Growing up, I lived through three or four coup d’états in my native Ghana. They were always filled with violence. I remember when an older woman was whipped in public and then paraded through the town by soldiers. And why, you might ask? Simply for selling bread at exorbitant prices and hoarding flour for baking bread. Each time the memory of the woman being maltreated by soldiers pops up, I ask myself why anyone in this world would want to treat another person in such a way. A Christ Church parishioner, Sonni, tells a story of his experience as a kid during a civil war in Nigeria, a war known as the Nigerian-Biafran War in the early 70’s. There are horrible stories of regular air raids, incursions where innocent people became victims of their own government’s quest to crush a rebellion. Be it a coup d’état or a civil war, the point I am trying to make is this: differences which yield divisions among citizens and within society can become so dire and sharp that people find more than enough reasons to harm another person. For me, it's during those times that we lose track of what it means to be human - to keep "one for the wall" when differences that are simply philosophical lead to violence. We are now a few days away from our national elections. Many of you have already voted; many are yet to vote. The reality is that the ballot paper does not have only one name. The fact that we are presented with different choices from which to choose is enough a reflection of what differences and preferences mean. And there is nothing wrong about that. In and of itself, differences which yield division is not a bad thing. The world would have been a rather boring place if we all looked the same, were of the same weight and height, ate the same food, did everything the same way, and lived at the same place. It would not have been possible, nor would it have made any sense. I believe that God created our world in such a way that our differences may bring out the best in us. One thing I know is that our differences generate diversity, and diversity - when explored to its fullest - is the best gift that has ever been given to you and I. What’s disconcerting is when we act on our differences - not for the good of another and, by extension, for our own good. What is troubling is when we assume that our differences are permanent features of our lives, and that acting on them saves us from the other. But the point is, you do not need to be saved from the other if you keep one for the wall. There is a story about a small coffee shop called Molto in Venice, located just around the corner from St. Mark’s Basilica. Two sisters, after touring the Basilica, stopped by Molto for some Italian espresso. While they were sipping their drinks, a man in a business suit came up to the counter and placed an order that they had not heard before. “Two black coffees please. One for the wall,” he said. The sisters looked at each other quizzically; the waiter nodded and made the man his order. He handed one black coffee to the well-dressed customer and wrote caffé nero (which is "black coffee" in Italian) on a piece of paper, and stuck it to the wall. A few minutes later, two laborers in dirty clothes came in, and they ordered “Three cappuccinos please. One for the wall.” Again, the waiter made their orders and stuck a paper with cappuccino written across it onto the wall. "What does this mean?" the sisters asked themselves, but they did not have enough faith in the quality of their spoken Italian to ask the waiter what this "one for the wall" thing was all about. Suddenly, something happened that made the whole thing crystal clear to them... a man walked into the café. His clothes were tattered, his skin was streaked with dirt, and his body odor preceded him by a good five feet. It was clear that this was a homeless person living on the streets of Venice. He walked up to the counter and asked in slow, measured speech that even the sisters could understand, “May I have one coffee from the wall, please?” The waiter made the man a nice, piping hot cup of coffee, and handed it to him with a smile. The man sat down in the corner of the shop and calmly sipped his blessing-in-a-cup, savoring what might perhaps be his only moment of dignity for that day, all thanks to the kindness of someone he will never meet. The sisters stared at him for a few seconds, and then without a word, got up together and ordered four cups of coffee for the wall. When we cast our eyes upon our political landscape, what we see are the blood-stained hills and valleys of our country. "Who are we fighting, and for what?" I ask myself. If the fight is with one another, if our differences - differences which have generated so much divisions that people are willing to kidnap and kill others - are just about what we believe to be our approach to the common good, then what, indeed, are we fighting for? Why all these bruises? For me, the common good supersedes any philosophical differences that we may have. Jesus did remind us that there will be divisions - that brother will rise against father, and that daughter will rise against mother. He also said that the poor will always be with you. Taking these two together may mean that divisions may not necessarily be a bad thing, nor can poverty be eradicated. The reality is that some will have to challenge others in our quest for the common good. Also, not all of us can be doctors, or teachers, or nurses, or any one particular profession. Some will have to have different careers just so the society, as a whole, can function. For that same reason, there will always be among us people like the homeless man who walked into Molto for a coffee from the wall. See, there will be no point in leaving anything for the wall if we know no one will come for it. But we leave one for the wall because we know that whoever comes for that coffee is as human as we are, and that our own ability to leave one for the wall is, in fact, a blessing. If the desire of the customers at Molto was to provide for the wall, then it should not matter who it is that comes to pick off a piece of paper from it. Their joy should be in knowing that someone of equal dignity and worth, no matter how different, came to the wall and gave meaning to their own generosity. Every election is about the duty we owe to each other, and to those who come by the wall to pick a sticker from it - no matter how different that human being is from ourselves. In that same way, every Stewardship Campaign is an expression of the duty we owe to each other, to our beloved Christ Church, to the many people we serve, and to our God. And so, this Sunday, November 1st, we invite you to join us in person or online at 10:00 a.m., and together we will bless our generous commitment to our common life. If you cannot join us in the morning, you may join us for the Organ Recital at 5:00 p.m. Beloved, I invite you today, this Sunday, this Tuesday, and beyond to keep "one for the wall". You never know who you may be blessing with your generosity, but please know that your generosity goes a long way to sustain the life of those who come by the wall. More than that, remember that our differences dissolve when we give life and meaning to those in need of the blessings left on the wall. ~Manny.

How to Obtain Free Food on Oct. 30th, or to Spread the News to Help Others A Farmers to Families distribution will take place this Friday, Oct. 30th, at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center Parking Lot located at 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Columbia, MD 21044, from 10a.m. to 12 noon. The FREE Food Box Pick Up is open to anyone in need of fresh food. You will receive a 35-pound box of fresh produce, meat, and dairy products. First-come-first-served, one box per car, with no residency requirement. You can see the flier HERE. Bridges Continues to Play a Role in Parishioners Lives in Unexpected Ways Surely everyone recalls the excitement this fall as Christ Church won the Silver Ladle Award during the Chili & Challenge fundraiser for Bridges to Housing Stability, but for some households that thrill didn’t stop in September. Outreach Commission members Sonni Aribiah and Patricia Fanning each became winning bidders in the Bridges’ silent auction and that, in turn, produced benefits for the Aribiah family and friends as well as for future bidders in the Christ Church auction that will take place from Nov. 7-14. Meanwhile, there have been subsequent developments for the nonprofit organization that supporters will find of great interest. But first things first. When Bridges held its auction to help end homelessness through housing, Sonni fought off several competing bids to secure the item, “Soccer Session with Freddy Adu.” It was described this way on the online auction site: “Starting the 2004 season at only 14 years of age, Adu became the youngest athlete to ever participate in modern professional team sports and at D.C. united, Adu broke several records. The certificate was redeemable for one hour of one-on-one training with Freddy Adu and the autographed Freddy Adu Flashback playing card is a souvenir of the lesson.” The item was promoted as “the perfect gift for the budding soccer star in your life,” who in this case is Luke Aribiah. And the convenient location for instruction was Oakland Mills High School (OMHS). The session went so well that Sonni arranged to pay for a subsequent lesson that would include not only Luke, who attends Dunloggin Middle School, but also his longtime friend, Greyson Dove, who attends Lake Elkhorn Middle School and -- in pre-pandemic days -- accompanied Luke to Sunday School at Christ Church. He was joined at OMHS by his dad, David Dove. The fathers observed their sons during the lesson (see photo), although Sonni did more than watch as he retrieved any soccer balls that went wide of the net. Adu said he supports Bridges because affordable housing meant a lot to his own family when he was growing up in Rockville and then in Potomac, Md. According to Adu’s Wikipedia entry, he was already playing soccer at age 8 when his mother won the Green Card Lottery and his family immigrated from Ghana in 1997. The rest of the Bridges’ auction had a favorable outcome for Christ Church parishioners as well. There were so many components contained in two separate items that their winning bidder, Patricia Fanning, was able to convert these to several entries in the upcoming Christ Church auction. In October, Bridges conducted a successful fundraising event that several parishioners supported at The Periodic Table in Columbia, released its 2020 annual report, and received a Rise to the Challenge grant funded by the CARES Act. Its executive director, Jen Broderick, said Bridges was honored to have been chosen by Howard County to receive one of the grants. “This funding will allow Bridges to make needed safety changes and upgrades resulting in housing and eviction prevention services for more Howard County households at this critical time,” she said. In their annual report, you can read about its efforts such as the vital Alliance Program that has expanded to serve 141 people living in 42 affordable rental homes. Because Bridges tenants pay less than market rate, they spend an average of just 31 percent of their incomes on rent compared with many low-income renters in the county who must spend more than 50 percent on housing. The annual report also lists board members for Fiscal 2021, including Christ Church parishioner James Collins. It’s Not Too Late to Support the Diocese of Maryland Sutton Scholars Even if you missed the virtual gala on Oct. 27th, you can still be a part of “Building a Better Baltimore, One Scholar at a Time.” The Sutton Scholars® High School Enrichment Program, founded by the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, supports Baltimore City youth (see photo of two of the scholars on our website). Several participants in the most recent Christ Church “Conversations on Race” asked about ways to improve the lives and educational outcomes of young people in underserved neighborhoods in Baltimore. Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton had asked that same question and, in 2008, directed the Diocese “to identify areas of need among Baltimore City youth that we could help address.” To read about what transpired, you can go to the scholars’ program portion of the Diocese website. The gala raised about $42,000 but contributions are still essential to support the high school students and their mentors. That’s because the cost to sponsor one student is $3750 per year, or $15,000 for all four years, according to the Sutton Scholars’ donation page. You can also watch a recording of the gala on YouTube. 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. DreamBuilders: Save the Dates for our Third Desk Build! The DreamBuilders’ first two efforts at building portable and foldable desks for students was so successful, and the demand for our desks is so great, we will be hosting a third event in November! As before, we’ll be working on two successive Saturdays - November 7th and 14th. We will be moving our work site inside, to a large warehouse. As before, we will include social distancing, masks, family teams, and other measures to minimize potential exposure to the coronavirus. We are especially looking for family teams to work the multi-person work stations. Nov. 7th registration Nov. 14th registration Baltimore International Seafarers' Center Donations The Seafarers charity is again requesting donations from Christ Episcopal Church. The group is looking for warm hats for men, 2021 Calendars, and copies of the following magazines : Time ; People;  Sports Illustrated; National Geographic. These items may be placed in the bin marked 'Seafarers' in the vestibule of New Brick. Thank you for your attention to this important community outreach. To learn more, click here. For anyone who has suggestions about ways to help the community or want to get involved, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

This summer, Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine held 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 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. Celebration Church 7101 Riverwood Dr, Columbia 21046 Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Howard Community College - West Garage 10650 Hickory Ridge Road, Columbia 21044 (from Hickory Ridge Road turn onto Campus Drive) Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 | Noon – 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020 | 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020 | 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Howard County Fairgrounds 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship 21794 Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 | 12 p.m. – 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 | 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020 | 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. 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

Our Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) Choristers have been hard at work, rehearsing digitally via Zoom with our Director of Music Adam ("Mr. Detzner") and Vocal Coach Madeline Miskie ("Dr. Miskie"). They contributed recordings of Hymn 711 from our hymnal, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God;" our Director of Music spliced them together with a recording of his organ playing. The text is an adaptation of some of Jesus' sayings from Matthew, interspersed with some joyful Alleluias! "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you; Alleluia! Ask, and it shall be given unto you, seek, and ye shall fine, knock, and the door shall be opened unto you; Alleluia!" For more information about our RSCM program, please be in touch with Adam Detzner, Director of Music, at music@christchurchcolumbia.org.

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. This particular scam involves making a fake email account in Father Manny's name (using a "churchmail901" Gmail address in this case, although there may be other email addresses being used, as well) and then sending a request for gift cards allegedly from him to then give to members of the staff. We ask that you please be vigilant if you come across any email that appears to be from Father Manny, Deacon Denise, or any vestry, outreach leader, or parishioner that asks you to take some kind of unusual action (purchasing gift cards and replying with the serial numbers, clicking a link or downloading an attachment you didn’t request, wiring money to a specified account, or simply replying quickly). Their message might give some explanation of why they need your help immediately. They may include some story about another person in dire circumstances whom they are trying to help, or that they want to award staff with gift cards but need your help while they are "out of town". However, instead of helping a needy person, if you respond you might actually be turning over money and/or your identity information to a scammer. It's important to be very thorough with verifying these emails before doing anything. The emails seem harmless; they usually have the rector or staff member's name and an email address that looks legitimate, but upon further inspection you'll see that the email address is actually from a provider different than the "@christchurchcolumbia.org" address that we typically, and safely, use. In some instances, the sender’s name may look correct but is missing a single letter. Or, it may otherwise closely resemble the real email address; for example, bob@churchstaff.org becomes bobchurchstaff@gmail.com, or similar. If you receive an email that appears related to Christ Episcopal Church but you're unsure of its authenticity, please do not respond directly to it or click any links in the email. Instead, please email us at info@christchurchcolumbia.org and place "Phishing scam?" in the subject line. Please do not forward the email to us; alternatively, you can type the sender's email address in the message body or take a screenshot of the email (how to do this - Windows / Mac / Android / iPhone) and include that image in the email. We will tell you if the address is in our official CEC database, or if it appears to be a scam. General email DOs and DON’Ts: DO double-check your emails carefully. DON’T ever respond to an email asking you for money. DO verify in person, by email to a trusted address, or by phone any request involving money or personal information. DON’T reply. DON’T click on any links within the message. You can learn more about how to protect yourself, as well as how to report suspected phishing emails or text messages, by visiting the Federal Trade Commission's website here. If you got a phishing email, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you got a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726).

Today is the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for today: Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18 Psalm 1 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Matthew 22:34-46

Support the Diocese of Maryland Sutton Scholars at a Virtual Gala on Oct. 27 The Sutton Scholars® High School Enrichment Program invites you to its first virtual celebration. program for Baltimore City youth, brought to you by the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. An email invitation from the diocese included photos of two of the scholars. Several participants in the most recent Christ Church “Conversations on Race” asked about ways to improve the lives and educational outcomes of young people in underserved neighborhoods in Baltimore. Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton had asked that same question and, in 2008, directed the Diocese “to identify areas of need among Baltimore City youth that we could help address.” To read about what transpired, you can go to the scholars’ program portion of the Diocese website. Or why not meet some of the young people, at least virtually, to hear their heart-warming, first-person stories? You can do so during the virtual gala. Register here. The livestreaming event also will include a special guest as Master of Ceremonies; an online silent auction, and entertainment by the Greg Hatza ORGANization jazz band. You can visit the Sutton Scholars Facebook page to learn more and share this event. Good News: The Somos Amigos Medical Missions Clinic is Open Despite the restrictions and challenges of the pandemic, the Somos Amigos Medical Missions clinic has found safe ways to serve its patients in a rural, mountainous region of the Dominican Republic. The Outreach Commission has received encouraging reports from the nonprofit organization that many Christ Church parishioners have supported over the years, both in person and through donations. In ordinary times, several parishioners travel to the Dominican Republic for an October clinic, joining dozens of other volunteers who provide medical and dental services four times a year in collaboration with residents of Naranjito. Members of Christ Church learned about their work and heard stirring success stories as recently as March 8, during the sermon delivered at worship services by Executive Director and CEO Frank Brightwell. He joined parishioner and long-time Somos Amigos volunteer Mary Keath at an adult forum that day. It was a time before the emerging coronavirus had yet to widely impact the United States and the Caribbean. So much has changed. On Oct. 13th, he sent an email, accompanied by a photo, in which he addressed supporters: Dear Friends, Another three months have passed and our lives continue to be shaped by the pandemic. These are difficult times indeed, and we all long for normalcy to return soon. Even while faced with the challenges brought about by COVID, our commitment to serve our patients is unwavering. Yes, even during the pandemic, they know they can count on us. This week would be the week when we would have a volunteer group at the clinic. But travel remains difficult and is not safe for our volunteers. The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo continues to advise against travel to the Dominican Republic due to health and safety concerns. As we did in July, once again we have two Dominican physicians working with us for the next three to four weeks. They are joined by a team of several others and, following strict COVID protocols, will see patients by appointment. Today was the first day we welcomed patients, and already we have the next two weeks filled with appointments. Given the state of the pandemic in the U.S. and in the D.R., we know already that we will again not be able to have a volunteer team in the clinic in January. We will ask the same local team to work with us again, and in January we hope to add two local dentists to our team. Perhaps by the time to plan our April trip we can consider having volunteers travel again. As always, we will follow the guidelines of trusted medical organizations. Thank you for your continued support of Somos Amigos. Sincerely, Frank Somos Amigos has recently posted its 2020 annual report, in which we learn that from July 2019 through January 2020, the clinic had 1,084 unique medical visits and 444 unique dental visits. By April, due to the pandemic’s impact, Somos Amigos had pivoted to telemedicine and on filling and delivering critical prescriptions to more than 260 patients. Read more at: https://somosamigos.org/annual-report-2020/ Howard County Announces $1.5 Million in Rise to the Challenge Nonprofit Grants On Oct. 15, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced $1.5 million in Rise to the Challenge grants to 40 Howard County nonprofits --many of which you will recognize as among those supported by the Outreach Commission and members of Christ Church. For example, the operations manager of Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, Anna Katz, said, “this funding will support our efforts to shelter vulnerable people during the pandemic and provide them the services they so desperately need.” The Rise to the Challenge grants are funded through the CARES Act. To learn more and to see the 39 other recipients, read the announcement. The list of nonprofit grant recipients is a good source of information to help broaden our knowledge of needs within the county and the role that various organizations are playing to address these needs. 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. 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. DreamBuilders: Save the Dates for our Third Desk Build! The DreamBuilders’ first two efforts at building portable and foldable desks for students was so successful, and the demand for our desks is so great, we will be hosting a third event in November! As before, we’ll be working on two successive Saturdays - November 7th and 14th. We will be moving our work site inside, to a large warehouse. As before, we will include social distancing, masks, family teams, and other measures to minimize potential exposure to the Coronavirus. We are especially looking for family teams to work the multi-person work stations. Stay tuned to this space for details on registration and location. October LEMS Committee Update On October 8th, the Lake Elkhorn Middle School Committee at Christ Church made their second coordinated contribution to the LEMS Weekend Food Program! We plan to continue to provide food for ten families once a month throughout the fall semester, though as with everything, we may need to adjust to changing circumstances and needs. During remote learning, the purchasing, bagging, and delivery is being handled a bit differently than normal, including strict safety precautions. When both LEMS and Christ Church resume normal operations, we look forward to any interested volunteers helping out. In addition to the Weekend Food Program, this month the LEMS committee is using funds contributed by Christ Church parishioners to purchase 250 additional headphones for LEMS students, to be distributed by the school. The teachers and staff have identified that headphones with microphones are a tremendous help to the students as they continue to attend school using Chromebooks. You can find more photos on the Christ Church blog, located here. 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. Baltimore International Seafarers' Center Donations The Seafarers charity is again requesting donations from Christ Episcopal Church. The group is looking for warm hats for men, 2021 Calendars, and copies of the following magazines : Time ; People;  Sports Illustrated; National Geographic. These items may be placed in the bin marked 'Seafarers' in the vestibule of New Brick. Thank you for your attention to this important community outreach. To learn more, click here. Columbia Community Care Settles Into Two-Days-A-Week Routine Providing food and other necessities for neighbors in need, Columbia Community Care (CCC), has consolidated operations to three sites, which welcome drop-off donations during operating hours. They are Swansfield Elementary School; Oakland Mills Middle School, and Howard High School. The times are Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. (CCC volunteers report at 4 p.m.) and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (CCC volunteers report at 9:30 a.m.) In addition to staffing a site, volunteers can sign up on Facebook to perform duties to meet the needs of people without transportation. “Translator/dispatchers” coordinate lists of items for specific families and communicate by text message to arrange the contactless deliveries; “Shoppers,” who use cellphones to receive the texts, go to special pantries that have been established at two participating churches and assemble the items to fulfill each shopping list, and then deliver the goods to the assigned addresses. Several parishioners have volunteered in various capacities or donated to CCC. This ad-hoc group formed last spring in response to the coronavirus impact, which has especially hard hit the county’s low-income residents. Here’s a recent article about CCC that appeared in The Baltimore Sun last month. For those of you who wish to drop off non-perishable food items, diapers, or personal care products in CCC-marked donation bins, you can do so at one of the two churches: Bethel Korean Presbyterian Church, 3165 St. Johns Lane in Ellicott City or New Hope Church,12350 Hall Shop Rd. in Fulton, or at these participating businesses: Bonheur Patisserie & Deli, 7106 Minstrel Way; Philly’s Best, 5134 Thunder Hill Rd., and LA Mart, 5865 Robert Oliver Place, all in Columbia. For anyone who has suggestions about ways to help the community or want to get involved, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

Walking the trail around Lake Elkhorn, or any other trail, can be a fantastic learning moment. Lots of life lessons abound by simply being on the trail. Columbia has a lot of trails, and although I have walked on several of them, I am most familiar with the trail surrounding Lake Elkhorn. I like to walk around the lake and then make my way to Oakland Mills, walk by the church, and then get on another trail and walk home. It is always a fascinating walk. A few times I have seen parishioners in the middle of a walk or run. The two people I often see are Alex and Elizabeth Everett. A couple of days ago, Alex ran by me as he pushed his son, Andrew. The sad part is that we cannot really stop and chat with each other as we walk or run because we may not even recognize each other as we swiftly pass by. A few weeks ago, I walked past Mavis Glover; we both did not initially recognize each other because we were wearing our masks, but then we chanced upon each other again and this time we recognized each other, stood six feet apart, and had a brief chat. The three parishioners I mentioned are but a few of the people I meet as I walk on the trail. There are lots and lots of different people on the trail - White, Black, Brown, and people of every ethnicity and background. These people are mostly adults, but there are also kids who join them for a walk. Some of the people I see take the time to say hello, but a good majority of them simply walk by. I do not say hello to everyone that I meet; for the most part, I, too, simply walk by. One magical part of being on the trail - especially at this time of the year - is to behold the beauty of God’s gift of creation in the changing color and falling leaves. The weather is chilly in the morning, but gets warmer throughout the day. That is the nature of being on the trail; there is nothing permanent about it. Remember the story where Jesus talks about the lilies of the field being here today, and yet gone tomorrow?   Another interesting part about being on the trail is the sight of many people walking their pets, mostly dogs of varying breeds and sizes. There is this Asian lady that I see regularly who has a very tiny dog. I do not know which breed, but it is smaller than a chihuahua. The little dog, like any other dog on the trail, is always on a leash. That, alone, is a perfect image of the limitations that we all have, limitations that God actually gives to us. As free as we may be, there are some limitations that come with being on the trail and, for you and me, the limitations come in the duty we owe to God and one another. Remember the story of the people of Israel, about how they journeyed from Egypt to the land of Canaan. It was like being on a trail. At some point on the journey, God gave them a set of rules - The Ten Commandments. The beauty of these commandments is that when split equally into two, they reflect our duty to God and to our fellow human. Should you think deeply about them, you will come to realize that they are not about you, per se; rather, they are about a duty that you owe. And being on the trail means you have to honor and uphold that duty. Living life is like being on a trail - you begin from home, and your destination is home. On the journey, you meet a lot of different people. Some of the people you meet may make an impression on you. Others, not so much. There are folks you would meet again and again, because life’s trail is like the Lake Elkhorn trail - it is circular. This is also the very essence of God - He has no beginning, and no end. For that reason, in so far as we stay on the trail, there is the likelihood that we may meet again. While on the trail, some of the people you see will simply say, "Hello" and move on, and some will say nothing. Whether we say anything or not, we do acknowledge, at our core, that each person we see - regardless of race, color, ethnicity or ability, and whether walking, running, or biking - is on the same trail, just as you are.  Growing up, I read in a weekly newspaper, The Mirror, in my home country, Ghana. There was always this cliché in it, which read, “Be mindful of the people you meet on your way up, for it is the same people you meet on your way down.” There is also a variation on the saying that I read several months ago: “I don’t care who I meet on my way up because I ain’t coming back down.” It may be true that you may not be coming back down, but that is only when your perspective of life is lateral or vertical, a perspective where your duty is only to yourself. But if your perspective of life is circular, like the Lake Elkhorn trail, then you may have to pay particular attention to the duty that you owe to one another and to God, especially during this heightened political season. Although millions have already voted, millions more will go out to vote on November 3, 2020. It is an important task - a duty we owe as citizens. Many of you will vote either Democrat or Republican, because you believe that a particular individual or party reflects your values more than the other. That also is about being on the trail. But then one important fact you must always appreciate is that no matter whether you vote Republican or Democrat the fact remains - we may be moving in different directions, but we are, nonetheless, on the same trail. More importantly, there is nothing permanent on the trail except God, and no one single party has dominated forever. I do not know whether you walk on the Lake Elkhorn trail, or perhaps you use some other trail. I want to encourage you that whenever you get on any trail - whether you are in a wheelchair, running, walking, or biking - always remember that there are others like you on the same trail, and there will always be others like you on that trail, long after you’ve gone home.  To those people, whether you know them or not, you owe a certain duty. Upholding that duty is not only heavenly, but that is how the glory of God is made manifest. So, my beloved, find a trail, and in so far as you remain open while on the trial, you will find more than enough reason to rejoice in the God who created you in His likeness.  ~Manny.

Today is the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for today: Isaiah 45:1-7 Psalm 96:1-9, (10-13) 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22

Save the Dates-- Oct. 19 and Nov. 16-- to Help Feed the Hungry at Grassroots On Monday, Oct. 19, Christ Church once again will provide the evening meal at Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, where 50 people at its live-in facility on Freetown Road are no doubt anticipating a menu of fried chicken, side dishes, and tasty desserts. Co-coordinator Nancy Winchester will 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. During the months of the pandemic, this rendezvous has become routine (see photos). Nancy 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. Christ Church has also claimed the slot for the third Monday next month, which means we’ll be providing the Grassroots evening meal on Nov. 16. Please mark your calendars. Additional volunteers -- and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars -- are welcome next week and next month. 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 the remainder of October or during November to provide an entree 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. Multiple Ways to Aid the Less Fortunate in Howard County You’ll recall that on a sunny fall day, slightly more than a year ago, Christ Church held one of its periodic food drives to collect non-perishables for the Howard County Food Bank. How could we imagine then that our string of successful drives at Giant supermarkets would be interrupted by a pandemic! Alas, like so many things, these drives cannot resume until 2021. Instead, we invite you to do two things. The first is to recall the year-ago outing, when we collected 953 pounds of food and $192 in cash on Sept. 28, 2019, from shoppers at the Palace Giant. While reflecting on the camaraderie and accomplishments of that drive and the people who - then and now - need our help, please take heart that opportunities to work together in hands-on outreach will come again. The second is to consider responding to the county government’s Fall Food Drive. On Oct. 17th from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the Department of Recreation & Parks will host the drive at its headquarters, 7120 Oakland Mills Road. Items will be donated to the Community Action Council’s Food Assistance Program at the Howard County Food Bank. Right now, it is in need of a list of items that may sound familiar to all of you apron-wearing veterans of the Christ Church in-person drives. Here’s the Food Bank’s current list: canned and dried fruit, hot and cold cereal; soup; pasta and pasta sauce; tuna; 100 percent fruit juice; baby food; diapers and wipes; peanut butter; canned beans (pinto, kidney, and black); and low-sodium canned vegetables. For questions or more information, the county suggests that you email mbyrne@howardcountymd.gov. If you wish to obtain food availability information not related to the drive, the county offers a food aid map (click here) as an online resource of distribution sites. It is updated at least weekly, in cooperation with Howard County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD). Columbia Community Care Settles Into Two-Days-A-Week Routine Providing food and other necessities for neighbors in need, Columbia Community Care (CCC), has consolidated operations to three sites, which welcome drop-off donations during operating hours. They are Swansfield Elementary School; Oakland Mills Middle School, and Howard High School. The times are Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. (CCC volunteers report at 4 p.m.) and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (CCC volunteers report at 9:30 a.m.) In addition to staffing a site, volunteers can sign up on Facebook to perform duties to meet the needs of people without transportation. “Translator/dispatchers” coordinate lists of items for specific families and communicate by text message to arrange the contactless deliveries; “Shoppers,” who use cellphones to receive the texts, go to special pantries that have been established at two participating churches and assemble the items to fulfill each shopping list, and then deliver the goods to the assigned addresses. Several parishioners have volunteered in various capacities or donated to CCC. This ad-hoc group formed last spring in response to the coronavirus impact, which has especially hard hit the county’s low-income residents. Here’s a recent article about CCC that appeared in The Baltimore Sun last month. For those of you who wish to drop off non-perishable food items, diapers, or personal care products in CCC-marked donation bins, you can do so at one of the two churches: Bethel Korean Presbyterian Church, 3165 St. Johns Lane in Ellicott City or New Hope Church,12350 Hall Shop Rd. in Fulton, or at these participating businesses: Bonheur Patisserie & Deli, 7106 Minstrel Way; Philly’s Best, 5134 Thunder Hill Rd., and LA Mart, 5865 Robert Oliver Place, all in Columbia. For anyone who has suggestions about ways to help the community or want to get involved, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

On October 8, the Lake Elkhorn Middle School Committee at Christ Church made their second coordinated contribution to the LEMS Weekend Food Program! We plan to continue to provide food for ten families once a month throughout the fall semester, though as with everything, we may need to adjust to changing circumstances and needs. During remote learning purchasing, bagging, and delivery is being handled a bit differently than normal, including strict safety precautions. When both LEMS and Christ Church resume normal operations, we look forward to any interested volunteers helping out. In addition to the Weekend Food Program, this month the LEMS committee is using funds contributed by Christ Church parishioners to purchase 250 additional headphones for LEMS students, to be distributed by the school.  The teachers and staff have identified that headphones with microphones are a tremendous help to the students as they continue to attend school using Chromebooks. 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.