on the truck. Onyx brought her son, Tunji, daughter-in-law Victoria, and their new daughter Rosie to help with the loading. Also, Steve and Angie, a young couple who has just started attending this summer, also carried a lot of the boxes and bags. Light work was made of the process thanks to all of you! When we arrived at LEMS, the maintenance crew brought out a big transporter and everyone pitched in to get the supplies off the truck. Principal Shindel greeted us along with some of the school staff and was so elated to see all that we had brought. She also held up the blue LEMS shirt that Christ Church purchased and all faculty and staff wore at the orientation for new students on August 26th. Principal Shindel then invited us to the LEMS orientation, so Onyx and Cathy attended. There was a long line of parents and students who took a bag and/or selected items that they had not already purchased. The remainder of the supplies will now be distributed by the teachers to students who need them. It's truly incredible what a community can accomplish when we gather together and work collectively towards a common goal. THANK YOU to each and every one of you who helped make this a reality. Our LEMS Ministry, one of many Christ Church Outreach programs in need of volunteers, demonstrated this perfectly. If you would like to help out in the future, please learn more about CEC Outreach here, and email us at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org Click the images below to enlarge: