CONVERSATIONS ON RACE a multi-week discussion series begins this Wednesday, July 29th at 7:30 p.m. The past several months have 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, among others. We are thankful that The Reverend Canon Christine McCloud, Canon for Mission of the Diocese of Maryland, has offered to lead the first two online seminars. Our first session takes place on July 29th, and the second occurs one week later on August 5th - both at 7:30 p.m. Upcoming gathering dates will be announced on our website and social media pages. 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.

Today is the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: 1 Kings 3:5-12 Psalm 119:129-136 Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33,44-52 Collect of the Day: O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

"...get in good trouble, necessary trouble," tweeted Civil Rights icon John Lewis. John passed away last week after sharing 80 good years with us. The majority of those 80 years was spent making noise and making good trouble, necessary trouble. It was the kind of noise for which those who were comfortable with racial injustice considered as trouble-making. But for those who longed for, and whose ancestors have been fighting for transformational change, it was good trouble, necessary trouble. You may wonder if there ever was such a thing as "good trouble". Like many of you, I have gotten into lots of trouble. And none of those was a good trouble because each had some consequences to it. I remember traveling to a different town during recess from boarding school. My mother wasn’t in town; she, herself, had traveled. And so when my friend - who had lived in that town before, and had acquaintances in that town - invited me on this trip, I was over the moon. I went on this trip without seeking permission from my mother. I thought I knew that I would be back before she returned from her trip, but we ended up staying longer than we had planned. And when I returned, my mother was furious and acted very violently towards me. Believe me, that’s a nice way of saying that she beat the crap out of me! Has trouble ever been good? John was beaten more than a few times. John was roughed up more than a few times. John was locked up more than a few times. John knew how to make trouble, necessary trouble. I am not sure where he got the idea of making good and necessary trouble, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he got that idea in the open letter response his mentor, friend, and fellow Civil Rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King wrote to the clergy of Alabama, who had branded him a troublemaker for all the protest in Birmingham. In the Letter From the Birmingham Jail, Dr. King wrote “The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all.” To make noise is to shed light on an unjust law. To fight an unjust law is to make good trouble, necessary trouble, and John Lewis did exactly that. And for that, I am grateful. As a young boy, he was shaped by the oratory of African-American preachers who constantly awakened his consciousness about the unjust laws and the social strata those laws have produced in places like Troy, Alabama. His experience at Buffalo, New York, which had integrated by then, not only alerted him to the tragedy of life in Troy, Alabama, but it convinced him of the need to transform the unjust systems of racism and Jim Crow which invariably diminished one race - the African American. For those who believed, and thus propagated the myth of White supremacy, John knew that he had to cause some trouble, necessary trouble, if he were to change not minds, but hearts. To change hearts is a little more challenging than to change minds. The mind can evaluate data and make decisions based on that data, but the heart is in a totally different category. To change hearts, you have to constantly remind people, prod, encourage, and motivate. To change hearts, you have to offer more than data or tangibles. I used to travel to North Dakota for Mission Trips with youth from my former parish. The work we did wasn’t about brick and mortar, it was a different kind of ministry, where we were supposed to make friends with our Native American brothers and sisters, hold conversations and share our experience of life in Philadelphia. Each year after the trip, the youth will ask me “Father Manny, what did we come here to do?” The idea of making friends and helping change the narrative of other people appeared as alien to them as the story about Bigfoot. But year-in and out, they would accompany me on these trips, not only to change others with our narratives, but to change our own selves, as well. And so, for the son of sharecroppers who gathered together the family’s chickens to preach to them, the son who yearned to be a preacher, he was keenly aware that human transformation isn’t a day’s work. To change the heart isn’t a week, a month or a year’s worth of work, it has to be an ongoing work. And even in the midst of despair, you constantly have to press on. This was his tweet: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble." I heard about him when I lived in Atlanta, and I have followed this Troublemaker ever since. His imagination had no limitation. His zeal had no boundaries. His resolve knew no inhibitions. His passion knew no restraint. His quest and strong belief in non-violence was as strong as his desire for racial justice. His faith, which was shaped in the Jim Crow South was fervent, strong, and a sustainable guide. The one thing that gave him pause to be grateful was the breath of the fresh air of justice. A single incident of injustice was one too many, though, and to fight it, he had to make good trouble, necessary trouble. As we mourn his passing, we should be reminded that the battle for racial justice is not over. Although we have made progress, there are still pockets of injustice among us, but guess what? There may be times when we’re tempted to offer excuses as to why we may not have to be as involved in the fight as we should be, but I read somewhere that excuses are what a lazy person offers for what he/she knows they have to be doing. And so I invite you, today, to make some noise. If you believe in racial justice and transformation, then make some noise. And not only that, but make good trouble, for without that necessary trouble, the transformation you wish to see may not ever happen. Go ahead, and make some good trouble. ~Manny

It is our deepest pleasure to welcome The Reverend Denise Schiavone to Christ Church! Reverend Schiavone is a Vocational Deacon who was ordained on June 13th of this year, and she begins at Christ Church this week. You'll soon see her in our livestreams, virtual gatherings, and on our campus during Sunday worship. We are so happy to have her join us, and it is my prayer that you will give her the warmest Christ Church welcome. You can learn a bit more about Deacon Denise at https://www.christchurchcolumbia.org/our-staff

On Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. this summer, Christ Church hosts a Centering Prayer gathering in Old Brick. Centering Prayer is a form of contemplative prayer that is meditative. It involves opening ourselves to God by listening in silence, and can move us beyond conversation with Jesus and towards communion with Him. Centering Prayer relies on our awareness that the Holy Spirit resides in each one of us. If you'd like more information or have any questions, please let us know. Please know that all social distancing guidelines will be strictly adhered to during this gathering, and masks will be required by all participants. We hope that you will come and take part in this gathering of communal prayer.

Today is the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Isaiah 44:6-8 Psalm 86:11-17 Romans 8:12-25 Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 Collect of the Day: Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The past several months has been excruciatingly painful. Many of you have had to deal with one sad story or another. You look through your windows as seconds roll into minutes, and minutes into hours, and you ask yourself, "What next?" There is this bit of you who was used to the rhythm of life - a busy life, if I may add, a few months ago. But now, everything has changed... everything is now different. You yearn for the old rhythm, and you feel helpless that the old life is slipping right through your fingers and you cannot do anything about it. During this pandemic period, I have had the chance to run, jog, walk, and bike. Sometimes I walk by myself; some other times I'll walk with my son, James. There are also times when I walk while he rides his bike, and there are days when we ride our bikes together. Having the chance to indulge myself in these activities has also given me the opportunity to deeply reflect on what God wants of me, what God desires of me, and what God is calling me to do. More importantly, I have asked myself, not once, but on several occasions, "Who does God want me to be?" One of the blessings of these turbulent times has been the gift of offering Morning and Evening Prayer online. Whenever I lead either Morning or Evening Prayer, I offer a brief devotion or homily. Yesterday, long after the service was over, I reflected on the gospel reading for that day - Matthew 25:31-46 - which is about the separation of the sheep and goats on judgement day. During my time of reflection I was reminded of another story in Matthew 9:1-8; this one is about a paralytic who could not walk, but because he had friends who could walk, those friends carried him on a mat to Jesus. The desire of these friends was to see their paralytic friend walk. It occurred to me that the fact that we can walk does not mean that everyone can walk. The fact that we can run does not mean everyone can run. The fact that we are healthy does not mean everyone is healthy. The fact that we have three square meals a day does not mean everyone has three square meals a day. The fact that we may live in a decent neighborhood does not mean everyone lives in a decent neighborhood. The fact that we are not in shackles does not mean that everyone is free. The truth is that we have the capacity and the ability to be so many things to so many people; we have the power to carry the paralytic to Jesus, but the question is, do we have the desire to do so? Do we desire restoration for the paralytic friend who cannot walk? As I pondered over what God is calling me to be or who God wants me to be, I had an epiphany. It dawned to me that the ultimate offering lies in a deep-seated desire to carry others - friends and strangers, alike - to a place of restoration, refreshment, sustenance, and healing. In a way, it may not be the act itself but rather the desire which precipitates or drives the act. That, to me, is a different way of looking at life. I am thankful for that burning desire within that drives everything. It causes us to look at life very differently - not only from the perspective of being able to walk, but also of being unable to walk, as well. The question then is, "What drives you?" if I may ask. What motivates you? Is it the desire to see your friend walk? Or is it about being indifferent over whether your friend walks or not? Perhaps you may also ponder on what I learned many years ago: lions and sharks are professional hunters, but a lion cannot hunt in the ocean and a shark cannot hunt in the jungle. But the fact that a lion cannot hunt in the ocean does not make it useless, nor does the fact that a shark cannot hunt in the jungle make it useless. Both have their own territory where they can do well, where they can hunt successfully. Which territory brings out the best in you? Is it when you want to feel good? Is it when you want to feel fulfilled? Is it when you want to show off? Or is it when you are driven by a desire akin to the four friends of the paralytic? To be that person God wants us to be, we must have the mindset of those four friends of the paralytic. We must be driven by a strong desire to see our friend walk. It is possible that the four friends knew that our circumstances don’t determine the quality of our lives, but that the manner in which we process those circumstances determines the quality of our lives, and determines whether we have the desire to see life’s inherent beauty. Frederick Langbridge, a poet, wrote this: Two men looked out through prison bars; one saw mud, the other saw the stars. Although both men were in identical circumstances, their perspectives were entirely different. One looked for beauty and found it; the other focused on ugliness and found it. Do you see beauty, even in the midst our pandemic, or are you completely sapped by its negative energy? Do you see the paralytic friend amid the pandemic? What drives you? To be the person God wants us to be would mean recognizing that although a rose may smell better than a tomato, it does not mean the rose can make a better stew. May your prayer be that of the friend who carries those who cannot walk to Christ our Lord. ~Manny

Today is the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Zechariah 9:9-12 Psalm 145:8-15 Romans 7:15-25a Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Collect of the Day: O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today is the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Isaiah 55:10-13 Psalm 65: (1-8), 9-14 Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 Collect of the Day: O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Last week I shared with you my excitement and thoughts about the new Spiritual Life Commission theme: BE God’s Light That Shines In The Darkness. With this particular theme, the SLC has extended an open invitation or call to each and everyone of us to BE who we truly are - children of light who are called to shine with the brightness of our Father in heaven. I shared the theme that our SLC settled on for our parish with a friend, and the rationale for picking such an inviting and motivating theme. In response, he shared with me a video which told the story of a lady who, when she was in her early teens, used to clean homes. According to the story, the young girl was in the company of older ladies who were also cleaners at a bus stop where all of them picked a bus to work. One of the older ladies, upon learning that the young girl was also a cleaner, sought to share her experience with her. She admonished her to "Always take care of the light." She went on: "There’s always a light in most homes that stays unclean, especially the chandeliers that hung high up. It takes more than a little effort to clean those lights. Take your solution and climb up, clean each crystal, clean each bulb. Make sure you take care of the light. If you take care of the light, everything shines.” The young girl did what the older lady told her, and when the owners of the house saw the light shine ever so brightly, they were so impressed with her work that they gave her a tip for taking care of the light. "If you take care of the light, everything shines." When I was in Philadelphia, a very popular parishioner passed away. He was young, in his mid-fifties. I had never met this parishioner, nor did I know about him, but he was one person that was popular around Chestnut Hill, in the Philadelphia social circles, and along the beaches of South Jersey. If I am not lying, there were about one thousand people at his memorial at St. Paul’s Church, Chestnut Hill. The sheer size of that crowd was unbelievable. It was at his memorial that one of his two daughters told a story about him. According to her, when they were little girls their dad always made sure, even when he is out of town, that he will sing to them the popular children gospel song “This little light of mine” which was written by Harry Dixon Loes. This Little Light Of Mine, I'm gonna let it shine, This Little Light Of Mine, I'm gonna let it shine, This Little Light Of Mine, Yes, I'm gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine The daughter who told this wonderful story about her dad did not share the reason why her father always made sure he sung this gospel song to them before they retired to bed. However, one thing that stuck with her was that she always had to let her light shine, she had to take care of her little light. That light was her hope - even as a little girl - and that hope has been with her and will continue to be with her. I believe that a child without hope is like a dark blue sky that's without stars, and as children - yes, you and I are children, children of God and joint heirs with Christ - it is our responsibility to take care of our little light, and to make our little light shine ever so brightly. For if you take care of the light, everything shines. As children of the light, there’s a light in each of us; that light needs to be loved, needs to be nurtured, needs to be mentored, needs to be cared for, needs to shine brightly, and that light needs to hear music of welcome embrace and affirmation. That light within us needs to hear songs of thanksgiving, redemption, and praise. That light needs to hear echoes of reconciliation and human solidarity in the face of tragedy, loss and upheavals. That light needs to feed on the constant source of God’s wisdom. The light that's in each one of us needs to shine ever brightly. Remember Jesus' words "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." That light can and will always shine ever brightly when you take care of it. Always take care of the light. As the older lady said, "...for if you take care of the light, everything shines." What is it about your light that others want to see shine? What is it about your light that hasn’t been shining lately because it is covered by dust and cobwebs? I have no doubt in my mind that others want to see your light shine, for when you do, you empower others to let their light shine as well. Take care of the light. However little that light may be, take care of it, for it is only by taking care of it that it can shine. May you shine like the light that is in you. ~Manny

Today is the Fifth Sunday of Easter. The leaflet for today's service is here. Readings for today: Acts 7:55-60 1 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14 Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 Collect of the Day: Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon is available for reading here.