Who Are Your Enemies? How Do You Love Them? By Rachel Held Evans   When I was in fourth grade, I had a nemesis. Let’s call her Samantha. Samantha was popular, pretty, rich, and bossy. Her golden locks were always pulled into a bouncy ponytail on the side of her head and topped with an elaborate bow. She wore name-brand clothes, used name-brand school supplies, and came from a name-brand family. As the teacher’s pet, Samantha would put in a good word for the classmates she liked while tattling on the classmates she didn’t like. She didn’t like me. So whenever my Sunday school teacher explained that Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for those that persecuted us, I thought of Samantha and prayed for her. It seems silly now, but back then I was absolutely convinced that Samantha was my enemy. I thought about this last night while reading Gregory Boyd’s  The Myth of a Christian Nation —a surprisingly inspirational and challenging book.  Writes Boyd: "While people in the kingdom of the world usually do good to those who do good to them, followers of Jesus are called to do good even to those who harm them (Luke 6:34-35). When struck on the check, we are to offer up the other (Luke 6:29). When asked by an oppressive Roman guard to carry his equipment one mile, we are to offer to carry it two (Matthew 5:41). Understood in their original context, these teachings do not tell us to allow people to abuse us, as though we are to love our enemies but not ourselves. To the contrary, Jesus is giving us a way by which we can keep from being defined by those who act unjustly toward us. When we respond to violence with violence, whether it be physical, verbal, or attitudinal, we legitimize the violence of our enemy and sink to his level. When we instead respond unexpectedly—offering our other cheek and going a second mile—we reveal, even as we expose the injustice of his actions, that our nemesis doesn’t have the power to define us by those actions." So far, Boyd’s book has been a profound reminder to me of how the kingdom of heaven should stand in direct contrast to the kingdoms of the world, as followers of Christ choose servanthood over power, healing over violence, giving over taking. Just thinking about how dramatically such a grassroots kingdom could transform the world has once again restored my faith in the radical message of Jesus. It’s been a convicting read. As I thought about how to apply these teachings practically, a lot of strategies came to mind—putting the needs of others before my own, buying less and giving more, humbling myself when engaged in political or theological debates, embracing rather than complaining about those “one-way relationships,” praying for others more sincerely, saying “yes” a little more often, working on that ubiquitous sense of entitlement and pride that keeps me from going the extra mile. But when I considered how to love my enemies, I sorta drew a blank. In light of the genuinely brutal persecution faced by the first followers of Jesus and by the early church, anyone I might consider an enemy seemed little more than a grown-up version of Samantha. Sure, I’m not a fan of Calvinism…but are Calvinists my enemies? Certainly not. What about Al Qaeda or the Taliban? I suppose that technically they are my enemies, but it’s not like I interact with them on a regular basis. How am I supposed to love them? I feel remarkably blessed to be faced with little more than petty arguments and silly resentments in my life…especially in a world of so much injustice.  So how do I love my “enemies” when, by the grace of God or good luck or a little of both, I don’t really have any? And in light of this fact, shouldn’t it be easier for me to love the Samanthas in my life?   Who are your “enemies”? How do you love them? How do you "keep from being defined by those who act unjustly" toward you or those you love? Learn more about Rachel Held Evans at https://rachelheldevans.com reprinted with permission

Howard County, March, 2026 (13) I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (14) Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, (15) I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. (16) Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Photo credit - Lynn Foor (thank you!)   #GodsCovenant   #bibletruth   #howardcountymd   #columbiamd   #Godiseverywhere   #episcopal   #episcomd

Lent IV at Christ Church We have three services this Sunday morning: Holy Eucharist in Old Brick at 8:00, Family Worship in New Brick at 9:00, and Choral Eucharist in New Brick at 10:30. Collect for Today: Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 23 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 Sermon for This Sunday: The Rev. Yehinuel Odidi delivers this Sunday's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once the service has begun. Sunday Worship Livestream: Our service livestream begins just before 10:30 a.m. The service leaflet for this worship is here .

It’s almost the weekend - and so, it's almost time for CSN! We look forward to seeing you at the Center for Spiritual Nourishment at Christ Church this Saturday morning. Join us at 8:30 for a nice breakfast and fellowship before we begin the morning's sessions, or just meet us at 9. And this month - the theme is "Letting Go to Make Room" - there are many insightful and life-enriching sessions to choose from - visit https://cecevents.org/CSN for all of the details. As we walk our Lenten journey, we can sometimes rest in an uncomfortable in-between place, journeying through the wilderness, waiting on the Holy Spirit to clear out what is not of God, and making space for what is growing within us. CSN provides opportunities for us to be in a closer relationship with God through an array of experiences that engage the mind, body, and spirit.   #SpiritualNourishment   #feedyourspirit   #episcomd   #columbiamd   #columbiamaryland   #spirituality   #spiritualgrowth   #spiritualjourney   #spiritualhealing

A few months ago, my family celebrated the 40-year anniversary of my father’s passing. It was a surreal moment for me. When I had the opportunity to speak, one of the points that I made was that I am not sure if I ever fully grieved my father’s passing. I still carry with me some residue of grief, and I don’t know if I will ever get over it. Grief, in itself, is a powerful human experience that encompasses every single aspect of our lives. The truth is, we grieve because of loss - deep loss. We don’t only grieve when we have lost a loved one, like my father, who passed on over 40 years ago, or my sister, who passed on recently, or all of the loved ones that we each have lost over many, many years. We grieve because of a loss that we may feel in our lives. And whereas the loss may take different forms, the grief may also differ. It may be individual or communal. For good reasons, I’d like to focus on the communal grief that we all share as Americans. The losses that have caused this immense grief in our society didn’t begin yesterday, last week, last month, last year, or even the last decade. It is the kind of loss that has festered in our communities over a long, long time. And the tragedy is that we seem incapable of dealing with the deep sense of loss that we each feel. Many of us grieve the loss of norms that we came to believe held our society together. Some of these norms are generally unsaid, but they go to the heart of what we believe a decent society should aspire to. It used to be that using derogatory words or slurs against people of Color, or our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ community, was not tolerated; people generally do not use those slurs in public. But now we use them with little to no remorse. It used to be that during the State of the Union address, there was some modicum of respect accorded to the President. But if you watched the last State of the Union address, you would wonder what was going on. We grieve over things like these. We also grieve over the loss of the American Dream. The first time I learned about the American Dream was in Atlanta. Although the words seemed strange at first, the concept did not. I figured there was some hope in it. Over time, I have learned that every American who works hard can purchase a home, raise a family, retire after a career in the industry of his or her choice, and live the rest of his or her days helping raise the grandchildren. As lofty and hopeful as this dream is, we grieve because, for many of our loved ones and neighbors, it isn’t their reality. The economy has been so stacked against millions that they can only view the American Dream from afar. We also grieve this loss because we don’t think our children and grandchildren may be able to afford this dream, which has turned out to be more expensive than it should be.   We grieve over the loss of honesty in the public square. For some strange reason, we have a situation where facts are manipulated by the news media and our political leaders to suit their own parochial interests. For many of these people, facts don’t matter, honesty doesn’t matter, and truth, like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder. Consider the initial description of Alex Preethi, the nurse who was assassinated in Minneapolis, or the events of January 6, 2020, when the Capitol was ransacked by Americans. It stretches credulity to believe in any other narrative other than what we all witnessed with our very own eyes on TV. But we are being invited not to believe what we saw. We grieve the loss of good neighborliness. Some of us are not as neighborly as we used to be. People desire to be good neighbors. People want to be good neighbors. But the overall lack of trust has reached the point where we don’t relate well to each other, so we cannot be good neighbors. Over many years, I have heard stories of neighbors pulling together to help a neighbor in distress. I have heard how helpful some neighbors have been to each other, especially to the children. We grieve. We grieve the loss of our inability to hold face-to-face conversations with our children, partners, friends, colleagues, and many others. Someone once told me that Elon Musk once said that one of his children said, "Friday nights are when we eat with strangers." This is because the family goes out for dinner every Friday. I am not sure if your family has a similar practice. What amazes me is that you and I go to a restaurant only to see ourselves and other people who are supposed to be conversing with each other, spending the majority of our time on our phones. People can’t seem to put their phones down. Families can’t seem to put their phones down and focus on each other. I don’t think it is because people don’t want to talk to each other; what we are saying is that we don’t find each other interesting enough to put our phones down to focus on each other. We grieve the failure of our institutions. We grieve the loss of Main Street and the life it once brought to small-town America. We grieve the loss of Civil Liberties, which guarantee freedom, accessibility, and progress for all. We grieve the loss of many different aspects of the life and limb that held our common lives together, albeit imperfectly. For some of us, our grief is similar to Jesus’ grief over Jerusalem. Hear Jesus’ lament: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Jesus grieves over Jerusalem because Jerusalem had not fulfilled its true promise of what it can be for its own people. Jerusalem appears to be a pale shadow of itself. Jerusalem had woefully failed to look in the different array of mirrors that were presented to it by different prophets. The truth is, those who step away from God step away from accountability, reckoning, responsibility, and answering. This is because God is all about accountability. We have stepped away from God, and our society has gradually done so as well, thereby making us less accountable to each other. To be open to being accountable is to continue to walk with God. Lent is about our willingness to walk with God because it expresses our desire to be accountable. Lent is about grieving and knowing that your grief is not in vain because you are holding yourself and others accountable.  Manny+

DreamBuilders Has its Largest Fundraising Dinner this Weekend! - March 14 DreamBuilders Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction Fundraiser is happening this Saturday, March 14. DreamBuilders will build three complete houses from the foundation up during their mission trip this coming June. In addition to sending volunteers, DreamBuilders also pays for the housing supplies, which cost nearly $75,000. They raise this money in various ways, but by far the biggest single fundraiser is the Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction. We need help at this event, both from youth and adults! It is a fun evening, and we do our best to schedule people in shifts so you can also enjoy your evening. Youth can also get volunteer hours, so everyone gets something important from this wonderful initiative. Plus, Small Delusions will be performing at this year's dinner, so great music will also be happening! Here is a  link to a sign up sheet , or if you can help and just want to reply to this announcement, Stacey Frith or Cathy Gold can help you get set up. Email them at info@christchurchcolumbia.org  and they will get you started. But act now - it's only two days away! Runners Will Raise Awareness of Suicide Prevention and Support Grassroots at ‘Light the Night’ 5K and Community Event on March 27 Put on your running shoes or turn out to cheer the athletes who enter the fifth annual “Light the Night” 5K , a public awareness event to be held Friday, March 27. It is intended as a “county-wide acknowledgement that we support and care for those impacted by suicide.”   Sponsors are the Howard County Department of Health, the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks, and Bullseye Running. Proceeds go to the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center  and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Maryland  (AFSP Maryland).   Christ Church is a long-time supporter of Grassroots, which in addition to helping the homeless, provides 24-hour crisis intervention that includes a supportive counseling hotline .    “Light the Night” takes place at Oakland Mills High School, 9410 Kilimanjaro Rd., in Columbia, where speakers active in suicide prevention will deliver remarks at 6:30 p.m. The race begins at 7 p.m. There will be activities for non-runners, fun take-home items such as bracelets and keychains, and resource packets on suicide prevention.   In addition to raising awareness to save lives, the organizers will accept donations that will go to Grassroots and AFSP Maryland. AFSP is the largest private funder of suicide prevention research; it also creates and hosts education programs, leads public policy efforts on mental health, and supports suicide-loss survivors.    Runners are encouraged to sign up here . Registration is $36 plus online processing fees. Runners’ regular packet and shirt pickup is on Thursday, March 26, from 5:45 to 7 p.m. at Feet First, 5305 Village Center Drive, #110, Columbia, MD 21044. On race day, runners’ late packet and shirt pickup begins at 6 p.m.  Christ Church Supports Eye Care at Future Somos Amigos’ Clinics   For the first time in its nearly 30-year history of delivering basic health care in the Dominican Republic, Somos Amigos Medical Missions   has begun providing eye care. At its clinic in January, a Dominican optometrist evaluated 28 patients. They received prescriptions for glasses and were screened for conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma.    The plan is to continue offering optometry on-site in addition to the medical, dental, and pharmaceutical services that people have come to depend upon in this rural, mountainous area. Previously, a supply of reading glasses or referrals to more distant care were the only options.   To support Somos Amigos’ new vision component, the Outreach Commission at its March meeting approved a donation of $750. These are Vestry-approved funds derived from your pledges and contributions. In addition, we are conveying a parishioner’s designated donation to Somos Amigos for the same cause. Thank you!   When Founder and Executive Director Frank Brightwell made his annual visit to Christ Church on March 1, he thanked the congregation while delivering   the sermon  during worship services. At Sunday Circle, his remarks included a recap of the January clinic, one of four held in Naranjito each year. For its residents, the nearest health care is more than two hours away.   Volunteers in January included Dione and Jim Mahoney and Dione’s sister and brother-in-law, D esiree and Jorge Arce, as well as the Arce’s nephew, Ivan. All are in a video about Somos Amigos’ plans for the future. You can view the video, “Opening New Doors,” on   the Somos Amigos portion   of the church website.   Dates of future clinics are April 11-18, July 11-18, and Oct. 10-17, 2026. Go   here  for volunteer information. Or ask p arishioners who have volunteered, including Outreach member Shahra Toth and physicians Ellen Boudreau and Preethi Jackson.  A Kindness Pantry Update, and Words of Thanks First, I want to thank Jenny Cecil, Jan DeBoissiere, Sara Kirkpatrick, and all of you who supplied our Kindness Pantry in February. I am so grateful for a team of such dedicated parishioners who know the importance of fulfilling our partnership with Lake Elkhorn. Yesterday was a very special yearly event at LEMS - the Black History Month Celebration (see photo) . This year, the theme was "Celebrating 100 Years of Black History: Because of Them We Can." One hundred years ago, Carter G. Woodson introduced the concept of Negro History Week, which has since become a month-long celebration emphasizing that Black history is American history.   As attendees entered, they were greeted by the flavorful aroma of collard greens cooked by Harlem's Sylvia Woods, the Queen of Soul Food. Students invited everyone to taste this classic dish. On the way out, we were given tickets to an ice cream treat because Augustus Jackson, a White House chef and businessman in Philadelphia, developed the modern method of manufacturing ice cream. We walked to the Learning Center through the hallways past student statues of some of the many influential figures of Black American history: Huey Newton, Judge Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Mae Jameison, Louis Armstrong, and Madame C. J. Walker. These were impressive tableaux of culturally and historically significant people and events that the students studied in February. In addition, each classroom door was decorated to reflect the content area connection to Black Americans and their contributions to our country. During the program, the LEMS Chorus, Band, Chamber Orchestra, Invisible Changemakers Dance Group, and individual student poets shared their impressive talents with the audience. These performances were interspersed with explanations of important historical events and trends such as the history of Black dance, the Harlem Renaissance, and the development of the Latino Black community. The students were extraordinarily proud of all that they had learned, and with good reason. This is an event not to be missed at LEMS. I hope you will come and experience it for yourself next year. MOCC: Comfort Cases' Fundraising Initiatives March Madness is almost here, and there’s still time to be part of the   2026 Comfort Cases Bracket Pool !   Enter for a chance to win 30% of the total prize pot, all while supporting children entering foster care. Make a $25 donation to receive two brackets, doubling your chances to win and your impact. In the event of a tie, the winnings will be evenly split among the winners. It’s competition with a cause, and every bracket helps bring comfort and dignity to children who need it most.  From March 17–20, your generosity can go even further. During GlobalGiving’s Little by Little Campaign, $125,000 in matching funds will be available to amplify donations made through  Comfort Cases' donation portal . This special four-day campaign coincides with the end of Ramadan, a meaningful time of reflection, generosity, and community support. By simply donating through their GlobalGiving page, you help unlock additional funds that allow us to serve even more children entering foster care! Please Bring Diapers, Non-Perishables for CCC/FISH, And Consider Volunteering from Home to Take Phone Calls From Neighbors in Need FISH and Columbia Community Care (CCC) partnered last year and merged their pantries. CCC continues to hand out food at three sites on Saturday mornings and by home delivery to Howard County residents. For information, go online to Get Help . Find CCC updates on its Facebook page . 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, offering guidance and financial assistance, because the personal touch is very important when people are in crisis. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong (above photo) or email him at 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 always for your support. Kenya Connect 5k Run - March 28 Kenya Connect, an outreach partner of St. John's in Ellicott City, is holding its 12th annual 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, March 28th, at St. John's. The 5K builds community while supporting the work of  Kenya Connect  to provide children with options and new pathways in rural Kenya.  We welcome individual participants or a team from Christ Church. We will have post-race goodies, including a Kenyan crafts market with items made by women and men in our village. We also provide hand-carved medallions from Wamunyu to the top three women and men in all age categories.  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.

There seems to be a symbiotic relationship between having healthy self-esteem and having faith. If you have faith, you believe that good things will happen to you or that if bad things happen, it's not the end of the world. This is also enhanced by healthy self-esteem. If you believe that good things will happen and bad things are not the end of the world, you have the faith to wait on what God has in store for you, whereas healthy self-esteem helps to decrease impulses to go around corners or try to fix things in ways that are unhealthy because you expect that things will be ok.   So, in a final analysis, having healthy self-esteem feeds being faithful toward behaving in a way that puts all things in trust with God.

Lent II at Christ Church We have three services this Sunday morning: Holy Eucharist in Old Brick at 8:00, Family Worship in New Brick at 9:00, and Choral Eucharist in New Brick at 10:30. Collect for Today: O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 121 Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 John 3:1-17 Sermon for This Sunday: Frank Brightwell at Somos Amigos delivers this Sunday's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once the service has begun. Sunday Worship Livestream: Our service livestream begins just before 10:30 a.m. The service leaflet for this worship is here .

It’s almost the weekend!  And, therefore, almost time for CSN.  We look forward to seeing many of you at Christ Episcopal this Saturday morning.  8:30 AM is the start of breakfast if you’d like to come early for food and friendship.  9 AM is our opening with many wonderful sessions to choose from.  We wrap up between 11:30 and noon. As we walk our Lenten journey, we rest in that sometimes uncomfortable in-between place.  We journey through the wilderness, waiting on the Holy Spirit to clear out what is not of God to make space for what is growing within us.  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 spirit. Programs for March center around the theme “Letting Go to Make Room” and include: Meditation, Spiritual Direction, Sacred Art, and discussions on journeying in the wilderness. You can learn more about the 2nd Saturday CSN at our website www.christchurchcolumbia.org/spiritual-nourishment . If you want to learn more about future Center for Spiritual Nourishment events, submit your email address below to receive regularly updated information (we will not share or sell your address to anyone). Whether you've joined us before or are a first-timer, we are sure that there's something special waiting for you here. Everyone is welcome, and we hope to see you there! Schedule of Events: 8:30 – 9:00: Breakfast and social time 9:00 - 9:10: Greeting; Outline the day's sessions 9:10 – 10:05: Setting Down What We Carry                     Drawn to God : Praying Through Art (Desert Art) Spiritual Direction Circle 9:10 - 11:15: Movie and Discussion: Amistad 10:15 – 11:15: Christian Meditation · Contemplative Christianity                       Fr. Manny: Journeying through the Wilderness 11:30 – 12:00: Reflection Circle Join us on Saturday, March 14 as we offer: Drawn to God: Praying Through Art led by Leah Chrest Create beautiful colored pencil desert drawings as we reflect on what is growing and blooming within us during this time in the wilderness.  God gave everyone a gift-  a special aptitude, ability, power or talent. And gifts are meant to be an act. A verb  - to bestow, share and connect. “ Drawn to God” is a place for spiritual nourishment through the practice of creating.  Creating ways to engage with God. A short session of fellowship in process-oriented art projects. Art as Prayer and Prayer as Art. No matter what gifts or talents you bring, you will be inspired to become a maker- and enjoy a moment of creative flow. Plus it is just fun to make things. The joy is in the journey, your creation your reward. Setting Down What We Carry: Decluttering Spiritual Debt led by Toni Summerell Join us for a reflective and engaging session exploring the many ways Divine Love is expressed in our lives. Rather than viewing love as a single experience, this session invites participants to discover love as a sacred spectrum—friendship, family care, self-love, romantic connection, and unconditional love—each offering a unique window into the heart of the Divine. Through gentle reflection and interactive moments, we’ll consider where these forms of love are present, where they may be calling for growth, and how they work together to deepen our spiritual lives. This session is welcoming, thoughtful, and designed to help you recognize Divine Love already at work within and around you. Contemplative Meditation led by Leah Chrest Examine the life example and ministry of Ginny Owens and listen to her song and reflect/discuss the lyrics of If You Want Me To .  Finally, be led into a guided meditation on faith in the desert before resting in the enriching silence of God’s presence.  In a mixture of teaching, discussion, and practice, strengthen your ability to engage in the equally important side of the conversation with God--if prayer is talking to the Lord, meditation is listening to God’s voice, and being changed by God’s presence. Journeying through the Wilderness: Transformational Knowing of Self and God led by the Rev. Emmanuel Ato Mercer How well do you know yourself? How well do you know God? This is an invitation to the kind of transformation that is possible only through the knowledge of self and then of God. Using the Apostle Peter as a case study, we will explore how knowledge of the self, led to the knowledge of God which then spurred his transformation. Film Screening: Amistad led by George Toth A true story of a Spanish-owned slave ship, La Amistad , which experiences a revolt in 1839 of Mende captives during which members of the crew are killed.  The disabled ship is captured off the coast of Long Island, and then the legal struggle beings: the courts must decide whether the Mende are slaves and property, or free men and kidnapped victims by the ship’s company - as well as their guilt or innocence of the killings which occurred. Laws governing the slave trade of the U.S. and diplomatic U.S.-Spanish relations heighten the conflict. Don't miss this classic. Spiritual Direction Circle led by Carol Abbott Through poetry and shared experiences we’ll explore in-between times and how we avoided or entered into the waiting time.  In this spiritual discernment and direction group we practice listening deeply to each other using prompts from scripture, poetry, nature, and our bodies. These practices are designed to help us notice and respond to the voice of the Holy moving in our lives. Have Questions? Wish to Help Lead Future CSN Sessions?   #nourishyourspirit   #SpiritualNourishment   #allarewelcome   #RefreshYourSpirit   #divinelove   #hocomd   #episcomd   #columbiamd   #columbiamaryland

I ended the Christ Church worship on Sunday, January 18, on a day dedicated to honoring Martin Luther King, in tears as the congregation rang out with the chorus of We Shall Overcome: “We shall live in peace” “We are not afraid” “Deep in my heart, I do believe” I cried because of the state of the world. I cried because of the hatred and polarization in our cities, our nation, and our world. I cried because I am afraid, because we are not living in peace, and because we have not overcome. I cried because the suffering has been too great.   As I listened to the last two verses of the song, this great song of resilience and hope, I heard the Lord say, “Your hope is in me.” Yes! Our hope is in the Lord. The scriptures came back to me… hope does not disappoint from Romans 5: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus. And hope does not disappoint…… We have peace.  The cries of a tarnished humanity amid the weapons of the wicked of the wicked seem to have triumphed. As my husband reminded me as we left church that Sunday, “We know how it ends.” We know how the story ends, that is, we know that Jesus has paid it all, and has overcome death, hell, and the grave. Yes, indeed, we do know.  When I lean in, all the way in, to seek God’s face, and learn more about His will, I am always, always, always encouraged.

Courtesy of Christ Church's resident poet, Pamela Pruitt. Thank you, Pam!