What a Haul! Thanks for Donating 462 Pounds of Thanksgiving Side Dishes for Distribution by the Howard County Food Bank Many Howard County households will be enjoying nutritious and festive Thanksgiving dinners, thanks to the generosity of Christ Church parishioners. We collected 462 pounds of goods such as stuffing mix, gravy, and canned fruits and vegetables. Thanks to each and every participant! With your help, the Howard County Food Bank expects to feed about 1,000 people for Thanksgiving and another 1,000 for Christmas by distributing "Holiday Meal Kits." Christ Church partners with the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), which operates the food bank. We further supported CAC with a monetary donation to make sure the type and amount of protein in its meal kits will match the nutritional needs of each household. On Nov. 18, Outreach Commission member Dione Mahoney and her husband, Jim, loaded and delivered the food, which included some pantry staples at CAC’s request. Our thanks go out to the Mahoneys! Angel Tree Drive Continues to Fulfill Christmas Wishes of a Dozen Children We’ve launched our annual effort to brighten Christmas for 12 children ages 10-to-12 to meet a need identified by the Howard County (Central Maryland) division of The Salvation Army. The nonprofit organization oversees the Angel Tree initiative here and elsewhere. The Outreach Commission invites you to purchase new clothing and other wished-for items to complete Christmas gift “packages” for young angels. Each girl or boy on our list will receive an outfit, consisting of pants and a top. Besides the clothing, there are three other categories for each angel: Wish, Need, and Educational Item. Some parishioners prefer to sign up for just one slot, such as the practical (need) category for a single child. Some parishioners desire to complete the entire “package’ for an angel by signing up in all four categories. Another shopper might choose the clothing (outfit) category for multiple angels. To participate, you can simply go online to view the list and make your choices on the Christ Church 2022 Angel Tree SignUp. It has instructions on next steps. Or, if you prefer an in-person signup, make your choices starting Sunday, Nov. 27, when the decorated Angel Tree will be on display in the Narthex. You can gaze at tags on the tree, in keeping with tradition, but the definitive list of the children’s names and needs will be displayed on a nearby easel. For those in Old Brick, we’ll bring the easel to you. In both locations, we’ll ask that you use the online form to sign up. Someone will be on hand after worship services on Sunday, Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 to assist if you wish to log on then. The deadline to bring in your unwrapped Angel Tree gifts is 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9. Please put them under the tree or in the Parish Hall conference room. With your help, we will lift the hearts not only of the angels but of their families. If you wish to participate by giving of your time, please volunteer for one of two duties: Sign-up or Fulfillment. The former is to help people on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 to log on to a device after services to sign up online. The latter takes place Dec. 10 when you collate packages or shop for -- but not pay for -- any unmet items. To volunteer, specify Sign-up or Fulfillment, or both, in an email to outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Columbia Community Care Takes a Holiday Break, Continues a Kids’ Gift Drive Again this year, Columbia Community Care (CCC) is holding its annual holiday drive to gather gifts and treats for children from 2 to 12 years old, as described in the CCC Facebook group. CCC is also recruiting volunteers to help sort Items and help to distribute them at Oakland Mills High School on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until supplies run out. For people who prefer a remote option, at least for shopping, CCC posted an Amazon wish list. For the sake of simplicity, the Outreach Commission is suggesting parishioners buy kids’ books, coloring books, and arts-and-crafts items, all of which can be obtained at a reasonable cost from multiple retailers. Please drop off new, unwrapped items by 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9. This is in addition to the typical collection at Christ Church, which consists of diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Please put the holiday items along with the usual ones in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. For those who volunteer or receive goods at CCC’s distribution sites, the organization is taking a Thanksgiving break. Sites and the shopper pantry will be closed and no home deliveries will be made on Saturday, Nov. 26. All volunteer slots that day have been canceled. CCC urges would-be volunteers to sign up for another day on its “I Can Help” site online. FISH Asks Our Prayers Along with Snacks and Cookies Our representative from FISH of Howard County recently had surgery. Paul Wisniewski is recovering; please pray for his good health. Pickups have resumed from our yellow bin between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. Please continue donating cookies, crackers, and snacks to fulfill the shopping lists. Thanks for your contributions to our neighbors in need. 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.

Thanksgiving Day worship takes place in Old Brick at 10 a.m., and everyone is welcome to gather with us. You can also join us virtually via our website, YouTube, or Facebook pages. Then be with us during any of our three worship services this Sunday morning - 8 a.m. in Old Brick, Family Worship at 9 a.m. in New Brick, and Holy Eucharist with music at 10:30 in New Brick. Nursery services are available for those who need them. We continue to follow the Green Post-Omicron Phase guidelines, which means that mask use is optional, though still recommended. As always, we'll livestream our 10:30 worship on the usual sites.

Christ the King Sunday 8:00 a.m. in Old Brick 9:00 Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. with Music and Choir in New Brick You can view our new Sunday schedule here. Collect for Today: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Today's Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6 Psalm 46 Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:25 a.m., and you can worship with us by using the service leaflet that's located here.

This past Sunday, Christ Church, along with its Refugee Ministry partners, held an Interfaith Prayer Vigil at St. John’s Ellicott City. It was a moving service, rich with a repertoire of prayers, chants, music, and addresses. I don’t remember being at an interfaith prayer vigil and feeling so good about the human story - yes, your story, and mine. As complicated as our human story may be, there’s something to be said about the possibilities that await us if we are to see each other through the lens of our own humanity. In a very powerful way, that’s what makes compassion possible, and in his submission, the Imam quoted these words from the Koran: “There’s no good in the one who doesn’t practice compassion.” The actual word he said isn’t even compassion; it is much richer and deeper than that. In fact, there’s no English expression of that Arabic word. I want to share with you an expanded form of the reflections I shared at the Prayer Vigil: We gather tonight in celebration of a love that binds all people and doesn’t discriminate between white and black, slave or free, hungry or full, rich or poor. It doesn’t discriminate over your religious identity - Jew, Christian, Hindu, Moslem - or if you have faith or no faith at all. That love simply calls you to discipleship, and the joy of being a disciple speaks to me in a very powerful way. There’s an African cliché, which says, If you think you are too small to make a difference, spend a night with a mosquito. The disciple understands the challenges, the barriers, the walls, and even the narrative that holds them back from realizing his or her potential to make a difference - but those are never enough. The disciple finds a way to bring light, hope, renewal, and transformation to the darkest places of our human story. There’s great joy in seeing all of you here tonight. And I cannot thank you enough for being here to pray, sing, and sit - not with familiar people, or pray familiar prayers, or sing familiar songs you sing during worship but to hear and pray unfamiliar prayers, sing unfamiliar songs, and sit by unfamiliar people. The ability to dwell with the unfamiliar is where the real challenge of the gospel lies. Remember Jesus’ wise words: “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. The truth is, if only I can be free enough to be that joyful disciple whose only desire is to seek the well-being of all who languish at the margins of our world. If only I can be free enough to be that joyful disciple whose only desire is to possess the hands of Midas, where everything that he or she touches turns to gold. Not because this joyful disciple is a magician, but rather because this joyful disciple believes in the transformation that is made possible when ordinary people chose to respond to the needs of ordinary people. This joyful disciple believes that their duty to love isn’t limited to those they know but it is as expansive as the world itself and all that dwells therein. More importantly, this joyful disciple believes that the glory of God is made manifest through their life and actions. St. Irenaeus once said that The glory of God is a human being fully alive. My questions for you are, are you alive? Do you feel yourself to be alive - alive enough to exude the glory of God? You don’t have to feel yourself to be alive to have life. The sad reality is that you can be alive but have no life because you are so consumed with yourself and your own needs. The joyful disciple is anyone who feels so alive because they brim with the glory of God. And this joyful disciple brings to life the glory of God by turning lives around, filling the emptiness in the lives of others, bringing laughter to our sadness, wiping our tears away, motivating us into joyful giving, and shepherding us through life’s perilous shadows. In fact, the joyful disciple is never consumed by themselves nor their own needs. It is my sincere belief that it is when we dedicate ourselves to God that the glory of God becomes manifest - that is, when we become alive and, as Paul said, that is when the joyful disciple does not grow weary in doing what is right nor grows weary in pursuing acts that bring forth the glory of God in us. Carl Jung, the noted Swiss psychiatrist, once wrote that “I am not what has happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” And so, on this day, what do you choose to become? It is my fervent prayer that you will choose to become that joyful disciple who is so alive with compassion that they have no problem being a mosquito. Manny+ Please read the article about the service: ‘United We Pray’: Interfaith Howard County community comes together to support refugees and sponsor an Afghan family – Baltimore Sun

Angel Tree Drive Will Brighten Christmas for Howard County Children In a heartfelt tradition, the Outreach Commission invites parishioners to purchase new clothing and special items to complete Christmas gift “packages” for young angels. We are focusing our support on children ages 10-to-12 to meet a need identified by the Howard County (Central Maryland) division of The Salvation Army. The nonprofit organization, which oversees the Angel Tree initiative here and elsewhere, continues its theme: “Wear, Need, Want, Read!” To participate, you’ll need to provide one or more gifts for a girl or boy on our list. There are a dozen children in our group of 11- and 12-year-olds. Each one will receive an outfit, consisting of pants and a top. Besides the clothing, there are three other categories this year for each angel: Wish, Need, and Educational Item. Some parishioners prefer to sign up for just one slot, such as the practical (need) category for a single child. Some parishioners desire to complete the entire “package’ for an angel by signing up in all four categories. Another shopper might choose the clothing (outfit) category for multiple angels. We are launching this year’s drive in two steps. The first stage is fully online. Starting this week, you can go to the Christ Church 2022 Angel Tree SignUp to view the list and make your choices. It has instructions on the next steps. The second stage begins after Thanksgiving when the Angel Tree goes up in the Narthex. You can gaze at tags on the tree, in keeping with tradition, but the definitive list of the children’s names and needs will be displayed on a nearby easel. For those in Old Brick, we’ll bring the easel to you. In both locations, we’ll ask that you actually sign up for your angel by using the online form. Someone will be on hand after both worship services on Sunday, November 27th and December 4th to assist if you wish to log on then. The deadline to bring in your unwrapped Angel Tree gifts will be 2 p.m. on Friday, December 9th. Please put them under the tree or in the Parish Hall conference room. With your help, we will lift the hearts not only of the angels but of their families. Parents obtain the unwrapped gifts from The Salvation Army and prepare for a Christmas that will be much brighter than they could otherwise afford. If you wish to participate by giving of your time, please volunteer for one of two duties: Sign-up, or Fulfillment. The former is to help people on November 27th and December 4th to log on to a device after services to sign up online. The latter takes place December 10th when you collate packages or shop for --but not pay for-- any unmet items. To volunteer, specify Sign-up or Fulfillment, or both, in an email to outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Kudos to All Who Have Helped Hungry Households by Donating to Our Thanksgiving Food Drive for the Howard County Food Bank The table in the Narthex and the yellow bin at Old Brick were brimming with goods such as stuffing mix, gravy, and canned fruits and vegetables. These will brighten the holidays for many of our neighbors, as the Howard County Food Bank expects to feed about 1,000 people for Thanksgiving and another 1,000 for Christmas by distributing "Holiday Meal Kits." Christ Church partners with the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), which operates the food bank. We further supported CAC with a monetary donation to make sure the type and amount of protein in its meal kits will match the nutritional needs of each household. The donation of packaged goods for the Community Action Council of Howard County's Food Drive ends today, November 17th - members of the Outreach Commission will deliver the bounty the following day - but you can still help after that deadline by donating online. Using our giving form, choose "Outreach" from the dropdown menu and write "Thanksgiving Food Drive" in the memo line to help them achieve their goal of feeding over one thousand people for the holidays. We thank each and every one of you for your generosity! Columbia Community Care Holds a Holiday Toy Drive for Kids 2 to 12 Years Old To brighten the holidays, Columbia Community Care(CCC) is holding its annual holiday drive to gather gifts and treats for children from 2 to 12 years old, as described in the CCC Facebook group. CCC is also recruiting volunteers to help sort Items and help to distribute them at Oakland Mills High School on Sunday, December 11th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until supplies run out. For people who prefer a remote option, at least for shopping, CCC posted an Amazon wish list. For the sake of simplicity, the Outreach Commission is suggesting parishioners buy kids’ books, coloring books, and arts-and-crafts items, all of which can be obtained at a reasonable cost from multiple retailers. Please drop off new and unwrapped items by 2 p.m. on Friday, December 9th. This is in addition to the typical collection at Christ Church, which consists of diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Please put the holiday items along with the usual ones in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. United We Pray, Our Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Refugees was Held Last Sunday What an extraordinary gathering this was of leaders and members of seven very different congregations, representing Christians (Episcopalians, Quakers, Roman Catholics), Jews (Columbia Jewish Congregation), Muslims (Dar Al-Taqwa Mosque), and Hindus as we met to pray together for refugees – here in Howard County, in our nation, around our world. We listened to readings about care for the stranger from the Christian Bible, the Hebrew Torah, the Muslim Quran, and in the Hindi tradition. We heard prayers read in Arabic, English, Pashto, Hebrew, and Hindi. Leaders from each of the different faiths, including Father Manny, offered reflections. Those of us in the Refugee Ministry thank Deacon Denise for her leadership in making this Prayer Vigil happen. It would not have occurred without her. At a time in our world when so often what divides us receives the most attention, when the worst of human nature can seem the most prominent, the gathering last Sunday night reflected the best of what we are, how we can choose to reach across what divides us, to find we are actually so much the same, to see how we can work together for the common good. How wonderful. What a blessing. For more information about Christ Church’s Interfaith Refugee Ministry, go to https://www.christchurchcolumbia.org/refugee-ministry. You can also see more photos and read an article in this week's Baltimore Sun. FISH Asks Our Prayers Along with Snacks and Cookies Our representative from FISH of Howard County recently had surgery. Paul Wisniewski is recovering; please pray for his good health. Pickups have resumed from our yellow bin between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. Please continue donating cookies, crackers, and snacks to fulfill the shopping lists. Thanks for your contributions to our neighbors in need. 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.

Help Us Support the Howard County Food Bank! The Food Drive Ends Tomorrow Once again, Christ Church is supporting the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC) by conducting a food drive in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, November 24th. The drive began last week and will end tomorrow, November 17th, so please help as you can as time is very limited. All of the items will then be delivered to CAC’s Howard County Food Bank on Friday morning, November 18th. In 2022, the Food Bank expects to feed about 1,000 people for Thanksgiving and another 1,000 for Christmas by distributing "Holiday Meal Kits." You can support this effort by bringing non-perishable food items that include the usual sides: boxed mashed potatoes, stuffing mix, gravy, cranberry sauce, olives, pickles, and cans of fruit and vegetables (low-sodium is preferred). Because families may find their pantries are bare overall this time of year, please consider adding items such as tuna and pasta to the Food Bank’s non-seasonal wish list (see the flier on our website). If you're at the church, you can place goods on the Thanksgiving-decorated table in the Narthex. Or, if you wish to remain outdoors, put them in the yellow bin to be found on the breezeway. Marked “Thanksgiving Food Drive," this one is near the door to Old Brick. Given the potential for seasonally cold weather, it’s best if items in glass jars go inside with the Narthex collection. NOTE: The food bank is not collecting pies, other desserts, or rolls because of perishability. After the onset of the pandemic, the Outreach Commission ended its previous practice of collecting turkeys during its annual drive. Instead, Christ Church this year will again help fund the protein component of holiday meal kits. Outreach members recently approved a $750 donation to the CAC for the Food Bank’s purchase of alternatives to whole turkeys. Certain families - including those who are homebound - will receive partial or whole chicken roasters, vegetarian choices, and options with the proper protein for those on dialysis. The holiday funds for CAC are the latest approved by the Outreach Commission in 2022. Earlier, we sent $1,000 for general purposes such as energy and housing assistance and early childhood education. In response, CAC honors Christ Church among its “Village of Supporters” in various ways, including recognition of partners during its annual Holland Awards event. Vestry and Outreach member Diane Phillips Laguerre represented Christ Church at the event. Please contact her to hear what she learned about CAC (email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org) and many thanks to all who made possible these monetary donations through parishioners’ contributions to Christ Church. Looking for a gathering where you can have a nice chat about interesting religious articles of the day? Theology on Tap is that event, an opportunity for informal, structure-free conversation with other parishioners each month. ToT takes place this evening, November 16th at The Ale House in Columbia, so come and join us at 7 p.m. for a fun evening! The address is 6480 Dobbin Way. We hope to see you there!

Pentecost XXIII 8:00 a.m. in Old Brick 9:00 Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. with Music and Choir in New Brick You can view our new Sunday schedule here. 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: Malachi 4:1-2a Psalm 98 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19 Sermon for Today: Deacon Denise's Sermon for today can be viewed in the livestream video below once the service begins, or you can read the text here. Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:25 a.m., and you can worship with us by using the service leaflet that's located here.

The Women of Christ Church's Annual Christmas Luncheon will be held on Sunday, December 4th at 1:00 p.m. at King’s Contrivance Restaurant in Columbia. It will be so wonderful to be able to gather in person again after so long, and we’re hoping that you’ll all join us for this celebration! The meal includes a 3-course meal, sides, bread, non-alcoholic beverages, and gratuities, and the total cost is $45. You can sign up now through Sunday, November 27th, in both Old Brick (at the back) and New Brick (in the Narthex) or email us at WOCC@christchurchcolumbia.org if you are worshipping remotely on Sundays. You can pay by check, or by using Realm. If paying by check, please make it out to Christ Church, with WOCC Christmas Luncheon written in the memo line. If you are paying by Realm, please use the usual Online Giving Form, select "Women of Christ Church" from the FUND dropdown menu, and write “Christmas Luncheon” in the MEMO line.  If you have any questions, please speak with Rhonda Tomlinson, or email us.

Last week was Halloween, and many were the interesting carvings of pumpkins that populated our neighborhoods. I am yet to find out how pumpkins became affiliated with the celebration of Halloween. I like pumpkin though; I love pumpkin soup, but not necessarily the pie. I can bet that there are many different things we can do with pumpkins. The interesting bit for me, though, is the affiliation of pumpkin with Halloween; the idea that the pumpkin is cleaned up and seeds are taken out, thus making it possible for all sorts of carvings to be made on them, reminds me of a little poem that I read. Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, Touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff - including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then, He carves you a a new, smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see. Halloween’s pumpkin offers us the opportunity to empty ourselves, giving us room to plant lights that can illuminate our lives. The idea of self-emptying reminds me of Paul’s words about Jesus Christ. He writes this: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” This creedal statement is held up as an example for us and we are also called on a daily basis to empty ourselves just so we can be filled with the light of Christ that never runs out. Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It is a day when we honor all those who gave of themselves, and emptied themselves in order to protect your freedom and mine. The dangers of our world and the scourge of war weren’t enough to stop them from expressing their love for their country. I have enormous respect for soldiers. I never got to be one, but those who committed themselves and even sacrificed their lives on the altar of love deserve our very best. About a year ago, Christ Church, with your help, invited a refugee family of four into our common life. This was a huge effort that demanded a lot of sacrifice on our part to ensure that the family can live and thrive in a country where our soldiers fight to protect our freedoms. Although not overtly expressed, our hope was that they, too, can experience the freedoms we hold dear. And just to remind each of us - this is made possible because of the soldiers who serve. And so, if you haven’t thanked a soldier before, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation whenever you see one. They, too, are like Halloween pumpkins - they empty themselves just so they can be filled with a love that illuminates like light and motivates them to embrace the ultimate sacrifice: laying down their lives for others. Our refugee family has changed our lives for the better, providing us with a space where we can empty ourselves like Halloween pumpkins and illuminate their lives with the light of Christ. Through this family, we have had to taste the value of freedom, grace, and dignity. This coming Sunday, November 13th at 7:00 p.m., we will hold an interfaith prayer vigil at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Ellicott City. This prayer vigil will afford us the opportunity to celebrate our partnership with other congregations and also to pray for refugees all over the world. All are invited and encouraged to join in this wonderful prayer vigil. Over the past several weeks, we have been inviting all of you to consider pledging towards our common life. This past Sunday was our Pledge Sunday, and we offered our pledges with a prayer of stewardship. I sincerely thank each and every one of you for your commitment to our common life. That, too, is a form of self-emptying just like a Halloween pumpkin; we empty ourselves in a way that creates the space in our lives where we can be filled with the light and love that illuminates God’s goodness. The good news is that we have done very well, but we still have a long way to go, and so we want to invite those who have not as yet pledged, to prayerfully consider supporting our common life. I’d like to conclude with the thought that, like the Veterans we celebrate, we are also soldiers of the Christ who saves. And the Savior calls us to live His love, defy the world’s hate, to be true to ourselves, to God, and to the world to which we belong. Above all else, the Savior calls us to a kind of self-emptying, like a Halloween pumpkin, for that is the only way that we can shine through the carved pumpkin with God’s light. Manny+

Our Thanksgiving Food Drive (Non-perishables only) for the Howard County Food Bank Continues until November 17th Christ Church partners with the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), and we’re showing our support by conducting a food drive for Thanksgiving. Now’s the time to expand your grocery lists, as items are to be dropped off by Thursday, November 17th. Members of the Outreach Commission will deliver them to CAC’s Howard County Food Bank on Friday morning, November 18th. In 2022, the Food Bank expects to feed about 1,000 people for Thanksgiving and another 1,000 for Christmas by distributing "Holiday Meal Kits." You can support this effort by bringing non-perishable food items that include the usual sides: boxed mashed potatoes, stuffing mix, gravy, cranberry sauce, olives, pickles, and cans of fruit and vegetables (low-sodium preferred). Because families may find their pantries are bare overall this time of year, please consider adding items such as tuna and pasta from the Food Bank’s non-seasonal wish list (see the flier on last week's Outreach blog). Place goods on the Thanksgiving-decorated table in the Narthex. Alternatively, you can remain outdoors and place them in the new, yellow bin marked “Thanksgiving Food Drive” located on the breezeway near the door to Old Brick. In cold weather, please put any glass jars in the Narthex collection. NOTE: The food bank is not collecting pies, other desserts, rolls, or turkeys due to perishability. DreamBuilders Local Project for the ARC of Howard County: November 12 & 13 DreamBuilders will be renovating a group home in Columbia, replacing the kitchen floor, and upgrading several damaged doorways. We need 10 volunteers daily to complete the work over a single weekend, as the residents will be relocated during the renovation. The workday will be 8:30-4:00 each day, and lunch will be provided. This project is open to youth in seventh grade and older and adults. No experience is necessary, and all training and supervision will be provided. You can register for this project through the DreamBuilders website: DreamBuildersMD.org. If you have any questions, contact Cathy Gold or Stacey Frith. Join Us for an Interfaith Vigil for Refugees This Sunday Evening Christ Church’s Refugee Ministry will host United We Pray: Interfaith Vigil for Refugees this Sunday, November 13th at 7:00 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church. This community service is open to people of all faiths and traditions, as we gather to show our unified support for those around the globe forced to leave their homes due to war, persecution, or disaster. We will pray particularly for our refugee neighbors who live, work, and attend school in our communities. The service, to be held in St. John’s at 9120 Frederick Rd. in Ellicott City, will include readings, prayers, music, and reflections from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Quaker faith traditions.* A light reception will follow in the adjoining All Saints Hall building immediately following the service, with the opportunity for refreshment and fellowship, and the chance to meet some of the refugee families in our area. We welcome all community members to this event, as united we pray for the plight of refugees around the world. *Sponsored by St. John’s Episcopal Church, Columbia Jewish Congregation, Dar Al-Taqwa Mosque, Hindu American Seva Communities, Patapsco Friends Meeting (Quakers of Howard County), and Christ Episcopal Church. Invitation to Remotely Attend the Outreach Meeting on Monday, November 14th The holiday period is the perfect time to get involved in Outreach at Christ Church. Get started by attending the commission’s monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, November 14th. Help us fulfill our mission, which has a local, national, and international scope. The Zoom link is in our Monday email, or reach out to us at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org and we'll send you the details. Hear the Call: SLYC’s Training Session for After-School Tutors is November 15th For those considering a hands-on opportunity to work with youth in West Baltimore, please plan to attend a remotely-held tutor’s training session on Tuesday, November 15 from 5 to 6 p.m. (see flier) “Foundation for Success: Academic Intervention Program” is a free session to be held on Zoom. St. Luke’s Youth Center operates year-round as the nonprofit SLYC at 217 N. Carey St., Baltimore, MD 21223. Volunteers will spend at least an hour a week between 3 and 5:30 p.m. Christ Church is among SLYC’s partners, along with secular supporters, other parishes and the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. Parishioner Michon Semon, who serves as the SLYC liaison on the Outreach Commission, can tell you what it’s like to volunteer there. We’re also participating in the raffle of a queen-size quilt made by parishioner Nancy Winchester. To buy tickets (on sale through December 2), email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Volunteer to Serve a Meal or Add to the Menus Enjoyed by Our Homeless Friends at the DRC and Grassroots Once again you can take part in the Christ Church tradition of helping the homeless on the second Monday of each month. To join us on November 14th, please sign up by Sunday, November 13th. If you wish to volunteer or bring food for the Day Resource Center (DRC) at the Dorsey Center, our DRC online signup form describes the procedure. The drop-off time for side dishes, desserts, and fruit is 12:45 p.m. in the Christ Church parking lot near Old Brick. In-person volunteers also gather at that time to carpool to Jessup. Parishioners who cook or shop for the evening meal for 50 residents of a live-in center on Freetown Rd. make their drop-off later, arriving in the parking lot at 3:15 p.m. A volunteer transporting the food departs at 3:30 p.m. Get details in our Grassroots online signup form. We most recently took part in both on October 10th. These facilities for the homeless are both operated by the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. It’s efficient to provide for groups at two separate venues on the same day. Your donations and Vestry-approved funds pay for the fried chicken entrees. Thank you! Both the DRC and the Live-In Facility have broader needs for their pantries and welcome in-kind donations to be dropped off for delivery on the second Mondays. Look for the monthly needs list under the words “Related Files” on each online signup site. For information, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. After the November meals, coordinator Nancy Winchester will hand off to coordinator Shahra Toth, with the continuing assistance of Dione Mahoney. Seafarers Donations Needed Several times a year, WOCC delivers your generous donations in support of the Center’s mission to serve seafarers’ spiritual and practical well-being. We have one more delivery this year, so please place your donations in or near the Seafarers bin in the Tower Room of New Brick by November 15th. Seafarers especially appreciate our donations of: Bibles Stationery goods, such as calendars, note paper, and cards Warm clothing, such as socks, hats, gloves, and scarves; and Magazines like Sports Illustrated; National Geographic; Smithsonian; New Yorker; Baltimore Magazine; Travel Magazine; and Discover. You may contact outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org if you have any questions. The Center thanks you for your ongoing generosity! Columbia Community Care Requests Diapers, Personal Care Items At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to continue to support the all-volunteer organization, Columbia Community Care (CCC). Look for updates posted in the CCC Facebook Group or on the “I Can Help” portion of its website. Please keep collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Drop off items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall on weekdays when the church office is open or on Sunday. Our point of contact is parishioner Leigh Smith. FISH Asks Our Prayers Along with Snacks and Cookies Our representative from FISH of Howard County recently had surgery. Paul Wisniewski is recovering; please pray for his good health. Pickups have resumed from our yellow bin between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. Please continue donating cookies, crackers, and snacks to fulfill the shopping lists. Thanks for your contributions to our neighbors in need. 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.

All Saints' Sunday 8:00 a.m. in Old Brick 9:00 Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. with Music and Choir in New Brick You can view our new Sunday schedule here. 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: Ecclesiastes 2:(1-6), 7-11 Psalm 149 Ephesians 1:11-23 Luke 6:20-31 Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon for today can be read here, or viewed in the livestream video below. Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:25 a.m., and you can worship with us by using the service leaflet that's located here.