Merry Christmas! Christ Church has one worship service this morning, at 10:00 a.m. in New Brick. Whether you're a regular or a new visitor, everyone is welcome here, always. If you cannot gather with us, we will livestream the service, as well. The worship leaflet is here , and the livestream is below. #churchchristmas   #christmas   #church   #merrychristmas   #jesusisborn   #harktheheraldangelssing   #glorytothenewbornking   #hocomd   #episcomd   #episcopalchurch

If you're unable to gather with us in person this Christmas eve, please worship virtually. We have both of our evening services livestreaming, and you can find those below. The service leaflet for both can be found at https://cecliturgy.org/ChristmasEve2024 . 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Festival Eucharist: 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Festival Eucharist: You can read Father Manny's sermon text by visiting https://cecliturgy.org/ChristmasEve2024-sermon

The 4 p.m. Christ Pageant went beautifully, with wonderful portrayals and narration by the kids, gorgeous seasonal handbell music, a lovely Christmas message from Mother Marcia (assisted by children and adults in the congregation!), and enthusiastic singing from all in attendance. Thanks to Reverend Kiona, the Youth and Family Ministry leaders, and the parents that volunteered to help out. It was a wonderful start to Christmas eve. You can watch the livestream below, and use the service leaflet that's here .

CHRISTMAS at Christ Episcopal Church 4:00, 7:30, and 10:30 p.m. in New Brick Our incredible children are featured in the 4:00 Christmas Eve worship at Christ Church, a family service and eucharist. Come and share in the story of the Nativity as told by the youngest members of our church, and sing the songs of the season. That evening, our excellent choir and instrumentalists will lead the seasonal music presentation before both uplifting evening services, so arrive at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. to grab great seats and join us as we celebrate in joyous song! Then, on Christmas Day, our Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m. is a truly wonderful service and takes place in the Sanctuary of New Brick. Livestreams of each service will also be on our website and YouTube pages, so if you can't be with us in person, join us virtually. Those links are on the main page of our website. And so, as the hymnist suggested...  “Come and worship… worship Christ, the new-born King!”

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols This Sunday, December 22, at 6 p.m. in New Brick at Christ Church Christ Church in Columbia, Maryland presents our annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in New Brick, a truly wonderful gathering whose origins date back to late 19th century England. Everyone is welcome to join us this Sunday, December 22, at 6:00 p.m. for this celebration of glorious carols, anthems, and hymns led by our wonderful choir, interspersed with Bible passages read by fellow community members. Gather for an evening of joyful expression, in word and song, of the greatest story that has ever been told. You are also welcome to join us for our Christmas services, and you can find those details on our website - https://www.christchurchcolumbia.org/christmas-at-christ-church The service leaflet for tonight's service can be found here .

Second Sunday of Advent & Youth Sunday with the Rev. Marcia Davenport and the Rev. Canon Christine McCloud 8:00 a.m. in Old Brick 9:00 a.m. Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with music in New Brick Collect for Today: Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Today's Readings: Baruch 5:1-9 Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6 Canticle 4 or 16 Sermon for Today: Our incredible youth deliver today's sermon, and you can view it once the 10:30 worship has begun. Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

Fourth Sunday of Advent with the Rev. Emmanuel Ato Mercer 8:00 a.m. in Old Brick 9:00 a.m. Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with music in New Brick Collect for Today: Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen . Today's Readings: Micah 5:2-5a Canticle 15 Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45, (46-55) Sermon for Today: Father Manny deliver today's sermon, and you can view it once the 10:30 worship has begun. Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

Last Saturday, many of us witnessed the ordination of Kiona and four others to the Sacred Order of Deacons. It was a beautiful service, and I am glad that I was there as part of the presenters of Kiona. In fact, it was the first time that I had attended an ordination in the Diocese of Maryland. Ordinations don’t happen often, but whenever they do, they are magnificent, and they remind us of an important tradition in the life of the church - which is, the tradition that was handed over to the apostles by our Savior Jesus Christ continues, and for more than two thousand years, the church has kept faith with this tradition. It is my prayer that the church will continue this and many other traditions and also find ways to make them strong and meaningful.  As I prayerfully sat in the sanctuary and watched the ordination service, I was reminded of my own ordination, which was markedly different from what we all witnessed on Saturday. There are two differences, in particular, that I’d like to highlight. One - during the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the candidates, including the bishop, lay flat with their faces to the floor. Two - each ordinand was made to carry a wooden cross with which they took an oath before the Registrars, who were attorneys in their black robes and wigs. Ordinations are sacramental moments, but to see lawyers in robes and wigs makes you wonder if we are in a court of law. It is interesting how the mix of the secular and the sacred shapes the purposes of God.  The real gift undergirding our ordination rites is the unique transformation that occurs to the person and even the community. It is a Baptismal moment. It is a Eucharistic moment. It is a sacramental moment - which doesn’t begin in the sanctuary, but long before that. What we witness in the sanctuary is the culmination of a years-long work that begins with Kenosis-the emptying of the self and ends with Theosis - being filled by God.  Anyone who goes through this process, and in fact every sacramental process, believes that unselfing is an important part of our sacramental life, and we so believe because we have our ultimate example in Jesus Christ. Listen to what Paul said about him: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” At every point in our lives, we are reminded that we can only be filled by God if we empty ourselves - Theosis is only possible upon Kenosis. And what better time than Christmas to begin to embrace this gift of self-emptying if you haven’t already done so? One of the important lessons for me at Christmastide is the joy of knowing that each year, there is an opportunity for me to open my heart for the Prince of Peace to be born in me and to abide in me - that is also a sacramental moment. It is humbling to know that all I am communicating by the gesture of an open heart is that I am ready to be transformed. I am ready for a sacramental moment. I am ready for a holy moment. I am ready for my next move.  I learned that it really doesn’t matter where we are in life because life is always about our next move. It is our next move that counts. God made God’s next move by gifting us with the birth of Jesus Christ. What is your next move? Is it a move towards being transformed by the gift that comes to us as a child, lowly and vulnerable? After attending Kiona’s ordination, I joined the Men of Christ Church for their annual dinner. This year’s was a little different, but it was a joy to be with the men. One of our parishioners put out a request: this Christmas, he needs a parish family to adopt him. He said to the group, "Since I have no family and will be alone this Christmas, I would appreciate it if I could join a family for Christmas." His request was received with joy, and two parishioners will host him for dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I am glad he put out that request. It tells me that he is confident and trustworthy in this community to share his story with us. The response he got confirms for me that this community of faith is truly a community that cares for each other - we look out for opportunities to share sacramental moments with others.  The reality is that our parishioner isn’t the only person facing loneliness this Christmastide. There are thousands more. And the sacramental moment for us this Christmastide will be to look out for those who are lonely and visit with them, comfort those who may be grieving the loss of a loved one, mend broken relationships, tend those who are sick, feed those who are hungry, shelter the homeless, especially during these cold winter days, give a drink to those who thirst and provide solace to those who may have lost their hope. Ordinations are sacramental moments and so is the realization that there is a gift for you this holy season-the gift of knowing who you truly are and the understanding that the joy we experience here is the beginning of the joy that is to come. And our joyful moments are sacramental moments.  May the joy of the season be long-lasting, and may each joyful moment be a sacramental moment for you, and those you love and pray for.  I wish you a Merry Christmas, Manny+