DREAMBUILDERS' REGISTRATION FOR THE SECOND DESK BUILD IS NOW OPEN! The DreamBuilders’ first effort at building portable and foldable desks for students was so successful, and the demands for our desks is so great, we will be hosting another event this month! Like last time, we’ll be working on two successive Saturdays, September 26th and October 3rd. Our work site, at St. Mark’s in Highland, will include social distancing, masks, and other measures to minimize potential exposure to the Coronavirus. We are especially looking for family teams to work the multi-person work stations. Registration will be required for all volunteers, and can be found at these links: Registration for September 26, 2020 - https://dreambuildersmd.org/dreambuilder-portable-desk-manufacture-volunteer-9-26-2020/ Registration for October 3, 2020 - https://dreambuildersmd.org/dreambuilder-portable-desk-manufacture-volunteer-10-3-2020/

Their friendship was birthed at a Christ Church auction over a decade ago when they were bidding against each other over two paintings. Their friendship gave birth many years later to Marigold (the name they affectionately call the kidney one donated to the other.)-who has proven to be life-saving. The depth of their friendship is not lost on anyone. In many ways we can characterize Marigold as a nurturing faithful relationship between Rebecca and Jean. Marigold is like the glue which hold their common lives together-it offers them the blessing of looking each other eye to eye and enjoy being together because they feel at home in their friendship. Indeed, it will be fair to say that until the moment of discovery-where both Rebecca and Jean found out that they were a match for Jean to donate her kidney to Rebecca, their friendship had depth and meaning. They have offered supporting presence to each other throughout the joys and challenges of life, and Rebecca is a godmother to Jean’s youngest son. When it became known that Rebecca would need a kidney transplant, Jean graciously offered to be her donor, and a few weeks ago, the transplant was successfully completed. Over the past several weeks since I first learned about Marigold, I have wondered about the first meeting, the day that Marigold was born - when strangers became friends. Over the years, Marigold thrived and has given meaning to what it means to be friends, to count on the other, to be more than a friend and, in fact, to give practical meaning to an idea we read in John’s gospel: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The image Jesus employs isn’t one where a priest offers the sacrifice; rather, the ultimate form of love is the sacrifice of one’s own life for one’s friends. In this particular case, love takes the form of friendship. It is a love that is fulfilled only in a deliberate sacrifice for the life of a friend. Over the past several weeks since I first learned about Marigold, I have reflected on the value of friendship - my friendship with others, and your friendship with others. I have had to ask myself multiple times if I can ever see myself offering the gift of life to a friend. May I also ask you, "Do you see yourself offering the gift of life itself to a friend? Who is your friend? Who, and what, is a friend?" Joan Walsh Anglund, in her book “A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You,” wrote: A friend is someone who likes you. It can be a boy or a girl, or a cat, or a dog, or even a white mouse. A tree can be your friend, too. It doesn’t talk to you, but you know it likes you. These words do speak eloquently and forcefully about friendship. Friendships are part of our human nature. Friendships surround all of us. We do not have to create it, nor do we acquire it; friendship only awaits to be discovered by those who embrace the promise to walk together, side by side, into the future, and to be there for the other person. Friendship commands a kind of faithfulness that is related to a person and what he or she is, and not to what he or she does or has. Friendship is a free relationship. It arises out of freedom, and it preserves freedom. Friendship is conceived in freedom and, because of that freedom, friends open up free spaces for one another for personal development, rebuke, and even for the very gift of life itself. What Marigold re-emphasized for me is that it is enough to know that you have a friend and a friend is there, and that what friends do for us are not services that have to be paid back. For how can Rebecca ever pay back, even if she had to? The truth is that what friends do for us is not a matter of an exchange of services, it is often more than that and I believe that is how both Rebecca and Jean feel. Remember, it is said that true friendship proves itself in misfortune - as sympathy and co-suffering. It also proves itself in happiness as a shared rejoicing, without envy. Over the years, you and I may have made many countless friends. We've lost some along the way, but have also kept some. The reasons why we lose or keep friends are varied, but to hold on to our own Marigolds demands a kind of loyalty that affirms for us that to live is to give meaning to life - in all its forms. The story of Marigold is a story about the blessings of friendship. The story about Marigold is a story about God’s faithfulness, and the presence of God’s hand guiding our lives to places of refreshment, fulfillment, and restorative healing. The story of Marigold touches on the deliberate offering of the self, for which our Lord Jesus Christ is our principal example. If friendship is the soul of a friendly world, then my prayer is that we may also find that Marigold who would more than affirm our individual lives with their lives, but with self-emptying love, teach us to create that 'soulful' world where we all strive to proffer meaning to each life as being rich and beautiful. Manny

Let’s Have Fun and Make a Difference! Participate in the Bridges to Housing Stability Chili & Challenge Remember the Chili Cook-Off we held to support Bridges to Housing Stability at Christ Church in February? Chuck Rees was the winner from among many close contenders, including those pictured here. We raised $1,000, including a contribution by the Christ Church Youth Group! Our Cook-Off was a prelude to the annual Bridges community-wide Chili Cook-Off that was cancelled due to COVID. Now, Bridges has created the Chili & Challenge, a virtual 3-part event that encompasses the same fun and philanthropy but allows us to participate from home. First, Bridges partnered with Tino’s Italian Bistro and Wine Bar and The Periodic Table for delicious, to-go chili meals. To help us win the challenge and make a difference for people struggling with homelessness and housing instability, you can purchase tickets for beef or vegetarian to-go chili meals and alcoholic beverages and/or donate to our virtual “tip jar” (our personalized donation webpage) by Friday, September 11th, by clicking on this link: http://www.bitly.com/cec4bridges. A portion of the ticket sales also goes to our “tip jar” in support of Bridges. The organization that raises the most “tips” will win the annual Golden Ladle. All meals (beef or veggie) must be picked up Sunday, September 13th between 12-4 pm at The Periodic Table, 8808 Centre Park Drive (on the other side of the street from Giant). Second, on September 13th at 1 p.m., you can join the Virtual Chili & Challenge Watch Party online via https://youtu.be/Bhlg96oscqI that includes a 30-minute, pre-recorded program with speakers, dignitaries, and an announcement of the Gold and Silver Ladle winners. The money we raised in February will count toward the new Silver Ladle award for most donations made earlier in the year. Third, you can use the same link above to participate in Bridges’ virtual silent auction of about 40 fantastic baskets that will be open for bidding from Sunday, September 6, at 8 a.m. until Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. So PLEASE, click on the link now for more details and to participate in raising critical funds for Bridges! NOTE: If you prefer to make a donation by check rather than online, please make it out directly to Bridges (and NOT to Christ Church) and be sure to note “Christ Church” in the memo line. It must be received at the Church office by Wednesday, September 9th. That means you will need to make an appointment with the office to bring it into Christ Church on that day, or mail it right away (keeping in mind the Labor Day holiday), or bring it to worship services if weather permits on August 30th or September 6th. To make sure donations are credited to our “tip jar,” we will hand carry any of these checks to the non-profit to meet its Friday, September 11th deadline.

Today is the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory 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 51:1-6 Psalm 138 Romans 12:1-8 Matthew 16:13-20 Today's Sermon: Father Manny's Sermon is available to read in its entirety by clicking here.

Today is the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: Isaiah 56:1,6-8 Psalm 67 Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

I feel like talking about mangoes this week. Not because they are my favorite; they are not. But I do love mangoes, and whenever I find myself at Smoothie King - which is more often that I would care to admit - I either ask for Mango-Ginger or Veggie-Mango. But this piece is not necessarily about Mangoes, it is about doing more than the minimum. The point is, each one of us can do the basic, we can all accomplish the basic responsibility, but can we, or do we, have the zest to do more than the minimum? There is a story I read a few days ago about two colleagues, Austin and Carey, who grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same grade school, middle school, and high school. They have known each other since they were kids and been friends all their lives. One important fact - they graduated from college with the same major and, as fate will have it, they were then employed by the same company with the same entry level position. At the end of their first year, one of them, Austin, was promoted but Carey was not. When Carey learned that he was not promoted but Austin was, he became so incensed because he genuinely believed that an injustice had been perpetrated on him. He then walked straight into the CEO’s office to complain about the situation. Upon meeting the CEO, he expressed his disappointment and requested an explanation. Across from the lobby of the high-rise office building where they worked were street hawkers of vegetables and fruits, including mangoes. The CEO asked Carey to go down and check if any of the hawkers had mangoes. Carey hurried downstairs and came back with the news that there were mangoes. "How much are they?" asked the CEO. "I didn’t ask," responded Carey. "Would you mind asking?" asked the CEO. Carey hurried downstairs again and returned with the news that the mangoes are being sold for 40 cents. The CEO then asked Carey to go to Austin’s office and return with him to his office. When Austin, the promoted employee, walked into the office, the CEO gave him the exact same assignment that he gave Carey, the incensed employee. Austin went downstairs and returned with the following information: "There are three hawkers who’re presently selling mangoes across from our building. The mangoes look delicious, and the prices range from 35 cents to 45 cents each. Having examined them, it is my suggestion that if you desire to purchase mangoes today, you purchase those that are being sold for 45 cents." The moment he concluded his report of the assignment, the CEO turned to Carey and simply said, "That why Austin got promoted." Both Austin and Carey were given the exact same assignment, but their approach to executing the assignment was vastly different. Whereas Carey was simply about meeting the basics, Austin was not. That task, and each task in life, is more than the basics. Each and everyone of us can do the basics, but life and faith have never been about just the basics. Life and faith require us to do more than the barest minimum, and the ability to do more than what is required of us, in fact, sets us apart from others. Remember the story of Abraham’s offering of Isaac. Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan. Remember the parable of the Talents. Remember the story about the friends who took the crippled friend on the mat and took him to Jesus. Remember the story about one of the ten lepers who returned to give thanks for his healing. Remember your own unique story, when you chanced upon the idea that the bare minimum would not cut it, and for that reason you resolved to do more than the bare minimum. Inherent in all these stories is the idea that as good as the bare minimum may be, it is not enough and has never been enough. It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to challenge ourselves to do more than the minimum if we desire to soar. It is always the 'more' that sets us apart from those who desire to do the bare minimum. Each one of us can do the minimum. Each can go downstairs to the street hawkers and ask as many times if they have mangoes, how much they cost, and which one is of better quality. In much the same way, each of us can ask more than it is required of him or her, and offer more than is required of him or her. There is another interesting story that I plan to share with you in the near future, but for now, I would like to draw your attention to our partnership with Lake Elkhorn Middle School. As a morale booster to the teachers and staff of the school, Christ Church is preparing to donate custom polo shirts to them. The cost was underwritten by a couple, and for that we are grateful. Since school will be virtual, we are looking to provide the students with headphones and earbuds, and to relaunch our Weekend Food Pantry when school reopens. We can make this happen - turn a life around, and provide hope for these children and their families, if we decide to do more than the bare minimum. Faith does not tolerate complacency. Faith, like life, requires more than your share of the bare minimum. Battling COVID-19, where one thousand Americans are presently dying each day, has taught me that it is not even enough to do just the bare minimum. To turn this 'ship' around, to turn our lives and those of others around, we have to do more than the bare minimum. Ask if any of the hawkers have mangoes. Your approach will determine your sense of purpose. Manny.

We encourage everyone to join us tonight, August 10th, for the monthly meeting of Christ Church Outreach. This takes place on Zoom at 7:30 p.m., and you'll learn about the latest projects that we've been involved with this summer as well as our upcoming plans. There are many people who are in need of assistance during this difficult time, so perhaps you'll find a way that you can lend a hand in order to help others. We emailed the Zoom link earlier today, but if you did not receive it and would like to join us, or if you can’t make it to our meeting this time around but have suggestions about ways to help the community or want to get involved, please email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

Today is the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost. Collect of the Day: Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; 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: 1 Kings 19:9-18 Psalm 85:8-13 Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33

Just into my third week now at CEC, I want to thank you all for the warm and enthusiastic welcome. I look forward to getting to know you and learning more about your concerns, your ministries, and how I can support you in your faith journey. Some of you may not be familiar with what specifically a deacon does, so I wanted to offer a brief explanation. A deacon serves as the bridge between the Church and the world - empowering others in serving the needs of the world, especially the underprivileged, those in need and those on the margins. In our Diocese of Maryland Manual for the Diaconate, Bishop Sutton states that “the central role of the Deacon is to send the Church out, individually and collectively, to do God’s work in the world. In their role as ‘community organizers,’ Deacons hold up the needs of the world while they encourage and guide the People of God to live out their baptismal promises, transforming the world through works of mercy and justice.” But wait! You’re already doing that here at CEC, in your many thriving outreach and pastoral care ministries. True, indeed. And my role is to work with you and engage as appropriate to remove barriers, provide guidance, and facilitate progress. A few notes about a deacon’s duties: Deacons are ordained to a separate, distinct and equal order of ministry. We serve under the authority of the bishop and are normally assigned to a congregation for a three-year term. As a vocational deacon, I am not on my way to priesthood. I’ve been called to the diaconate, and I’ll be a deacon until the day I die. My liturgical duties center on the Table (preparing for the Eucharist), the Word (proclaiming the Gospel), and the Dismissal (sending us forth from the church out into the world). I may also perform “other duties, as requested” to support Father Manny in shepherding the congregation. I’ll also be preaching about once a month. My diaconal focus areas cross a broad range of ministries - primarily outreach, pastoral care, and social justice. Many vocational deacons hold a secular job. In my case, I do work full time. That means I need to carefully balance work, diaconal duties, and family and personal time. I’ll try to be available, if possible, for daytime events and meetings, but sometimes I may have to catch up with ministry leaders later. I think it’s also important to note that all Christians are called to diaconal ministry, as the Diakonia of All Believers. You can read more about this in the joint Association for Episcopal Deacons and Lutheran World Federation statement, Prophetic Diakonia: For the Healing of the World. If you have any questions about what a deacon is or does, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at deacondenise@christchurchcolumbia.org. God’s Peace and Blessings! Deacon Denise

Today is the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Isaiah 55:1-5 Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:13-21 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.

The year was 1992. Two friends. An agreement. It was a sealed by a handshake, but thrived on integrity - that was how it used to be. A simple handshake between friends was enough testament for a contract - well, the better word would be a covenant. They did not need any legal documentation as evidence of their trust and love, for what truly mattered was a handshake, and for nearly 30 years, when it came time to honor that handshake, he did. I am even surprised that he remembered the handshake - the covenant they made to each other. This is good news all over. For me, the good news is not so much about the money, as wonderful as it may be, but that after all these years, a simple handshake between two friends meant a lot more than money or any material gift we can all dream about. Situations like that test the loyalty and fidelity of friendship and, more importantly, the covenant that we have with another. This is good news. And it is good news precisely because we live in a culture where loyalty is under threat, we live in a culture where friendship no longer commands as much depth as it used to, we live in a culture where covenants are not as much valued as they used to be, and we live in a culture where we many are suspicious about each other, not really sure about the intentions of friends and loved ones. Since this story broke, I have asked myself, "How many of us would have kept the covenant?" The story is also about a promise to share, a simple promise to share the prize of a winning lottery ticket. Would you have willingly called your friend, one whom you made a pact with in 1992 that whoever wins the Powerball lottery will split the money with the other? This is a story of two friends: Thomas Cook and Joe Feeney. Nearly thirty years after making a covenant, and sealing it with a handshake, it happened. Joe called Thomas and broke the news to him. Did Joe hesitate about changing his mind? I do not know, and I do not think so, for people who have a high sense of loyalty and integrity hardly question what they know and believe to be right. And that is good news because we still have people around who value and adhere to the covenant they make. Covenants are sacred. They are built on the trustworthiness of the parties involved. There is no element of force, coercion, or undue influence by one party. This is also good news, because any element of force can invalidate the covenant. If you will recall the beginning stories of the Old Testament, God did not establish a contract with the people of Israel. Theirs was a covenant - one between God and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their descendants. It was a covenantal relationship which was premised on God’s trustworthiness, and the fidelity of the people. In the Old Testament reading this past Monday - Joshua 24:16 - Joshua, in his farewell address to the people of Israel, used a stone as a witness to the promises that the people of Israel made. Those promises were meant to reinforce the covenant that they have with God. This is also good news. A few days ago, a friend sent me an article: “Why Sharing Good News Matters.” One of the claims of the article is that even in pre-COVID-19 world, the constant hearing of negative news stories had some detrimental effect on people. That may explain why many people do not watch the news as much any more. The solution, then, is that “…managers should suggest that employees set aside regularly scheduled time to read, share, and discuss positive news stories.” I wouldn’t limit this practice to only employees of an organization; I think it is imperative that we, too, hear good, positive stories like the one between Thomas Cook and Joe Feeney, the story about Rehan Staton - the trash collector who has been accepted into Harvard Law, the story about Christ Church collaborating with Howard County General Hospital to offer free COVID-19 test to 151 people, the story about DreamBuilders doing what they can to help those in need returning to virtual schooling this coming fall and, last but not the least, the arrival of Reverend Denise Schiavone to Christ Church as a Deacon. This, too, is good news. The story of Tom and Joe, in particular, reminds me of the bond of friendship between David and Jonathan. They also had a covenant between them. And that covenant was premised on their love for each other. That covenant was such that although Jonathan knew that he would not succeed his father Saul, but David would, that did not deter him from loving David like himself. He loved David as much as David loved him. To demonstrate his love for David, he gave David the robe that was on him, his sword, his bow, and his belt. This is also good news, for true love is when love is not dependent on selfish or self-centered ends, when love for another person has no intended end, when love’s goal is love itself. 1992 - the year I graduated from high school, and the year of the covenant between Tom and Joe. 2020 - the year Joe upheld the covenant. You may also have some good news about a covenant you had with a friend or a good story of unbridled kindness to share. Remember, each good news or story lifts our spirits up and provides us with another reason to believe in humanity once more. ~Manny