The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” It is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. Christ Church will have many services and gatherings throughout Advent, and we hope that you all will spend some time with us during this most blessed season - from those who come each Sunday, to those who visit more seasonally, as well as those who have never entered our doors. We welcome each and every one of you, always. Learn more about what's at Christ Church during this Advent season, and be sure to check back frequently as we add more gatherings throughout December.

Beginning on Sunday, the Church universal will begin a new season, and the beginning of a new liturgical year. Advent is a season primed with hope and expectation of the Messiah, who comes to us in the form of a baby. I grew up with this tribal cliché which is in the form of an anecdote. It states that when you hear the sound of beating drums approaching your house, you don’t run out to meet the drummers, you wait with excitement in your house, after all they are coming to your house. The point is to encourage purposeful waiting. It is the same with Advent. We wait with exhilarating patience and hope for the one who comes to us, not as a ruthless king but a little helpless child. Advent is a period where Mark describes in his gospel with these words “keep watch, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming…at evening, at midnight, at cockcrow or in the morning: lest when he comes, he would find you sleeping.” Marks suggestion is for us to stay awake, stay engaged, keep watch. The old English uses the word “wæcce” which meant “watchfulness” or “wæccende” which is defined as “remaining awake.” This is to impress upon us to fight off any urge to “rest our eyes” because something incredibly magnificent and stupendous which will upend the human story, which will restore human hope in each other and in our own very selves, is about to happen and you don’t want to miss it. The question is, what is this thing which is about to happen? It is the birth of hope. Advent, a season pregnant with hope captures the human imagination and lays before our very eyes the possibility of a more hopeful future. Hope offers each of us something to look forward to, and it also helps us to see our way through chaos and complexity - especially in our own lives, and in our world. Hope, then, is more than the assurance that things can and will be better in the future. This particular hope which the birth of the Messiah offers is an affirmation of a world which longs for the proud to be brought down from their seat and the lowly lifted, as Mary said in the Magnificat. It is a world where the old order opens itself to embrace a new order, which invites us beyond ourselves and compels us to look for, and to do, something different, something fulfilling. Each pregnancy invites an eager anticipation. The Royal Family, and indeed the world, is waiting with bated breath for the birth of the first child of Harry and Meghan. There’s also a family who are not royals but do share that same sense of anticipation. I remember when my wife was pregnant with each of our four children. With each pregnancy, we had to prepare for the baby. And so we did. I am sure you also prepared for the birth of your child, just as much as your parents prepared for your birth. Each preparation isn’t the same but each one helps us to assure ourselves and even the unborn child that we await, we keep watch for his or her arrival. And so we begin the season which is pregnant with hope - the hope of life renewed, the hope of a world made new. Part of our preparation and anticipation will be captured by the lighting of the Advent Candle each Sunday morning, the hosting of the annual Advent Quiet Day at Old Brick which will be led by the Director of Music, and a new offering of Advent Compline - a short evening prayer and meditation on each Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. in Old Brick. These, and many more, will in no doubt prepare us as we await the birth of Jesus. Advent invites us to recommit ourselves to a more purposeful and hopeful future, one that is made possible by the Messiah who comes to us in the same way we all came into the world - as babies. Let’s wait, then. Let’s stay awake and keep watch for the birthing of this wonderful story. Manny.

This is the First Sunday of the Advent season. You can read a little more about the meaning of Advent, and view the upcoming schedule of services at Christ Episcopal Church, here. Collect of the Day: Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Readings for this Sunday are: Jeremiah 33:14-16 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 Psalm 25:1-9 This Sunday, we were blessed to have Canon Stuart Wright at our church, and he delivered the sermon. Click on the link below to stream or download it.

Collect of the Day: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for this Sunday, the Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost, are found here: 2 Samuel 23:1-7 Psalm 132:1-13 (14-19) Revelation 1:4b-8 John 18:33-37 This Sunday's Sermon was given by our own Rebecca Warlow. Click on the link below to stream or download it.

I remember my first Thanksgiving in the United States being one of utter amusement and self-examination. It was here in Maryland, at my aunt’s house in Riverdale, Maryland. My aunt called me sometime in September and invited me to Maryland for Thanksgiving. I thought that was so kind of her! And so I flew from Atlanta to Maryland on my first Thanksgiving break for my first Thanksgiving celebration. But as I drove to my aunt’s house on Thanksgiving Day, I drove by a church with the pithy cliché “What are you thankful for?” on its signpost. “What are you thankful for?” I asked myself. I didn’t know much about Thanksgiving, nor had I done any research into the history of it; all I knew about Thanksgiving was that families gather to eat a lot of food. Throughout that evening, and ever since, I have not been able to divorce myself from that question “what are you thankful for?” It’s on my mind, and it keeps playing over, and over, and over again. I have a lot to be thankful for. And I am sure you also have lots to be thankful for. Marcus Cicero, a Roman statesman once wrote that "A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.” The Pilgrims knew that a thankful heart is a humble heart, because that heart upholds its dependence on others, and on God. A thankful heart embraces the notion that we cannot do it all by ourselves, human interdependence makes it possible for us to celebrate the little successes, and yes, even the failures and tragedies in our lives. The Pilgrims were keenly aware of this reality; they more than appreciated the help of Native Americans on whose support they relied upon throughout that bitter winter. To be thankful is to remember the gifts that you have received. There’s a story of a 6 year old boy who was in the market with his younger sister. As they walked through the stalls, the boy suddenly realized that his sister was lagging behind. When he looked back, he saw his sister standing in front of a toy shop, watching something with great interest. The boy hurried to his sister and asked her “do you want something?” The sister pointed at a beautiful doll. The boy held her hand like a responsible brother and led her inside the store. The boy’s leadership amused the shopkeeper. The boy picked the doll and brought it to the counter and asked “How much is the doll, sir?” The shopkeeper asked in response “Well, what can you pay?” The boy fished some loose change out of his pocket. It was all he had. The shopkeeper counted the change, it wasn’t nearly enough to cover the doll's cost. “Is it enough?” The boy asked. The shopkeeper smiled, “It’s more than enough.” He then returned a few cents to the boy. The boy smiled in triumph. The shopkeeper bagged up the doll, and the kids went on their way. One of the associates at the store watched the entire transaction with great surprise. She asked her boss, “Sir, why did you give such a costly doll for only pocket change? The shopkeeper responded, “Well for us it is only pocket change, but for that boy and his sister it is everything. And at their age, they don’t understand what money is. Not until they are grown up. And when they remember that they purchased a doll with a pocket change, they will remember me and know that there are kind people in the world. They will develop a positive attitude, and will be motivated to do good.” What are you thankful for? You may also ask yourself. As we travel to see family and friends, we cannot help but be thankful for all the people in our lives. And when we survey the spread on our dinner tables, may we never forget what it is that brings us together. The food may be sumptuous and out of this world, but at the end of the day, it is not only about food, it is about each other, and what we offer to each other. And that is more than the food we will eat. Yes, like the little boy, we know that we are walking with others; that is why we look out for them and share table with them. Like the shopkeeper, we know that acts of kindness pays enormous dividends. That is why for me Thanksgiving is about kindness. What am I thankful for? A lot. More than I desire, or deserve. The grace of God found me, and for that I am thankful. It is also my prayer that you may remember and, furthermore, you share your sense of gratitude with a thanksgiving praise that echoes beyond the table you set, and beyond the walls of your home. I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. ~Manny

This Sunday was Youth Sunday at Christ Church, when our exceptional youth lead services with readings, prayers, sermons and other unique elements reflecting their important role in our parish life. The Youth Group also adapted and produced a wonderful skit for our congregation, and you can find the text here. For more information on Christ Church's youth programs, please visit our Formation and Youth Group pages. Collect of the Day: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for this Sunday, the Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost, are found here: 1 Samuel 1:4-20 1 Samuel 2: 1-10 Hebrews 10:11-14 Mark 13:1-8

During service on Sunday, we brought our pledge cards forward, put them in a basket, and then stood together to offer the Thanksgiving Litany, in appreciation of the many gifts with which we have been blessed, and the opportunity of sharing same gifts with our community of faith. It was indeed a special day, and I cannot thank you enough for the genuine and heartfelt commitment you have made to support our common life. Thank you. Over the years, many of us have given generously to advance the mission and ministry of Christ Church. And Sunday was no different. I was touched by your kindness. There’s a part of me that stands in awe of all the love that you shower on this wonderful parish. I thank you for blessing our parish with gifts that pour from the depths of your hearts. Thank you. A few days ago, I got an email from our Sr. Warden, Steve Alpern, about a parishioner who made a generous donation to help fix the doors of New Brick. It is gratifying to know that there are times when parishioners recognize a need, and without any prompting, give generously in thanksgiving for the abundance of their blessings to help address that need. This reminds me of Jesus’ thoughts when he said that those to whom much is given, much is required. In a sense, many of you give out of abundance, and more than that you give because you have turned the practice of giving into a joyful habit. Thank you. We also do have parishioners who do not pledge but have been extremely kind to Christ Church with your generosity, especially at the end of the year, when we have to catch up on all our expenses before the year closes. Thank you, and more blessings to you. You step up when our bottom-line seems precarious, and you hold us up with a kind of gratitude fueled by your unending joy and belief in the mission and ministry of this wonderful parish. Thank you. There’s a story of a church which holds a big All Saints Day Requiem Eucharist, and a wonderful reception for the homeless. The church takes an offering during the service. And strangely enough, the homeless, people who have just about nothing, people who rely on the benevolence of people like you and me, drop their pennies, dimes, cents and quarters in the offering plate. They are poor, and yet they give. According to the story, that is the one time you hear cacophony of sounds of coins striking the metal offering plate in that church. The story reminded me of the gospel reading for last Sunday, where the widow gave out of her poverty to the treasury. I learned that people who give out of their poverty give from the very place where they are the weakest. I believe one of the lessons we learn from giving out of poverty is an invitation to give from the place in our lives that feels weak, thin, or poor. Poverty may not only be about money, but it could be about relationships, love, happiness, or even courage. In spite of how poor, weak, or thin we may feel in a particular area of our lives, it is of a truth that for transformation to be made possible, we ought to give from that very place where we feel the weakest. In as much as I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and generosity in support of our common life, I’d also like to encourage those who have not as yet made a pledge, to consider our kind invitation to give from the place where they feel the weakest -out of their poverty. For I have no doubt in my mind that that’s how God’s blessings are made manifest in our lives and perfect in our weakness. Again, with a grateful heart, thank you! ~Manny

Eucharist is translated as "giving thanks", so we hope that you'll join us as we share in a Thanksgiving Day Eucharist this Thursday morning. We will gather in Old Brick at Christ Church at 10:00 a.m. and give thanks for the innumerable gifts with which God has blessed us.

Readings for today are found here. The Sermon for today, "Growing Into Your Purpose", was given by Father Manny, and can be streamed or downloaded below.

This Sunday's Sermon was given by Rebecca Warlow, and is titled "God is an Opportunist" You can stream or download it below. Readings for today are found here.

Readings for today are found here. Father Manny's sermon for today, entitled "What Can A Child Give You?", can be streamed or downloaded below.