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. Go Light Your World performed by Kathy Troccoli There is a candle in every soul Some brightly burning, some dark and cold There is a Spirit who brings fire Ignites a candle and makes His home Carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to Light his own candle some other way See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to Still holds a candle without a flame Carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world We are a family whose hearts are blazing So let's raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times Carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world songwriter: Christopher Rice

Disaster Aid Goes to Episcopal Relief and Development in Wake of Winter Storms After an unprecedented cold snap plunged Texas and other states into a deep freeze, residents suffered for days in the hard-hit Southeast. Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is stepping in to relieve suffering and help in recovery, working with affected dioceses and local parishes to see that funds go to where they are most needed. On behalf of parishioners who have donated to General Outreach at Christ Church, members of the Outreach Commission voted this week to contribute $675 to ERD. The funds will go to assist those in Texas and far beyond who must cope with power outages, flooding, and water shortages caused by the extreme weather. ERD describes how it is making use of the urgently requested contributions: “Your gift today will help provide emergency shelter, groceries, and gas — as well as serve cooked meals to families in affected areas. We are also working with a network of Episcopal dioceses to create shelters, recognizing COVID-19 precautions, for vulnerable people impacted by the storms and power outages, including those without electricity, without homes, or living in poorly-insulated housing.” The statement is on the disaster aid section of the ERD website, which has a display for those wishing to make individual, tax-deductible contributions online. Anyone who prefers donating by writing a check to ERD should put “Winter Storms” on the memo line and mail it to ERD, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. As Christ Church parishioners have experienced firsthand in New Brick, the damage caused by ruptured pipes can be immense. A recent article in The New York Times described the woes of one elderly couple whose pipes burst in their home in Killeen, Texas. They spent one night on a couch at church and another in a hotel that caught fire, forcing guests to evacuate. When they returned home, they found a pool of frigid water in their living room and buckled flooring in the dining room. But that’s not all. “Their tightknit Episcopal church, which has lost three members to the virus over the past awful year, had also flooded,” the newspaper reported. “I’m at the end of my rope,” said Janet Culver, the 88-year-old parishioner. Her husband, Jim, is 91. Please keep the Culvers and other winter storm victims in your prayers. How a Milkshake Matters in the Effort to End Homelessness in Howard County Little things add up. That principle is behind restaurant and retailer benefits, such as the one that took place on February 24th during Shake Shack Donation Day for Bridges to Housing Stability. It was a good reason for parishioners and other supporters to flock to Shake Shack, which is located on the plaza at Columbia Mall. The sunny day seemed perfect for indulging in milkshakes, fries, and burgers --including a ‘Shroom’ burger for vegetarians. In turn, 25 percent of the participants’ total meal purchases went to Bridges. Christ Church has a warm relationship with Bridges that dates to 2019 when we participated in its countywide chili cook-off, Holier Than Thou. Parishioner James Collins, a Bridges board member, was the master of ceremonies. That fundraising and camaraderie were surpassed on Feb. 9, 2020. Our own cook-off a year ago, which included the Youth Group’s collection from Souper Bowl Sunday, raised $1,000. And that, in turn, led to Christ Church winning a Silver Ladle Award during the Chili & Challenge virtual fundraiser held last fall by the nonprofit. In its February newsletter, you can read about Bridges’ work that your donations support, including help for a mother of four. She writes, “I got behind on my rent when I was laid off from my job due to COVID-19 and then got very sick with COVID-19 and pneumonia. All of my kids were sick, too.” Bridges’ newsletter includes a timely excerpt of an article on racial inequities in housing, selected for Black History Month. And there’s a shout-out to Christ Church for our support of the January restaurant benefit, at Coal Fire in Ellicott City. If you know of upcoming restaurant benefits for other worthy causes in Howard County that could be publicized ahead of time, let us know by emailing outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. It’s also a way to support the local workforce as the pandemic continues to affect the economy. Drives Continue to Collect Diapers and Personal Care Items for CCC and Non-liquid, Non-perishable Foods for FISH Parishioners are asked to support Columbia Community Care (CCC), an all-volunteer effort that came together in Howard County in response to the pandemic, by collecting diapers, baby wipes, and women’s sanitary care products. There’s an effort underway at the state level to create a Maryland tax deduction for purchase of diapers and feminine hygiene products that are donated to nonprofits. So keep track of your receipts, given the possibility that Senate Bill 622 or House Bill 711 could pass in the General Assembly. CCC also needs personal care items for both men and women such as soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. 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 (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you will arrive. Meanwhile, keep the nonperishbles coming for FISH of Howard County by placing them in the yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. During winter, please contribute items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices or glass containers. February LEMS Committee Update LEMS teachers will be returning to the school building this month. To help the teachers and staff feel appreciated, the LEMS provided goodie bags for each of them, as requested by the school principal. The LEMS committee is continuing to provide food for ten families one weekend a month. If anyone is interested in volunteering with the monthly bulk purchasing, bagging, and delivering to the school when New Brick reopens please contact the committee. With local COVID cases still elevated we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. If you have any questions, please contact lemspc@christchurchcolumbia.org. WOCC Outreach - Seafarer’s Donations For years, the WOCC has been involved in providing requested items to Seafarers. Below is a list of the types of magazines, books, and DVD’s/CD’s to be donated. If you can help, it would be greatly appreciated. The Seafarer’s bin is in the lower level, near the bottom of the steps, in the Parish House. Suggested Items needed: · Bible in modern English (or Tagalog, Russian, or Chinese), · Times/Newsweek/etc. up to 3 months old · Sports Illustrated/People/etc. up to 6 months · Cars/Computers/Consumers magazines - up to 1 year · Reader’s Digest up to a couple of years · National Geographic (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 CD’s. · Religious books (in easy English), DVD’s, CD’s; rosaries. 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.

The following excerpts are from the book Love is the Way by the Right Reverend Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church. Religion/Theology Religion, at its best, is not an old cobweb-filled attic called tradition, and it’s not “the way we’ve always done it.” It’s a treasure chest of wisdom gleaned from human beings who have dared, as the Bible says of someone called Enoch, to walk with God. The theologian Karl Barth once suggested that the way to do theology was with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. This seemed similar: The Bible could guide me only if it was in conversation with real life. Love God may be the source of love, but people are often the vessels. Once you understand that, you also start to understand that connecting to the Holy Spirit isn’t about what we say in our house of worship on a Sunday. It’s the community of love we create for ourselves and for others. When that happens, God’s there. That’s God showing up. We’re resting in God’s hands. Love is meant to saturate all levels of human living and existence, because the God who gave us life is love. And as the saying goes, “Everybody is God’s somebody.” The more we listen to love - let us guide us through life - the faster we find that sweet spot, that intersection where out deep gladness and the world’s great hunger meet and walk the path of love together. Grief Understanding that love never ends does not erase grief. The prayer book introduces the liturgy of the dead by reminding us that even Jesus wept at this friend/s grave. Joy and grief coexist. As well, that love the New Testament says “never ends” is also described in the Hebrew as “strong as death.” I’ve begun to see how that is true; we will always grieve those we love when they are no longer living. And yet the love we humans experience, as powerful and durable as it is, is only a faint reflection of God’s love, which is eternal, the source of all love and loves. And that is the love that welcomes and embraces those we love when this mortal life is over. Rituals of faith The late Senator John McCain spoke about how prayer got him through imprisonment in Vietnam. As a kid, he had gone to Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. The priests led the kids through morning prayers every single day. He said the prayers then because he had to. And yet, when he was stuck in that cell, staring at four walls, with no way of knowing what misery the days and weeks and months ahead held, he started every day with prayer. It kept him going. He rested in God’s hands. Reworking anger My challenge was learning how to receive anger and not give it back in return. I needed to do something very difficult: to stand and kneel at the same time. I needed to stand in my conviction, laying out what I believed and why. And when the response was anger, I needed to learn to kneel before it. Believe me, standing in self-righteousness is so much easier. But when you’re facing someone else who feels as strongly in their conviction as you do, anger is totally unproductive. Actually, it’s counterproductive. You’ve got to create space for the other person. Martin Luther King Junior’s Commandments of Nonviolence “Martin Luther King understood the discipline was required. He asked those who marched alongside him to sign cards that committed them to the 10 Commandments of non-violence.… Numbers one through nine were reminders of the spiritual principles that king believed would help people stay grounded in the non-violent way of love.” “1. Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.” “2. Remember always that the non-violent movement seeks justice and reconciliation--not victory.” “3. Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love. Makes the dream real by enacting it.” “4. Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.” “5. Sacrifice personal wishes in order of that all men might be free.” “6. Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.” “7. Take care to perform regular service for others and for the world.” “8. Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.“ “9. Strive to be in good spiritual and Bodily health.” “Imagine, if you will, the impact of each and every person on this planet taking the time to define and then live out loving principles. In fact, imagine 50% of everybody doing this, and being successful even half the time. Politics, business, and commerce, religious life, and community would be transformed.” from Curry, Bishop Michael and Grace, Sara; Love is the Way: holding on to hope in troubling times, New York: Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC, 2020, pages 91-92.

I was given a beautiful wooden cross by Rebecca as a thank you gift for Altar Guild work. It’s small and smooth; handcrafted with care. I carried that cross in my car and reached for it often when I felt the urge to cuss or complain. I still cussed and complained often but less often. Recently we had a sprinkler failure in New Brick at Christ Church when a 3-inch pipe burst opening a dime-sized hole and gushing gallons of water that devasted two floors of drywall, insulation, electrical systems and flooring. As Co-chairs of Buildings and Grounds George Toth quickly began work with many others to make repairs and recover. I quickly reached for my cross and began carrying it in my pocket. It’s sometimes a worry stone and sometimes a reminder that we’re not alone in our work or struggles. It’s always a strength to me as it represents His strength. Thank you, Rebecca

I am still recovering from the dismay over the abysmal performance of the Kansas City Chiefs at the Super Bowl. You can call it a malaise, or something worse than that. I haven’t been able to recover from it. My feelings are like the pandemic, it fluctuates between extreme anger and kind disquiet. I just couldn’t believe that the Chiefs could play like that. "Were the players psychologically prepared for battle?" I asked. You might have been close by to have heard my screaming and shouting over such an awful performance. Is Fr. Manny a Kansas City Chiefs fan? Not really, no. I had followed them all through the season, though, and am highly impressed by the skill of their quarterback Patrick Mahomes. I'm especially impressed with the way he can take over a game and make incredible plays that can make you go gaga. But at this year’s Super Bowl, that Patrick Mahomes seemed to be nowhere to be found. I wondered, "Why?" I, for one, believed that the Chiefs would blow the Buccaneers out of the water, so to speak. After all, the Chiefs had been a high-performing football team until then, and their statistics were, as they say, off the chain. The Buccaneers were a good team, but when compared to the Chiefs they were the weaker of the two. So, what happened? I do not know. The Buccaneers had an old guard in QB Tom Brady, and you not only write him off at your own risk but to be so successful against such an opponent, you have to dig a little deeper. The problem is that we sometimes tend to minimize our own strength and our capacity to punch above our weight. We have a tendency to write ourselves off and can then lose the fight before the first punch is ever thrown. We can measure our weakness against the other’s strength, instead of our strength against their strength. But remember the wonderful story of David and Goliath? Although David was a young lad, he didn’t measure his weakness against that of Goliath, even though Goliath measured his strength against David’s weakness. David measured his strength against Goliath’s strength and then thundered these words “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” David knew he possessed something that Goliath had derided. On the battlefield, David killed Goliath. He was the strongest and most well-armed of the two, so, what happened? The irony of life is that our biggest weakness can become our biggest strength. There’s a story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy soon began lessons with an old Japanese Judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move. “Sensei,” the boy finally said, “shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy then deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced; for a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. “No,” the sensei insisted, “let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament - he was now the champion. On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. “Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move? What happened?" “You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.” The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength. Sometimes our biggest weakness can become our biggest strength. What weaknesses do you have? What are your strengths? Can you turn those weaknesses into strengths? Can you maximize your strengths? One of the values I have found about Lent is in dwelling on our weaknesses - though not with the desire of glorying in them. Oftentimes, those weaknesses become the pathway to our sins. They also become so challenging that we sort of give up on ourselves and write ourselves off, and we can even discourage ourselves from taking the steps that could convince us that we can beat any team - even the Kansas City Chiefs. We tend to forget Paul’s confession in 2 Corinthians 12 - “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This confession wasn’t pulled out of thin air; it was Paul’s reality. He was keenly aware that he couldn’t win any battle by himself alone. It reminds me of David’s thunderous response to Goliath: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” I have come to believe that we don’t make ourselves strong. We are strong because we possess something that our Goliath constantly derides. We are strong because we possess something that the adversary cannot contend with. That ‘something’ makes us strong in our weakness, and so we walk and not faint, we run and are not weary, and we win the battles against the Goliaths of our lives. I think I know what happened... I came to discover that within me resides a power that is greater than any power in the world. (1 John 4:4) And to be successful against any adversary or opponent, I have to dig a little deeper. Manny.

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 will host a presenter who gives their perspective on this theme, and tonight we're blessed to have the Right Reverend Robert Ihloff offer his perspective. Everyone is welcome to be with us for the start of 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

Merciful Father, may the presence of our Lenten observance make us your obedient people. May the love within us be seen in what we do and lead us to the joy of Easter. Eternal Father, turn our hearts to you. By seeking your kingdom and loving one another, may we become a people who worship you in spirit and truth. Lord, may everything we do, begin with your inspiration, continue with your help, and reach perfection under your guidance. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reign with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. AMEN

Two Evenings at the Kitchen Table with Dr. Harolyn Belcher February 23rd and March 2nd at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom Dr. Harolyn Belcher, a Christ Church parishioner, Professor of Pediatrics, and Vice President at Johns Hopkins Hospital invites us to join her on Zoom* for a pair of Tuesday evenings - February 23rd and March 2nd - at 7:30 p.m. each night. The virtual gathering on February 23rd will be centered around the latest COVID-19 vaccine information and March 2nd focuses on how we all can help to ensure child and youth health and well-being. We sent the Zoom link out earlier this week and hope that you all will join us for this important series. If you need the link and details, please email us at info@christchurchcolumbia.org

I am the Light of the World by Malcolm Guite I see your world in the light that shines behind me Lit by a sun whose rays I cannot see, The smallest gleam of light still seems to find me Or find the child who’s hiding deep inside me. I see your light reflected in the water, Or kindled suddenly in someone’s eyes, It shimmers through the living leaves of summer, Or spills from silver veins in leaden skies, It gathers in the candles at our vespers It concentrates in tiny drops of dew At times it sings for joy, at times it whispers, But all the time it calls me back to you. I follow you upstream through this dark night My saviour, source, and spring, my life and light.

BE GOD’S LIGHT THAT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS A MEDITATION LITANY FOR LENT In the Book of Genesis we read: “Then God said, “let there be light’, and there was light.” Almighty God, shine your light on us and on our world during this Lenten season. Dispel our fears and uncertainties, our anger and our selfishness. Break into our hearts with your light and make our world new. Lord, hear my prayer. Throughout the books of the Bible, we hear the stories of ordinary people following your light. We hear the story of the magi, who, having seen a new star in the heavens, followed it to find their new king - an entirely different kind of king whose life and death would change the world. We pray that we may see such a new star in the heavens of our lives. We pray for the grace and strength to believe in You and to follow your light, wherever You may lead us. Lord, hear my prayer. Lord, we are tired. We are tired of the worry and the anxiety and the uncertainty and the enmity and the division. Set your light before us. Help us see in it the pure light of hope. Help us each pick up that candle to be your light and your hope in our world. Help us to act, each in our own way, to bring your light to others, to those dear to us and to complete strangers, to people who are literally our neighbors and to people whom we will never meet, to your children who are sick and your children who are in need. Lord, hear my prayer. In the words of the old hymn, Lord, “dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid.” We see your light in the work of good people, of all kinds, of all faiths and nations and races, of all political beliefs. Open our eyes to your light that is within each of us, within each person, without exception. Use your light to illuminate what unites us. Cast your light into the darkness of our worst behavior, scattering our pride and self-centeredness, our impatience and our lashing out. Shine your light brightly on the paths that we should follow as we try to follow You. Lord, hear my prayer. Your light shines without fail. It is there, even when, especially when, we think we can’t see it, giving us hope and courage and strength to do what we know we should, what we know we must. By your grace, may we individually and together be your lights in our world, bringing hope and solace and cheer and optimism and help and peace to your children, in our homes, in our communities, in our nation, across our world. Lord, hear my prayer. “And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” Jesus, our Bright Morning Star, the Light of the World, light our way as we step from out of the darkness and into the light of hope. AMEN.

Today is the First Sunday in Lent. Collect of the Day: Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; 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: Genesis 9:8-17 Psalm 25:1-9 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:9-15 Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.