“Shining God’s Light in the World” Led by the Rev. Denise Schiavone, Deacon​ Saturday, December 5th from 9:00-11:00 a.m. This online retreat will be a morning of respite and restoration. Exploring how we nurture the light within to allow us to shine forth in the world, we will share time in active reflection, discussion, and exercises. We’ll also participate in a guided meditation session, led by guest facilitator/yoga instructor Danielle Beyers. The retreat will conclude with an online Eucharist. One of our hopes for this contemplative morning is to compile a Pandemic Journal, to explore how this 10-month period of semi-isolation has affected our lives. This retreat is a time to connect with each other expressing our concerns, our hopes, and our need for joy in our lives. We encourage all interested individuals - both parish members and visitors - to participate. Home communion kits are now available for no-contact pick up at the church. They’re in a marked box in the breezeway between the Christ Church office and Old Brick, so stop by at your convenience and take one; we’ll be using these for Eucharist at the close of the retreat. For planning purposes, we would love to know if you plan on attending. However, a spontaneous decision to attend is more than welcome. If you'd like to join us, email us at info@christchurchcolumbia.org and we'll send the Zoom details to your inbox. We hope you’ll join us for this special day of centering, contemplation, and connection. Please have handy writing materials (pen/paper or your computer) and a comfortable blanket nearby, if you’d like.

Parishioners Respond as the Virtual Angel Tree Drive Continues through Dec. 11th We’re almost midway through the timeline of this year’s Angel Tree drive, as the Outreach Commission invites you to collect toys and clothing before Christmas to complete gift “packages” for young angels. We are focusing our support on children ages 10 to 12 to meet a need identified by The Salvation Army. Since we are not physically in church together, our Angel Tree has gone online. And so far, nearly half of the items on our angels’ wish lists have been promised. (For those who prefer to go totally virtual, please skip to the “Hands Off” section below.) Instead of taking a tag with a child’s name and suggested gifts as in the past, you can sign up as follows: - Click here to choose an angel. A child’s complete package includes (3) toys and (2) clothing/shoes gifts (such as one outfit and a coat). - You may sign up for as many — or as few — angels/gifts as you want. You will receive an email notification regarding each angel and gift you have selected. - When you are ready to drop off gifts, please place them — unwrapped — inside a plastic bag and tie a tag or label on it that clearly states the name and identifying number of the angel. You may put multiple gifts for the same angel in one bag. Put gifts for a different angel(s) in separate bags. - The bags can be dropped off in a marked bin at the church just inside the Parish Hall door until 2 p.m. on every weekday through Friday, December 11th. Please call the church office (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming (same day is fine). The last day to drop off gifts is Friday, December 11th. Staying safe by keeping “Hands Off:” If you would like to participate, but want to do everything (shopping and delivery) online, you may do so directly on The Salvation Army web page. Go to www.angeltreemd.org and click on the red bar that says “Adopt an Angel.” Go to Ellicott City (Howard County) and click on “Adopt an Angel” to choose an angel, order gifts online and have delivery made to the Howard County Angel Tree warehouse. Delivery instructions for Amazon should pop up automatically but you can also access them using this link. Please tell us via emailing outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org so that we can keep track of how many children Christ Church supports this year. Through either method, we will lift the hearts not only of the angels but of their families. Parents obtain the unwrapped gifts from The Salvation Army to prepare for a Christmas that will be much brighter than they could otherwise afford. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Melanie Yaksich at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Friends of Sabina To Share 2021 Plans during Online Fundraiser - Dec. 10th For more than a decade, Christ Church has backed efforts to educate students at Sabina Primary School and to strengthen the surrounding community in a part of rural Uganda that is now known as the Kyotera District. The Outreach Commission earlier this year encouraged parishioners to begin sponsoring Sabina students whose families otherwise cannot afford fees and tuition. Christ Church members stepped forward to sponsor eight children, ranging in age from 8 to 15. Anyone who may be interested in exploring that option yourself is invited to email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Due to the nation’s pandemic restrictions, only the eldest students have been permitted to return to class, but there are expectations that additional grades will be cleared to return in January. What a surprise that may await them! Construction has begun on a new kitchen complex and learning center, which is the subject of the upcoming online fundraiser to be conducted by the nonprofit, Friends of Sabina (FOS). Go to its website for instructions on viewing this, their inaugural fundraiser, to be held from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. EST on December 10th. “By stepping out on faith, we built the foundation of our vision to renew and support the Sabina School,” said the FOS leaders. “Through generous donations and additional funding, we raised the walls and brought hope to the community. Our goal is to complete the complex by the start of the new school year in January, which will impact so many lives through nourishment of the body and mind.” Springfield Hospital Christmas Gifts We will once again be collecting Christmas gifts for our friends at Springfield Hospital. This has been a particularly difficult year for them, as they have been unable to have visits due to the pandemic. Though we haven’t been able to make our usual visits, we will be gathering gifts for them to bring a little Christmas Joy. If you would like to contribute, we have placed a large container in the Tower Room to accept your unwrapped donations, before December 14th. If that’s inconvenient, please contact Cathy Gold and we will find a way - heycathy@verizon.net. For anyone who has suggestions about ways to help the community, would like to get involved, or if you need any assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

The Christ Church Angel Tree Goes Virtual to Brighten Christmas for Howard County Children It is that time of year when the Outreach Commission invites parishioners to collect toys and clothing before Christmas to complete gift “packages” for young angels. We are focusing our support on children ages 10 to 12 to meet a need identified by The Salvation Army. Since we are not physically in church together, our Angel Tree has gone online. (For those who prefer to go totally virtual, please skip to the “Hands Off” section below.) Instead of taking a tag with a child’s name and wish list as in the past, you can sign up as follows: - Click here to choose an angel. A child’s complete package includes 3 toys and 2 clothing/shoes gifts (such as one outfit and a coat). - You may sign up for as many — or as few — angels/gifts as you want. You will receive an email notification regarding each angel and gift you have selected. - When you are ready to drop off gifts, please place them — unwrapped — inside a plastic bag and tie a tag or label on it that clearly states the name and identifying number of the angel. You may put multiple gifts for the same angel in one bag. Put gifts for a different angel(s) in separate bags. - The bags can be dropped off in a marked bin at the church just inside the Parish Hall door until 2 p.m. on every weekday from Mon. 11/30 to Fri. 12/11. Please call the church office (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming (same day is fine). The last day to drop off gifts is Friday, Dec. 11th. Staying safe by keeping “Hands Off:” If you would like to participate, but want to do everything (shopping and delivery) online, you may do so directly on The Salvation Army web page. Go to angeltreemd.org and click on the red bar that says “Adopt an Angel.” Go to Ellicott City (Howard County) and click on “Adopt an Angel” to choose an angel, order gifts online and have delivery made to the Howard County Angel Tree warehouse. Delivery instructions for Amazon should pop up automatically but you can also access them for future reference at this link. Please tell us via email (outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org) so that we can keep track of how many children Christ Church supports this year. Through either method, we will lift the hearts not only of the angels but of their families. Parents obtain the unwrapped gifts from The Salvation Army to prepare for a Christmas that will be much brighter than they could otherwise afford. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call Melanie Yaksich at (410) 908-3520 or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Gratitude to All Who Made the 2020 Thanksgiving Drive a Success The makings of many Thanksgiving meals have gone from the big yellow bin at Christ Church to the homes of Howard County families. Dozens of parishioners dropped off delicious desserts and non-perishable side dishes by the end of the drive on Nov. 22nd (click above image for slideshow). Others contributed financially to help make the holiday special in 2020. Thanks to one and all! In collaboration with the nonprofit organization, FISH of Howard County, Christ Church once again collected sides such as potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, and cranberry sauce. To keep people safe during the pandemic, the Outreach Commission also arranged for online purchase by Christ Church of 25 frozen turkeys and five fresh chicken roasters that were delivered directly to the FISH pantry. FISH volunteers made the first visits to participating families on the weekend, and more visits were set to take place earlier this week. The bounty turned out to be even greater than the needs of the families, who are now in line for much anticipated menu assistance for the Christmas holiday. Baltimore International Seafarers' Center Donations The Seafarers charity is again requesting donations from Christ Episcopal Church. The group is asking for warm hats for men, 2021 Calendars, and copies of the following magazines : Time ; People; Sports Illustrated; National Geographic, Reader's Digest, Smithsonian, New Yorker, Baltimore Magazine and travel magazines. These items may be placed in the bin marked 'Seafarers'. Because lower brick will be open for drop off and pick up of auction items this weekend, the bins will also be available during those times for donations. Please have your donations in by next Monday, November 30th. Thank you for your attention to this important community outreach. DreamBuilders - New Build Date The next DreamBuilders Desk Build date is December 5th. The DreamBuilders’ first two efforts at building portable and foldable desks for students was so successful, and we want to continue to get these desks out to those who need them. Our work site will be indoors, at a large warehouse facility and will include social distancing, masks, and other measures to minimize potential exposure to the coronavirus. To learn more about the Build Days and how you might be able to help, please visit the DreamBuilders' website at www.dreambuildersmd.org/volunteer-registration Springfield Hospital Christmas Gifts We will once again be collecting Christmas gifts for our friends at Springfield Hospital. This has been a particularly difficult year for them, as they have been unable to have visits due to the pandemic. Though we haven’t been able to make our usual visits, we will be gathering gifts for them to bring a little Christmas Joy. If you would like to contribute, we have placed a large container in the Tower Room to accept your unwrapped donations, before December 14th. If that’s inconvenient, please contact Cathy Gold and we will find a way. heycathy@verizon.net or (410) 440-4178. For anyone who has suggestions about ways to help the community, would like to get involved, or if you need any assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

Next Tuesday, December 1st, is known as Giving Tuesday - a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. This year, Christ Church is inviting all of you to consider supporting your favorite CEC ministry. This support will help us to better serve as many people as possible during these perilous times. From Outreach to Music ministries, from Rector's Discretionary Fund to LEMS, and from Liturgy & Worship to Buildings & Grounds - each facet of Christ Episcopal Church is represented on the form at https://onrealm.org/christchurchcolumbia/give/givingtuesday, so you'll be able to direct your gift to the ministry you'd like to help. You can also give using your mobile phone by texting CECGIVING TUESDAY to 73256 (this number will never send unsolicited texts to you). Alternatively, if you prefer to give in a more traditional manner, you can send a check to Christ Church and place the name of the ministry you'd like to give to in the memo line. Thank you.

Collect of the Day: Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: Deuteronomy 8:7-18 Psalm 65 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 Luke 17:11-19 Today's Sermon: Kathy Lyon delivers today's Thanksgiving Sermon, and you can read the text here. Thanksgiving Day Worship Livestream:

Led by the Rev. Denise Schiavone, Deacon​ Saturday, December 5th from 9 - 11 a.m. via Zoom This online retreat, open to all, will be a morning of respite and restoration. Exploring how we nurture the light within to allow us to shine forth in the world, we will share time in active reflection, discussion and exercises. We’ll also participate in a guided meditation session, led by guest facilitator/yoga instructor Danielle Beyers. The retreat will conclude with an online Eucharist. One of our hopes for this contemplative morning is to compile a Pandemic Journal, to explore how this ten-month period of semi-isolation has affected our lives. This retreat is a time to connect with each other expressing our concerns, our hopes and our need for joy in our lives. We encourage all interested individuals - both parish members and visitors - to participate. If you have any questions or would like to join us, please email info@christchurchcolumbia.org and we'll send you the Zoom details. We hope you’ll join us for this special day of centering, contemplation, and connection. ​ The rest of our Advent and Christmas schedule will be published on our website soon.

Earlier this year, Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine began holding several community testing events for COVID-19. They have collaborated with locations such as St. John Baptist Church, Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal M.I, and our own Christ Episcopal Church to offer these community testing events. With the colder weather approaching, more indoor locations have been introduced. This testing for COVID-19 to neighborhoods around Howard County are at no cost to the patient, and a physician order is not required for the testing events listed here. Advance registration is strongly encouraged, but same-day registration is also accepted. Children and adults can be tested. To learn more, email HCGH-J2BH@jhmi.edu or call 410-740-7601. Upcoming December Test Locations: Howard County Fairgrounds 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship 21794 Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 from Noon – 4 p.m. Howard Community College - West Garage 10650 Hickory Ridge Road, Columbia 21044 (from Hickory Ridge Road turn onto Campus Drive) Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020 from Noon – 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, 2020 from Noon – 4 p.m. You can click here for a PDF of other testing locations in Howard County. To learn more about upcoming testing locations, what to expect when you get tested, and other resources can be found at https://bit.ly/2HCR6rV Howard County General Hospital ofrece pruebas para detectar la COVID-19 en Howard County. Por favor, reserve su plaza para la prueba con anterioridad. Se administrarán pruebas para adultos y niños. Por favor regístrese aquí https://bit.ly/39aitTX Consultar cualquier pregunta, las personas interesadas pueden contacto Tehani Mundy a 410-720-8788 o HCGH-J2BH@jhmi.edu

Today is the Feast of Christ the King. Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Psalm 95:1-7a Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25:31-46 Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon text can be read here. Sunday Worship Livestream:

I do not know what happened to John. I knew him to be a very dedicated sacristan at the church where I grew up. One day, it was reported that John had been hospitalized, and that one of his legs would be amputated. It was a scary thought to me - to have a leg amputated. After a rather long period of time, we finally saw John again and, indeed, one of his legs was amputated and he was using crutches. Although I was about nine years old at the time, I still remember seeing John having a hard time with the crutches. You could tell that he was in pain. John still made it to church, though, and although his duties as a Sacristan were scaled back considerably, John still desired to serve like he used to before his leg was amputated. I remember so well that the church raised funds to get John a prosthetic leg because neither John nor his family had the resources to get him one. The new leg that was acquired made a lot of difference for John. He could now acolyte again - albeit with some difficulty - but that was not an issue for John, for he simply loved to serve and did not consider himself disadvantaged in any way. He always wore a big smile, and that relayed the assurance that his present situation was not an impediment to him, or to his desire to serve. There is another story, this time from China.... A British diplomat, Stephen Ellison, was walking by a river and heard the screams of a woman who had slipped into the water. This woman seemed to be on the verge of drowning. Stephen knew how to swim, and so without any hesitation he jumped into the river and saved the woman. The reality is that Stephen did not know the woman who was drowning, nor did that matter; all he knew was that he had a gift, and that he could use that gift to save another person’s life. Therefore, he sprung into action. A few days ago, there was a story of a man, Anthony Capuano who, in the past, was struck by a train and lost one of his legs. Capuano saw a group of people watching a car sink into a New Jersey bay. While doing so, he heard a loud shout: "Does anyone know how to swim??" Capuano took off his prosthetic leg and dove into the sea in order to save the man in the sinking car (pictured in the image above). What follows is the part of the story that fills me with such humble pride. When Capuano heard the aforementioned question, he did not wait for anyone to personally ask him if he, himself, knew how to swim. He just believed that the question was directed at him. Capuano did not ask himself whether his life would be in danger as he jumped into the sea or not. He simply took off that one impediment - his prosthetic leg - and jumped into the sea. Capuano didn't know the man in the sinking car, nor did it matter to him. All he cared about was that he had a valuable gift, and that he could overcome an impediment to use that gift in saving another person. The question I have for you today is, what is that one impediment that prevents you from jumping into the river or sea of life, to save another person, to serve another person, or to offer your possible best to another person? Name that impediment, for that may be your prosthetic leg. The real gift, however, is in knowing that you can take it off, for it is artificial, and you can overcome what may be perceived as an impediment if you yourself are willing to answer the call that you hear from the shout, "Does anyone know how to swim??" During these difficult times, we may have more than enough reasons to find the easy way out, to find an excuse not to commit to that one thing which may lead us to serve or save a life. We can always say, "You know, I have a prosthetic leg and cannot simply get into the water with that, and so I’ll take a pass. Let someone else do the saving or serving." This past Saturday, we held our live auction. This annual auction, a tradition three decades strong now, is an important part of our common life. But because of the restrictions of COVID-19, and our desire to ensure the safety of each other, we couldn’t gather together. We had a prosthetic leg, if you will. But that reality didn’t stop Suzanne, Jill, Gail, Steve, Patrick, Carolann and many others from taking off the prosthetic leg and jumping into the sea in order to make sure that we hold this important event, even if it is only online for the very first time. It was a blessing to see so many of you bidding, and being outbid. To all those who contributed towards the auction, I express our most sincere gratitude. To all those who did bid - whether you won your bid or not - we offer our gracious thanks. To all who gathered to be a part of this event, we thank you. And to the organizers, we cannot thank you enough for taking off that prosthetic leg in order to save and to serve. There is one fact that I want you to take with you from the two stories from New Jersey and China: Stephen Ellison and Anthony Capuano did not know the people they saved. They simply did what they knew, and believed, was right - in using their gifts of life to help save another life in distress. In the same vein, you do not have to know who it is you are to save or serve. You only must have the desire within you to serve and save the other, simply because you can. We can find plenty of reasons not to jump into the water to save or to serve. We can often find more than enough reason not to commit to our church, to our family, our community, and relationships. We can find more than enough reasons not to extend a hand of fellowship, friendship and brotherliness. We can find more than enough reasons not to share those gifts that have been freely given to us. But I have come to believe that those reasons, however justified you think they may be, are often not and have never been enough. Like Stephen and Capuano, if we can dare to save someone we do not know, how much more someone we know? Like John the sacristan, we can wince in pain, and like Capuano, we can graciously take off our prosthetic legs. We do so because we have to live life with the gracious hope that others can save us just as much as we deign to save others. ~Manny.

Our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Drive Nears Completion As we close in on the collection drive to help feed families at Thanksgiving, we’re counting on you to bring the goods we still need, or to make donations. In collaboration with the nonprofit organization FISH of Howard County, Christ Church once again is providing menu items for turkey dinners for thirty households. As promised, in order to fill gaps or report a sufficient supply of some items, we are updating you as follows: ▪ Please bring instant or fresh potatoes, canned or fresh yams, jars or cartons of gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and desserts. ▪ Off the wish list: stuffing, canned vegetables, canned fruits, applesauce, and cookies. We have received plenty at this time. Thank you. ▪ You are invited to bring the rolls, pies, and/or pound cake on the final collection day, given their perishable nature. The drive ends this Sunday, Nov. 22 at noon. Please don’t be late! ▪ Those who wish to drop off items in the outdoor bin may do so curbside, near the entrance to the Parish Hall under the breezeway. You should not need to enter the building unless you encounter a problem with the bin, such as an overflow of items. ▪ If you wish to donate toward the cost of the dinners, please designate Outreach/turkey dinner online in Realm or mail a check to the office with Outreach/turkey dinner in the memo line. The cost of a frozen turkey is approximately $20. The cost of side dishes for one family’s meal is about $26.00. Among our pandemic-related safety precautions is one arranging for the online purchase and direct delivery of the frozen poultry. Our order is set to arrive on Friday, Nov. 20th. The goods will be assembled at the FISH pantry by its volunteers, who also handle deliveries to the families. Once again, Shahra and George Toth of the Outreach Commission are leading the drive, but if you have questions, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.com. Thanks to everyone for considering a donation of food or funds to help make this a special Thanksgiving holiday for our neighbors in need. Save the Date -- Dec. 21-- to Help Feed the Hungry at Grassroots Christ Church has claimed the slot for the third Monday next month, which means we’ll be providing the evening meal on Dec. 21st at the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. Please mark your calendars to be at Old Brick at 3:30 p.m., when volunteers may drop off their contributions safely in the parking lot. Please wear masks and plan to practice social distancing. Additional volunteers -- and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars -- are welcome. On Monday, Nov. 16th, Christ Church once again provided the evening meal for 50 people at Grassroots’ live-in facility on Freetown Road. They were treated to a menu of fried chicken, side dishes, and tasty desserts. During the months of the pandemic, this rendezvous has become routine for co-coordinator Nancy Winchester. She acquires the chicken at Weis, meets the other volunteers as they drive up to Old Brick, and then transports the items to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. A generous donation of $200 from the Women of Christ Church is helping to pay for the chicken. On their own, parishioners at Christ Church have signed up to provide the evening meal on several evenings this month for the 50 adults and children. Consider pitching in, by picking a date during December to provide an entrée and side dishes. Grassroots encourages an order of six pizzas -- two with cheese and four with meat (any kind), or rotisserie chickens (12 to make a meal, plus sides), 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, maintained by Grassroots. Meanwhile, the Dorsey/Rt. 1 Day Resource Center remains closed due to the coronavirus, except for curbside distribution of non-perishables. DreamBuilders - New Build Dates! We have had to delay our third DreamBuilders Desk Build by one week, due to a delay in the delivery of building materials. Please note the new dates of November 21st and December 5th. The DreamBuilders’ first two efforts at building portable and foldable desks for students was so successful, and we want to continue to get these desks out to those who need them. Our work site will be indoors, at a large warehouse facility and will include social distancing, masks, and other measures to mpsainimize potential exposure to the Coronavirus. To learn more about the Build Days, and to register for either weekend, please visit www.dreambuildersmd.org/volunteer-registration Springfield Hospital Christmas Gifts We will once again be collecting Christmas gifts for our friends at Springfield Hospital. This has been a particularly difficult year for them, as they have been unable to have visits due to the pandemic. Though we haven’t been able to make our usual visits, we will be gathering gifts for them to bring a little Christmas Joy. If you would like to contribute, we have placed a large container in the Tower Room to accept your unwrapped donations, before December 14th. If that’s inconvenient, please contact Cathy Gold and we will find a way. heycathy@verizon.net or (410) 440-4178. Baltimore International Seafarers' Center Donations The Seafarers charity is again requesting donations from Christ Episcopal Church. The group is asking for warm hats for men, 2021 Calendars, and copies of the following magazines : Time ; People; Sports Illustrated; National Geographic, Reader's Digest, Smithsonian, New Yorker, Baltimore Magazine and travel magazines. These items may be placed in the bin marked 'Seafarers'. Because lower brick will be open for drop off and pick up of auction items this weekend, the bins will also be available during those times for donations. Please have your donations in by Monday, November 30th. Thank you for your attention to this important community outreach. For anyone who has suggestions about ways to help the community, would like to get involved, or if you need any assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

CONVERSATIONS ON RACE a multi-week discussion series Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. 2020 has seen an uptick in the racial tensions within our country, and within the world. As a community of faith - and more than that, a very diverse community of faith - our task in dealing with issues of and about race will be to tell our individual and communal stories with the ultimate goal of seeking healing, reconciliation, and deeper community building within our church and beyond. We have an emerging ministry within our church, a ministry with the sole mission of leading us on the paths of racial reconciliation. This ministry's offering will be comprised of seminars, workshops, and book discussions. We are thankful that The Reverend Canon Christine McCloud, Canon for Mission of the Diocese of Maryland, has led our first two sessions this past summer, and now we are proud to announce the next several installments of this ongoing discussion series. Race in America October 13th We will begin our fall program with an examination of race in America with Phil Vischer, author, filmmaker, and speaker, and perhaps best known as the creator of the children's series VeggieTales. Participants are highly encouraged to watch a video presented by Phil prior to the meeting. Our discussion will mainly center on some of the video's dominant themes. The video can be found here. How Black Lives Matter is Changing the Church October 20th I am sure you have heard a lot about Black Lives Matter. The question is, how is this movement changing the church? On this day, we will reflect on the profound article How Black Lives Matter is Changing the Church, which appeared in the New Yorker. We highly recommend that you read the article prior to the meeting, as this will make sure that we all can fully participate in a facilitated discussion. The article that is the focus of this week's conversation can be found here. White Privilege, and the Diocese of Maryland November 3rd At the last Diocesan Convention, the diocese of Maryland voted to set up a one million dollar fund to help with reparations. The seminar will examine how White privilege has affected, and continues to affect, the the Diocese of Maryland, and the role that Black parishioners have played in its long history. We will also examine the reparations passed by Convention, and the extent of its impact in the Diocese of Maryland. Book Discussion - I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness November 10th & 24th December 1st, 8th & 15th We plan to dedicate the rest of the year to a book study.  We're interested in the book I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown.  Please let us know if you will need a copy of the book, also we will like to encourage all parishioners to try as much as possible to purchase from an independent bookstore. Whether you can join us each week or once in a while, we invite everyone to take part in this insightful and engaging discussion series. If you would like to join us for this Zoom discussion series, sign up for our weekly Gatherings email by emailing us at info@christchurchcolumbia.org and you'll then receive the links in an email each week, as well as details about Christ Church's other in-person and virtual gatherings and services.