Christ Church Outreach News: June 12, 2025
- Christ Episcopal Church
- Jun 11
- 4 min read
Supporting RISE to Help Neighbors in Need in Baltimore County
Christ Church continues to join several congregations in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area that support RISE, a ministry that offers food and other aid to struggling families.
The Outreach Commission voted to send $250 for RISE to its founder, Christ the King (CTK), at its June meeting. Funds are derived from a Vestry-approved budget drawn from your pledges and contributions. This is in keeping with our mission to support organizations—local, national, and international—that enhance the lives of people in need. Many thanks for your generosity!
CTK is an Episcopal parish in the Woodlawn area of Baltimore County. Its partners include a Roman Catholic parish and an Episcopal/Lutheran congregation in Arbutus, Md. CTK lists the ministry’s purpose on the “Our Story” part of the parish website:
“RISE is actively seeking to connect and form new partnerships, working with others to overcome the challenges of food insecurity, language barriers, insufficient housing, under-employment, transportation limitations, racism, and the trauma of economic insecurity.”
The ministry includes a program helping mothers and babies and another called “Camp in a Bag” that is aimed at children. But RISE is primarily known for twice-monthly distributions of free food such as produce, rice, beans, and maseca. Last year Christ Church gave RISE both in-kind and monetary donations.
We received a note of gratitude from CTK’s rector, The Rev. Mary Eliot, a former member of the clergy at Christ Church. In November 2024, she wrote: “It has been a busy year at RISE. The number of neighbors seeking support continues to increase – with food prices! By December, RISE will feed 20,000 neighbors this year, more than 60,000 since starting in 2020. It would not be possible without your support. Thank you from our neighbors and the RISE team.”
Food distributions take place on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at CTK, 1930 Brookdale Rd., 20244, which is just off Security Boulevard in Baltimore County. The next dates are Wednesday, June 25 and Wednesday, July 9.
Volunteers are welcomed to help with preparation as well as distribution. For more information and to sign up, go online to “What is RISE.”
Columbia Community Care Holds Caribbean Day Party as a Fundraiser on Saturday, June 14, from Noon to 6 p.m. at Reckless Shepherd Brewing Co.
Plan an afternoon getaway to the islands by attending a Caribbean-themed fundraiser for Columbia Community Care (CCC) on Saturday, June 14, from noon to 6 p.m. CCC describes the event as a fun-filled day of Caribbean music and vendors who will be selling food and refreshing drinks.
The venue is the back patio of Reckless Shepherd Brewing Co., 8895 McGaw Rd., Columbia Md., 21045. Admission is $20, which includes one complimentary drink. Patrons are encouraged to order tickets online at a cost of $23.18 per person.
All proceeds go to CCC, whose resources for youth and families include free groceries, diapers, and other necessities for those in need. If you or someone you know could benefit, please go online to the “Get Help” portion of CCC’s website. Or learn how to volunteer at three distribution sites on Saturdays, or in other ways, by visiting CCC’s “Volunteer” page. Find updates on the CCC Facebook Group.
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.
An Interfaith Vigil for Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Immigrants
In recognition of World Refugee Day and the difficulties facing immigrants and refugees worldwide, we ask that you please consider attending the Interfaith Vigil for Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Immigrants on Sunday, June 29.
Coordinated by a cross-section of congregations involved in immigrant and refugee work, and attended by participants from many faiths, this Interfaith Vigil is hosted by the Columbia Jewish Congregation, one of our strong partners in the Christ Church Interfaith Refugee Ministry. Beginning at 5:00 p.m. on June 29, the Vigil will be held at the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center - “The Meeting House” - at 5885 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia 21045. This important gathering is open to the public – please invite your family, friends, and neighbors.
FISH Asks for Volunteers As Well as Groceries and Toiletries in its Bin and Basket
FISH of Howard County is calling for 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 bin on the breezeway. The neighbors you help are grateful for all you do in their support.
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.
