Pentecost XII at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Eucharist with Music All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and

This past Sunday, we held our annual meeting with our partners in Uganda, Friends of Sabina. Although I couldn’t stay throughout the entire meeting, I was deeply touched by the children and staff of the school for the enormous progress that they have made. Sincere thanks to Patricia and the team for working very hard on it. It was a labor of love, and, as you know, it comes with no great benefits or remuneration. For many of our parishioners who are sponsoring children at the

Christ Church Donates to Episcopal Relief & Development to Help Washington State Residents Displaced by Raging Wildfires Wildfires in eastern Washington state have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced the evacuation of 60,000 people in the Spokane area. In response, Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD), partnered last week with the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane to help those in harm’s way. Churches in the diocese are providing shelter, food, fuel, and cash assistance throu

Bring a part of Christ Church into your home with our beautiful new custom magnets! We are offering two unique 3" x 5" designs: our classic CEC shield, and the vibrant 300th Anniversary Learning from Our History, Living into Our Future tree. Perfect for your refrigerator, filing cabinet, car, or any magnetic surface, these heavy-duty magnets are a wonderful way to show your parish pride and support our community. Each magnet is yours for only $6, or you can get one of each fo

From Autumn through Spring, Faith Formation is thriving at Christ Church, and anyone from pre-K to 12th grade is invited to gather with us next fall. It's a program of age-appropriate classes that’s relevant and engaging, and we're looking forward to an exciting year! The next Sunday School year begins on September 13, and registration links are on our website's Sunday School page. Our Youth and Family Ministry is growing—an amazing blessing—but it also means we need a little

During a special moment of today's 10:30 worship, Mother Marcia Davenport gathered our high school students and graduates to offer a heartfelt prayer as they prepare to take their next big steps. Standing together before the altar, they bowed their heads while she asked for guidance, protection, and wisdom to attend them in this exciting new chapters of their lives. The prayer served as both a blessing and a reminder that no matter where their educational journeys take them,

Pentecost XI at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Eucharist with Music All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readin

One of the many gifts and blessings that I celebrate in my ministry has been the joy of serving you, the faithful people of Christ Church. It has been my greatest honor, and I do not for one moment take it for granted. It has been such a special blessing for me, and I want to believe that in just the same way that you have been and continue to be a blessing to me, so have I been a blessing to you and to the people you love. I was hit hard by this deep sense of gratitude this

Last Sunday, Lake Elkhorn Middle School Outreach's Cathy Whittaker caught us up at church on plans for this coming fall. Here's what she said: "We had the pleasure of meeting with the new LEMS Principal, Tony Esposito, last week. He has been a teacher and principal for over 20 years in Howard County and is excited about his new position. We also met with Cindy Drummond (our liaison), and we talked about possible ways that we can work together over the coming school year. The

Zoom to Uganda with Friends of Sabina at Noon this Sunday, Aug. 9; Enjoy a Light Lunch While Bonding with Students During Our Annual Hybrid Meetup Students at Sabina Boarding Primary School are getting ready to interact with you during our annual Zoom meetup with Friends of Sabina (FOS), the nonprofit organization that supports the school in rural Uganda. Plan to attend remotely or in person at noon this Sunday, August 9. Gather in the Great Hall of New Brick after the 10:30

The Center for Spiritual Nourishment (CSN) is taking a well-deserved summer break to allow presenters and participants time for rest and personal reflection, offering everyone in the community a chance to recharge their spirits throughout the remainder of the summer. You can look forward to reconnecting and exploring new opportunities for spiritual growth when CSN returns on Saturday, September 12, with a new program series, so mark your calendars, and gather with us that mor

Pentecost X at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Eucharist with Music All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: Isaiah

Like every child, I am not sure when I became conscious or aware of people. But I believe that as we all grow, we get to meet different people, beginning with family, Church and Sunday School, neighborhood kids, camps, schoolmates from nursery school, grade school, middle school, high school, college, internships - just name them. Every stage of our lives offers us a unique opportunity to meet people - some good, some not-so-good. But we learn along the way that we cannot do

SAVE THE DATE: Zoom to Uganda with Friends of Sabina at Our Annual Hybrid Meetup next Sunday, Aug. 9 Students at Sabina Boarding Primary School are getting ready to interact with you during our annual Zoom meetup with Friends of Sabina (FOS), the nonprofit organization that supports the school in rural Uganda. So don’t miss the chance to attend at noon on Sunday, Aug. 9 – remotely or in person. (Look for the Zoom code in Parish communications prior to the event.) Parishioner

Pentecost IX at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Eucharist with Music All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and th

As I indicated in my sermon on July 12th, the world has been captivated by an extraordinary soccer extravaganza in the US, Mexico, and Canada, the three host countries of this year’s World Cup tournament. Like Mexico and Canada, we have been great hosts, and I am thankful to all those who worked night and day to ensure that soccer fans from around the world who traveled long distances to support their national teams had a great time. I had the unique privilege of traveling wi

Bring Lightweight, Natural-fiber Clothing by Aug. 30 for an Outreach Collection to Help Visually-Impaired People and their Families in Nigeria Christ Church is supporting a late-summer clothing drive by the Living Above Limitation Charity Foundation (LALCF), which sends lightweight, natural-fiber garments to visually impaired people in Nigeria. Their disabled residents and their families face greater barriers than the general population and may not be able to afford sufficien

Pentecost VIII at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Eucharist with Music All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who

A couple of months ago, we engaged a consultant to help us discern a path for our congregation. Christ Episcopal Church will soon mark 300 years, and we will celebrate that important milestone beginning in November 2027. I wonder if those who started this congregation thought it would be a thriving place of spiritual growth and nurture for so long. In the face of enormous challenges, those pioneers sowed a seed, and I am glad that they sowed the seed that has grown to become

Join us for French toast and fellowship - the MOCC breakfast is a monthly tradition, and in July, it will take place this Saturday, July 18. Set your GPS to Silver Diner at 8250 Gateway Overlook Drive in Columbia. We'll meet at 9:30 a.m., and all ages are welcome. You can also set a calendar reminder on your phone for every third Saturday of a month, for that's when we always meet up for this tasty start to our weekend.

Grassroots Marks 18th Anniversary of Serving the Homeless in Jessup On July 9, the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center took note of a milestone and thanked Christ Church and other faith-based partners for their role in helping the homeless at the Day Resource Center (DRC) in Jessup. “The DRC opened on July 9, 2008, in partnership with our faith communities, local government and foundations to serve homeless men and women who slept outside along Route One in Howard County. T

That's right - Theology on Tap, our fun and much-loved fellowship event, happens tomorrow evening, July 15, and is the perfect end to a hot summer day. If you are not familiar with Theology on Tap, it is a time when adults gather for fellowship in a casual space, and on Wednesday, we'll meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Frisco and the Reckless Shepherd for great food, drink, and conversation. Topics can range from current to historical events; nothing is off the table - we welcome

Over the past several weeks, we have been working with a consultant, and they will share their findings with the Christ Church congregation next Sunday, July 19. That morning, there will be an abbreviated 10:30 worship, followed by an 11:00 presentation, so we encourage everyone to come to New Brick to hear their findings. Their presentation will be followed by a Q&A, where we open the floor for discussion among all of us. The presentation will be captured on YouTube for thos

I was recently intrigued by an excerpt of a book - The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd. I read it a few days ago. The idea of a Pathless Path sounds so confusing at best. How can a path be pathless? I asked myself. Either there is a path or there is none, so how can a path be pathless? But the more I engaged with the idea of a Pathless Path to understand what it meant, the more I became fascinated with it. Pathless Path is an ancient idea that says each of us is on a path, most

Pentecost VII at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Choral Eucharist All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Am

As summer reaches its height, we reflect on the ways that God is bringing us into greater fullness of life, how we are “blooming” into all that we were created to be. This month’s wonderful sessions help us delve into these topics as well as into stillness and reflection in community. The 2nd Saturday Center for Spiritual Nourishment (CSN) provides opportunities for us to be in closer relationship with God by offering an array of experiences that engage the mind, body, and s

Inviting You to Join Our Monthly Outreach Meeting on Monday, July 13 Learn many ways to help others by joining us remotely for the Outreach Commission meeting on Monday, July 13, at 7:30 p.m. Our mission has a local, national, and international scope. You'll find the link in our This Week on Zoom email on Monday, and we'll see you there! Help Grassroots by Providing Food for the Homeless on Monday, July 13 On the second Monday of each month, Christ Church serves a hot midday

You know 'em... now you can sing and dance to them - Christ Church's favorite supergroup, Small Delusions (Jan, JB, and Shannon - with special guest Meghan Pruitt!), is delighted to announce their next gig in the warm confines of the New Brick sanctuary. In just a few days - this Saturday, July 11 at 1:00 p.m. - gather as they play all the memorable classics, and maybe even take a few requests. Heck, even bring your dancing shoes if you feel like it! Definitely consider bring

Pentecost VI at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Choral Eucharist All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ev

This week, our beloved country will celebrate 250 years of independence. It is such a momentous milestone, and I could not be prouder that, like millions of people, I am an American, and a proud one at that. I wonder what the feeling was like 250 years ago, when the ragtag army of patriots defeated the most powerful military in the world. The joy that comes with throwing away the shackles of oppression is often incalculable. The Revolutionary War reminds me that sometimes we

One of the hallmarks of every summer at Christ Church is our annual Crab Feast. We begin by piling bushels of crabs onto paper tablecloths, grab a stack of napkins, and prepare to get MESSY. And it is worth every bit of the mess. Add some tasty barbecue for those choosing to skip the shellfish, and you have the makings of a fantastic feast, indeed. Though the midsummer heat wave tried its best to wilt the day's spirits, the warmth indoors was entirely generated by fellowship.

Donation to UNICEF Will Help Venezuelan Earthquake Survivors On June 24, back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela, collapsing buildings and killing or injuring thousands. These 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude tremors were followed by multiple aftershocks, including one measured at 4.6 magnitude on June 29. A nation that was already challenged faces a vast humanitarian crisis, as described by PBS in a June 29 news account. The Outreach Commission approved an immediate $800 donation

Crab Feast, An Annual FWF Extravaganza! - Tonight, July 1 The most anticipated First Wednesday Fellowship of the year is tonight, so get your crab-eatin' bibs ready! At 6 p.m., we'll host our annual Crab Feast just outside the Great Hall of New Brick, and everyone is invited, no matter what your age is! The signup deadline has passed, but if you missed it, there might be space – give the church office a call today to find out. If you're lucky, there will be some fresh, tasty

On behalf of the entire Christ Church family, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to our seminarian, Yehinuel "Yehi" Odidi, as he concludes his remarkable year of service with us. Throughout his time here, Yehi has been an incredible addition to our clergy team, bringing a wonderful sense of faithfulness, enthusiasm, work ethic, and grace to our common life. Whether commuting faithfully from Virginia Theological Seminary, delivering timely and moving sermons, or connectin

Pentecost V at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Choral Eucharist All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with yo

Your beloved Christ Church has been hosting Vacation Bible School this week. The week of VBS is always fun because you get to see children running around, playing together, screaming, laughing, and simply being children. It is a great privilege for me to watch them from my window. There is great value in that. It reminds me of my own childhood and the magic of being a child. I am grateful to all the children, counselors, and volunteers who have worked so hard to make this yea

Home of Our Own Howard is Having a Yard Sale at CEC - This Saturday, June 27 Home Of Our Own Howard (HOOO), Howard County’s local furniture bank for individuals and families in need, is holding a yard sale at Christ Episcopal Church. All funds raised will support our clients who are moving into a home after experiencing a crisis. The yard sale is this Saturday, June 27, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., rain or shine (Parish Hall lower level or outside on the lawn). We hope you can suppo

We’ve had a buzz of excitement at Christ Church this week as our friend Nancy joined our science session to share her expertise as a beekeeper! It was a fantastic opportunity for our children to get an up-close look at the wonders of nature and learn about the importance of bees in our ecosystem. Seeing the children so engaged with our hands-on science activities reminds us of the joy and discovery that parish programs, like VBS, bring to the youngest members of our community

For generations, we've all known that food brings people together, and that was most definitely the case today with the members of Christ Church! The MOCC Breakfast, a cherished monthly tradition at Christ Church, brought members and others of all ages together this morning at the Silver Diner in Columbia. The event offered a wonderful opportunity for the community to kick start their weekend with a delicious breakfast paired with warm conversation, plus a bonus purpose - to

Pentecost IV at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Choral Eucharist All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: Je

Each of us experiences some lack. And that lack leads to yearning. As a matter of fact, it isn’t only human beings who experience some lack; all living things of God’s beautiful creation feel a lack, and that lack, again, leads to a yearning. The lack of justice makes us yearn for justice. The lack of faithfulness makes us yearn for faithfulness. The lack of security makes us yearn for security. The lack of food makes us yearn for food. The lack of water makes us yearn for wa

Celebrate Juneteenth at a special concert, Breaking the Chains, this Friday, June 19. Held in the New Brick Sanctuary of Christ Episcopal Church in Columbia at 7 p.m., this musical performance will feature the Caritas Vocal Ensemble performing powerful works by Black composers centered on themes of justice, freedom, and the ongoing fight for equality. The ensemble will be accompanied on piano by our talented Music Director, Larissa Sanders, for an unforgettable evening of ref

Grassroots Says ‘Thank You,’ Honors Its Volunteers at an Annual Luncheon Volunteers make the world a better place, doing God’s work one hour or one casserole at a time. Last week, Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center held its third annual volunteers’ appreciation luncheon at The Meeting House in Oakland Mills. Christ Church was represented by Shahra and George Toth, Eddie Keels, Jan DeBoissiere, and Patricia Fanning, who participate each month in providing meals to the homel

A summertime tradition is about to begin at Christ Church! Our Vacation Bible School and Choir Camp takes place next week from June 22-26, and runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day. All week long, children will enjoy Bible stories, music, exercise, science, crafts, dance, games - not to mention our kids making new friends and seeing old ones! Snacks, lunch, and refreshments are served daily, and the program is staffed by our wonderful Christ Church parishioners, many of wh

Pentecost III at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 Family Worship 10:30 Choral Eucharist All three services take place in New Brick. Collect for Today: Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. This Sunday's R

I remember visiting Christ Church with a colleague back in 2024. I had met Fr. Manny at a program at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), and after I introduced myself, he shared the address of the church and invited us to come over whenever we could. When we finally made it to Christ Church, we noticed something different the very moment we stepped inside. There was a unique atmosphere, a presence unseen but incredibly tangible. We immediately felt a strong bond of love, fri

Do You Have a Green Thumb? Help Columbia Community Care to Tend Its Garden Plot at Freetown Farm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays Columbia Community Care (CCC) invites volunteers to help cultivate its garden plot at Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, Md., 21044, in partnership with Community Ecology Institute (CEI). Volunteers are encouraged to sign up in advance for slots on Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m., on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m., and on Saturdays fro

Last month, we celebrated God as Divine Mother, so this month, let’s discover God as “Abba” Father and explore the nature of divine masculinity within all of us. Discover a welcoming community this Saturday at Christ Church’s Center for Spiritual Nourishment, a monthly interfaith gathering dedicated to engaging your mind, body, and spirit. This month's sessions invite you to explore the nature of divine masculinity and experience God as "Abba" Father through a series of thoug

Pentecost II at Christ Church 8:00 Holy Eucharist in Old Brick 9:00 Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 Choral Eucharist in New Brick Collect for Today: O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: Hosea 5:15-6:6 Psalm 50:7-15 Romans 4: