I can only imagine the excitement of the Pilgrims at harvest time. They had endured a very cold and terrible winter. I am sure they had wondered if any of the seeds they had sowed would bear any fruit. They soldiered on till harvest time. And then they realized the fruits of their handiwork, much like the psalmist who was well acquainted with agrarian life and who shares these thoughts: “Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” What fascinates me about Thanksgiving is the incredible desire to take a pause and offer thanks for all the gifts and blessings that you and I have received. As I said elsewhere, central to the Christian ethos is the idea of thanksgiving, and our Eucharist is based on this idea. The Eucharist is a sacrifice of Thanksgiving for the salvation that has been wrought for us. In a sense, then, what the Pilgrims did wasn’t alien to their understanding of what it meant to be a Christian; it was, in fact, rooted in it. I will always remember my first Thanksgiving. I flew to Maryland to be with my aunt, who lives in Riverdale. I knew next to nothing about Thanksgiving, but I was happy to be in Maryland for this holiday. On the way to my aunt’s house, I saw this cliché on a church’s sign-post: ‘What are you thankful for?’ I thought about the question, and I still think about it. This is because the opportunity to ask myself this question reminds me of all the gifts that surround me. In a more somber way, I acknowledge my dependence on these gifts and live my life in appreciation for them. Each and every day is an opportunity to give thanks... even for the smallest of gifts. Waking up in the morning to see the sunlight is an opportunity to give thanks. Taking a shower, dressing up, and grabbing breakfast is an opportunity to give thanks. Dropping of kids at school or taking them to board the bus is an opportunity to give thanks. Driving to Christ Church to serve you is an opportunity to give thanks. Driving home after serving you is an opportunity to give thanks. In fact, every single bit of my life - and of yours - should be about an opportunity to give thanks. And we dare to give thanks because the gift of giving thanks shapes the very nature of our relationship with others and ourselves. More than that, the ability to name the very people and things for which we are thankful is a stark reminder of our own sense of humility and interdependence. As I have said before, I’d prefer to live thankfully than faithfully. To live thankfully is to appreciate every single gift that you have, and that gift includes the people you love as well as those you may not necessarily love. You may wonder, "Why also people I don’t love?" Well, as scripture poses, what benefit is it to love those who love you? Believe me, giving thanks even for those you do not necessarily love helps you to correct those things in your life that you don't love about those you may not love. There is a story about an elderly man who lived in Phoenix. The man calls his son in New York and says, “I hate to ruin your day, but your mother and I are getting a divorce. It’s been forty-five years of misery, and I can’t handle any more.” The son screams at his father, “Pop, what are you talking about?” The father responds, “No, we can’t stand the sight of each other any longer. We’re sick and tired of one another, and I can’t talk about it anymore. Just call your sister in Chicago and tell her.” He then hangs up. The son proceeds to call his sister in Chicago, and tells her what their father had said to him. She gets very upset, calls her father in Phoenix, and screams at him, “You’re not getting divorced. Do not do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing.” And then, she hangs up. The old man puts his phone down, turns to his wife, and says, “Honey, the kids are both coming home for Thanksgiving. They’ll be here tomorrow … and they’re paying their own way!” Yes, they are paying their own way! The prank was an attempt to get these older kids, who are now parents themselves, to be thankful for something… that, among many other things, paying your own way to see mom and dad can also be an expression of your thankfulness to them for all they have done for you. What are you thankful for? Don’t wait to hear about mom and dad divorcing before you decide to fly home to see them on your own dime. Do not limit yourself in your expressions of gratitude. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. ~Manny

This is the Last Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Jeremiah 23:1-6 Canticle 16 Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 The Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

This autumn's next Adult Forum program is "Faith in the Public Square" and begins this Sunday morning at Christ Church. It's a four-part series that is intended to foster discussion about the nature of faith in the contemporary world, and the exercise of faith in today’s culture. This program aims to provide members of Christ Church, and the wider community, with opportunities to reflect on issues having to do with civic society and the common good, the maintenance of a flourishing culture, and the public exercise of religious faith. The first program of the series is entitled "Pluralism, Identity, Reconciliation" and is presented by John Keiss of Loyola University. We hope that you'll join us in New Brick at 9:30 a.m.

Your balloons, or mine? I don’t know what it is about balloons that is so enchanting to kids. My children fight over balloons all the time, and I am sure yours might do the same. Whenever we get the chance to go to Red Robin for lunch or dinner, these kids simply cannot contain themselves with the excitement of the sight of those balloons that regularly sit right by the entrance. Instead of one balloon each, we often end up bringing about five or six home, thanks to the folks at Red Robin, as they are always kind enough to let kids have as many balloons as they want. But as many as they are allowed to have, they still fight over them - yours, or mine? There’s a story of an instructor for a capacity building exercise. The instructor gave each participant in the seminar a balloon, and then invited each to blow air into it. Afterwards, she gave each person a marker pen with the instruction to write their names on their balloons. The instructor collected all of the balloons and let them loose in an adjoining room. All the participants were invited to then go into that room and find the balloon on which they wrote their name. You only have to imagine the chaos that subsequently enveloped the room. Each wanted to find their own balloon, the one that bore their name. For about fifteen minutes, each of the participants scrambled around while grabbing, checking, and tossing back those balloons which didn’t bear their name. In the process of this semi-organized melee, many of the balloons were burst, leaving some of the participants with none. The instructor then invited the group back to the first room and gave each participant a new balloon, and again asked them to inflate it and write their name on it. The instructor took the balloons to the adjoining room and then let them loose once more. But this time, instead of each participant finding their ‘own’ balloons, they were invited to simply grab a balloon, any one of them, and if it didn’t contain their own name on it, they were to simply find the person whose name is written on it and hand it to them. The entire process took only a couple of minutes. Not only was it orderly, but not a single balloon was burst and so each participant received theirs, unharmed. I thought this was a wonderful story. It is one which points at a much deeper human problem. If you think more broadly about the first scenario, you can draw that awful conclusion that in our attempt to actually seek what we believe or feel ‘BELONGS’ to us or, at least, has our name on it, it often doesn’t matter how we acquire it. Remember the phrase, "by any means necessary"? That’s how we often tend to want to claim what belongs to us. And in doing so it often doesn’t matter whether we hurt others or destroy what belongs to others in our attempt to seek what belongs to us. The first chaotic scene I described above is simply a reflection of all our individual attempts to find our own balloons. See, our balloons are very dear to us, and we have to find them at any cost. The sad reality is that we can conveniently lay most of the problems of our world and our collective lives on the doorstep of our individual attempts to find our own balloons. Stephen Hawkins once noted that it is greed and stupidity that will end the human race. His sober thoughts might not be far from the truth. The second scenario above was calm, collected, and intensely productive. In that one, there was no need to scramble or scream, struggle, or fight. There was no need to step on one another’s balloon in an attempt to get your own. Each participant knew that he or she was assured of a balloon - the kind of assurance which was absent in the first scenario. Each participant knew that receiving a balloon was a question of when, and not if. Think about how different our world, as well as our communal and individual lives, would be if we were intensely engaged in helping others find their balloons - or, in fact, finding their balloons for them. One of the early Christian writers, Tertullian, once remarked that the one thing that converted him to Christianity was not the arguments, because he could find a counterpoint for every argument. Rather, they (Christians) demonstrated something he didn’t have: “The thing that converted me to Christianity was the way that they loved each other.” One way to rephrase that is to say, "the thing that converted me to Christianity was the way each found one another’s balloon for them, or helped each other find their balloons." Our reality is one where we cannot live life as though we are looking for our own balloons. If anything at all, the spirit of Thanksgiving stands in direct contrast to this idea. Remember, the Pilgrims found it prudent and worthwhile to offer thanks because the Native Americans helped them to find their own balloons or found their balloons for them. As we look towards celebrating the holidays with family and friends, we are reminded of the ethos that guides our interactions with others - it is not about fighting for only ourselves but it is about fighting for each other. Thanksgiving and Christmas are about goodwill, the kind that provides us with more than enough reason to help others find their balloons - or, better still, to find their balloons for them. Yours, or mine? May this season be one of harnessing our collective energies in finding each other’s balloon. ~Manny

This is the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Isaiah 65:17-25 Canticle 9 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19 The 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. Fr. Manny's sermon for today can be read here.

The Christ Church Annual Meeting is taking place today, November 10th. On this day we will have only one service in New Brick, and that takes place at 9:30 a.m. Afterwards, we'll share a potluck brunch in the lower level of NB, and then return to the church for our meeting. We'll gather to celebrate the life of our community, and to show our appreciation to those Christ Church Vestry members who are concluding their terms - Mike Humkey, Dione Mahoney, Paula Rees and Duane Smith. We will also welcome new leaders for the ministry of the Church. Parishioners who have offered themselves for nomination to serve on the Vestry are: Lynn Foor, William Ben Jackson, Greta Pike-Barnes and Jason Whong. Childcare will be available. We hope that you all will join us in this important annual gathering that celebrates our parish family's last year together, and looks forward to what's still to come.

Today is the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Haggai 1:15b-2:9 Psalm 145:1-5, 18-22 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 Luke 20:27-38 The Collect of the Day: O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

One of the little remarks that teachers used on a report card when I was in elementary school was “There’s room for improvement.” Almost every child had either the same remark, or something similar. I am sure that this was a widely-used phrase, and rightfully so. For, within this remark is an abiding hope that each teacher had for a little kid. There is always a room to grow. I once served on the board of Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, South Carolina. One of the extra-curricular activities for the students was to visit another country during the Winterim break. Several years after I had resigned from the board, I received an email from one of my friends who organizes these trips, and invited me to join them on a trip to Ghana. I took them up on the offer and went with them to serve in a community that I had never visited before. These junior and senior students would wake up at 5:00 a.m., walk to a farm, cut grass and shrubs, make garden beds, and rake some of the weeds. We would then leave the farm around 7:00 a.m., when the African sun would begin to burn mercilessly. We would then walk back to the residence where we were lodging, take a shower, and then have the kids go to a local primary school where they could teach. One child of the many seemed older than most. You could tell from his appearance that he was far older than all the kids in the school and, in fact, for his grade. In a conversation with the head teacher of the school, one of the chaperones from South Carolina asked, "How come this particular student looks a lot older than the rest?" The headteacher responded thus: "Don’t worry about this boy. He’s here because his mother wants him to be here. I don’t see anything good coming out of him." That was truly a shocker to me! His response was unlike any that I have ever heard from any teacher before. That is not to say there aren’t worse cases, but at least a teacher maintains some hope, however infinitesimal, that something good might come out of a student because there’s always room to grow; more than that, there exist infinite possibilities in each child. A lot has happened over these past two years that I have been privileged to serve here at Christ Church. The energy, enthusiasm, and pride that often vibrates from our parishioners is often overwhelming. Last Saturday's Christ Church Auction is a classic example. Your kindness and generosity led us in raising over thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) to support our common life. That was incredible. I am incredibly thankful to every single member of our parish who contributed, in ways both great and small, in order to make this year’s auction a huge success. Last year we made a little over twenty-seven thousand dollars ($27,000.00), and this year’s margin reminds me that there’s always room to grow. In my view, every opportunity for reflection is equally an opportunity for growth. And as I reflect on the many ways in which I am grateful for each one of you, and for the opportunity to serve you, I am also reminded of a unique privilege. It is one borne out of humility, and which is an essential part of every relationship. Part of my growth process, then, is to be able to apologize for actions and inactions on my part. The Prayer Book frames it this way: things done, and left undone. I believe, in my heart of hearts, that there’s no way that none of you has taken umbrage over an action or inaction on my part; that is why I can offer an apology. Part of our growth process is a reflection of the human condition - it is never static, there is always room to grow, and growing takes the form of looking back with gratitude over many blessings, and sorrow over many wrongs. More than anything else, it is the courage to admit our own fallibilities, and to inspire hope in others. On Sunday, November 10th we will gather together at 9:30 a.m. to worship, give thanks, break bread, elect a new Vestry and reflect on our common life over the past year. Annual Meetings are special occasions to make ourselves accountable to one another. It is also a time to explore the many rooms we have yet to grow. Added to the specialness of Sunday is our In-Gathering of Pledges on this same day. Your pledges help support our common life, and provide us with the tools to transform lives in our community and beyond. Indeed, your generous contributions to Christ Church help us to provide more than enough means to encourage, to motivate, and to shepherd people in creating rooms for their individual spiritual growth. In my sermon last Sunday, I made a point that “An authentic life isn’t a perfect life, but it is a life of blessedness and gratitude. One who lives an authentic life is the author of his or her own life. He or she writes their own script, and that script always leaves a room for growth.” Indeed, one of the practices of Ignatian Spirituality is the Daily Examen: becoming aware of God’s presence, reviewing your day with gratitude, asking for guidance and looking ahead to the morrow. And guess what? We can only look ahead with hope because we know we have another chance at growth. Remember, there’s always a room for growth, and to discover this truth is in itself liberating and life-giving. Like my teacher and many others used to write - and I believe still do - there’s always room for improvement. Give yourself a room to grow. ~Manny

Today is All Saints' Day (observed). Readings for today: Daniel 7:1-3,15-18 Psalm 149 Ephesians 1:11-23 Luke 6:20-31 The Collect of the Day: Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. Father Manny's sermon for today is available for reading by clicking here.

We have been working our way through the gospel of Luke. A few weeks ago we read the gospel story about the Mustard Seed - if only our faith was as small as the mustard seed. The story's text invites us to ponder on the inherent potential of our faith, the amazingly far-reaching capability of faith. The point is, you and I can do extraordinary things not because we have a mountain of faith but simply because we have any at all. And that is actually what makes all the difference in our lives. Think about the gospel story of that little boy with five loaves and two fish. There was no way this little boy ever thought that his meager supply was going to be the basis upon which a miracle would be wrought, and no way did he ever thought that his paltry rations could hold such potential. The gift in this little boy’s gift was his desire to offer up the small supplies he had. Small an action, we may say, but a huge difference, we would admit. The other gift I find in the story is that a growth mindset can imagine possibilities and instill belief that you, I, Christ Church, and everything round about us are capable of growth and change. We only need to take that small action. I'm sure that you have also had the benefit of a small action making a big difference in your life. Last Sunday, I listened to Linda Burton, our preacher and Adult Forum presenter (If you missed her presentation last week, please join us on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in Old Brick for the second session). I asked myself, "What small action has made a big difference in my life? What small action has made a big difference in your life?" Mine were too many to number, but I realized that at each step of my young life there were many people who were more than willing to take the small steps… not necessarily steps of providing material needs, but rather in believing in me - if I should take the boy’s five loaves and two fish, something good might come out of it. I often tell a story about walking into All Saints Episcopal Church, in Atlanta, Georgia on a cold Sunday morning, and introducing myself to The Reverend Geoffrey Hoare after that day's worship. I still remember sitting in his office and jumping at the opportunity of joining his staff for a $500.00 monthly stipend. At that time, I had never been paid that much money in my entire life. My stipend was more than enough for me to even send some to my mother back in Ghana. I have no idea what led me to that church, but I bear testimony to the fact that Providence doesn’t disappoint. Providence leads us, even when paths may appear unclear to us. Providence ultimately leads us to paths of living water... paths where we can find life. Like you, I am a beneficiary of God’s unbridled compassion. And I ask myself, "What if Reverend Hoare had not welcomed me? What if he had not lived the gospel of embracing the stranger? What if he had rejected my five loaves and two fish as being insignificant? More to the point, what if he had failed to see the Mustard Seed that sat in me and which I represented?" The gift in his gift to me is the joy of serving here, today, at Christ Church. Small action, big difference. Brother Lawrence, a Seventeenth Century French monk, wrote these wise words in his book The Practice of the Presence of God... “We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed." That love is always present in the little things we do. I’d like to reiterate the point in the Parable of the Mustard Seed, where a small action – the sowing of a small seed – led to the growth of a large plant. And more than that, this plant becomes life-giving for other creatures of God. I hope you believe like I do, that your gift is always life-giving for all of God’s creation. In 1926, Dr. James Allan Francis preached a sermon called One Solitary Life, in which he used the incarnation of Jesus to illustrate how one solitary life had a massive impact: ‘Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. Long centuries have come and gone but all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of humans upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.’ Small things, big difference. We are presently in the middle of our Stewardship Campaign for 2020. And as many of you know, Christ Church doesn’t have the benefit of other Episcopal churches which rely on endowments to fund their Ministry responsibilities. We entirely rely on YOU, our faithful parishioners, to support our ministries during any given season. Two of the important tasks that we want to accomplish next year are to hire a Youth Minister to lead the formation of our deserving youth, and a Parish Ministries Coordinator to lead us in planning and organizing our common life. These things, too, can happen if small acts come together with the hope of making a big difference. Christ Church's In-Gathering Sunday is next week on November 10th. That Sunday is also our Annual Meeting. It is my strong belief that gathering together in front of our altar with our mutual gifts will be the ultimate expression of a small action with the potential for a big impact, and a big difference. Like Brother Lawrence, it is also my prayer that you will learn to value small actions and pursue them with love, recognizing that by doing so you are following in the footsteps and teachings of the Christ who first gave himself to us as a small child, and who makes all the big difference in our lives. ~Manny

This is the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost. Readings for today: Joel 2:23-32 Psalm 65 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18 Luke 18:9-14 The 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. The sermon for today was given by Linda Burton, author of the book Gratitude Heals: A Journal for Inspiration and Guidance. You can stream or download an audio recording of her sermon below.