Pentecost XXII and Youth Sunday 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist in Old Brick 9:00 a.m. Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist in New Brick Collect for Today: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen . Today's Readings: Isaiah 65:17-25 Canticle 9 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19 Sermon for Today: The incredible Christ Church Youth will give today's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once the service starts. Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

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 to us, in just the same way as grace isn’t visible to us, but we can feel its prevalence. Like our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, Episcopalians also recognize seven sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Ordination, Penance, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction. However, Episcopalians have divided these seven into two - major sacraments and minor sacraments. The major sacraments are Baptism and Eucharist, and they are major because Jesus Christ commanded them and are necessary for our salvation. The minor - Confirmation, Matrimony, Penance, Ordination, and Extreme Unction - were developed by the Church and are highly recommended, but they are not necessary for our salvation. Of the two sacraments that are necessary for our salvation, the Eucharist stands out as the perpetual nourisher and sustainer of our relationship with God. Our relationship with God was first established through our Baptism. Although Baptism makes us members of the household of God, it is the Eucharist upon which we feed as members of God’s household that provides us with the energy and the reason to integrate spiritual practices into daily living. The Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word eucharistein, means "to give thanks." The Eucharist, then, is   an action of thanksgiving to God . A remarkable feat of Christian spirituality is that we approach the Eucharist not as righteous or perfect people. We recognize our brokenness. We know of the brokenness of our neighbors and all with whom we gather for fellowship and worship. And we are very much aware of the brokenness of the world in which we live. Yet we still pursue this act of thanksgiving because that's our tangible way to honor God. The Eucharist also doesn’t deceive us into thinking ourselves better than others. We come to the Eucharist table because that’s where we are truly mended, that’s where we are truly healed, and that’s where we establish hope in ourselves and each other. Here's what Mother Mectilde said: “Through Holy Communion, Jesus enters into us to continue in each soul his holy life, to continue in each of us his adoration, his prayer, his love and his sacrifice, in such a way that, when we have received communion, we should not do anything at all except cling to him, and unite or allow our heart and our mind to be united to all the actions that he brings about in us, working in us in our name, that is, for us, as if we were the ones doing it ” Sacramental Living is the inverse of what a sacrament is, or two sides of the same coin. You can refer to it as an approach to life that is anchored in one’s ability to integrate spiritual practices into daily living with the goal of producing a particular outcome. Here are some examples for you. I had lunch with a parishioner yesterday. And in our conversation, the story of Charlie Kirk came up. The parishioner told the story of the young widow pronouncing forgiveness to the assassin who violently took the life of her husband. I said to the parishioner that that act alone was an example of Sacramental Living. A few days ago, many of our parishioners gathered at Giant Food, Dorsey Hall, to solicit food items from shoppers. It is always an interesting experience because you get a sense of how different people react to those who are only asking for help. And in some cases, shoppers do not even have the patience to wait and hear what they are being asked to do. The joy of putting ourselves out there reminds me of the true value in Sacramental Living. This is because, without integrating our deepest spiritual practices into daily living, we will find no reason to join others in collecting over 2,000 pounds of food for the Howard County Food Bank. Each year, we are invited to support our common life through a pledge. In many ways, one could argue that this is the wrong time to even invite parishioners to pledge, when they are facing myriad financial and other issues. To pledge is a form of Sacramental Living. And we pledge, not out of abundance, but because we have successfully integrated our spirituality into our daily life, to the point where pledging as a form of our giving becomes sacrificial. Sacramental Living is sacrificial living because it calls upon you to deny yourself and take up the cross. And the idea of denying yourself can happen because within you is a fire that’s been ignited by the Eucharist. “Yes, a single Communion is enough to make us burn all our life and to have this fire always with us,” Mother Mectilde said. And this fire lights the path for us to see the best way to integrate our spirituality into our daily lives. In front of the ambo in the sanctuary is a basket. By the door to our Church Office is a container. Two days ago, on Veterans Day, I came to the office and saw by the container in the breezeway, lots of food items that had been donated. I don’t know who donated them and why. All I know is that that was a form of Sacramental Living. I believe, without any shadow of doubt, that it is through the acts of Sacramental Living that we create visibility, not for ourselves, not even for our church or any other church, but for the good news of Christ Jesus. One of our parishioners, Ann Barnes, who comes to the office every week to work on some of our Refugee Ministry's financial responsibilities, once said to me, “There are still some good people around.” To be one of those good people who are still around, listen to what Mother Mectilde said: “Your soul is dead if it is not animated by the life of Jesus. He comes in this Sacrament of love in order to communicate it to you. Be like the dead man in his coffin: without any resistance to the divine power. Allow Jesus to touch you and say to you today, Surge a mortuis. Rise from the death of sin and yourself. Rise from the midst of the dead, and Jesus Christ will enlighten you.” Rise from the dead so that you can live sacramentally - for a resurrected soul is the kind that can no longer see anything but Jesus. Manny+

Christ Church volunteers succeeded during our Fall Food Drive this past Saturday, November 8, in collecting items for the Howard County Food Bank and its partner pantry, SAFE. The collection filled the Knox family’s truck to the brim, and we raised over two thousand pounds - ONE TON - of donated food and goods, which is the most we've ever collected when compared to our eight previous drives. Incredible! We also raised over $400, including some donations by parishioners, for the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), which operates the food bank. “Amazing!” responded a representative of CAC, who came to the loading dock as quantities of items were weighed, ranging from canned soups and vegetables to huge boxes of diapers. SAFE leaders wrote: “These donations will make a difference to the many clients we serve. Please convey our appreciation to all…congregants who participated in the food drive on our behalf.” SAFE praised the “variety and quality” of goods that we delivered in seven containers, including 42 boxes of cereal and 43 pounds of tuna. Parishioners did their part beforehand or afterward, while others joined Father Manny and members of the Vestry and Outreach Commission volunteering on Saturday afternoon in Ellicott City – all doing God’s work. Thanks to each and every helping hand! Read all about recent Christ Church Outreach initiatives and gatherings on our blog - https://cecevents.org/OutreachNews-Nov13   #outreach   #OutreachMinistry   #OutreachInAction   #OutreachWithPurpose   #episcomd   #makeadifference

Setting Our Own Record, Volunteers Collected More Than One Ton of Goods During the Christ Church Fall Food Drive Christ Church volunteers succeeded during our Fall Food Drive this past Saturday, November 8, in collecting items for the Howard County Food Bank and its partner pantry, SAFE . The collection filled the Knox family’s truck to the brim (see photos) and amounted to 1,776 pounds at weigh-in. SAFE reported its portion of gluten-free goods weighed 307, giving us a total of 2,083 pounds. Since a ton weighs 2,000 pounds, that means we raised over one ton of donated food and goods, which is the most we've ever collected when compared to our eight previous drives, which began in 2018, with a hiatus during the pandemic. Incredible!   Working in shifts outside Dorsey’s Search Giant supermarket, some volunteers packed non-perishables while others approached dozens of shoppers, many of whom said they were eager to help struggling neighbors during the government shutdown. People bought items listed on our handouts, and others gave us cash and checks.   We raised $425, including some donations by parishioners, for the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), which operates the food bank. “Amazing!” responded a representative of CAC, who came to the loading dock as quantities of items were weighed, ranging from canned soups and vegetables to huge boxes of diapers. CAC thanks Christ Church for its partnership, especially during a time of great community needs due to the interruption of food-stamp benefits known as SNAP.   SAFE leaders wrote: “These donations will make a difference to the many clients we serve. Please convey our appreciation to all…congregants who participated in the food drive on our behalf.” SAFE praised the “variety and quality” of goods that Sonni Aribiah delivered in seven containers, including 42 boxes of cereal and 43 pounds of tuna.   Parishioners did their part beforehand or afterward, while others joined Father Manny and members of the Vestry and Outreach Commission volunteering on Saturday afternoon in Ellicott City – all doing God’s work. Thanks to each and every helping hand!  Please Pitch In! Bring Holiday Sides and Year-Round Staples by Thursday, Nov. 20 for our Thanksgiving Drive for the Howard County Food Bank Please make Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays special for those who find themselves depending on the Howard County Food Bank to feed their families. The staff of the food bank provides the makings of festive meals for 1,000 people for Thanksgiving and another 1,000 by Christmas and expects greater demand this year. Christ Church contributes to this effort through our traditional collection of non-perishables prior to Thanksgiving and by sending funds to CAC. The Outreach Commission approved a donation of $1,000, which goes in part to broaden options beyond a whole turkey. Shoppers may prefer a hen, turkey breast, or plant-based proteins. Complete the menu by bringing boxed mashed potatoes, stuffing mix, gravy, cranberry sauce, olives, pickles, and canned fruits and vegetables. Because household pantries may be bare, please add staples such as bags of rice, tuna, soups, pasta and sauce, peanut butter, and spices. Put items in the marked boxes in New Brick or on the Parish Hall breezeway in a bin labeled “Thanksgiving Food Drive". NOTE: No pies, other desserts, or rolls due to perishability. Deadline: Next Thursday, Nov. 20. Shop at the Cedar Lane School’s Holiday Bazaar this Saturday, November 15 Interested in handmade crafts or bargains? Considering picking up some "Thank You" gifts for your mail carrier or teacher? Then shop the Holiday Bazaar & Indoor Yard Sale presented by the Cedar Lane School PTA this Saturday, November 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christ Church parishioner Amanda Cheong is the organizer of this fundraising event, which the Cedar Lane School's PTA hosts to benefit students with special needs. The event also includes door prizes, kids’ activities, and a quilt raffle, and if you do attend, please bring some canned goods to support their food drive. For more information, you can view their Facebook link , then head to 11630 Scaggsville Road in Fulton this Saturday. Baltimore Seafarers' Christmas at Sea From now through next Sunday, November 23rd, the WOCC encourages you to consider donating items that will help the hard-working members of Baltimore International Seafarers' Center to stay warm and feel appreciated during this holiday season. Whether it's brightly-colored winter hats (no pom-poms), cold-weather gloves (no fringes or tassels), hand-warmers, handmade or store-bought cookies (a HUGE favorite; place the cookies in one-gallon-sized, zipper-lock storage bags), or any of the other items listed at www.BaltSeafarers.org/Christmas , everything helps these hard-working Seafarers have a safer and warmer Christmas. The Seafarers' Center is a nonprofit organization serving seafarers who call on the Port of Baltimore from all over the world and the port community as a whole. Their mission is to facilitate the well-being of crew members by offering transportation ashore, advocacy for their rights as seafarers and human beings, and hospitality while docked in Baltimore. Please bring your gifts to Christ Church and drop them off in the Tower Room's Seafarers box, located near the Outreach table, by November 23. The WOCC will then deliver these generous gifts to the Baltimore International Seafarers Center on November 24th. Thank you. We Still Need a Few Small Items for the LEMS Kindness Pantry We still need the following few items for this month's Kindness Pantry, so please visit CECevents.org/LEMS-Kindness to provide : Boxes of cereal Bags or boxes of white rice Granola bars Paper Towels All donations must be brought to the Narthex of New Brick by this Sunday, November 16, and placed in the blue bin. If you have any questions, please contact us at LEMS@ChristChurchColumbia.org . Thanks for helping! MOCC's Random Act of Kindness The MOCC's current R.A.K. ( Random Act of Kindness ) is supporting Comfort Cases, and they can use your donations and assistance. A Comfort Case is a small duffel bag or backpack designed to provide comfort for youth as they enter the local foster care system. 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 and care for the youngest is welcome. The MOCC is accepting donations from now through January 10th, and you can find details and a donation bin in the Narthex. You can also speak with Duane Smith, Ed Chrzanowski, or any other MOCC member to get more information about Comfort Cases or upcoming MOCC gatherings. FISH and CCC Have Combined Pantries, and FISH Needs Phone Volunteers FISH and  Columbia Community Care (CCC) partnered earlier this year and merged their food pantries. CCC continues its distributions at three sites on Saturday mornings and by home delivery to Howard County residents. For information, go online to Get Help or look for updates on CCC’s 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 keep bringing baby wipes and diapers, especially large sizes. FISH will continue to provide guidance and financial support by telephone because the personal touch is very important in times of crisis. Consider volunteering from home by dedicating just one day a month to assist those who could benefit from FISH's financial assistance. Training is provided. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong or email andydelong.fish@gmail.com . Thanks for your 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.

Women are invited to gather with us for the WOCC's Christmas Feast next month! We'll meet after church on Sunday, December 7th, at 1:00 p.m. at Kings Contrivance Restaurant for a wonderful meal, some holiday cheer, and some fellowship and fun. We’ll be collecting unwrapped gifts for Springfield Hospital to help bring some Christmas cheer to those in need, and you can find their wish list at https://cecevents.org/WOCC-SpringfieldGifts . The cost is $63 per person for a delicious 3-course meal and non-alcoholic drinks, all inclusive (fancy drinks can be purchased from the cash bar). Subsidies are available - just talk to Father Manny in private. Sign up in the Narthex by November 30th, or email WOCC@christchurchcolumbia.org . See you there!   #churchwomen   #FoodAndFellowship   #episcomd   #HoCoMD   #columbiamaryland   #columbiamd   #fellowship

This month, the Men of Christ Church have started their new Random Act of Kindness , by supporting youth entering the foster care system, and they invite you to take part. Comfort Cases is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in the foster care system. The organization provides children entering foster care with a new backpack or duffel bag filled with essential and comfort items, replacing the practice of giving children trash bags to carry their belongings. Comfort Cases believes that every child deserves to feel a sense of dignity. Every child deserves to pack their belongings in a special bag that they can call their very own. Every child deserves a cozy new pair of pajamas, a brand-new warm blanket, and a new stuffed animal to hug during the traumatic transition into foster care. The MOCC has created a donation station in the Narthex of New Brick. It encourages everyone to donate new duffel bags, backpacks, youth pajamas, stuffed animals, and blankets for Comfort Cares to distribute to new youth entering foster care. In today's world, more children enter foster care every day, so the need is great. Please drop off your donations from now through January 10, 2026, when you come to church. For more information, speak to any MOCC member or visit https://comfortcases.org

Youth Sunday is always one of those special days that we mark on the calendar well in advance - it's a day when our incredible youth serve as lectors sharing the readings of the day, as ushers and greeters who welcome us all to church, who lead us in prayer for one another and the world, and who provide a unique sermon from their essential point of view. This is a day of worship not to be missed. Come and gather with us - ALL ARE WELCOME.   #YouthSunday   #youthsunday   #OurYouth   #OurYouthMatter   #OurYouthOurFuture   #episcomd   #HoCoMD   #hocomd   #worship   #columbiamd

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY. This Auction was absolutely the most fun! And that is due to all the people who participated. THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DID BEFORE THE AUCTION BEGAN. ~To those who donated such splendid items ~To those who came early on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to set up ~To those who stayed to the bitter end to help put everything away ~To those who spent many long hours entering all the items into the Catalog ~To those who arranged the displays so beautifully THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DID ON SATURDAY EVENING. ~To those who checked in all the Auction attendees ~To the Vestry, who sold the 50/50 raffle tickets ~To those who donated the alcohol and glasses, and those who staffed the bar ~To those who brought delicious snacks to share ~To the auctioneers for an entertaining and profitable evening ~To the valiant tellers, who checked you all out and dealt with some challenging software issues during and after the Auction. T H A N K Y O U ~To everyone who came on Saturday evening to make this such a special and successful event ~And to the Christ Church Staff for all their support - a very special thank you! We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts! THE CHRIST CHURCH AUCTION COMMITTEE

Pentecost XXII 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist in Old Brick 9:00 a.m. Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist in New Brick Collect for Today: O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Today's Readings: Haggai 1:15b-2:9 Psalm 98 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 Luke 20:27-38 Sermon for Today: Rev. Yehinuel Odidi delivers today's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once the service starts. Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

A growing number of our neighbors can’t afford to buy groceries due to the government shutdown and an interruption in food-stamp benefits known as SNAP. The Community Action Council of Howard County  (CAC), which operates the Howard County Food Bank, has extended hours and has urged community support. One way to help is by manning the booth at the Fall Food Drive that Christ Church will hold this Saturday, Nov. 8, from 1 to 5 p.m., at Dorsey’s Search Giant supermarket, 4715 Dorsey Hall Drive, Ellicott City. The supermarket limits the size of our group; however, many of you have already signed up for a one-hour shift, so thank you! Another way is by doing a little shopping at Giant this Saturday, and the groceries collected from shoppers will go to the Food Bank and its gluten-free partner, SAFE .  Every package, every container, every bag, and every box of food makes a difference! If you are still interested in learning the many ways you can assist during this food crisis, please email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org to see which slots remain available or to get more information.