Fr. Manny

Test Of Faith

A few days ago, I visited with a parishioner who had a very complicated surgery. It was a heart transplant. It takes my breath away just to hear the extent of the surgery and what went into it. Human ingenuity has come a long way. Medicine has come a long way. Technology has come a long way. And many, many Americans and people around the world are benefitting from these scientific leaps because people of goodwill believed that if we are to make progress, to live long and heal

Sacramental Living

For those of us who have had the benefit of taking Confirmation or Inquirer’s class offered periodically in different Episcopal Churches, you would have learned that Sacraments are an integral part of our Christian vocation. The classic definition of Sacrament by St. Augustine is ‘An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.’ The act, right, or sign must be outward. It must be visible. You and I need to see it and testify to it. But the inward isn’t visible

Grazie

This past Saturday, we gathered in the Great Hall of New Brick for the Christ Church Annual Auction. This year, we were transported to Italy - that is why our theme is Grazie (Thank you). It was a great evening of good company and fun, with bidding and out-bidding each other, and raising over $ 20,000.00 to support our common life. The auction is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and I couldn’t be prouder of all the volunteers, donors, and attendees who spent so much to ma

Unsettled World

A few days ago, one of our parishioners inquired if I would be interested in being interviewed for an immigration project for high school students in the area. Without any hesitation, I readily accepted the invitation and was interviewed this past Tuesday in Old Brick. The gentleman who interviewed me thought we would be using my office for the interview, but I took him to Old Brick, the little sanctuary on top of the hill, which has seen so much, heard so much, and been a pa

Bumpers

A few months ago, the Men of Christ Church organized a bowling event at Bowlero on Snowden River. I'm not the bowling kind of person, but I’d say that every time I have had the opportunity to go bowling, it's been a fun event. The beauty that I have experienced with bowling is that one throws the ball and doesn’t know how the ball is going to go. There’s this salient and humbling feeling that one doesn’t have any control over the ball once it is thrown down the lane. Because

Accountability

I love Annual Meetings. These gatherings more than bring the congregation together to deliberate on the church’s business and elect new leadership; they provide the opportunity for those who have been entrusted with leadership to give an account of their stewardship. Accountability during Annual Meetings reminds me of a parable Jesus told in Matthew 25, about a master who gave talents to three servants based on their individual ability. To one, he gave five, to another, he ga