Christ Church Outreach News: July 30, 2026
- Christ Episcopal Church
- 14 minutes ago
- 6 min read
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.)
Parishioners are invited to gather in the Great Hall of New Brick after the 10:30 worship service concludes. Enjoy a light lunch, coffee, drinks, and desserts. We’ll hear from students and on-site leaders about personal and campus progress since our 2025 meetup. It’s a great show-and-tell.
Christ Church began supporting Sabina Primary School more than a decade ago by first establishing a library. Besides Sonni and Teddy Aribiah and sons, parishioners Steve and Linda Alpern and Ellen Boudreau Hoke and the late Charlie Hoke have traveled there. Consider making a future trip; you can inquire about it during the Q&A portion of our Zoom session.
Sabina’s library has become a resource not just for the school but for the surrounding community. The Outreach Commission at a recent meeting approved donating $3,300 to FOS to pay the librarian’s salary, periodical subscriptions, and a portion of internet service. Funds come from the Vestry-approved 2026 Outreach budget derived from your pledges and contributions. Thanks to all!
FOS operates the primary school and a nursery program that together enroll several hundred students in Sanje, Uganda. We’ll hear from Sabina Administrator Moses Nsubuga, Librarian Richard Tumusiime, and Sponsorship Coordinator Deborah Nakiduuli. We’re anticipating a performance by the choir and chats with sponsored students who remain at Sabina or who have completed primary grades and are progressing in secondary schools.
Nearly a dozen parishioners at Christ Church began sponsoring individual students in 2020, as described on the FOS page of the Christ Church website. FOS is now recruiting an additional sponsor: it could be you!
Each of these deserving youngsters comes from families who otherwise cannot afford their schooling, and sponsors commit to fund an annual scholarship and to keep in touch. One aim is to form relationships, like family across the miles. FOS helps accomplish that goal by encouraging an exchange of letters and occasional video calls. For information on becoming a sponsor, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org.
Registration is Open for DreamBuilders' Mission Trip to Puerto Rico on October 18-24, 2026
Hurricane Maria, a category 5 hurricane, struck Puerto Rico in September of 2017 with sustained winds of 155 mph. 53% of all structures on the island suffered major damage. Today, almost 9 years later, many families are still trying to repair their homes. We will be helping one of those survivors, Maria del Carmen Rivera Nieves. You can read about Maria and her project below.
We have worked with the nonprofit Apoyemos/One Hand Foundation of Puerto Rico, led by Kike Garcia, on a previous trip to the island. They will supply the materials needed and supervise our project. Maria's home needs windows, interior doors, ceiling panels, flooring, and more that we can't complete in one week. But we can make a big difference in moving her home closer to completion.
We will be staying at Posada Colonial Apartments in San Juan, where you can walk to an outstanding beach, and it is only 3 blocks from Calle Loiza, a street full of restaurants, cafes, and shops. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Cathy Gold (heycathy@verizon.net).
Trip Dates: October 18-24
Missioner Fee: $1100 (covers airfare, lodging, rental cars, and food)
Age Requirement: 18 or older
How Many? Maximum of 8 missioners
Partner Organization in Puerto Rico: Apoyemos/One Hand Foundation of Puerto Rico
If you would like to join the trip, please find instructions and the registration form on their website: dreambuildersmd.org/puerto-rico-trip-october-2026. Registration closes on July 31st.
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 sufficient clothing.
Dr. Liz Trimnell of Laurel, MD, founded the charity to provide Braille classes, vocational training, white canes, and similar aids to the blind. Read about its work on its Facebook page. She made a presentation last spring to the Outreach Commission, which is sponsoring the drive under the direction of Sonni Aribiah. Her planned shipment by ocean freighter is scheduled to arrive in time for Christmas in Calabar, Nigeria, Sonni’s hometown. The visually impaired men and women who rely on LALCF for better lives – and their spouses and children – eagerly anticipate its arrival.
At Christ Church, the deadline is Sunday, August 30, which is the same day as our Parish Festival & Ministry Fair. Look for the marked box in the Narthex. New or gently used clothing should be suitable for wear in a tropical climate and made of cotton, linen, flax, bamboo, and other natural fibers. No synthetics! Please bring the following:
Adult – t-shirts and polo shirts (Sizes S–XL); lightweight pants and jeans (waist sizes 28–42); shorts (S-XL); casual button-down shirts (S-XL); t-shirts (Sizes S-XL or 6-18); casual dresses and skirts (Sizes S–XL); blouses and tops (Sizes S-XL or 6-18).
Children – everyday play clothes for boys and girls; school-appropriate, all sizes; infant and toddler clothes, all sizes.
Please Fill the Altar Basket and Parish Hall Bin with Goods for FISH/CCC
FISH and Columbia Community Care (CCC) partnered last year and merged pantries. CCC continues to hand out food by home delivery to Howard County residents and at three sites on Saturday mornings, except on holiday weekends. For information, go online to Get Help.
FISH continues to pick up donated goods from Christ Church and others. Please put non-perishable food and personal care products in the altar basket or in a bin just inside the Parish Hall. Look for a combo label “FISH/CCC”. Please bring baby wipes and diapers, especially large sizes.
FISH will continue to provide telephone support to Howard County residents to provide guidance and financial support because the personal touch is very important when people are in crisis. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong or email andydelong.fish@gmail.com.
You could be the one to lend a helping hand by lending an ear! As a phone volunteer, you can help from your home by giving just one day a month to assist those who could benefit from financial assistance from FISH. Training is provided. Thank you!
Continue to Support the MOCC's Random Act of Kindness
The MOCC's current R.A.K. (Random Act of Kindness) is supporting Comfort Cases, and they continue to need donations. A Comfort Case is a small duffel bag or backpack designed to provide comfort to youth entering the local foster care system - many enter with nothing more than a simple trash bag - an item that provides no comfort or dignity at all.
In today's world, the number of kids entering the foster care system is rising, and so anything that can be done to help provide a level of comfort, compassion, and care for the youngest in our world is welcome. The MOCC is accepting donations throughout the summer, and you can find details and the donation bin in the Narthex. You can also speak with Duane Smith, Ed Chrzanowski, or any MOCC member to get more information about Comfort Cases, or click the link above.
Save the Date: ‘Birdies for Bridges’ Golf Tournament to be Held on Friday, Sept. 25 to Help Bridges to Housing Stability in Preventing Homelessness
It’s not too early to hit the practice greens. Bridges to Housing Stability will hold its annual Sheehy Toyota Birdies for Bridges Golf Tournament on Friday, Sept. 25, at The Timbers of Troy, 6100 Marshalee Dr., Elkridge, Md. Participants will help Bridges achieve its mission – advocating for affordable housing and helping individuals and families who struggle to keep a roof over their heads.
The tournament begins with a light breakfast, a shotgun start at 9 a.m., and a full day of golf, food, and awards. Check-in opens at 7:30 a.m. The cost for a single golfer is $200, or $800 for a foursome, which covers greens fees, unlimited range balls, food, and beverages.
The event is for a worthy cause. All proceeds from Birdies for Bridges will benefit Bridges and its work to provide a path to self-sufficiency to prevent and end homelessness through affordable housing solutions and advocacy in Howard County.
Christ Church has supported Bridges in various ways since 2019, most recently last fall, when a group of volunteers spent several workdays refurbishing a Columbia townhouse. Known as Guilford House, it is the residence of several returning citizens who have gotten their lives on track after incarceration. Bridges operates this transitional housing in partnership with the Howard County Department of Corrections.
Read about improvements – made indoors and out – by a team led by Vestry and Outreach member George Toth in the Outreach Blog of Dec.18, 2025. “The transformation is night and day!” said Sarah Hicks, Affordable Housing Program Manager at Bridges.
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.
