Keep Up the Flow of Personal Care Items, Diapers to Support CCC Parishioners have responded to our invitation to support Columbia Community Care (CCC) by collecting diapers and personal care items for our neighbors who find themselves less fortunate during the pandemic. Please keep up the good work. Organizers of CCC, an all-volunteer effort, had shared word of the scarcity of these essentials with Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, we are collecting women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin that's marked “CCC” located 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 are coming. Since our drive began at the start of 2021, Diane has made several deliveries to one of the pantries that supply CCC distribution sites. Distribution takes place indoors and abides by pandemic precautions at the following three locations: Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Faulkner Ridge Neighborhood Center, 10518 Marble Faun Lane, and Stevens Forest Neighborhood Center, 6061 Stevens Forest Rd. Hours for volunteers and recipients are Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m., with lines open for guests at 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with lines open for guests at 10:30 a.m. Spread the word if you or someone you know needs assistance. Besides the baby and personal items that Christ Church has been collecting, CCC hands out food and cleaning supplies but no clothing, books, or toys. Several parishioners at Christ Church have volunteered or contributed to CCC. Information on volunteer slots can be found on the CCC website and on the group’s Facebook page. Save the Dates: On Feb. 15, March 15, Bring Tasty Dishes for Grassroots If you missed the most recent chance to use your kitchen as a way to reach out to others, now’s the time to mark your calendars for the next few opportunities. Plan to prepare a side dish or dessert for the monthly meal that Christ Church provides to the residents of the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center at its live-in facility on Freetown Rd. Mark your calendars so that you can plan to arrive outside Old Brick on upcoming third Mondays: February 15th and March 15th at 3:30 p.m. each month. Several members of the Women of Christ Church were among volunteers who brought goodies for the Grassroots meal on Jan. 18th. This time, the third Monday fell on the national day of service for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. After the onset of the pandemic, we began these curbside drop-offs in lieu of the monthly meals that we once provided in-person at another Grassroots facility, the Dorsey/Rt. 1 Day Resource Center. It remains closed due to the coronavirus, except for curbside distribution of non-perishables. In this new tradition during the pandemic, co-coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers as they drive up to Christ Church. Nancy then transports the food to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Additional volunteers - and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars to complement our main course - are always welcome. For questions, ask Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth, or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. On their own, parishioners at Christ Church have signed up to provide the evening meal on several evenings in February or March for the 50 adults and children. Consider pitching in by picking a date to provide an entree and side dishes, or just the entree. Grassroots encourages an order of 12 pizzas - four with cheese and the rest with meat (any kind) - or rotisserie chickens (12 to make a meal) but discourages lasagna or other pasta entrees. Another welcome option is takeout from restaurants to help the foodservice workforce. Here is a link to the sign-up list that's maintained by Grassroots. Seize Another Opportunity by Gaining QPR Skills to Help Prevent Suicides Once again, a separate part of Grassroots is offering 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 free online seminar, in which members of Christ Church first participated last June, is being offered remotely in January for Howard County residents, employees, or students. Grassroots and the Horizon Foundation are offering QPR training for adults on Jan. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. To learn more, go here: https://www.grassrootscrisis.org/events/ Or you can email amanda@grassrootscrisis.org to speak directly to Amanda Ganoe, the sessions’ organizer. Those of us who completed the training under her guidance gained important insights and, as a bonus, several resources that can be shared with others. It’s helpful to know that Grassroots operates a 24-hour crisis intervention and supportive counseling hotline (410-531-6677). Individuals may call for various reasons such as suicidal thoughts, family and relationship issues, and addiction, among other problems. Drive Continues to Collect Non-liquid, Non-perishable Foods for FISH During the pandemic, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. In winter, keep the weather in mind and bring items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. LEMS Committee: Volunteers Needed The LEMS committee is continuing to contribute to the LEMS Weekend Food Program in 2021! We plan to provide food for ten families one weekend a month in the new year. 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 at their peak, we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. The committee has also reached out to the school to find out if they need assistance at the start of the new semester and will let you know what we find out. If you have any questions, please contact lemspc@christchurchcolumbia.org. Donations can be made towards future LEMS support online using Realm and listing LEMS in the memo line. 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.

This past Wednesday morning was a little somber. As glorious as it was to see a new President and Vice-President sworn into office, it was a somber day. The harsh reality of an empty mall filled rather with waving flags instead of Americans cheering on a new president remind me of Jesus’s response to the Pharisees who asked that he rebuke his disciples because of their praise of him. Jesus responded in Luke 19:40 “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones will cry out.” The flags represented, for me, the voice of every American who can see himself or herself as being a part of the big picture. It was disheartening to see former President Trump skip the inauguration of his successor and leave town isolated, diminished, and less triumphant. Save for Jimmy Carter, all living presidents made it to this inauguration, so how come he could not join his predecessors in a show of goodwill to his successor? He did a lot of good as President but in spite of all the good he has done, in twenty, thirty, forty years’ time, not many people will remember efforts such as his tax cuts or even his attempt at reforming the criminal justice system. People will, instead, remember his character and how he treated his successor. And as I shared last week, I am less interested in his politics, or any other person’s politics. I am more interested in his character, and in yours. Having character does not mean being perfect. It simply means that you can draw on a set of core values in your approach to life. Those core values - your substance, if you will - which, in part, is shaped by your faith, always draw you towards uprightness, honesty, integrity, compassion, and love. That is why the gospels invite us ever more deeply into the orbit of gracefulness and purity of heart: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Jesus said. There is a story of a professor who, upon entering a classroom one morning, asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the test paper with the text facing down, as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions… only a black dot in the center of the page. The professor, seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following: “I want you to write what you see there.” The students, confused, got started on the challenging task of explaining what they saw. At the end of the test, the professor took all the completed test papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them, with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, its shape, color, and so on. With all of them having been read and the bewildered classroom silent, the professor began to explain: "I am not going to grade on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused instead on the Black Spot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the Black Spots." Our life is a gift that is given to us by God with love and care, and we always have reasons - more than enough reasons - to celebrate that life: nature renewing itself every day, our friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, the miracles we see every day, and life, itself. However, we insist on focusing only on the Black Spots – political differences, racial differences, religious differences, sexual differences, and many others that set us apart, one from another. The reality is that those Black Spots are exceedingly small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds, create within us a reason for enmity or hatred for another person and build in us walls that are so high that no one can scale over them. For a moment, take your eyes away from the Black Spot in your life. Take your eyes away from the Black Spot that holds you in bondage. Take your eyes away from even the Black Spot in our country. Look beyond that Black Spot, and see the big picture. If we ever felt limited, it was because we failed to be defined by the common objects of our love. If we ever felt limited, it was because we couldn’t embrace the invitation to look beyond the horizon - to seize the opportunities that lie beyond our wildest dreams, to actually understand that God is exiled in each of us - you and me. For that reason, within each of us is that divine mandate to seek union with one another. Hear Jesus’ priestly prayer, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” To seek this unity isn’t about uniformity, nor is it about collapsing all we know and care about ourselves into a sea of water leaving no trace. Rather, it is about the big picture. Do I see the big picture, and can I fit into that big picture? I never thought that Washington, D.C., the capital of a free people, could be sealed off to her citizens because of a potential threat to the safety of her citizens. The insurrection on January 6th changed everything for so many of us. In spite of that, democracy won yesterday. We witnessed a peaceful transfer of power and a call to unity. To me, it is a call that invites us to focus not only on our disappointments or elations about the elections but to also look at the big picture, to focus not only on the Black Spot but everything around it - including the dot itself. After all was said and done, I thought yesterday was a good day. I saw the Black Spot but I saw more than only that Black Spot. I saw myself in the big picture, and I hope you can also see yourself in your big picture. Manny.

Below is the text from Father Manny's sermon for today, and we hope that you'll take the time to read this important message. You can also view our worship livestream here. “We Shall Overcome,” cries the Negro spiritual. For me, it is an assuring cry that feels like something good can come out of Nazareth. But I can only see that good if I embrace the invitation to come and see. Jesus had invited Philip to follow him, and so he did. But then he found his friend Nathaniel and told him about the one person the law and prophets talked about. After hearing these words from Philp, Nathaniel wonders aloud, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In Jesus' day, Nazareth was a poor little town of about four hundred people. Although residents were very religious, the town had little to offer, but Phillip isn’t settled on the idea that Nazareth had little to offer; he simply responds, "Come and See." I can hear Philip say to Nathaniel, "Don’t buy into that narrative that Nazareth has nothing to offer. Come and see." Today is Dr. King Sunday, and one of the remarkable things I like about Dr. King was that he didn’t buy into the narrative that people were so soaked up in racist bigotry and hatred for the African American that they were unwilling to move a feet to change the narrative about the American socio-economic landscape. Dr. King always invited people to come and see - don’t buy into the idea that the human being cannot change, don’t buy into the narrative that systems built to perpetuate a certain debilitating mindset like White supremacy cannot change, and don’t buy into the idea that America has nothing to offer African Americans because of all the dehumanizing policies. No! Believe that We Shall Overcome because something good can come out of the Nazareth that has little to offer African Americans. We Shall Overcome is a hopeful expression by those who bring good news - "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" Isaiah says. Come and see is another expression of hope in the one man from Nazareth who can turn human fortunes, who invites you and me to prove the world wrong by following him, who invites us to be for the world what he was for Israel “As the father sent me, so I send you.” He says. And those who follow Jesus are sent into the world as justice bringers who confront the powers that carve up the world with the good news that there is a different kind of justice which is rooted in a restored creation. A restored creation is about a creation arriving at last at the new place for which it was made in the beginning. For Dr. King and many millions of people who had fought for the restoration of God’s creation and the dignity of the African America, We Shall Overcome meant that they did not have to look very far to acknowledge the prevalence of those invisible instruments that dehumanized African Americans. Although African Americans were free, we are only free as determined by the dominant Christian culture, and not even baptism - which, in fact, establishes the Christian’s freedom in Christ and bestows upon all people the dignity of being children of God and joint heirs with Christ could change the condition of the African American. In Virginia, for instance, the Assembly passed an Act in 1667 which stated, “The conferring of baptisme doth not alter the condition of the person as to his bondage or Freedome.”[1] In an attempt by some to deal with the apparent contradiction between the inherent freedom bestowed in Baptism and the problem of slavery, an Anglican clergyman in South Carolina added an oath to the baptism service for Slaves who came for baptism. Slaves had to take this oath: “that you do not ask for the Holy Baptism out of any design to free yourself from the Duty and Obedience you owe to your Master while you live’”[2] But We Shall Overcome because we know that Baptism changes everything, especially because the baptized who follow Jesus are commissioned and equipped to be new-creation people, justice people, and hope-giving people for a world where injustice still reigns. The very fact that the Church was prepared to look the other way, and to an extent offered a tacit approval of Slavery, Jim Crow and racial discriminatory policies seems to be the conviction which formed the basis of the letter by the eight clergymen some of whom were Episcopal Church bishops to write an open letter “A Call for Unity” while Dr. King was in a Birmingham jail. Dr. King understood that the mindset which gave birth to the indignity suffered by African Americans was not different from the mindset of the clergy who referred to him as an extremist because he dared to challenge the very structures which suffocated millions of African Americans. Their demand that Dr. King stop his demonstrations was not for altruistic purposes; it was to meant to serve the purpose of those who believed in perpetuating a kind of society that still consigned African Americans to the back of the bus. But We Shall Overcome because we know that a new kind of justice has triumphed over the old forms of justice that has let us down again and again. We Shall Overcome because we hear a new voice calling out to us in the middle of the night. It is not like the old tired voice of Eli which was so familiar to Samuel. See, the old voice has lost its relevance because when God revealed Himself to Samuel, he heard a new voice. When Christ revealed himself to Nathaniel, he heard a new voice. When God reveals Himself to us, we hear a new voice which calls us out of the pursuit of injustice to pursue justice. The question this morning is, do you hear that new voice? We know the old, familiar voice that believes in separate but equal; we are familiar with the old, familiar voice that believes that human nobility rests in ones superior nature, or that human nobility depends on being superior over the other. But as Ernest Hemingway reminds us: “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is in being superior to your former self.” That self which is emblematic of the old, tired voice. We believe We Shall Overcome because if something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come out of the dungeons of hunger, poverty, homelessness, violence, and our drug-infested communities of color. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come out of the dungeons of meaninglessness that causes some to use politics as a tool for violence. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come from our nation’s capital. If something good can come out of Nazareth then something good can come out of the violence recently visited upon the Capitol. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come even from the darkest experiences of our lives. And so, like Philip, we should not give up on the ‘Nazareths’ of our lives. We Shall Overcome because like Samuel we have to listen to the new voice that calls us in the morning; to respond to its invitation would mean freeing ourselves from the temptation of believing that the old, familiar voice is the only voice that counts. We Shall Overcome because listening to the new voice that calls us in the middle of the day would mean responding to an invitation that allows us to walk hand in hand with neighbor, believing that the content of a neighbor’s character matters more than their politics. We Shall Overcome because listening to the new voice that calls us in the evening would mean responding to an invitation to shed off the load of the day, with the hope that a new day will open to us a new way of being generous, compassionate and affirming. Jesus Christ calls us to follow Him, and in following him, we must understand that all things are lawful, but not everything is beneficial. But for those things that are lawful AND beneficial, we must pursue with relentless zeal, and we must do so by turning the dungeons in our lives and in our communities into an oasis of peace, compassion, honor, dignity, prosperity, and love. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathaniel asked. Yes, something good can come of out Nazareth because we refuse to give up on human dignity, we refuse to give up on justice, and we refuse to sit at the back of the bus. As the old Negro spiritual says... We Shall Overcome Someday. Amen. [1] MacCulloch, Diarmad Christianity-The First Three Thousand Years p. 725 [2] ibid p. 728

Today is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20) Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51 Sermon for today: Father Manny's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Join Us on Jan. 18th to Help Feed the Hungry at Grassroots If you want to reach out to others on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, here’s one way to help someone. Plan to prepare a side dish or dessert for the monthly meal that Christ Church provides to the residents of the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center at its live-in facility on Freetown Rd. During the pandemic, we began these curbside drop-offs in lieu of the monthly meals that we once provided in-person at another Grassroots facility, the Dorsey/Rt. 1 Day Resource Center. It remains closed due to the coronavirus, except for curbside distribution of non-perishables. In this new tradition during the pandemic, co-coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers as they drive up to Christ Church. (See accompanying photo from Dec. 21.) On Monday, Jan. 18th, please plan to arrive by 3:30 p.m. outside Old Brick. We suggest that you wear both masks and gloves and plan to practice social distancing to keep everyone safe. Nancy then transports the food to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Additional volunteers -- and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars to complement our main course -- are always welcome. For questions, ask Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Now’s the time to mark your calendars for the third Monday of February, which is the date for the next meal that Christ Church will provide. Please plan to drop off your items at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 15th. On their own, parishioners at Christ Church have signed up to provide the evening meal on several evenings in February for the 50 adults and children. Consider pitching in, by picking a date to provide an entree and side dishes, or just the entree. Grassroots encourages an order of 12 pizzas -- four with cheese and the rest with meat (any kind), or rotisserie chickens (12 to make a meal), but discourages lasagna or other pasta entrees. Another welcome option is takeout from restaurants to help the workforce. Here is a link to the sign-up list that's maintained by Grassroots. Another Opportunity to Learn QPR Skills to Help Prevent Suicides Once again, a separate part of Grassroots is offering 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 free online seminar, in which members of Christ Church first participated last June, is being offered remotely in January for Howard County residents, employees, or students. Grassroots and the Horizon Foundation are offering QPR training on two days this month. The session on Jan. 19th, from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., is intended for youth age 13 or older or, if the child is younger, when accompanied by a parent during training. The session on Jan. 25th, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., is for adults. To learn more, go here: https://www.grassrootscrisis.org/events/ Or you can email amanda@grassrootscrisis.org to speak directly to Amanda Ganoe, the sessions’ organizer. Those of us who completed the training under her guidance during the summer came away with important insights and, as a bonus, several resources that can be shared with others. Whether or not you decide to take the training, please be aware that Grassroots maintains a 24-hour crisis intervention and supportive counseling hotline (410-531-6677). Individuals may call for various reasons such as suicidal thoughts, family and relationship issues, and addiction, among other problems. Drives Continue to Collect Specific Items for CCC and 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 and personal care items. The organizers have told Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre that these basics are scarce. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, CCC needs women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin that's marked “CCC” and located 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 are coming, and wear your mask when on the campus. Thank you. Meanwhile, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a 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 and salad dressing, or glass containers. January LEMS Committee Update The LEMS committee is continuing to contribute to the LEMS Weekend Food Program in 2021! We plan to provide food for ten families one weekend a month in the new year. 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 at their peak, we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. The committee has also reached out to the school to find out if they need assistance at the start of the new semester and will let you know what we find out. If you have any questions, please contact lemspc@christchurchcolumbia.org. Donations can be made towards future LEMS support online using Realm and listing LEMS in the memo line. 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.

Any one man can do a lot of good; he can bring out the best in people. In that same vein, any one man can do a lot of evil; he can bring out the worst in others. Dr. Martin Luther King was one who called out the best in people; Adolf Hitler brought out the worst. Any one man can also bring out the best and the evil in people. I followed American politics long before I arrived in the United States. I remember listening to the Republican National Convention speech of George H. W. Bush on a little radio. I also remember riding in a cab from a little town where I was a Vicar to a large town to watch the proceedings of Bill Clinton’s impeachment on CNN. I remember watching television with students, faculty, and staff on September 11, 2001, and will never forget the sight of a student in military garb wailing in the lounge where we were all watching the events of that day. I remember how our society pulled together to comfort each other and become a source of strength to one another. I recall the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American President. I remember the euphoria that greeted his election. It was as though the country had crossed a major threshold that we could all celebrate - at the barest minimum, we could say that we had taken a giant step towards creating that perfect union. I remember when Hillary Clinton won the nomination and ran against Donald Trump, and I remember hearing her share with the world that she had called to concede the election to our current president. If you have not lived in a subjugated society, you may not understand how important it is to concede. If you have not lived in a politically volatile area of our world, you may not understand what it means to be free from political oppression. If you have not lived or suffered under a dictatorship, you may not understand the length to which people go just so they can live. It is for this reason that American democracy and political traditions command a great deal of respect, intrigue, and mystique. We are well acquainted with the process and are assured of the peaceful transfer of power. We know that the process by which we elect our leaders is transparent, free, and fair. And we know that, barring any limits, our democratic life is such that those who do not win an election can run again. I remember a story of Bill Clinton who lost re-election in Arkansas. According to the story, Bill Clinton traveled the whole of Arkansas, one town after the other, to meet with people and understand why he lost his re-election. The beauty of all this is that he did run again, and this time he won. The important principle worth noting is that unless you are constrained by term limits, you can run again, even if you lose an election, and the one man could have graciously conceded the elections and run again but his ego and enablers would not let him. Ronald Reagan called America "the shining city on the hill." John F Kennedy invited us to be a participant and not a spectator. Each American president has called us - all citizens - to uphold a certain truism about America and to believe in it and what it stands for. After all, who lights a candle and hides it under a bushel? as Jesus asked. We set the candle on a table so that the world that sits in darkness might see the light and be drawn to it. The beauty of America does not lie in its superior military might; rather, it lies in its enduring democratic credentials, the adherence to the rule of law, and enviable political traditions. These are the transformative values America shares with the world, and for which reason the world is relatively peaceful. Like you, many of the people I know in Ghana were shocked to the core when they saw the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th this year. Like you, they wondered if this was a third-world country where the rules do not particularly work. Like you, they wondered how on earth America could descend so low. Like you, they wondered if the America that they know was falling apart because one man could not uphold the very tenets which draw people from all over the world to come here in search of freedom. Like you, I could not believe what I saw on TV last week. I watched in horror as fellow American citizens desecrated the sanctity of this country's democracy, and in disbelief as fellow Americans violated the halls where our collective heart beats. Like you, I wondered how Ashli Babbit, an Air Force veteran, could travel from California to Washington, D.C. to demonstrate, only to get shot in the face and die. What a sad, sad story. For a moment, imagine Ashli as a daughter, granddaughter, wife, sister, mother, and friend. How would you feel? Happy? Sad? How pitiful! She may be considered a martyr by some because we do not hesitate to feign devotion if we do not have to pay the price of losing Ashli ourselves or any of the others who lost their lives as a result of the insurrection. I can understand why she came all the way from California. I can understand why she felt she had to walk to the Capitol because one man asked her to ‘fight.’ One man - a leader - was able to convince her and many others that the election was fraudulent, and thus was stolen from him. How was this possible? Which fraud? This one man filed over sixty-five court cases before judges - several of whom were appointed by him. Of these many cases, not a single piece of evidence was offered and compelling enough to have a judge rule in his favor. So wherein lies the fraud? If there ever was any fraud, it was a call this one man placed to a Secretary of State, asking him to find him eleven thousand votes. Where was he going to find the votes... at Walmart, or maybe Costco? That is the fraud I see. I am less worried about this one man’s politics - or any other person’s politics. For me, all politics are transitory. I have lived long enough to know that people change their minds about politics - a Democrat becomes a Republican or an Independent, and a Republican becomes a Democrat or Independent, and so on. For that reason, I am less concerned about your personal politics and more concerned about character - the character of that one man, or of your character - for that is the one thing that actually informs your politics. Theodore Roosevelt, who once occupied the same position as this one man, wrote this: “It is not the critic who counts: Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions who spends himself in a worthy cause who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” I wonder if President Roosevelt ever thought that there will one day be a cold and timid soul who neither knows victory nor defeat, sitting in the same hallowed office as he and inciting citizens against the very government upon which he presides. One man. Compounded by the devastating news of the raging COVID-19 virus, this has been quite a sorrowful week - but we are a people of hope. We believe that the good always triumphs over evil; we believe with the Psalmist that “…weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.” And that joy only reminds us of the steadfast love and mercy of God, which are new every morning. For that reason, I look at the events on January 6th as a stain that ought to change us, change our rhetoric, and more importantly, change the way we look at each other - not as enemies, but as one people who simply have different views about how we should be governed. One man may have caused enough damage to our institutions and provided us with a reason to question those very institutions which, like glue, have held our country together - as imperfect as it may be. But if there’s ever any silver lining, the one man has provided us with a reason - more than enough reason to protect our democracy and political institutions from the likes of him. A couple of weeks ago we began a New Year, but it is never too late to share with you A Prayer for the New Year by Vinita Hampton Wright: God of all time, help us enter the New Year quietly, thoughtful of who we are to ourselves and to others, mindful that our steps make an impact and our words carry power. May we walk gently. May we speak only after we have listened well. Creator of all life, help us enter the New Year reverently, aware that you have endowed every creature and plant, every person and habitat with beauty and purpose. May we regard the world with tenderness. May we honor rather than destroy. Lover of all souls, help us enter the New Year joyfully, willing to laugh and dance and dream, remembering our many gifts with thanks and looking forward to blessings yet to come. May we welcome your lavish love. In this new year, may the grace and peace of Christ bless us now and in the days ahead. It is my hope that, if possible, you will pray this prayer daily, ponder on the gifts that God has given you, and be most especially thankful that not only do you live and breathe freedom, but that no one can take your joy and peace away from you - not even the one man. Manny.

Today is the First Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. Readings for today: Genesis 1:1-5 Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11 Psalm 29 Sermon for today: Deacon Denise's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Christ Church Supports Community Action Council of Howard County In pre-pandemic times, you’ll recall that Christ Church held periodic food drives at Giant supermarkets to collect groceries for the Howard County Food Bank, which is a pivotal initiative of the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC). The last drive was held on a sunny, fall day 15 months ago (see photo). Perhaps now that we’ve entered a new year, with a roll-out of new vaccines against the coronavirus, Christ Church will be able to resume our food drives later in 2021. In the meantime, the CAC has been confronted with vast needs for food as well as for the other services that it provides to residents in need. In recognition of this great demand, the Outreach Commission recently voted to contribute $1,000 in Vestry-approved funds to the CAC. Leaders of the CAC have been reaching out to donors to acknowledge the support of the community and to describe actions during 2020 to ease the impact of the pandemic. From the outset of COVID-19 in March, CAC held 53 pop-up pantries that, in addition to other distribution methods, provided 1,356,448 pounds of food to 51,942 people. Also, 283 families were spared from homelessness; 414 homes were weatherized, saving families an average of $430 a year; 4,298 families kept the lights through assistance with their utility bills, and 322 students received quality full-day early childhood education through CAC’s Head Start program. These facts can be found on the non-profit organization’s webpage for its mission statement. The CAC mission is: “To diminish poverty, enable self-sufficiency, and advocate for low-income families and individuals.” The Outreach Commission meets once a month on the second Monday and is scheduled to hold its next meeting virtually on Zoom, on Monday, January 11th. All parishioners are invited and encouraged to attend. Log on at 7:30 p.m. with your ideas and New Year’s resolutions to get more involved in volunteer activities! The Zoom link is here, Meeting ID is 847 5065 9984 and the password is Outreach01. For more information, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Collection Drive Continues to Provide Diapers, Personal Care Items for CCC 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 and personal care items. The organizers have told Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre that these basics are scarce. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, CCC needs women’s sanitary care products, 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 at (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming. Since its establishment last spring, CCC has become a vital nonprofit organization in meeting the needs of families in Howard County for food and other essentials. In the Howard Magazine’s Best of Howard County competition in the fall, CCC was named “Pandemic Public Hero” and the best volunteer organization. As of Dec. 2, CCC moved its operations indoors. Its new locations, all in Columbia, are Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Faulkner Ridge Neighborhood Center, 10518 Marble Faun Lane, and Stevens Forest Neighborhood Center, 6061 Stevens Forest Rd. Hours for volunteers and donation drop-offs are Wednesday, 4 to 8 p.m., with lines open for guests at 5 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with lines open for guests at 10:30 a.m. Donations of food, personal items, and cleaning supplies can be brought to the sites during the above hours. Several parishioners at Christ Church have contributed or volunteered to CCC. Information on volunteer slots can be found on the CCC website and on the group’s Facebook page. Non-perishable Food Items --No Glass, No Liquids-- Requested for FISH In pre-pandemic days, a basket for food donations could be found at the altar. Yes, we still care about our hungry neighbors who get help from the nonprofit organization, FISH of Howard County. But please keep the weather in mind. Nowadays, that basket has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” that is located on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. We ask that you continue to contribute items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. The goods in the yellow bin are picked up periodically by FISH volunteer Paul Wisniewski for delivery at the FISH pantry. 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.

Last week, we said goodbye and good riddance to 2020, praying fervently for a better year ahead. A year in which we’ll be able to once again see families and friends face to face, send our children back to school, reclaim jobs lost, and heal divisions—to live as we once did, without fear of the virus that has robbed us of so much. The path to this, though, is not like flipping a light switch or traveling through a time warp. Epidemiological evidence indicates the next few months will be difficult ones. The COVID-19 rates in Howard County as of January 4th were a 6.9 positivity rate and a case rate of 32.5. We’ll be unable to gather and worship in person until the virus spread is better under control, something we look forward to as more of us get vaccinated. But the next few cold, winter months may be some of our most challenging. Pastoral care doesn’t stop in a pandemic—it changes, adapts, and transforms, as we seek creative ways to care for each other during these anxious times. Christ Church’s Pastoral Care (PC) Committee has experienced several big changes of late. Mary Keath, who has faithfully led the committee these past four-plus years, recently turned over the reins to Kathy Lyon. Mary has been the cornerstone of the PC Committee, keeping abreast of parishioners’ needs and seamlessly coordinating care and support. We are so very grateful for her leadership, and we pray for blessings for her and Ed as they prepare to move to their new home in Oregon sometime in the next few months. Some of you will recognize our new PC Commissioner, Kathy Lyon, from her time in the pulpit. She is one of our lay preachers and is also discerning a call to the diaconate. Kathy will continue to work closely with the committee and with clergy, seeking inventive ways to offer support in a safe, physically distanced way. For example, our PC Committee will be stepping up our parish keep-in-touch ministry, with regular check-in calls to fellow parishioners. We also have a team of dedicated volunteers willing to prepare and deliver no-contact meals. Please know that you needn’t be ill to request meals. If you’re helping to educate your children from home and feeling stressed, maybe you’d like a break from cooking. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed during winter’s isolation, a meal prepared for you might offer some additional time for self-care. If you find yourself in need or want of a meal — for whatever reason — don’t hesitate to reach out to myself (deacondenise@christchurchcolumbia.org) or to Kathy (rklyon@cablespeed.com). The PC Committee will also continue to send handmade cards, pray for those in need, and reach out virtually to newcomers. Lay Eucharistic visits remain on hold, but we will look to resume those—as well as Baptism preparation—as soon as it’s safe to do so. Additionally, I want to mention a virtual opportunity for those grieving the loss of a loved one. St. John’s in Ellicott City hosts Walking the Mourner’s Path—a grief support ministry open to all in the community. The program, offered at various times throughout the year, consists of small group workshops led by trained lay facilitators and a member of the clergy. Participants discover Christ-centered support in their grief, tools for moving forward with joyful living, and ways to honor their loved one. Information about sign-ups for the upcoming March session will be communicated once available. We also plan to partner with St. John’s to offer a series of virtual health and wellness sessions this winter, to be held once monthly on Thursday evenings in the months of January, February, and March. Stay tuned for more information about those opportunities to nurture self-care and connection within our Christ Church community. Finally, clergy can be particularly helpful during certain challenging times and life events, offering spiritual support and counseling during crises — such as the times we find ourselves in today. Father Manny and I hope you won’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need to talk. God’s peace be with you. ~Denise

Today is the Second Sunday after Christmas. Collect of the Day: O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for today: Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 84:1-8 Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a Luke 2:41-52 Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

CCC Bin Set Up in Parish Hall to Collect Diapers, Personal Care items 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 and personal care items. The organizers have told Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre that these basics are scarce. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, CCC needs women’s sanitary care products, 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 are coming. Since its establishment last spring, CCC has become a vital nonprofit organization in meeting the needs of families in Howard County for food and other essentials. In the Howard Magazine’s Best of Howard County competition in the fall, CCC was named “Pandemic Public Hero” and the best volunteer organization. As of December 2nd, CCC moved its operations indoors. Its new locations, all in Columbia, are: Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd.; Faulkner Ridge Neighborhood Center, 10518 Marble Faun Lane; and Stevens Forest Neighborhood Center, 6061 Stevens Forest Rd. (In the photo above, organizer Amy Kowalczyk is shown at Stevens Forest near the baby and personal care offerings.) Hours for volunteers and donation drop-offs are Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m., with lines open for guests at 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with lines open for guests at 10:30 a.m. Donations of food, personal items, and cleaning supplies can be brought to the sites during these hours. At its new locations, CCC is following all state and federal COVID-19 protocols to keep volunteers and guests safe during the winter setup. Only 10 people total will be in the space at a time, volunteers and guests combined. Several parishioners at Christ Church have contributed or volunteered to CCC. For those wishing to volunteer, there is a new assignment for those who don’t feel comfortable working indoors. Someone at each site works as a Gatekeeper. The person uses a clicker to monitor the number of guests served, making sure the 10-person limit is observed, and hands out gloves and bags as needed, among other duties. The translator can also work as the gatekeeper and if so, translators should sign up for both spots. Those and other volunteer slots can be found on the CCC website and on the group’s Facebook page. Non-perishable Food Items --No Glass, No Liquids-- Requested for FISH In pre-pandemic days, a basket for food donations could be found at the altar. Yes, we still care about our hungry neighbors who get help from the nonprofit organization, FISH of Howard County. But please keep the weather in mind. Nowadays, that basket has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” that is located on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. We ask that you continue to contribute items such as cereals, granola bars, sugar, flour, rice, and dried beans. At this time, please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressings, or glass containers. Thank you. The goods in the yellow bin are picked up periodically by FISH volunteer Paul Wisniewski for delivery at the FISH pantry. For those who shop online to stay safe, consider benefiting a charity that helps the hungry when you order from Amazon. Through AmazonSmile, the company’s foundation makes a contribution of .5% of every purchase on the site to the customer’s designated charity. It’s a small amount but volume matters, and the nonprofits who participate tell us it truly makes a difference. You can designate only one, but we are highlighting several from which you may wish to choose. FISH, which is an all-volunteer organization, helps impoverished households in several ways ranging from energy assistance to food drop-offs utilizing donations from Christ Church and others in Howard County. Another is Community Action Council of Howard County, which oversees the Howard County Food Bank and several other initiatives to help those in need, and the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. The latter oversees the live-in facility on Freetown Road where Christ Church provides an evening meal every month, as well as the Dorsey/Day Resource Center for homeless individuals. The center on Rt. 1 in Jessup remains closed due to the coronavirus, except for curbside distribution of non-perishables. Please lift up your prayers for the volunteers and nonprofit employees who are striving to cope with even greater demands and daunting challenges due to coronavirus, as well as those in need of help during the pandemic. 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. Be Aware of Email Phishing Scams, Especially During this Holiday Season We want to make you aware of email and text message scams that are targeting members of religious institutions around the country. There are also recent reports of other Maryland and Howard County churches having been affected by this issue, including Christ Church. You can learn about these phishing scams, and what you can do to help stop them, on our website's blog. Click here.