Help the Homeless on Monday, Feb. 10, by Preparing a Dish for Grassroots’ Emergency Shelter or Serving a Meal at Its Day Resource Center On the second Monday of each month, Christ Church provides a hot midday meal for the homeless at the Day Resource Center (DRC) and drops off dinner for 50 to 70 residents at its Emergency Shelter, formerly called the Live-In Facility. We last participated on Jan. 13. The  Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center operates both . A team led by Outreach member Shahra Toth makes side dishes and desserts that we serve in person after car-pooling to the DRC. To join us on Monday, Feb. 10, please check our DRC online signup form , which describes the midday meal procedure. Drop-off time is 12:45 p.m. in the parking lot near Old Brick for DRC’s side dishes. Later, parishioners who cook or shop for the evening meal at Grassroots’ shelter arrive in the Old Brick parking lot between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. Get details in our Grassroots online signup form . Grassroots staff serves the evening meal. It’s efficient to provide for both venues on the same day. Your donations and Vestry-approved funds pay for the fried chicken entrees. Thank you! DreamBuilders Chocolate, Tea, and Coffee, in Time for Valentine’s Day! We will be selling  DreamBuilders  goods after all three worship services this Sunday, Feb. 9. The chocolates, hot cocoa mix, and  fair-trade  coffee and tea are scrumptious; they're for a worthy cause, and there's plenty of time for Valentine’s Day.   We’ll also be selling raffle tickets for a large-screen TV to be awarded next month at the group’s annual spaghetti dinner. Proceeds from the sale of goods and the raffle go to help fund DreamBuilders disaster recovery missions. The group’s third trip to Kentucky for another blitz build is scheduled for June 15-21, 2025.   Last summer,  a multigenerational team built homes in flood-damaged Hazard, Ky. Christ Church, which was represented by Deacon Kiona Lookingbill in her role as our Director of Youth & Family Ministries and by Jasmine and Alex Opiri.     St. Valentine's Bake Sale Christ Church Youth Group is holding another bakesale in time for St. Valentine's. After the 9 AM and 10:30 services this coming Sunday, please come to the elevator room and purchase scrumptious baked goods for your loved ones and yourself! Proceeds go toward youth group activities. LEMS Life (and lots of it!) Dear Friends, Our LEMS Community School Site Counselor, Cindy Drummond, shared a wonderful recap and photos of the many activities at Lake Elkhorn Middle School these past few weeks; among them, you'll see our own parishioners pictured in the recaps. Take a look at this document , click the links within to view the photos, and see how your support helps make LEMS a thriving and vibrant part of Howard County! CCC Calls for Translators, Shoppers, and More to Help at Its Pantry Columbia Community Care (CCC) has called for volunteers at its distribution sites and for translators and “shoppers” at its pantry in the Long Reach Village Center, located at Suite 107, 8775 Cloudleap Ct. Home delivery has resumed to those without transportation. A shopper fulfills their grocery lists at the pantry and then delivers goods to the recipients’ homes. To volunteer, go to “ Volunteer Opportunities .” Those who need help are urged to go to “Get Help” on CCC’s website.   Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Put them in the yellow bin marked “CCC” inside the Parish Hall. Our point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bin and delivers its contents. The MOCC's R.A.K. The Men of Christ Church 's Random Act of Kindness for the month of February will be to collect  new  stuffed animals that will be donated at the end of the month. We're asking that folks bring a new stuffed animal that can be donated to the Montgomery County Family Justice Center. The stuffed animals are provided to each child who comes to the Family Justice Center. This gesture offers a small but powerful source of comfort for youth victims of domestic violence.  For children, a stuffed animal serves as a tangible symbol of safety and care, offering them a sense of security and familiarity. This simple gesture helps ease anxiety, provides emotional support, and lets children know they are not alone as they begin their journey toward healing. A box/bag for collection will be located in the Narthex. Please help the Men of Christ Church with this effort. FISH Asks for Volunteers As Well as Groceries and Toiletries in its Bin and Basket  FISH of Howard County is calling for new volunteers. If you are interested, ask parishioner Andy DeLong, who is FISH treasurer and a board member of the nonprofit, which provides committed support to Howard County residents. Please continue to put non-perishable foods and toiletries in the FISH basket at the altar or in the marked yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and Parish Hall. The neighbors you help are grateful for all you do in their support.  Sutton Scholars Fundraiser at TopGolf - February 20 Join the Board of  Sutton Scholars for a fundraiser partnering with TopGolf in Baltimore. The Sutton Scholars High School Enrichment Program helps Baltimore City high school students become confident, competent, and capable contributors to their communities by equipping them with the life skills that are essential for academic, workplace, and personal success. Whether you are a golf aficionado or want to have a fun night out with friends, we invite you to gather at TopGolf on Thursday, February 20th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Learn more here . DreamBuilders Upcoming Events DreamBuilders Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction: Saturday, March 8th - We need your help for our biggest fundraiser of the year.  Come and enjoy a spaghetti dinner, bid on our extraordinary silent auction items, and participate in our raffle for a large-screen TV.  We also need your donations for the silent auction, and in serving the spaghetti dinner.  This is a fun event and all proceeds go to fund our 2025 projects.  Contact Cathy Gold or Stacey Frith to learn more. DreamBuilders Mission Trip:  June 15-21  - Registration is now open for our summer mission trip to build three homes in one week.  Hazard lost about 10,000 homes in the flood of July 28, 2022. DreamBuilders have built 5 homes for them in the past two years, working with the Housing Development Alliance teams. No experience is required. Youth must have completed 9th grade to participate. Cost is $750 per missioner, and some funding is available.    Registration closes on March 16th, so check out our website ( dreambuildersmd.org ) for more details, or ask Cathy Gold or Stacey Frith. 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.

Each Sunday Taizé service in 2025 will center around a specific theme, and what better theme to celebrate in February than LOVE ? Join us for a brief and reflective Taizé worship this Sunday, February 2nd as we sing, pray, and listen to fellow parishioners share meditations on how love strengthens, lifts up, and reinforces us, our community, and our world. We'll gather in the New Brick sanctuary at 6 p.m., and all are welcome.

Somos Amigos Begins 2025 with Clinic, Plans for Christ Church Visit Volunteers once again traveled this month to the Dominican Republic to provide medical and dental care in a clinic held by Somos Amigos Medical Missions  in the little town of Naranjito. Among them were parishioner Dione Mahoney’s sister and brother-in-law, Jorge. Last fall, Dione and her sister, Desiree, volunteered together. Dione says Jorge worked with dental providers while her sister served as a Spanish translator for a physician at the clinic. Desiree also met with a teacher to arrange for added educational materials in the local school.   Frank Brightwell, executive director and CEO of Somos Amigos, said its mid-January clinic was able to accommodate 69 new patients. Overall, the physicians saw 398 patients, and the dentists,191; there were 78 children. Three people were identified as potential candidates for an insulin program that Christ Church supports monetarily, most recently with a $1,000 donation last September. “Our dentists continue to implement our strategy of providing more education and preventive care; every patient now gets dental X-rays on a fixed schedule, and cleanings and checkups are being proactively scheduled,” he said. Somos Amigos’ previous healthcare delivery model had relied primarily on volunteer clinicians and other helpers traveling four times a year, collaborating with residents of Naranjito. When the pandemic halted travel, the nonprofit organization turned to local health providers and developed a hybrid model to sustain care. Residents continue to play key roles in Somos Amigos, which serves a rural, mountainous area that otherwise has little access to health care. Parishioners will soon get a first-hand report . On Sunday, March 9, Brightwell will deliver the sermon at the 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services and speak during Sunday Circle. You can view his sermon during last year’s visit to Christ  Church in the  Collect, Readings, Sermon, and Livestream of Feb. 25, 2024,  at 28:28 minutes into the video. No doubt Brightwell will tell us about a dramatic intervention during this month’s clinic, when a patient came in for a routine visit and prescription refill. “He is a diabetic patient, but not an insulin user,” he said. The man complained of a sore foot. “The patient had a slight fever, and the physician found a nasty infection on his foot. Our physician was suspicious of sepsis.” That is a life-threatening condition, so they arranged for quick transportation to the city of Santiago and alerted the emergency room. “The patient was admitted, sepsis was confirmed, and unfortunately, he had to have part of his foot amputated,” Brightwell said. “His situation could have taken a terribly different path had he not visited with us.” Now he is recuperating at home.  DreamBuilders Chocolate, Tea and Coffee, in Time for Valentine’s Day! We will be selling   DreamBuilders  goods after all three worship services this Sunday, Feb. 2, and next Sunday, Feb. 9. Proceeds will go to help fund DreamBuilders disaster recovery missions, including what will be the group’s third trip to Kentucky for another blitz build. The trip is scheduled for June 15-21, 2025. Last summer a multigenerational team built homes in flood-damaged Hazard, Ky. Christ Church was represented by Director of Youth & Family Ministries Kiona Lookingbill and Jasmine and Alex Opiri. The chocolates, hot cocoa mix, and  fair-trade  coffee and tea are scrumptious for a worthy cause and in plenty of time for Valentine’s Day.   CCC Calls for Translators, Shoppers, and More to Help at Its Pantry Columbia Community Care  (CCC) has called for volunteers at its distribution sites and for translators and “shoppers” at its pantry in the Long Reach Village Center, located at Suite 107, 8775 Cloudleap Ct.  Home delivery has resumed to those without transportation. A shopper fulfills their grocery lists at the pantry, and then delivers goods to the recipients’ homes. To volunteer, go to “ Volunteer Opportunities .” Those who need help are urged to go to “Get Help”  on CCC’s website. Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items and adult diapers. Put them in the yellow bin marked “CCC” inside the Parish Hall. Our point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bin and delivers its contents. FISH Asks for Volunteers As Well as Groceries and Toiletries in its Bin and Basket  FISH  of Howard County is calling for new volunteers. If you are interested, ask parishioner Andy DeLong, who is FISH treasurer and a recently-elected board member of the nonprofit, which provides committed support to Howard County residents. You can also email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org  for more information. Please continue to put non-perishable foods and toiletries in the FISH basket at the altar or in the marked yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and Parish Hall. The neighbors you help are grateful for all you do in their support.  LEMS Kindness Pantry for February Dear Friends, thank you to all of you who have already signed up for the February Kindness Pantry at Lake Elkhorn Middle School. There are still a few items needed; in the winter, hats, coats, and gloves are always greatly appreciated. You can sign up using the Sign Up Genius link here , and can place your items in the blue bin in the narthex in New Brick. Please bring your contributions to the narthex of New Brick by Sunday, February 9, at the latest. The blue bin is located near the long table. If you would like to help at the pantry on Monday, February 10, you are welcome! We meet at the LEMS office at 1:30 to help set up, and families are there by 2:00. Sara Fitzpatrick is heading up the team this month as I am away, so let her know you would like to help. It is really a wonderful experience. With deepest appreciation, Cathy Whittaker LEMS Coordinator Sutton Scholars Fundraiser at TopGolf - February 20 Join the Board of  Sutton Scholars for a fundraiser partnering with TopGolf in Baltimore. The Sutton Scholars High School Enrichment Program helps Baltimore City high school students become confident, competent, and capable contributors to their communities by equipping them with the life skills that are essential for academic, workplace, and personal success. Whether you are a golf aficionado or want to have a fun night out with friends, we invite you to gather at TopGolf on Thursday, February 20th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Learn more here . DreamBuilders Upcoming Events DreamBuilders Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction: Saturday, March 8th - We need your help for our biggest fundraiser of the year.  Come and enjoy a spaghetti dinner, bid on our extraordinary silent auction items, and participate in our raffle for a large-screen TV.  We also need your donations for the silent auction, and in serving the spaghetti dinner.  This is a fun event and all proceeds go to fund our 2025 projects.  Contact Cathy Gold or Stacey Frith to learn more. DreamBuilders Mission Trip:  June 15-21  - Registration is now open for our summer mission trip to build three homes in one week.  Hazard lost about 10,000 homes in the flood of July 28, 2022. DreamBuilders have built 5 homes for them in the past two years, working with the Housing Development Alliance teams. No experience is required. Youth must have completed 9th grade to participate. Cost is $750 per missioner, and some funding is available.    Registration closes on March 16th, so check out our website ( dreambuildersmd.org ) for more details, or ask Cathy Gold or Stacey Frith. 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.

The Presentation of Our Lord 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: Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Today's Readings: Malachi 3:1-4 Psalm 24:7-10 Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40 Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

Each Sunday Taizé service in 2025 will center around a specific theme, and what better theme to celebrate in February than LOVE? Join us for a brief and reflective Taizé worship tonight, February 2nd, as we sing, pray, and listen to fellow parishioners share meditations on how love strengthens, lifts up, and reinforces us, our community, and our world. We'll gather in the New Brick sanctuary at 6 p.m., and all are welcome. You can also watch the livestream below. The service leaflet can be found here .

Over the past couple of weeks, we have had to watch in horror as the greater Los Angeles area battled an uncontrollable fire powered by strong winds. It was heartbreaking to see homes, schools, churches, grocery stores and other property worth millions and millions of dollars burn to ashes. My thoughts and prayers go out to the many families who have had their lives upended by this disaster, and to the community of people whose livelihood have been destroyed. The fire is still burning but in a very different way. Families are hurting, and they will have to endure the pain of their loss for years and years to come. Some would need a lifeline. My heart breaks for the entire community because all this tragedy was preventable. What hurts me most is a story I read about homeowners who had to cancel their insurance policies before the fires. They cancelled their policies because they could no longer afford the premiums. In one instance, the premium rose from about $4500 to $18000 a year. The homeowner dropped the insurance, and then the fire happened. He isn’t the only victim. A few weeks ago, an insurance executive was shot in cold blood on the streets of New York City. It was shocking to hear how many people expressed some level of satisfaction and adulation over the killing of the executive. For many of these people, this was the kind of revenge they have been hoping for all along. Many of these people believed that this executive represented all that was and is wrong with the insurance industry in particular and the corporate America as a whole. That saddens me deeply because two wrongs don’t make a right. I have no doubt in my mind that there is something fundamentally wrong with our society. We keep inquiring about who our neighbor is, but we are not prepared to accept who they are. I believe that the inordinate desire for money and profits has driven to the background all that we know and expect of each other and ourselves. Once, Jesus talked about money, and he made the point that the love for money, not money in itself, but the love of it, is the root of all evil because it distorts our relationship with God and others. The love for money distorts all that we have come to know about the holy. This past Friday, one of our parishioners suffered a stroke. This parishioner has been battling with his employers over the past couple of years over an injury he sustained at work. This injury wasn't his fault. but the fault of a colleague. He finally got the green light to see a specialist after the court intervened and ordered the employers to do the right thing. The question is, why would you or anyone else pay into a system or work for a company, only for the company to neglect or decline a request for help because you are either that little guy or you didn’t read the fine print? Why would people within an organization try and find a reason why they should not honor their part of a bargain? A few weeks ago, a parishioner, Ed, told a story about having paid his car insurance premiums on a consistent, monthly basis since he was a teenager. He, however, hasn’t benefited from making all these payments because he’s never had to call the insurance company. Like Ed, many of you haven’t found a reason to call to make a request for help because you haven't needed any help. But you want to believe that the help would be available when you call, and that’s why you pay your premiums. But what if they tell you a different story in your moment of distress? What if there is no help on the way? Many are the wrongs that corporate America has perpetrated on innocent citizens in the name of profit. The sad reality is that we pursue all these profits at the expense of honesty, justice, fairness, and compassion. Values that are missing from our culture because we no longer teach them. I am always amazed at the number of parents and kids at soccer games whenever I take my son James to soccer. I see all these beautiful kids, and I ask myself, "Who is teaching these kids about compassion and grace? Who is teaching them about being measured and merciful? Who is teaching them about justice and fairness?" They are being taught how to be competitive, how to win, how to stay active, and how to be respectful to their opponents, teammates, and coaches. Great!! I love that. But are these enough? As parents and grandparents, we forget that there’s a whole area of life that is hardly talked about because it doesn’t resonate with the daily experience of our kids. But we should talk about it because sooner, rather than later, we will come to find out that there’s more to life than what happens on the fields and courts to which we commit our children. Having served as a chaplain for many years, what I came to realize at Assisted Living Facilities was that residents who had a constant stream of visitors, i.e., children and grandchildren, were those who actually took their children to church or synagogue. There, within those sacred spaces, children were exposed to conversations about compassion and caring for one another. Within those sacred spaces, children were exposed to hearing that bearing the other's burden was not supposed to be a chore but a delight. Within those sacred spaces, children were nurtured to honor their parents. Within those sacred spaces, children were formed to uphold justice, fairness, and honesty. Within those sacred spaces, children were encouraged to value and honor life. Within those sacred spaces, children were taught to be wise, and we gained wisdom by walking with God. Within those sacred spaces, children came to experience the real essence of gratitude as the highway to God’s heart.  As I reflected on my deepest concern about what we are losing as a country, a parishioner shared a story of a father who told her daughter that her mother was diagnosed with some serious ailment and would need some help with her upkeep. The daughter told the father that he married her (mother) and not her (daughter). My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe what I heard, and actually caught myself tearing up because it sounded so heartbreaking and disheartening. How on earth did this happen? How did we get here? If you ask me, I will tell you that this is all due to the culture we are creating - children who have no idea why they should care for the other, especially their parents. Parents who think that sports matter more than anything else, and families who celebrate Christmas but don't even know what Christmas stands for. The Los Angeles fire is no longer burning or would have stopped burning by the time you read this piece. But the ashes and the ruins are still visible. The fire is burning but in a different form. I can see the ashes and the ruin. But just as the firefighters put those fires out, so can we put out the burning fires that are consuming our lives, the lives of the people we love, and the lives of the people who depend on us for a lifeline. I believe that when we teach children that the valuable things in life - compassion, love, justice, wisdom, fairness, gratitude, and friendship - are more important than wealth, lust, pride, and selfishness, we sure can believe that they will take those values with them. And when we live out those values for them, we become their first examples and affirm for them our belief in the proprietary of those values.  We must teach ourselves and our children to believe that some things in life are worth defending, and there’s no honorable person who walks away from extending compassion, grace, and love to the vulnerable, especially those burning with fire.  Manny+

Wrestling is one of the oldest forms of combat sport. It dates back thousands and thousands          of years. Cave drawings of the sport help us to recognize that wrestling has been around for as long as humans have been around. It seems to me that part of the reason why wrestling is one of the earliest sports is that unlike soccer, football, tennis, or the newest sport, pickleball, ancient men and women didn’t need any equipment to play this sport. All they needed was another person who was willing to engage with them.   Just like any other sport where there’s a winner and a loser, there’s also a winner and a loser in wrestling. But when we wrestle with God, it is neither a combat sport nor is there a winner or a loser; it is a kind of tussle, a wrestle, a contending where the goal is for a deeper knowledge and trusting relationship with God.   All through the time that I became conscious of myself and later when I became aware of a gratifying opportunity to be in a relationship with God, my life has been one of wrestling with God. My wrestling with God is now more profound than it used to be. This is partly because there are numerous situations that invite this sort of wrestling. Again, it is not an attempt to win or lose, it is about understanding, it is about appreciating what this stuff is all about, it is about my ability to surrender in trust that God will take care of all the stuff. It is about whether I have put God to the test - and if God has ever come through for me. My wrestling with God is less about what I trust God to do and whether God will do it, and more about if I can crossover the one threshold that affirms all that I have come to know and believe about God.   There’s a story in the Old Testament where many years after he defrauded his brother Esau of his inheritance, Jacob was returning to the land of his ancestors. On the night before he met with his brother Esau, Jacob wrestled with an unknown man (he was actually wrestling with God) to the point where the unknown man dislocated his hip. When dawn was breaking, the unknown man demanded that Jacob let him go, but Jacob held tight to the man and asked the man to bless him before he let him go.   The unknown man then asked him his name. "Jacob is my name," he answered. As part of the blessing, the unknown man then changed his name from Jacob to Israel. For those of us who may not know, Israel means wrestling with God . Throughout its history, Israel has always wrestled with God.   Our wrestling with God consumes every facet of our lives. Much as we contend with God, we contend with loved ones, neighbors, colleagues, friends, and with our own selves. We wrestle with issues big and small, all in an attempt to know, grow, and build enduring relationships. But until we realize what the goal of our wrestling is, we will always be drained by it. To wrestle with God is not for the faint-hearted. It is a difficult task, but it is worth every ounce of it. Through this wrestling, our hip would be dislocated but we should yet hold on to this strange man until he blesses us with a name change. I believe that there wouldn’t be any growth without the wrestling,   As I have shared before, one of the books I read during my sabbatical was The Courage To Be Disliked . In it, there’s this part about a well. According to the authors, the average temperature of water in a well, no matter the weather outside of the well, is 18 degrees. When you drink water from the well in the summer, it feels cooler because the weather is warm. And when you drink the water in the winter, it is warmer because it is cold. The temperature of the water never changes because of what is happening outside of the well - it remains the same.   The point is that the hardest thing for each of us is to stay at 18 degrees, to stay at even keel like the water in a well. Things and life around us might change, but to maintain an 18-degree composure, where you are unaffected by the change around you, is to be so grounded in God. Being grounded in God is only made possible when we have come to know God through our experience of God.   But the question is, can we maintain the same 18-degree state or composure in the face of something devastating - like the fires in Los Angeles, unjust - like segregation, unfair - like Jim Crow, and hate against those who may differ from us? That is hard to say.   I learned that to grow, we must learn to work harder on ourselves. Honestly, working hard on ourselves is part of our wrestling with God. Growth happens when we work on ourselves, when we wrestle with God, when we contend with God, and when we have an experience-based relationship with God.   What I find most exciting about the story of Jacob is that despite the discomfort of the wrestling and the dislocation of the hip, he realized an enormous blessing - which came with a name change.   God can and does change so many things about us, but we have to pick a few dirt along the way, and that’s how wrestling becomes so integral to the growth of our relationship with God. It is the wrestling that makes it possible to experience God. Carl Jung was once asked if he believed in God. This was his response: “I don’t need to believe in God, I know God.”   This is the knowledge that comes with wrestling with God because you have come to know God through your experience of God.   I have no doubt that God is the other party who is always open and willing to engage with us and wrestle with us, but are we ready to wrestle with God? I pray that we open ourselves up to engage - for that is one way that we can know and grow in our relationship with God.  Manny+

Episcopal Relief and Development Shares Updates, Sends Thanks for Wildfires Disaster Aid Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) has expressed gratitude for the $1,000 donation that Church Church sent in the aftermath of California wildfires, as described in the Outreach Blog of Jan. 16, 2025 .   In its email and in a more detailed statement posted on Jan. 16 , ERD said it has been able to immediately help service industry workers. Some cannot get to their jobs because of continuing danger, while many lost livelihoods as workplaces were destroyed by fires that broke out on Jan. 7. “In partnership with Episcopal Relief & Development, the Diocese of Los Angeles is providing gift cards and cash deposits through electronic apps to people in need. The financial assistance will be disbursed through churches throughout the Diocese that are serving as emergency shelters, charging stations and respite centers.”   “We walk alongside wildfire survivors,” said ERD in its email, describing “how your generosity supports people impacted.” The Christ Church contribution was drawn from Vestry-approved funds derived from your pledges and contributions. Thank you!   “Your generosity reminds me that from the ashes, compassion always emerges,” wrote Robert W. Radtke, president and CEO of ERD, who urged supporters to share a link to its Wildfire Response Fund with friends and family.   ERD also urged parishioners to pray for people who have been harmed. Go to its Wildfire Prayer Experience page so that when you pray, you can press a link to be in solidarity with others doing the same. There are prayers for first responders, those who have died, those who are suffering losses, and those who minister to others, such as Episcopal Priest Liz Piraino (pictured above) . Grow Your Own! CCC Tells Supporters about a 12-Month Garden Workshop Series  Columbia Community Care (CCC) partners with the Community Ecology Institute , which last year grew produce in raised garden beds at CCC’s former pantry site. This year the institute is holding a series of 12 workshops, “ Nourishing Gardens Through the Seasons ,” that CCC recommends to its supporters in a post on the CCC Facebook Group . The cost is $179 per person, which amounts to less than $15 for each workshop. The first workshop will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the institute’s Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, MD 21044. Participants must be 18 or older and register ahead of time for the entire series at once.   The Institute recently was among 50 nonprofit organizations awarded grants by the Community Foundation of Howard County. A grant of $5,000 will benefit Freetown Farm and “programs focusing on and benefiting the environment, education, equity, and health in Howard County.” A recent announcement by the foundation listed several recipients, such as Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, that are also supported by Christ Church.   On behalf of Columbia Community Care, parishioners may go to "Volunteer Opportunities" if seeking to help at CCC’s distribution sites or at its pantry, located in the Long Reach Village Center. Those who need help should go to “Get Help” on CCC’s website.   Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Put them in the yellow bin marked “CCC” inside the Parish Hall. Our point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bin and delivers its contents. FISH Asks for Volunteers As Well as Groceries and Toiletries in its Bin and Basket  FISH of Howard County is calling for new volunteers. If you are interested, ask parishioner Andy DeLong, who is FISH treasurer and a newly-elected board member of the nonprofit, which provides committed support to Howard County residents. Please continue to put non-perishable foods and toiletries in the FISH basket at the altar or in the marked yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and Parish Hall. The neighbors you help are grateful for all you do in their support.  LEMS Kindness Pantry for February Thank you so much for your contributions to the January Kindness Pantry at LEMS. Over 35 families attended and we expect there will be even more in February as the "word is getting out." You can sign up using the Sign Up Genius link here , and can place your items in the blue bin in the narthex in New Brick. Thank you for being God's hands and feet in this world! Sutton Scholars Fundraiser at TopGolf - February 20 Join the Board of  Sutton Scholars for a fundraiser partnering with TopGolf in Baltimore. The Sutton Scholars High School Enrichment Program helps Baltimore City high school students become confident, competent, and capable contributors to their communities by equipping them with the life skills that are essential for academic, workplace, and personal success. Whether you are a golf aficionado or want to have a fun night out with friends, we invite you to gather at TopGolf on Thursday, February 20th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Learn more here . 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.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany with the Rev. Emmanuel Ato Mercer and the Rev. Marcia Davenport 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: Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 36:5-10 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 John 2:1-11 Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

The past week, I joined fellow Episcopalians at the Virginia Mae Center at the National Cathedral for a board meeting of the Gathering of Leaders. This organization is unique within the broader Episcopal Church, serving both clergy and lay leaders by organizing leadership seminars across the country to support those who serve the church in unique positions. I participated in some of their leadership gatherings before I was elected to serve on the board.   The PowerPoint slides that were part of the presentation had a quote by Reverend Pauli Murray, one of the first female priests in the Episcopal Church and an iconic figure in the Civil Rights and Womanist Movements. Here’s the quote: Hope is a song in a weary throat. Give me a song of hope And a world where I can sing it.   I love the quote. It is a beautiful quote. I shared with fellow board members that the quote immediately reminded me of this critical question posed by the words of Psalm 137: 4 - How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? ’ The foreign land refers to Babylon.   This was the period when the people of God were suffering under the horrific brutalities of life in exile. The people of God had been displaced and were over 1600 miles away from their homeland. In the midst of their suffering, desolation, and hopelessness, their captors derided them by inviting them to sing some of the songs of Zion. In other words, sing to us some of the songs of praise you used to sing to honor your God when you were back in your homeland. It felt like adding insult to injury.   The question is, how can you ever sing if you have a weary throat? How can you ever sing if your throat is exhausted? How can you ever sing if your throat is drained of its energy and vitality? You simply can’t sing. This is not because you don’t want to sing, but it is because you are tired of singing the songs of lament in silence. If you haven’t experienced it before, songs of lament break the human spirit.   The interesting part about Reverend Pauli’s thought process is that she identifies the weary throat as one desiring a song of hope. She is also asking not only for a song of hope but a place where she could sing that song. Imagine having a song and nowhere to sing it. Imagine having the song and no audience to hear you sing it. Life can be pretty precarious and dire in such circumstances.   That is the story of the African American. African Americans did have a song but not a place to sing our song. And when we had a place to sing, there was no audience because to hear the song meant being open to be transformed by the song of lament.   I always find it interesting that the African American experience is cast more within the framework of the Exodus  story and less with the Exilic  one. But I think both experiences reflect the paradoxes of life - the subjugation to which we can subject one another or a race and the deliverance or salvation that God brings to the subjugated. This is because God looks at all of us not in the same way as others look at us, and we ourselves look at ourselves. God looks at us with adoring eyes, which remind us of how much we are loved by God and how dignified we all are in spite of the circumstances in which we may find ourselves. For our African American ancestors who lived through the inhumanity and brutality of Slavery , Segregation , Jim Crow,  and all the evils that sought to denigrate and question their basic humanity, life felt like they had no song left in them. They cared about their weary throat, but they also had one more fight in them, and that fight didn’t need a song. That fight needed the faith to take one more step into a future without knowing where that future would take them.   There’s a book called The Horse, The Boy, The Fox And The Mole . In the book is the story of the boy and the horse in the woods. The boy tells the horse, ‘ I can’t see a way through. ’ The horse asked the boy, ‘Can you take the next step?’ The boy reposed with a ‘Yes.’ ‘Then just take that,' the horse said to the boy. The point is that African American ancestors didn’t have to worry about how far the journey was or where it would take them, they had to take the next step - and the next step has progressively brought us to this point.   In truth, we are not where we thought we would be, but we haven’t stopped taking the next step. Our throats are weary because we have been thirsty for so long, we have cried for so long, and we have sung songs of lament for so long - and it feels like there’s no audience.   On this Dr. King weekend, I look around, and I see a lot of people - African Americans, Whites, Asians, Native Americans, Latinos, and many other people from all parts of the world with weary throats. I see people who are still dealing with discrimination and all sorts of dehumanizing behaviors - they have weary throats. I see people in Los Angeles who have lost everything they have worked for - they have weary throats. I see people who are suffering from different illnesses - they have weary throats. I see senior citizens who have been abandoned by the children they raised - they have weary throats. I see a lot of hurt on many different faces - they, too, have weary throats.   Life seems as if we are all back in Egypt as Slaves or in Babylon as the captured; either way, we are free but are subjugated by events beyond our control. Our throats are weary, but more than a song and a place to sing, we need an audience open to being transformed by our songs.    There’s no doubt that our weary throats need something soothing. It needs some good news, it needs some hopeful news. More than that, we need God’s help.   Someone said that the greatest thing that he’s found in life is that God has never denied help to those who call upon God to help them. If your throat is weary, then say with me, God, help me: When life is rough, God, help me. When I feel defeated, God, help me When I feel lost and don’t know what to do, God, help me. When I am in trouble, God, help me. When I have a fainting soul, God, help me. When I am weak, God, help me. When I am sick, God, help me. When I am being derided, God, help me. When I am in life’s darkest tunnel, God, help me. When I am down, God, help me. When I am confused, God, help me. When tears are rolling down my cheeks, God, help me. When life’s waves overturn my boat, God, help me. When I am helpless, God, help me. When I feel discriminated against, God, help me. When I can sing of your love, God, help me.   And when our throats are weary, God, help us with a new song and an audience.   Manny+

Episcopal Relief and Development Gets Wildfires Disaster Aid As wildfires have swept through entire communities in California, Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) began taking steps to help the people of the Los Angeles area cope with the devastating loss of lives and property. Since Jan. 7, wind-driven flames have destroyed homes, businesses, schools, and houses of worship, as shown in  a series of photos displayed by NPR . ERD established a Wildfire Response Fund and posted statements updating supporters on the destruction and efforts to help. In a Jan. 14 post , ERD says at least 24 people have died and 180,000 have been displaced. “Episcopal Relief & Development is actively supporting diocesan leaders in communities impacted by the Southern California wildfires and working with them to identify the needs of people in their communities that have been severely affected.”   On behalf of Christ Church parishioners, members of the Outreach Commission voted at its January meeting to immediately 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 this possible.   ERD asks for our prayers and provides guidance on its Wildfire Prayer Experience page . When you pray, you can press a link to be in solidarity with others doing the same. Content includes prayers for first responders, for those who have died, for those who have lost homes, and for those who minister to people who face such tragedy. CCC Calls for Translators, Shoppers and More in the New Year Columbia Community Care (CCC) has called for volunteers at its distribution sites and for translators and “shoppers” at its pantry in the Long Reach Village Center. A fter a holiday break. home delivery resumed on Jan. 3 to those without transportation. A shopper fulfills their grocery lists at the CCC pantry, located at Suite 107, 8775 Cloudleap Ct. , and then delivers goods to the recipients’ homes. To volunteer, go to “ Volunteer Opportunities .”   Those who need help are urged to go to “Get Help” on CCC’s website.   Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items and adult diapers. Put them in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. Our point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bin and delivers its contents. FISH Asks for Volunteers As Well as Groceries and Toiletries in its Bin and Basket  FISH of Howard County is calling for new volunteers. If you are interested, ask parishioner Andy DeLong, who is FISH treasurer and a newly-elected board member of the nonprofit, which provides committed support to Howard County residents. Please continue to put non-perishable foods and toiletries in the FISH basket at the altar or in the marked yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and Parish Hall. The neighbors you help are grateful for all you do in their support.  Lake Elkhorn Middle School Needs Your Help for National History Day Cindy Drummond, the LEMS Community School Site Coordinator, would like any members of Christ Church to serve as a judge for National History Day projects that the 7th and 8th Graders have created. You can come for however much time you have available on Friday, January 31 (we know many of you are not available during the school day, but if you are, this would be a great way to further your involvement with LEMS!). You can stop by any time between 8:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. that day, and you don't need to be concerned about being knowledgeable about history - it is all very straightforward and gives the students an opportunity to showcase their hard work to the community. Here's the breakdown from the NHD website: To continue the celebration of our 50th anniversary, NHD’s 2025 theme is Rights & Responsibilities in History . To study rights and responsibilities in history, we must ask questions. Who decides who has rights? Does everyone have the same rights? Who decides on the limits individuals should or should not have? Why? What led to establishing certain rights, and to whom were they given? How have people, governments, or institutions decided what parameters should be set to enforce responsibilities? How are such decisions justified? The key to this theme is addressing BOTH rights AND responsibilities. These are two powerful forces in history, but one does not work without the other. The Social Studies department leader will provide you, as a judge, with guidelines to assist you. Your role will be to listen to a student present their work either a paper, a poster, a documentary, or a presentation. Judges encourage our students who worked very hard to complete their projects. We appreciate any amount of time you have to give that day, so please RSVP (email below) as soon as possible to let us know if you can serve as a judge this year. Please email Cindy at Cindy_Drummond@hcpss.org if you're interested. Thank you for your consideration! Sutton Scholars Fundraiser at TopGolf - February 20 Join the Board of  Sutton Scholars for a fundraiser partnering with TopGolf in Baltimore. The Sutton Scholars High School Enrichment Program helps Baltimore City high school students become confident, competent, and capable contributors to their communities by equipping them with the life skills that are essential for academic, workplace, and personal success. Whether you are a golf aficionado or want to have a fun night out with friends, we invite you to gather at TopGolf on Thursday, February 20th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Learn more here . MOCC School Fundraiser Christian Beginnings Preschool is a Christ-centered and ADW-approved preschool that is fully accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education. They offer classes for three- and four-year-olds (pre-K) during the school year. Their philosophy is that our students will begin to see God in their world and in others while learning and playing in a joyous Christian setting. The school offers a Christian foundation with an emphasis on kindness, caring, and seeing & sharing the love of God in many ways. This school was established in 1996 by Ed Chrzanowski’s mother, Marie Rose Chrzanowski. CBP continues as an amazing learning experience for the children of the St. John Vianney Catholic Church community and serves as a testament to her memory. The MOCC are asking the Christ Church family to help us support our brother Ed, and honor his mother’s memory by making a contribution to the continued mission of this amazing program. The goal is to make a donation in Rose’s name to the preschool. We will be collecting donations for the next few months, and they canbe made by using Realm (choose "Men of Christ Church" in the FUND dropdown and write "preschool fundraiser" in the memo line) or by check. The MOCC thanks everyone in advance for their generosity as we look to provide a token of gratitude for the legacy of a wonderful soul and educator. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Duane Smith at mocc@christchurchcolumbia.org 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.