The Spiritual Life Commission at Christ Church has joyfully sponsored weekend retreats for the last decade, and this year we will do so from October 1-3 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Each retreat, we begin exploring and discussing our Spiritual Life Theme, and the theme for the coming year is “Be one body in Christ …belonging to each other” from Romans 12:5. Our Retreat leaders this fall will be our Christ Church Rector, Father Manny, and our Deacon, Denise Schiavone. The program schedule includes lively and insightful discussions on Friday evening, on Saturday morning, and for a bit on Saturday evening. We then conclude our weekend with a special Eucharist in the Chapel on Sunday morning. In addition to retreat activities, we have a good deal of free time to visit beautiful Rehoboth Beach, and our location is three blocks from the beach in a quiet residential area. You can learn more about the Rehoboth Beach region, its beaches, and its attractions here. The retreat campus is a beautiful beach home of the duPont family, and is now owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware. The house has 11 bedrooms and can accommodate 32 people, and there are some spaces still available. Every room has its own bathroom and can accommodate 2-4 people. The house is comprised of a large living room, a reading/computer room with wi-fi, a cozy library, a dining room with extensive windows overlooking a small lake, a commercial kitchen for the catering staff, a resident kitchen, an attached chapel, a large deck, and a bonfire area. To call this past year and a half "challenging" would be an understatement. Many celebrations, activities, and gatherings were canceled or delayed in the process. But as we now begin safely re-gathering, this unique and enriching parish gathering couldn't come at a better time. We have this unique opportunity to spend a refreshing and reflective weekend together in a relaxed setting and get to know or reconnect with one another, as well as deepen our connections as a family of faith. The retreat cost is $265 per person, which includes two nights lodging and six catered meals throughout the weekend. We are obligated to pay a non-refundable deposit soon in order to hold the spot, and so are asking for a 50% deposit from each person attending by September 12th (the Sunday after Labor Day). The remaining balance will be collected on arrival in Rehoboth. Checks can be made out to Christ Episcopal Church with the designation Rehoboth retreat in the memo line. If you would like to attend or have any questions, please let Ellen Boudreau Hoke know by speaking with her on a Sunday morning at church, by sending her an email or text message, or by emailing us at info@christchurchcolumbia.org. We hope that you will join us for this special weekend.

As we all look forward to re-gathering this fall, our plan is to publish a photo or two - along with a few fun facts - of a parishioner &/or their family in each week’s Sunday service bulletin. This is a unique way for us all to learn a bit about those whom we might not have seen in a very long time, to meet those who might be new to our parish family, and to connect/reconnect with one another as we do so. We’ve created a form on our website with a few question ideas, or you can add your own bits of information. Visit https://www.christchurchcolumbia.org/2021-parish-family and complete the form so we can include the details in an upcoming Sunday bulletin. You can also send a photo or two and information to communications@christchurchcolumbia.org

In a couple of weeks, we will begin our program year. As many of you know, we have had some of our staff move on to different organizations and so we have been on a hiring spree. I’d like to keep you posted on where we are: Priest Associate: I have called The Reverend Marcia Davenport as the Priest Associate for Christ Church. Marcia served here at Christ Church during the tenure of our beloved Rector, Jim Shields, who passed away a few days ago. Marcia has served at different places since, most recently in Ireland. Marcia will be with us for fifteen hours a week and she will primarily be working on children formation. Her other responsibilities will be adult formation and small groups. Marcia begins her ministry at Christ Church on September 1st as a non-stipendiary Associate. Parish Administrator: Over the past year, we have been supported in the office by Yetti Lipede as the interim Parish Administrator. I sincerely appreciate her dedication and commitment to Christ Church. She has served this church very well. I want to also thank Paula Rees, who chaired the search for a new Parish Administrator. She was ably supported by Michon Semon, Isaac Olajide, Matthew Gately, Jonelle Ocloo, and Jan DeBoissiere. Through their work, we have a new Parish Administrator, Aisha White, who will begin with us on September 1st. Aisha will be in church on Sunday so please come by and say, "Hello" to her. Youth Minister: One of our goals has been to have a Youth Minister who will rally our youth for formation, service, and outreach. We are excited to be offering this new Christ Church position of Youth Minister to Todd Domer. He will be working with clergy and parents on growing our youth ministry. Todd will also be with us this Sunday; please come by and offer him the warmest Christ Church welcome. Director of Music: A few weeks ago, we bid goodbye to Adam Detzner, our Director of Music for the past three years. My promise was that we would move quickly and fill that position. Thankfully, we have attracted a great number of candidates and have now narrowed it to two. I want to thank Nancy Schempp, who chaired the search and served alongside Sara Kirkpatrick, Jan DeBoissierre, Laura Nyanjom, Sonni Aribiah, Heather Kelso, Diane Phillps-Laguerre, Doug Jimmerson, JB Hanson, Lynn Foor, and Jenn Lavanish. It is my hope to make a decision next week. I’d like to thank Chris Pouch, our Communications Administrator. Chris has been phenomenal, and I am always in awe of his dedication to Christ Church. He keeps all of us in the loop about our common life. I cannot thank him enough for all the work that he does. Lastly, I am thankful for the ministry of the Reverend Denise. It has been a great joy having her at Christ Church. She has been a great support during these turbulent times and I look forward to many more years of partnership and service. On my part, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve here at Christ Church. This is a magnificent parish with enormous potential, and serving you continues to be the joy of my life. ~Manny

Disaster Aid for Haiti Goes to Episcopal Relief and Development After Haiti was slammed by back-to-back natural disasters, Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) has taken steps to relieve suffering and help in recovery. Saturday’s powerful earthquake led to the deaths of nearly 2,000 people, and survivors were drenched only days later by Tropical Storm Grace. On behalf of Christ Church parishioners, members of the Outreach Commission voted Tuesday to contribute $1,000 to ERD to assist Haitians like the woman who described her plight in an interview on PBS Newshour on August 17th. “The rain fell on top of us. We slept sitting down on chairs. Nobody has come to help us. We have no tarpaulins. We sleep here sitting down. I don't want to go home. I am in God's hands,” said Theard Andrise. ERD stated in a news release that it has begun supporting the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and other partners in response to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Besides a death toll that could increase as rubble is cleared, the earthquake caused at least 9,000 injuries and affected more than 1.2 million people, according to the United Nations. Acting through the diocese, ERD in its first grant will support 400 vulnerable households in 21 isolated communities. It remains in close contact with the diocese and other partner organizations on the ground in Haiti as leaders assess needs. Please pray for Ms. Andrise and all those who have been affected by the earthquake and tropical storm as well as by COVID-19 and other perils. Haiti is still seeking to recover from Hurricane Matthew in 2016, from an even deadlier earthquake in 2010 that was followed by a cholera outbreak, and by persistent civic unrest. If you wish to make a personal donation, go online to ERD’s Haiti Fund, which will allow our worldwide aid organization to continue its response to this latest disaster. Anyone who prefers donating by writing a check to ERD should put “Haiti Fund” on the memo line and mail it to ERD, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. Columbia Community Care Plans Holiday Break, Fewer Distribution Days As summer wanes, the all-volunteer organization Columbia Community Care (CCC) has announced changes for Fall 2021. The CCC sites will be closed the week of Labor Day, from Sunday, September 5-11. That means the three distribution sites will not open on Wednesday, September 8th nor on Saturday, September 11th. There are no signups created for those two days on the “I Can Help” part of its website or in the volunteering posts of the CCC group on Facebook. With the return of school, CCC will reduce the days per week that its sites operate by eliminating Wednesday distribution. That means the next distribution day after the break will be on Saturday, September 18th. Organizers say CCC plans to monitor site numbers and determine if changes to hours and days are needed after that. Signups have been updated with dates through October 30, 2021. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to noon for recipients. Volunteers and donation drop-off begin at 9 a.m. The distribution sites are at Oakland Mills Middle School, 9540 Kilimanjaro Road; at Long Reach Village Center, Suite 9, 8775 Cloudleap Ct., and at Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., all in Columbia. CCC shared its gratitude with all those who help: “Thank you all for your time and energy in keeping our community fed and supported this summer! We love our volunteers and the people we serve!! At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to continue supporting CCC by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Please put any of these items in the yellow bin that's marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office (410) 381-9365 ahead of time. LEMS Supplies - Can You Help Us this Monday? Thanks to our wonderful parishioners, we have raised over $5,000, ordered supplies, filled 50 bags for incoming Lake Elkhorn Middle Schoolers, and boxed supplies for 75 more students. Principal Melissa Shindel is so appreciative of your generous support. The last step is to load the bags and boxes into vehicles and deliver them to LEMS this coming Monday, August 23rd. We need a few strong people who can come to the Parish Hall at 11:00 a.m. to help carry 50 bags and 34 boxes of supplies outside and load them in vehicles. If anyone in your family would like to help us, please contact Onyx Williams (ow6062@gmail.com) or Cathy Whittaker (catharinewhittaker@gmail.com) so we will know you are coming. Thank you! Donate Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies for FISH in Bin on our Breezeway Organizers for FISH of Howard County request household cleaning supplies such as liquid dish soap, bleach, and cleanser as well as personal items such as deodorant, shampoo, and bath soaps. At present, its pantry has an adequate supply of groceries. The bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. 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.

As you can see from the included photos, our wonderful and dedicated volunteers recently finished bagging the school supplies. Now, we will shuttle the bags over to Lake Elkhorn Middle School and get them into the hands of over one hundred students. Thank you to all of you who helped get us to this point, whether by donating funds, stuffing the many bags of supplies, or those of you who will help load and transport everything to the school. This could not have been accomplished without every one of you.

Today is the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 Psalm 111 Ephesians 5:15-20 John 6:51-58 Today's Sermon: Father Manny's Sermon for today can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Zerubbabel, a civic leader in Jerusalem, was responsible for finishing the work of rebuilding the temple after the return from exile. He was, however, troubled that the work of rebuilding the temple wasn’t moving on quickly enough. The work of rebuilding had stalled for about twenty years and he needed encouragement in order to carry on with the work. Based on a vision from God, Zechariah encourages Zerubbabel that it is not by might but rather by the spirit of God that he would be able to accomplish the task of completing the building of the temple. For that reason, the prophet advises, “Do not despise these small beginnings, the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” In others words, never despise humble beginnings; it only takes an effort. This idea resonates with the popular cliché “A journey of a thousand steps begins with a step.” The point really is about the ability to embrace humble beginnings, and to realize that to be successful or to progress means to at least take that first step, that leap of faith into the future. Remember - even one step is progress! Over the past eighteen or so years, many are the parents who have watched their children grow into young adults. From the early days of birth and daycare, from kindergarten to first grade, and then through middle and high school, you have been beside these children. Their greatest strength was in knowing that someone was always there, with them and for them. The challenges throughout have been many. The conversations have been countless. The car rides to different activities - sports, music, play dates, parties, and church - uncountable. In the next few days, they will take a step into a future space, one where mom and dad will not be around on a daily basis to help, guide, counsel, and support. These young adults will have to rely on all that they have learned from you and many others in order to be successful. I have been wondering how it will feel like to drop my own daughter off at college. It is such a big deal for me because she is my first, and so this will be my first experience of enrolling a child in college. If you can relate, I’d be interested to know how you also felt dropping off your first child at theirs. Like any parent, I am super proud of the young woman Havi has become, and I look forward to what the future holds for her and all the many other college freshmen and women. As parents, our desire is always to see our children succeed. Our hope is that they believe in small beginnings, that any accomplishment begins with a step, that progress is not about pace but a movement - and more importantly, that they have within themselves the kind of fire that will burn with a desire to be successful. Here’s a story: a young man asked Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, about the secret of success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met, and Socrates then asked the young man to walk with him toward the water. When the river rose up to their necks, Socrates took the young man by surprise and dunked him into the water. The man struggled to get out, but Socrates was strong and kept him underwater until he started turning blue. The young man struggled hard and finally managed to get up. The first thing he did was to gasp and take a deep breath. Socrates asked, “What did you want the most when you were under the water?” The man replied, “Air.” Socrates then said, “That’s the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you want air, you will get it. There is no other secret.” The one exception that I take with this story is that it doesn’t help us answer the question of what to do with success - whatever that success may be. And so as I begin to reflect on my journey with my daughter to her school, I will have to help her to understand that she has to embrace humble beginnings, to use whatever success she achieves to do right by others, to nurture others, and to do what is basic and simple: to serve, to love, and to care. Something tells me that we can also take that first step towards doing the simple and basic. Something tells me that you can count on the spirit of the Lord to help you accomplish the task - whatever the task may be. And so my friends, believe in humble beginnings, for it only takes an effort. ~Manny

Children at “Camp Inspiration” Benefit from Christ Church Parishioners’ Donation to General Outreach Funds During four weeks of summer camp at a church in West Baltimore, families could choose to pick up their children at 6 p.m. rather than earlier. That option made it much easier for working parents, and it enabled their kids to enjoy fun and summer learning opportunities for as long as possible. The extended care was funded in part by a contribution from Christ Church. Camp Inspiration is held by St. Luke’s Youth Center, which operates from the former St. Luke’s Episcopal parish on N. Carey Street as the nonprofit SLYC. On August 6th, parishioners Michon Semon and Nancy Winchester were in the audience to applaud the end-of-camp presentation hosted by St. James, Lafayette Square. Toddlers to teens were performing. “Camp Imagination is a place where imagination, creativity, fun, and education come together,” says SLYC. “Camp experiences inspire a love of learning through mindfulness and the arts.” The day camp serves 28 youth from ages 5-13 and involves 11 teen leaders and six professional art instructors. Children receive more than 60 hours of reading and academic enrichment. As a member of the Outreach Commission, Michon had obtained facts on the worthy efforts by SLYC, and the commission responded by approving a $500 donation for the camp. The funds came from the Christ Church parishioners’ contributions to General Outreach. So thanks to all on behalf of the SLYC participants and each child’s extended family. Camp Inspiration is part of SLYC’s year-round community engagement program whose supporters include the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, among others. SLYC holds after-school academic and youth leadership programs for youth ages 6 to 17 and involves families in the West Baltimore neighborhood through its “Moms on a Mission” program. To get information or to become a supporter, contact SLYC Director Amanda Talbot at amanda@bmoreslyc.org. Save the Dates: Grassroots Meal Drop-Offs on Monday, Aug. 16th; Monday, Sept. 20th Once again, parishioners and volunteers who join their efforts are looking ahead to the monthly meal that we provide at Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. Save the dates: August 16th and September 20th, arriving between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. at the parking lot outside Old Brick. Plan to bring a side dish, a dessert, or items for their pantry to be enjoyed round-the-clock by the 50 residents of the live-in facility on Freetown Rd. To sign up, use our electronic registry no later than noon on the Sunday prior to the meal on Monday. Click on the Christ Church Grassroots Meal link on SignUpGenius to view requested items and to tell coordinators what you’ll bring. As usual, co-coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers. Nancy then transports the hot or cold foods to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Christ Church continues to support Grassroots’ Day Resource Center (DRC) at the Dorsey Center. The DRC has not yet resumed the hot meals that Christ Church had helped serve prior to the pandemic, but it fulfills other needs of our homeless friends. Grassroots lists some other needs for curbside distribution at the DRC or for the pantry at the Freetown Road facility. Look for its attached file at our sign-up link. For any questions contact Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. To further help our neighbors in need, some parishioners take it upon themselves to provide the evening meal for the 50 adults and children at Freetown Road. It’s your choice to provide an entree and side dishes, or just the entree. Cook in your own kitchen, or order out. Or purchase 12 rotisserie chickens to make a meal. Grassroots continues to discourage lasagna or other pasta dishes. Here is a link to the sign-up list that has openings through August 31st. Thanks to all who Supplied Kids’ Gift Bags for Columbia Community Care For a summer celebration, Columbia Community Care (CCC) brought cheer to children in Howard County on Saturday, August 7th. Parishioners at Christ Church pitched in as CCC’s three distribution sites offered gift bags full of small toys, treats, and books for kids ages 3 to 10 years old. Organizer Sue Sharff Castonguay, a member of the CCC group on Facebook, used that social media to express gratitude to Christ Church for its generosity in contributing gift bags and her thanks to Vestry and Outreach member Diane Phillips Laguerre and her brother for delivering them. At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to continue supporting CCC by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items, and adult diapers. Please put any of these items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office (410) 381-9365 ahead of time. Donate Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies for FISH in Bin on our Breezeway Organizers for FISH of Howard County request household cleaning supplies such as liquid dish soap, bleach, and cleanser as well as personal items such as deodorant, shampoo, and bath soaps. At present, its pantry has an adequate supply of groceries. The bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. SEAFARER’S Donation Requests We could use your help in gathering the following items. Delivery is made and the date is announced when the number of collections gets reasonably accumulated. Contact Carolann Sawyer with any questions. Bible in modern English (or Tagalog, Russian, or Chinese) Times/Newsweek/etc. up to 3 months old Sports Ill/People/etc. up to 6 months Cars/Computers/Consumers up to 1 year Reader’s Digest up to a couple of years National Geographics post-2000 Books (except for Bibles) are less often requested, but some seafarers do appreciate action novels, as well as picture books about Baltimore or the U.S. Action/adventure DVD’s. Recent popular CDs. Religious books (in easy English), DVDs, CDs; rosaries. Clothing - men’s jeans, other sturdy pants (no bigger than XL) or shorts, T-shirts, warm outerwear, and non-skid shoes/boots (in good condition only), and gloves, hats, scarves, and warm socks. 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.

Dear Christ Church Sisters and Brothers, Ever felt that you would like to make a significant impact on the direction and asperations of our beloved Christ Church? Well, it is that time of year again! Time to decide on a slate of candidates to submit their names for election to the Vestry. Vestry service is rewarding and makes a difference. If you are a voting member of Christ Church (see eligibility qualifications below), you are eligible to submit your name for election to the Vestry. If you meet the qualification, please consider making a contribution of your gift and talent by serving in a leadership position. Vestry service consists of attending a Tuesday evening once each month. Preparation for these meetings require the reading and familiarization with meeting documentation that includes minutes, financial reports and other reports from different officers and ministries. Other obligations may be an assignment as a liaison to one of our many ministries, where you can track and report back to the Vestry when scheduled to do so. These are the minimum requirements, but just to be sure, there are many other opportunities to become involved. As with normal years there are four Vestry positions opening up due to the regular three year Vestry terms ending for four current members. With four positions opening up, the Vestry nominations committee has a goal of fielding 6 to 8 candidates for the Vestry election at the Annual Meeting in October. If you submit your name to run, we will take your picture to be posted on our website and in the Narthex, and we will ask you to write a biography about your story, how you came to Christ Church or the Episcopal Church in general, what involvement you have had in our church, and why you want to run for Vestry. If you put yourself out there, you need to campaign a bit. The biography is basically your opportunity to do that. We invite all eligible members to please consider the calling you may feel in your heart to offer your gifts and talents to serve Christ Church. You may please notify the church office at: office@christchurchcolumbia.org or Fr. Manny: revmanny@christchurchcolumbia.org Here are the qualifications for Vestry service: Voting Members. Every person who: is sixteen (16) years of age or older: and has been a Member of Christ Church and has been regular in worship fòr at least three months preceding the day when he or she may wish to vote; and is a giver of record, or, if under the age of twenty-one (2 1), is a member of a household which is a giver of record; and has been baptized, confirmed or received at Christ Church or has transferred his or her baptismal records to Christ Church shall be a Voting Member thereof, with the right to vote in the election of Vestry Members and upon all other matters having to do with the aftäirs of Christ Church.

Today is the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for today: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 Psalm 130 Ephesians 4:25-5:2 John 6:35, 41-51 Today's Sermon: Deacon Denise's Sermon for today can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Inviting One and All to Get Involved in Christ Church Outreach The Outreach Commission is making an effort to better spread the word about what we do and, in turn, persuade more volunteers to participate during 2021. As summer wanes and fall beckons, consider joining us at our next meeting to learn more about opportunities. It will be held virtually at 7:30 p.m. this coming Monday, August 9th. so join us. The Zoom link is here, Meeting ID is 876 3365 4968 and Password is Outreach! To become active in other ways, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Keep in mind the scripture that underpins our mission: And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Matthew 25: 40 Expressing Gratitude to Participants in a Recent Restaurant Donation Day that Helps Bridges To End Homelessness Supporters of Bridges to Housing Stability had multiple choices to make at the latest restaurant donation day to help those who risk homelessness in Howard County. On July 29, Cured Table & Tap and 18th & 21st each donated 10 percent of participating diners' receipts, and Bridges supporters could select takeout or dining at one of the two sister venues in the Merriweather District in Downtown Columbia. For those who chose outdoor dining at Cured, dogs and their owners were welcome on the patio (see photos). One of Bridges’ strengths is its Housing Connections Program, which has served 49 households. Housing Connections works with landlords and low- to moderate-income county residents to support both parties during the tenancy search and initial lease term. This results in stable housing for the families and timely rent payments for the landlords. Watch a brief video featuring a client, Victoria, on her path to self-sufficiency that you can find under the heading “Success Stories” on the Bridges’ homepage. Christ Church has a warm relationship with Bridges that dates to 2019, when we participated in its countywide chili cook-off, Holier Than Thou. During our own cook-off in February 2020, we raised $1,000. And that, in turn, led to Christ Church winning a Silver Ladle Award during the Chili & Challenge virtual fundraiser last fall. Progress Reported by Friends of Sabina at Its Primary School in Uganda during a Coffee Hour/Adult Forum on Zoom Leaders of Friends of Sabina (FOS) described many ways the nonprofit organization is making progress at Sabina Primary School in rural Uganda. On Sunday, Aug. 1, Father Manny, Deacon Denise, and members of the Outreach Commission hosted Ann Marie Davis, who recently returned from Uganda, and Maria White, who are the co-founders of FOS. Both thanked Christ Church parishioners and Outreach for spiritual and monetary support during the founding period of FOS, which is revitalizing the school. Outreach continues to support Sabina through FOS. For example, Christ Church pays the librarian’s salary and covers the costs of an upgraded internet service, using $2,000 in Vestry-approved funds in 2021. Thanks to Christ Church parishioners for making that possible! It turns out the talented librarian, Richard Tumusiime, plays a multi-faceted role at Sabina, even serving as a soccer coach. To see a brief video about him, as well as other videos and photos of Sabina, go to the 41:50 mark of a recording of the Zoom meeting on the Christ Church YouTube channel. More than a decade ago, Christ Church began supporting Sabina Primary School and its library through the organization, Children of Uganda (COU). Parishioners collected shipments of books for the library, which evolved into the Ssanje Community Resource center, playing a vital role for residents of the surrounding area. West of Lake Victoria and north of the border with Tanzania, the area is located in Kyotera District (formerly in Rakai District). In late 2019, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese that owns Sabina Primary School entered into a management agreement with FOS, then a newly-formed organization that is co-managed by White and Davis, both former members of the COU Board of Directors. FOS embarked on an improvement program that includes replacing infrastructure such as the obsolete kitchen complex. For example, new energy-efficient stoves were shown in the Zoom session. Beginning in 2020, Outreach encouraged parishioners to sponsor Sabina students whose families otherwise cannot afford fees and tuition. Christ Church members stepped forward to support eight children, and several sponsors were updated during the Zoom session on the students and their experiences in a year of pandemic challenges. A photo of many of the children can be seen on the Christ Church website that also has details for anyone wishing to sponsor a child. This year during Lent, Christ Church youth and Sunday School children dedicated their Mite Box collection to FOS for the eventual purchase of chicks or other livestock. Collection Drive Continues to Provide Diapers, Personal Care Items for CCC At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to support Columbia Community Care (CCC) by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items and adult diapers. Please put any of these items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office (410) 381-9365 ahead of time. Donate Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies for FISH in Bin on our Breezeway Organizers for FISH of Howard County request household cleaning supplies such as liquid dish soap, bleach, and cleanser as well as personal items such as deodorant, shampoo and bath soaps. At present, its pantry has an adequate supply of groceries. The bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall. 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. Lake Elkhorn Middle School Supplies - THANK YOU! We are excited to report that we have exceeded our goal of $5,000 for school supplies for the students at LEMS. We are very grateful to the generous parishioners of Christ Church for their responsiveness to the needs of families in our local community. We have ordered the supplies and will fill the bags in the near future - stay tuned for details in upcoming communications. If you would like to help us bag the supplies, please contact Onyx Williams at ow6062@gmail.com or Cathy Whittaker at catharinewhittaker@gmail.com. SEAFARER’S Donation Requests We could use your help in gathering the following items. Delivery is made and the date is announced when the number of collections gets reasonably accumulated. Contact Carolann Sawyer with any questions. Bible in modern English (or Tagalog, Russian, or Chinese) Times/Newsweek/etc. up to 3 months old Sports Ill/People/etc. up to 6 months Cars/Computers/Consumers up to 1 year Reader’s Digest up to a couple of years National Geographics post-2000 Books (except for Bibles) are less often requested, but some seafarers do appreciate action novels, as well as picture books about Baltimore or the U.S. Action/adventure DVD’s. Recent popular CDs. Religious books (in easy English), DVDs, CDs; rosaries. Clothing - men’s jeans, other sturdy pants (no bigger than XL) or shorts, T-shirts, warm outerwear, and non-skid shoes/boots (in good condition only), and gloves, hats, scarves, and warm socks. 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.