March LEMS Committee Update Some of the Lake Elkhorn Middle School students are starting to return to in-person learning this month. The LEMS committee purchased hand sanitizer for the teachers/staff and over five thousand disposable face masks for use by both teachers and students to help keep them safe while they finish out the school year. The school administration is extremely grateful for the support Christ Church has provided throughout the pandemic as they teach and learn during very unusual circumstances. The LEMS committee is continuing to provide food for ten families one weekend a month with this month's distribution occurring on March 11th. If you have any questions or want to help, please contact lemspc@christchurchcolumbia.org. Join Us Next Monday - and on April 19th and May 17th - to Feed the Hungry at Grassroots It will soon be the third Monday of the month, and parishioners are looking forward to hands-on volunteerism, which has been elusive during these pandemic times. Please join us by preparing a side dish or dessert or by bringing pantry items for the monthly meal that we provide for 50 residents of Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center‘s live-in facility. On Monday, March 15th, please plan to arrive between 3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. outside Old Brick. Also please sign up online no later than noon on Sunday, March 14th, so coordinators will know what you plan to bring. Click on the Christ Church Grassroots Meal link on SignUpGenius to learn which items are still open on our menu. You’ll also find a document in the “Files” category showing the latest list of needed items at that facility, located on Freetown Rd., by Grassroots’ Hotline clients, and by the homeless friends who are served curbside at the Dorsey/Rt. 1 Day Resource Center (DRC) in Jessup. It was at the DRC where Christ Church once cooked and served a monthly meal in-person that had to be suspended due to coronavirus restrictions. Therefore, we adapted our tradition. Nowadays, coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers as they enter the Christ Church parking lot. Nancy then transports the food to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Additional participants — and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars to complement our main course — are always welcome. Be sure to mask up and practice social distancing for safety. You’ll find lots of information at the sign-up link, but for questions contact Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Save the dates for the subsequent meals, which will be on April 19th and May 17th. The time and place remain the same, and please arrive no later than 3:30 p.m. because the departure for Grassroots is prompt. Email us at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org if you'd like more information. Grassroots Offers Training in March in QPR Skills to Help Prevent Suicides Once again, Grassroots offer members of the community a chance to learn skills that could help save a life from suicide. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer -- the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save lives, just as individuals trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver learn what to do. The online seminar is free to Howard County residents, employees, or students. On Tuesday, March 16th from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Grassroots and the Horizon Foundation are offering QPR training for youth age 13 or older and their families. There is also a session for adults on Monday, March 29th, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To register for either one go here; to learn more, email amanda@grassrootscrisis.org to speak with Amanda Ganoe, the sessions’ organizer. Collection Drive Continues to Provide Diapers, Personal Care Items for CCC Parishioners continue to support Columbia Community Care (CCC) by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items at the request of this all-volunteer organization. Please put them in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” just inside the Parish Hall door. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office at (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming. In a separate initiative at Christ Church, our Racially Aware Group of Episcopalians (R.A.G.E) will host CCC leaders at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 22nd. Our guests are invited to talk on Zoom about the needs in Howard County and their work with a proposed Social Justice Center. Please save the date. Donate Groceries for FISH in the Altar Basket or in the Yellow Bin As worship resumes, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County will reappear at the altar. But for the convenience of parishioners who continue to observe pandemic precautions, the yellow bin marked “FISH” remains on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. In winter, keep the weather in mind and avoid putting items in the bin that will freeze. 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.

On weekdays during the season of Lent, we post daily meditations on our website, and on Sundays this year we include a piece of music, as well. These songs are submitted by parish family members and friends of Christ Church, and meant to uplift, comfort, and inspire. We hope that you enjoy. "Light One Candle" Light one candle for the Maccabee children With thanks their light didn't die Light one candle for the pain they endured When their right to exist was denied Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice Justice and freedom demand But light one candle for the wisdom to know When the peacemaker's time is at hand Don't let the light go out. It's lasted for so many years. Don't let the light go out. Let it shine through our hope and our tears. Light one candle for the strength that we need To never become our own foe And light one candle for those who are suffering Pain we learned so long ago Light one candle for all we believe in That anger not tear us apart And light one candle to bind us together With peace as the song in our hearts Don't let the light go out It's lasted for so many years Don't let the light go out Let it shine through our hope and our tears. What is the memory that's valued so highly That we keep it alive in that flame? What's the commitment to those who have died That we cry out they've not died in vain? We have come this far always believing That justice would somehow prevail This is the burden, this is the promise And this is why we will not fail! Don't let the light go out It's lasted for so many years Don't let the light go out Let it shine through our hope and our tears. Don't let the light go out! Don't let the light go out! Don't let the light go out! written by Peter Yarrow and performed by Peter, Paul and Mary

And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth. And it was so. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. ~Genesis 1:15, 17, 18 The Light in the Path In 2020, the pandemic changed the whole world. I closed my office in March. Insecurity and fear gradually entered my life because I didn’t know when I could return to work and how I would be able to pay my office rent. Day by day, no one could tell us anything about when the pandemic would end. In the news, we learned that more and more people were infected or even died. Unlike the days when I had to work from Monday to Saturday, I was at home every day. I didn’t want to live in a sense of instability and fear. I started walking outdoors every day. That path is the tree-lined path from my house to Christ Church. Back then, when my father came to visit me, he liked to walk on this path. At that time, I worked most days and I didn’t have time to accompany him. He always walked alone on that path and waited for me to come home after work and chat with him. Walking on that trail day after day, my heart is full of peace, although the pandemic is getting worse. Not only do I enjoy the beauty of nature, I also have more time to slow down and communicate with God, and I have more time to talk with my dad in the spirit and thinking of my mom. I told them “I miss you very much.” When I see the sunlight sprinkling on the path through the treetops, I know that my parents are with our Lord and Father in heaven. There is no pain, no fear, and no anxiety. A small path leads me to immerse in God’s grace. It’s a beautiful way for my meditation. There is no fear, only peace and love. Spiritual Path to Christ Since I became a Christian in 1999, I prayed for my family every day, especially my father and mother (they divorced when I was a young age). How I hoped that when they got old, they would have God’s care to lead them in their later life. In that time, they were happy for me that I have my life of walking with God, but they did not want me to talk to them about going to church. I continued to pray for them every day. The years passed. When my father was 79 years old, he came to visit me. After he accompanied me to church on a Sunday, he asked me if he could become a Christian. He did not understand English and I did not know why he suddenly wanted to be baptized and become a Christian. But I know that God has God’s way, and I must help my father. Otherwise, after he returned to Taiwan, he would be alone again. On November 5th, 2006, he was baptized in Christ Church and became a Christian. He wrote in his diary: “After being baptized, my lifestyle must be corrected, bad habits must be cut off, everything starts with kindness, and life must be improved in my later years.” Since then, he started to read the Bible. Although he often told me that his eyes were bad, reading was very hard, and he often didn’t understand the meaning, I told him that it doesn’t matter, God will help you by himself. Several times I went back to Taiwan to visit him and saw him get up in the morning and before going to bed every day, he always knelt in front of his bed and prayed for more than 20 minutes. Neither his backache nor knee pain would stop him from insisting on kneeling and praying, until the morning of his death. In 2016, my mom passed away. In 2017, my dad was graced by the Lord and returned to heaven in peace. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior. And life more abundant and free. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of His glory and grace by Jane A.

A story has been told of a man who watched how a spider built its web. With deep and focused observation, this man was able to replicate that into creating one of the beautiful pieces of fabric among the Akan people of Ghana. The beautifully woven fabric is primarily worn on celebratory occasions but there are different patterns that are worn on somber days. The occasion determines what pattern of Kente one wears. Recently, we started a new knitting ministry at Christ Church. I don't know how to weave or knit, myself, but I do know that each day presents me with a wonderful opportunity to weave or knit a beautiful fabric with my life. I remind myself, each morning, that there are those things that are in my control, and there are also those things that are beyond my control. I cannot control what someone else does but I can control what I do, and so as difficult as it may be, I must always make sure that I weave a beautiful fabric with my life. Am I always successful? No. But at least I am conscious of my own attempt at weaving that beautiful fabric, and so should you. There are times when we can get the feeling that if a particular thread has been figuratively dyed a different color, things would have been different. But that is a misnomer. Life is not lived by colors, and colors do not determine anything; each experience may take on a color of a thread, and each thread is woven together to make a beautiful fabric with different patterns. Like the Kente cloth, each pattern tells a story. Each story has a pattern. Every single part of your life is like a thread - even invisible, sometimes. But for the fabric to come alive, each part of your life's fabric, the thread should be woven together. The point I am trying to make here is that each part of your life - good or bad, ugly or beautiful, tragic or triumphant - is incredibly significant, and you are enriched, deeply enriched by all your experiences combined. For me, the beauty lies in the sum total of all. I have always been moved by the story of a man whose fabric was woven by threads of joy, sadness, tragedy, and success. He was a successful lawyer and businessman in Chicago named Horatio Spafford, who wrote the words to the popular hymn It Is Well. He had a wife, Anna, and five children. Tragedy also entered his life; a son died of pneumonia in 1871 at the age of four. They also lost their business in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. On November 21, 1873, a French ocean liner, Ville du Havre, was crossing the Atlantic from the U.S. to Europe with 313 passengers on board. Among the passengers were Mrs. Spafford and their four daughters. Mr. Spafford had planned to go to Europe with his family, but as fate would have it, he stayed in Chicago with a promise to his family that he will join them with another ship. About four days into the journey, the Ville du Havre collided with a powerful, iron-hulled Scottish ship, the Loch Earn. Suddenly, all of those on board were in grave danger. Anna hurriedly brought her four children to the deck and sought God’s mercy through prayer. But within approximately 12 minutes, the Ville du Harve sank with 226 of the passengers, including the four Spafford children. Anna survived because she was found floating on a piece of the wreckage by a sailor rowing a boat over the spot where the ship sunk. He pulled her into the boat. Anna eventually landed in Cardiff, Wales. Remember, there are those things that you have control over, and they're those over which you don’t have any control over. From Cardiff, she sent a telegram to her beloved Horatio, which simply read, “Saved alone, what shall I do?” Horatio would later frame the telegram and place it in his office. He got himself on the next available ship to join his grieving wife, Anna. When the ship got to the spot where Ville du Havre sunk, the captain called Spafford to his cabin and told him they were over the place where his children went down. The Staffords went on to have more children. One of the surviving children, Bertha Spafford Vester, wrote that her father wrote the words to the aforementioned hymn while he was on his way to reconnect with his wife. When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. Chorus: It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul With these words, Mr. Spafford sure reminds me of Job’s thoughts: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” The question then, is, how can ‘It’ be well when my world just fell apart? For me, it takes a different kind of spiritual growth and depth to arrive at the point in life where you can utter those words without any reservation. Where you can bless God for a thread that didn’t fit right, but yet, can still make the fabric beautiful. I don’t think I could muster the courage of Mr. Spafford to pen those soothing words of reassurance and contentment - It is Well. As I said before, I do not know how to weave nor do I know how to knit, but I believe that in so far as there’s some thread in me, I can still weave and knit this life of mine. So long as there’s some thread in you, you can still weave and knit yours, as well. Remember, there are those things which you have control over and they're those over which you don’t have any control over. The only prayer I can share with you is one of making sure that for those things over which we can exercise some control, may we never relent in weaving those into the beautiful fabric that we desire to see. My prayer for you today is that in spite of whatever circumstances in which you may find yourself, don’t stop weaving, and don’t stop living. You still have a few more threads, all waiting to make that beautiful fabric. Manny.

Find the point of radiance in your heart. Whether that be passion, pleasure, or pain so deep it's etched in blood, follow where your true heart leads. When it seems there is no light, look carefully, for it is always there, that ember of the God-force. It may be hidden in a dim corner or buried beneath a pile of regrets, but it's there nonetheless, that spark of divine essence, illuminating your next step. by Danna Faulds

The Spiritual Life Commission invites everyone to join us on Zoom for our Wednesday Evening Lenten Series, which centers on our 2021 theme - Be God's Light that Shines in the Darkness. Each week, we host a presenter who gives their perspective on this theme, and tonight we're blessed to have the Reverend Richard Ginnever, Rector Emeritus of Christ Church, offer his perspective. The leaflet for tonight is here. Everyone is welcome to be with us for this popular series. We sent the Zoom details out earlier, but if you would like them sent to you directly, please email us at info@christchurchcolumbia.org

A PSALM OF LIFE What the Heart of The Young Man Said to the Psalmist Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Find us further than to-day. Act in long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. In the world’s broad field of Battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife! Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, --act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o’erhead! Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o’er life’s solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait.

CONVERSATIONS ON RACE: R.A.G.E. Ministry Tuesday, March 9th at 7:30 p.m. Join us as we begin a discussion on the book "So You Want to Talk About Race" by Ijeoma Oluo. You can find the book - a New York Times Bestseller - at many retailers in physical, audiobook, and digital form. All are welcome and encouraged to join us for this virtual gathering, and feel free to email us if you have any questions or would like the Zoom link - info@christchurchcolumbia.org

On the Pulse of the Morning So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, The African, the Native American, the Sioux,, The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek, The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheik, The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher, The privileged, the homeless, the Teacher… History, despite its wrenching pain, Cannot be unloved, but if aced With courage need not be lived again. Maya Angelou

Are You Listening? Say, ‘Yes,’ and Be God’s Light Such a wide world. So many problems. What can I do as just one person? Lent is an appropriate time to step back from the brink of resignation and contemplate what it takes to “Be God’s Light that Shines in the Darkness.” Given the right circumstances, a single person can make an impact far beyond the expected reach of an ordinary individual. For example, a recently published book review in The Washington Post described how the son of Holocaust survivors helped bring about a peace agreement in Mozambique that saved lives. In the book, The Good American, The Epic Life of Bob Gersony, the U.S. Government’s Greatest Humanitarian, author Robert D. Kaplan describes how the consultant for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department adopted a new technique to help officials make sound policies. He relied on interviewing refugees and other vulnerable people. Over a 40-year career, according to reviewer Daniel Runde, Gersony talked to more than 8,200 people. But the most important observation is that he listened. That is a characteristic anyone can emulate. Think of listening as a way of letting God’s light shine through. Teachers, priests, and mentors do it, shaping others’ actions in the process. Young people often brighten the lives of their elders with a call, or text, or video-chat. Parents and children share life’s lessons. Spouses, siblings, friends, neighbors, and co-workers shine God’s light when they lend an ear. And during the pandemic, having someone to talk to eases what can be a frightening, lonely path. Clearly, most of us have the opportunity to speak with hundreds or thousands of people over the decades of our lives. And while most of us are not aiming for world peace or even a nation’s peace, however imperfect it turned out to be, we do have the chance to listen. ~ Patricia

Today is the Third Sunday in Lent. Collect of the Day: Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; 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: Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22 Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.