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.

Today is the Sixth Sunday of Easter. The leaflet for today's service is here. Readings for today: Acts 17:22-31 1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21 Psalm 66:7-18 Collect of the Day: O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon is available for reading here.

Today is the Seventh Sunday of Easter. The leaflet for today's service is here. Readings for today: Acts 1:6-14 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 John 17:1-11 Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36 Collect of the Day: O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. The Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon is available for reading here.

Today is Pentecost Sunday. At Christ Church, it is also Youth Sunday. Our youth help deliver the liturgy and lessons of the day, and we invite you to watch the service below. The service leaflet for today is here. Readings for today: Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:25-35, 37 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 John 20:19-23 Collect of the Day: Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ 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: The Sermon for today was given by our Christ Church youth. You can watch them in the video above, and their text is available for reading here.

Today is Trinity Sunday. The service leaflet for today is here. Readings for today: Genesis 1:1-2:4a Canticle 13 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Matthew 28:16-20 Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Sermon for Today: The Sermon text is available for reading here.

Today is the Second Sunday of Pentecost. The service leaflet for today is here. Readings for today: Exodus 19:2-8a Psalm 100 Romans 5:1-8 Matthew 9:35-10:8(9-23) Collect of the Day: Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Today is the Third Sunday of Pentecost. The service leaflet for today is here. Readings for today: Jeremiah 20:7-13 Psalm 69: 8-11, (12-17), 18-20 Romans 6:1b-11 Matthew 10:24-39 Collect of the Day: OLord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving­kindness; 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 Fourth Sunday of Pentecost. The service leaflet for today is here. Readings for today: Jeremiah 28:5-9 Psalm 89:1-4,15-18 Romans 6:12-23 Matthew 10:40-42 Collect of the Day: Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.