African Team Ministries is a Christian ministry working as an intermediary between African and American churches. With help from Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Anglican denominations, we provide funding for orphan and refugee relief missions and evangelism in East Africa. African Team Ministries provides East African, primarily Kenyan, artisans with a market for their beautiful creations. Due to COVID-19, all sales are online this year, so please visit their website to see intricate wood carvings, eye-catching soapstone décor, natural elements nativity sets, stunning necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more! You can find their store page at https://africanteamstore.square.site/ The support they receive is sent directly to their partnering Bishops to provide school fees, tuition, books, and uniforms. This support ensures that the children receive an education and a measure of stability needed to rebuild their minds. African Team Ministries currently have children registered for sponsorship in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. To learn more about African Team Ministries, please visit their website at www.africanteamministries.org

Today is the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Readings for today: Deuteronomy 18:15-20Isaiah 40:21-31 Psalm 147:1-12, 21c 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Mark 1:29-39 Sermon for Today: Deacon Denise's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

At Bible Study yesterday, an important question came up about our inability, as a society, to find common ground in solving problems. In response to the question, I used the metaphor of a pothole on a street. I said that a pothole is like a problem that is not going to fix itself nor would some nebulous force from outer space fix it for us. Indeed, someone has to fix it, but who? We can ask the federal, state, or local government to send money our way to fix it, perhaps, or we can raise funds ourselves to fix it. No matter what we choose, that pothole will still be there until we repair it. In another response regarding the cause of the pothole, I said that we can indeed conduct as many research processes as we want to determine the cause of the pothole, but that the research in itself wouldn’t fix the pothole. Oftentimes, the research into the why of the pothole may even obfuscate or complicate the real desire to fix it. What can fix the pothole is the collective recognition of the existence of the pothole. This requires accepting that the pothole cannot fix itself and that our common enemy is not the different vehicles that we drive through that huge pothole, but rather our inability to find a common ground among ourselves to actually repair a festering pothole which will only grow larger and continue to destroy our valuable cars. The same can be said of the often dire situations of poverty, homelessness, hunger, drugs, gang-related killings, and poor schools, among a million other problems. They are like potholes on our streets that need fixing but don't get repaired because we cannot find that common ground among ourselves to fix them. For that reason, the problems keep getting larger and larger. There is a story of a father who left 17 camels to his three sons when he passed away. The father’s will dictated that the eldest of the three sons get one-half of the 17 camels, the middle son should get one-third of the 17 camels and the last should receive one-ninth of the 17 camels. Recognizing that it was impossible to divide 17 into half, or 17 by 3, or 17 by 9, the three sons started to fight with one another. In due course, they went to see a wise man to help them solve this seemingly intractable problem. The wise man listened patiently about the dictates of the will, and after giving some thought, brought one camel of his own and added it to the group of 17 camels, thus increasing the total to eighteen. He picked up the will and read it again, and determined that one-half of 18 is 9, and so he gave the eldest son nine camels, then gave the middle son six camels (one-third of 18), and the youngest son received two camels (one-ninth). Now, the total of 9, 6, and 2 is 17. There was only one camel left - the wise man's. And so, the wise man took back his camel. There is no way to underestimate or play down the current depth of the problems that many of us face within our own lives, homes, communities, and society at large. For many of us, it is the elephant in the room. Our desire is not to ignore the problems, but the reality is that we do not feel we possess enough strength and courage within us to find the common ground which can move us towards some resolution. For us, they are the potholes on our streets. We feel their impact when we drive through, but for one reason or another, we cannot find that eighteenth camel - that common ground. A few days ago, I received an email from someone who requested support for a GoFundMe account to help with paying for her dental procedure. This lady has lost all her teeth. I have no idea how she lost them, and honestly, I don’t need to know. But that is the pothole that she has and she needs help with fixing it. As a faith community, we will help in any way that we can so this lady can have the teeth she needs. The reality is that her situation is a symptom of a much bigger problem, which is the inequitable access to healthcare for the poor and minorities. If there’s been one benefit from this pandemic, it is the exposure of the lack of quality healthcare among the poor and minorities in our communities. These are some of the potholes that we have in our society, and in some way, somehow, we are obligated to help in finding the common ground to fix them. There’s a story in chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles, one which recounts the Jerusalem Council. The question for the Council was whether a new believer ought to be circumcised in order to be considered a Christian - that was their pothole. This was a very tough issue for a nascent church. After listening to the testimony of Peter, Paul, and Barnabas of how the Holy Spirit has been working among them to bring Gentiles to the faith, James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the Church in Jerusalem, became the "wise man" and spoke these words: “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” That statement, alone, didn’t end the conversation, but at least it provided the kind of common ground on which all could stand and proclaim the good news of God’s salvation in Christ. Like it or not, we also hold similar obligation to be the wise man or woman who finds that 18th camel, to be the ones who look for the common ground. Not that it is easy; it is often not. But we don’t give up simply because a task is difficult. We keep working at it until we find a solution. You have the capacity within you to always seek to be the wise person who carries with them the desire to find the common ground in resolving any issue of a pothole. Manny.

Somos Amigos Medical Missions Meets Challenges, Looks Ahead A year has passed since Christ Church parishioners who volunteer with Somos Amigos Medical Missions have been allowed to travel to its clinic in the Dominican Republic. Frank Brightwell, the nonprofit organization’s executive director and CEO, described the January 2020 trip in a recent newsletter to supporters: “It would be, what we thought then, a routine trip to staff our clinic in Naranjito. I still remember, as we had access to tidbits of news, that we heard of a virus outbreak in China. Little did we know what would unfold in the following weeks and months.” The good news is that Somos Amigos has adapted by employing a local team to serve patients in the rural, mountainous region where residents otherwise have little access to health care. “Formidable obstacles had to be considered and overcome, but what would have been our April, July, and October trips evolved into month-long ‘experiences’ whereby we were able to provide medical care to hundreds of our patients, all while following the strict Covid-related protocols,” he wrote. “And I am also happy to announce that our medical workers (two physicians with support) will also be joined by at least one dentist and maybe two. This will be the first time we are able to offer dental services since last January… we wanted to make sure we could do so safely, and we are now confident that we can, “ he wrote. In ordinary times, several parishioners would be making plans to travel to the Dominican Republic during the coming year, 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 last March when Brightwell delivered the sermon at worship services in New Brick. Those were pre-pandemic times, and he was able to join parishioner and long-time Somos Amigos volunteer Mary Keath at an adult forum in Old Brick. Looking ahead during 2021, Brightwell anticipates a hybrid team of local providers and volunteers might be a possibility in July, assuming a robust vaccine rollout by then. But the most likely option for Christ Church volunteers to return might be next October. In the meantime, Somos Amigos hopes to take other meaningful steps: ● It expects to complete the purchase of a parcel of land next to the clinic; ● It plans to supplement the on-site lab’s capabilities with new diagnostic tools; ● It plans to introduce HPV and Pap co-testing; ● It will continue to amplify the reach of its insulin distribution program and the women’s health initiative. ● Once local pandemic restrictions ease, it will assemble a council of representatives from feeder communities to help make plans. Brightwell noted that none of the steps he outlined would be possible without the continued generosity of donors, at Christ Church and elsewhere. For information about Somos Amigos, feel free to speak to parishioners Dione Mahoney and Shahra Toth, who also regularly volunteer at the Naranjito clinic when circumstances permit. Outreach Invites Parishioners to Attend Its Feb. 8th Zoom Meeting As members of the Outreach Commission look ahead to 2021 activities — many of them virtual due to the pandemic — we invite parishioners to join in the discussion. The next meeting will be held at 8 p.m. on Monday, February 8th. The Zoom link can be obtained by emailing us at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. CCC Continues to Seek Items, Recruits Volunteers for Indoor Sorting at a Pantry Parishioners who help Columbia Community Care (CCC), the all-volunteer effort that came together in Howard County in response to the pandemic, are asked to continue collecting diapers and personal care items. Also, the organization has put out a call for volunteers who are willing to sort items indoors at one of its two pantry locations. As of the first week in February, CCC organizers revised the volunteer shifts at the pantry at Bethel Korean Presbyterian Church, 3165 St. Johns Lane, Ellicott City, MD. There are now two shifts available to allow more people to sign up and to practice social distancing: a morning shift from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an afternoon shift from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers can sign up here to come in the morning or afternoon but do not have to commit to remain for the entirety of either shift. The sorting takes place five days a week, Tuesdays through Saturdays. Regarding the donated items, the Christ Church drive seeks diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” just inside the Parish Hall door. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office at (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming. Keep Up Contributions of Non-perishable Groceries for FISH of Howard County The basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. During winter, please contribute items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. 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.

Today is the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; 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: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 111 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Mark 1:21-28 Sermon for Today: Father Manny's Sermon text can be read here. Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

A Tasty Way to Help Bridges to Housing Stability End Homelessness Many recall the excitement as we gathered in New Brick nearly a year ago to hold a chili cook-off to benefit Bridges to Housing Stability. It was February 9th of 2020, in those convivial pre-pandemic days when we selected Chuck Rees as the winning chef. The effort, which included the Youth Group’s collection from Souper Bowl Sunday, raised $1,000. That impressive result led to more excitement last fall as Christ Church won the Silver Ladle Award during the nonprofit’s Chili & Challenge virtual fundraiser. While unable to gather again in the foreseeable future, there’s another way to enjoy a meal for a good cause. Next month you can help Bridges prevent and end homelessness by ordering milkshakes and burgers at Shake Shack. The timeframe is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on February 24th, which is Shake Shack Donation day. On that website for the event, you’ll find a flyer to download, so please spread the word. The restaurant is located on the plaza at Columbia Mall, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044. Please use the code DONATION on the Shack App, web, or kiosk when checking out, and 25 percent of your total meal purchase will go to Bridges. Christ Church parishioners had the opportunity to participate earlier this week in a similar fundraising effort by ordering takeout pizza and other dishes from Coal Fire in Ellicott City. That restaurant gave 20 percent of every designated purchase to Bridges. Every dollar counts as the nonprofit provides critical support and affordable housing to our most vulnerable neighbors. In its 2020 annual report, you can read about Bridges’ efforts such as the vital Alliance Program that has expanded to serve 141 people living in 42 affordable rental homes in Howard County. Because Bridges tenants pay less than the 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. Prayers Requested as Two Outreach Partners in Africa Face a Surging Coronavirus Prior to the pandemic, Christ Church entered a partnership with two parishes in the Anglican Diocese of Harare in Zimbabwe. They are St. Luke's in Greendale and All Souls in Mt. Pleasant. The arrangement, in which Christ Church agreed to support annual community medical clinics, grew out of a request from parishioners Nancy and Norbert Mugwagwa. In normal times, the Mugwagwas split their residence between Maryland and Zimbabwe, attending Christ Church for a number of months and then All Souls the rest of the time. When they departed the United States more than a year ago, taking some medical supplies in their luggage, they expected that the health clinics would be held in May and June of 2020. The Christ Church Outreach Commission planned to provide more supplies, and Fr. Manny and the Vestry received a letter from the Rev. Paul Gwese, rector of St. Luke’s. He explained how they had been “supporting the vulnerable members of our community who eagerly await this medical intervention and attend our clinics in large numbers.” The pandemic forced the cancellation of the clinics. Even before the outbreak, the rector said, “The health system in Zimbabwe is currently going through serious challenges both in the public and private domains.” Now the situation is far more dire. This month several government officials have perished, according to news reports. On January 24th, Nancy Mugwagwa wrote to the Outreach Commission that COVID-19 is surging with tragic consequences in the communities where our partners are located. All Souls has lost its church administrator and two parishioners, and the Mugwagwas have lost three relatives. “This is the case in most families, and we hope the tight restrictions imposed by the curfew that includes closure of bars and nonessential businesses will help to slow down the spread," she wrote. Please pray for those in our partner parishes, All Souls and St. Lukes. Drive Continues to Fill Yellow Bins to Help CCC and FISH Parishioners are asked to support Columbia Community Care (CCC), an all-volunteer effort that came together in Howard County in response to the pandemic, by collecting diapers and personal care items. The organizers have told Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre that these basics are scarce. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, CCC needs women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” just inside the Parish Hall door. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office at (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming. Meanwhile, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. During winter, please contribute items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. 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. LEMS Committee: Volunteers Needed The LEMS committee is continuing to contribute to the LEMS Weekend Food Program in 2021! We plan to provide food for ten families one weekend a month in the new year. If anyone is interested in volunteering with the monthly bulk purchasing, bagging, and delivering to the school when New Brick reopens, please contact the committee. With local COVID cases at their peak, we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. The committee has also reached out to the school to find out if they need assistance at the start of the new semester and will let you know what we find out. 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.

In my native Ghana is the first co-ed secondary school which was established by the British colonial government in 1927. The school was first named the Prince of Wales College and School but the name was changed to Achimota (ah-ch-ee-m-oh-t-ah). The school is one of the leading secondary schools in Ghana. Christ Church parishioners Nii and Theo Jones-Quartey were students at that school. The first Valentine’s Day card I ever received in the mail was from my first 'girlfriend' who was a sophomore at that school. Prior to that, I didn't even know what Valentine's Day was. I didn’t attend that school but I have siblings, cousins, and friends who did. I am sure you may be asking why on earth I'm talking about a secondary school in Ghana. Well, I am so inclined because of the philosophy of this school. That philosophy is summed up by the school emblem, which is a picture of black and white keys of a piano. The British governor, one of the founders of the school, spoke about the integration of Black and White, male and female, coming together for the good of all. The emblem, itself, was designed by Dr. Aggrey, a native and co-founder of the school. Dr. Aggrey expressed his rationale with these words: “You can play a tune of sorts on the black keys only, and you can play a tune of sorts on the white keys only. But for perfect harmony, you must use both the black and the white keys.” Perfect harmony! Think about that - perfect harmony is made possible by playing both white and black keys. In a few days, we will begin the month of February, which is Black History Month. It is a celebration of African Americans and their contribution to the building of this wonderful and great country. My task this day is not to enumerate the immeasurable and incalculable contributions of African Americans, but to call to mind the possibility of the unity that we seek, the perfect harmony that is only possible when both the black and the white keys are played together. I am very much aware of the challenges African Americans deal with on a daily basis. All of these stem from whether they have a place at the table, and whether their place at the table is deserved and should be honored. In fact, many are those who do not believe that there is even a table, much less a place at the table for the African American. For that reason, they perpetuate policies that seek to relegate the African American to the background. There are those who worship the systemic injustice and racism within our society for the sole purpose of maligning the African American. And there are those who question why the African American cannot lift himself/herself up 'by the bootstraps'. These people forget that there are some African Americans who do not even have the benefit of having boots at all. What saddens me ever greatly is that there are those who out of the desire to hold on to power have created their own god, and have masked this god with the One God who calls us to be ONE. For that reason, some of us have a hard time discerning the actual God who calls us and this masked-up god who is a totem of a deranged mindset. There are those who hold on ever so tightly to this totem of a god because they want to possess this god instead of being possessed by him. There was once a rich man who desired to follow Jesus. He was advised to go sell all his properties, give the money to the poor, and follow Jesus. But he could not. This rich young man believed he was defined by the god he had made out of his possessions - the god he possessed. To follow Jesus, you have to give up something... you have to give up the god you possess for a God who possesses you. The question then is, what are you willing to give up in order to follow Jesus? Growing up in Ghana, I didn’t have to worry about racism. My real brush with the deranged mindset of racism occurred in Philadelphia, where a parishioner refused to honor their pledge because, according to him, a ‘Black man has been hired as Assistant Rector.’ I was totally shocked when I heard the story. I wondered to myself, which God does this person serve? Is it the one he wants to possess, or is it the one who possesses him? I need you, and all of us, to think about this. You, yourself may not be a racist. But you may not necessarily tolerate the idea of playing both the white and black keys for a perfect harmony because you believe that playing both the white and black keys may take something away from you. But I wonder what it is that can be taken away from you. When my former Rector heard the sad, horrific, and patronizing rationale of this parishioner who had decided not to honor his pledge, he simply responded, "We will do just fine." Yes, we will. In fact, we will do more than just fine because our drive, and our hope, is to play both the white and black keys just so we can make that perfect harmony... that harmony which you need to hear, that harmony which I need to hear, and that harmony which our society, community, and world desperately need to hear during this time of deep division. Look around you. Switch on the TV. Go online. Every part of our life is saturated with echo chambers that pitch each against one another... whether it's Americans against Americans, White against Blacks, or Liberals against Conservatives. And the noisemakers of these echo chambers tell us that we should be suspicious of neighbors like you with whom we used to chat with, enjoy a barbeque together, go out to dinner together, watch movies together, worship together, visit each other and watch our children play together. Unlike our Director of Music, Adam, and many of you, I do not know how to play the organ or piano, but I can tell a perfect harmony should I hear one. Our reality is one where none of us is going anywhere. Whites cannot build our communities all by themselves nor can African Americans build our communities all by themselves. Someway, somehow, we have to figure out the best way to play all of the keys in order to achieve a perfect harmony. Dr. King figured it out when he said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” I do not want to die a fool, nor should you desire to do so. We should long for that perfect harmony that heals all our wounds and soothes the soul. For perfect harmony, we should play both the white and black keys. Both you and I make up those keys on God's piano. Manny.

Today is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. Collect of the Day: Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Readings for today: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Psalm 62:6-14 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark 1:14-20 Today's Worship Livestream: Today's service bulletin can be found here.

Keep Up the Flow of Personal Care Items, Diapers to Support CCC Parishioners have responded to our invitation to support Columbia Community Care (CCC) by collecting diapers and personal care items for our neighbors who find themselves less fortunate during the pandemic. Please keep up the good work. Organizers of CCC, an all-volunteer effort, had shared word of the scarcity of these essentials with Christ Church Vestry member Diane Phillips-Laguerre. Besides diapers in all sizes and baby wipes, we are collecting women’s sanitary care products, soaps, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries. Please put them in the yellow bin that's marked “CCC” located just inside the Parish Hall door. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the Church Office (410) 381-9365 to let them know when you are coming. Since our drive began at the start of 2021, Diane has made several deliveries to one of the pantries that supply CCC distribution sites. Distribution takes place indoors and abides by pandemic precautions at the following three locations: Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Faulkner Ridge Neighborhood Center, 10518 Marble Faun Lane, and Stevens Forest Neighborhood Center, 6061 Stevens Forest Rd. Hours for volunteers and recipients are Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m., with lines open for guests at 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with lines open for guests at 10:30 a.m. Spread the word if you or someone you know needs assistance. Besides the baby and personal items that Christ Church has been collecting, CCC hands out food and cleaning supplies but no clothing, books, or toys. Several parishioners at Christ Church have volunteered or contributed to CCC. Information on volunteer slots can be found on the CCC website and on the group’s Facebook page. Save the Dates: On Feb. 15, March 15, Bring Tasty Dishes for Grassroots If you missed the most recent chance to use your kitchen as a way to reach out to others, now’s the time to mark your calendars for the next few opportunities. Plan to prepare a side dish or dessert for the monthly meal that Christ Church provides to the residents of the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center at its live-in facility on Freetown Rd. Mark your calendars so that you can plan to arrive outside Old Brick on upcoming third Mondays: February 15th and March 15th at 3:30 p.m. each month. Several members of the Women of Christ Church were among volunteers who brought goodies for the Grassroots meal on Jan. 18th. This time, the third Monday fell on the national day of service for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. After the onset of the pandemic, we began these curbside drop-offs in lieu of the monthly meals that we once provided in-person at another Grassroots facility, the Dorsey/Rt. 1 Day Resource Center. It remains closed due to the coronavirus, except for curbside distribution of non-perishables. In this new tradition during the pandemic, co-coordinator Nancy Winchester acquires fried chicken at Weis and meets the other volunteers as they drive up to Christ Church. Nancy then transports the food to Freetown Road for handoff to the staff of Grassroots. Additional volunteers - and the resulting side dishes, desserts, fruit, and granola bars to complement our main course - are always welcome. For questions, ask Nancy or co-coordinator Shahra Toth, or email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. On their own, parishioners at Christ Church have signed up to provide the evening meal on several evenings in February or March for the 50 adults and children. Consider pitching in by picking a date to provide an entree and side dishes, or just the entree. Grassroots encourages an order of 12 pizzas - four with cheese and the rest with meat (any kind) - or rotisserie chickens (12 to make a meal) but discourages lasagna or other pasta entrees. Another welcome option is takeout from restaurants to help the foodservice workforce. Here is a link to the sign-up list that's maintained by Grassroots. Seize Another Opportunity by Gaining QPR Skills to Help Prevent Suicides Once again, a separate part of Grassroots is offering members of the community a chance to learn skills that could help save a life from suicide. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer -- the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save lives, just as individuals trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver learn what to do. The free online seminar, in which members of Christ Church first participated last June, is being offered remotely in January for Howard County residents, employees, or students. Grassroots and the Horizon Foundation are offering QPR training for adults on Jan. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. To learn more, go here: https://www.grassrootscrisis.org/events/ Or you can email amanda@grassrootscrisis.org to speak directly to Amanda Ganoe, the sessions’ organizer. Those of us who completed the training under her guidance gained important insights and, as a bonus, several resources that can be shared with others. It’s helpful to know that Grassroots operates a 24-hour crisis intervention and supportive counseling hotline (410-531-6677). Individuals may call for various reasons such as suicidal thoughts, family and relationship issues, and addiction, among other problems. Drive Continues to Collect Non-liquid, Non-perishable Foods for FISH During the pandemic, the basket of groceries for FISH of Howard County that once stood at the altar has been replaced by a yellow bin, marked “FISH” on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. In winter, keep the weather in mind and bring items such as cereal and granola bars that will not freeze. Please do NOT bring canned goods, liquids in plastic such as juices and salad dressing, or glass containers. LEMS Committee: Volunteers Needed The LEMS committee is continuing to contribute to the LEMS Weekend Food Program in 2021! We plan to provide food for ten families one weekend a month in the new year. If anyone is interested in volunteering with the monthly bulk purchasing, bagging, and delivering to the school when New Brick reopens, please contact the committee. With local COVID cases at their peak, we are following strict safety precautions and will expect the same of all volunteers. The committee has also reached out to the school to find out if they need assistance at the start of the new semester and will let you know what we find out. 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. 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.

This past Wednesday morning was a little somber. As glorious as it was to see a new President and Vice-President sworn into office, it was a somber day. The harsh reality of an empty mall filled rather with waving flags instead of Americans cheering on a new president remind me of Jesus’s response to the Pharisees who asked that he rebuke his disciples because of their praise of him. Jesus responded in Luke 19:40 “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones will cry out.” The flags represented, for me, the voice of every American who can see himself or herself as being a part of the big picture. It was disheartening to see former President Trump skip the inauguration of his successor and leave town isolated, diminished, and less triumphant. Save for Jimmy Carter, all living presidents made it to this inauguration, so how come he could not join his predecessors in a show of goodwill to his successor? He did a lot of good as President but in spite of all the good he has done, in twenty, thirty, forty years’ time, not many people will remember efforts such as his tax cuts or even his attempt at reforming the criminal justice system. People will, instead, remember his character and how he treated his successor. And as I shared last week, I am less interested in his politics, or any other person’s politics. I am more interested in his character, and in yours. Having character does not mean being perfect. It simply means that you can draw on a set of core values in your approach to life. Those core values - your substance, if you will - which, in part, is shaped by your faith, always draw you towards uprightness, honesty, integrity, compassion, and love. That is why the gospels invite us ever more deeply into the orbit of gracefulness and purity of heart: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Jesus said. There is a story of a professor who, upon entering a classroom one morning, asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the test paper with the text facing down, as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions… only a black dot in the center of the page. The professor, seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following: “I want you to write what you see there.” The students, confused, got started on the challenging task of explaining what they saw. At the end of the test, the professor took all the completed test papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them, with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, its shape, color, and so on. With all of them having been read and the bewildered classroom silent, the professor began to explain: "I am not going to grade on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused instead on the Black Spot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the Black Spots." Our life is a gift that is given to us by God with love and care, and we always have reasons - more than enough reasons - to celebrate that life: nature renewing itself every day, our friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, the miracles we see every day, and life, itself. However, we insist on focusing only on the Black Spots – political differences, racial differences, religious differences, sexual differences, and many others that set us apart, one from another. The reality is that those Black Spots are exceedingly small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds, create within us a reason for enmity or hatred for another person and build in us walls that are so high that no one can scale over them. For a moment, take your eyes away from the Black Spot in your life. Take your eyes away from the Black Spot that holds you in bondage. Take your eyes away from even the Black Spot in our country. Look beyond that Black Spot, and see the big picture. If we ever felt limited, it was because we failed to be defined by the common objects of our love. If we ever felt limited, it was because we couldn’t embrace the invitation to look beyond the horizon - to seize the opportunities that lie beyond our wildest dreams, to actually understand that God is exiled in each of us - you and me. For that reason, within each of us is that divine mandate to seek union with one another. Hear Jesus’ priestly prayer, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” To seek this unity isn’t about uniformity, nor is it about collapsing all we know and care about ourselves into a sea of water leaving no trace. Rather, it is about the big picture. Do I see the big picture, and can I fit into that big picture? I never thought that Washington, D.C., the capital of a free people, could be sealed off to her citizens because of a potential threat to the safety of her citizens. The insurrection on January 6th changed everything for so many of us. In spite of that, democracy won yesterday. We witnessed a peaceful transfer of power and a call to unity. To me, it is a call that invites us to focus not only on our disappointments or elations about the elections but to also look at the big picture, to focus not only on the Black Spot but everything around it - including the dot itself. After all was said and done, I thought yesterday was a good day. I saw the Black Spot but I saw more than only that Black Spot. I saw myself in the big picture, and I hope you can also see yourself in your big picture. Manny.

Below is the text from Father Manny's sermon for today, and we hope that you'll take the time to read this important message. You can also view our worship livestream here. “We Shall Overcome,” cries the Negro spiritual. For me, it is an assuring cry that feels like something good can come out of Nazareth. But I can only see that good if I embrace the invitation to come and see. Jesus had invited Philip to follow him, and so he did. But then he found his friend Nathaniel and told him about the one person the law and prophets talked about. After hearing these words from Philp, Nathaniel wonders aloud, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In Jesus' day, Nazareth was a poor little town of about four hundred people. Although residents were very religious, the town had little to offer, but Phillip isn’t settled on the idea that Nazareth had little to offer; he simply responds, "Come and See." I can hear Philip say to Nathaniel, "Don’t buy into that narrative that Nazareth has nothing to offer. Come and see." Today is Dr. King Sunday, and one of the remarkable things I like about Dr. King was that he didn’t buy into the narrative that people were so soaked up in racist bigotry and hatred for the African American that they were unwilling to move a feet to change the narrative about the American socio-economic landscape. Dr. King always invited people to come and see - don’t buy into the idea that the human being cannot change, don’t buy into the narrative that systems built to perpetuate a certain debilitating mindset like White supremacy cannot change, and don’t buy into the idea that America has nothing to offer African Americans because of all the dehumanizing policies. No! Believe that We Shall Overcome because something good can come out of the Nazareth that has little to offer African Americans. We Shall Overcome is a hopeful expression by those who bring good news - "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" Isaiah says. Come and see is another expression of hope in the one man from Nazareth who can turn human fortunes, who invites you and me to prove the world wrong by following him, who invites us to be for the world what he was for Israel “As the father sent me, so I send you.” He says. And those who follow Jesus are sent into the world as justice bringers who confront the powers that carve up the world with the good news that there is a different kind of justice which is rooted in a restored creation. A restored creation is about a creation arriving at last at the new place for which it was made in the beginning. For Dr. King and many millions of people who had fought for the restoration of God’s creation and the dignity of the African America, We Shall Overcome meant that they did not have to look very far to acknowledge the prevalence of those invisible instruments that dehumanized African Americans. Although African Americans were free, we are only free as determined by the dominant Christian culture, and not even baptism - which, in fact, establishes the Christian’s freedom in Christ and bestows upon all people the dignity of being children of God and joint heirs with Christ could change the condition of the African American. In Virginia, for instance, the Assembly passed an Act in 1667 which stated, “The conferring of baptisme doth not alter the condition of the person as to his bondage or Freedome.”[1] In an attempt by some to deal with the apparent contradiction between the inherent freedom bestowed in Baptism and the problem of slavery, an Anglican clergyman in South Carolina added an oath to the baptism service for Slaves who came for baptism. Slaves had to take this oath: “that you do not ask for the Holy Baptism out of any design to free yourself from the Duty and Obedience you owe to your Master while you live’”[2] But We Shall Overcome because we know that Baptism changes everything, especially because the baptized who follow Jesus are commissioned and equipped to be new-creation people, justice people, and hope-giving people for a world where injustice still reigns. The very fact that the Church was prepared to look the other way, and to an extent offered a tacit approval of Slavery, Jim Crow and racial discriminatory policies seems to be the conviction which formed the basis of the letter by the eight clergymen some of whom were Episcopal Church bishops to write an open letter “A Call for Unity” while Dr. King was in a Birmingham jail. Dr. King understood that the mindset which gave birth to the indignity suffered by African Americans was not different from the mindset of the clergy who referred to him as an extremist because he dared to challenge the very structures which suffocated millions of African Americans. Their demand that Dr. King stop his demonstrations was not for altruistic purposes; it was to meant to serve the purpose of those who believed in perpetuating a kind of society that still consigned African Americans to the back of the bus. But We Shall Overcome because we know that a new kind of justice has triumphed over the old forms of justice that has let us down again and again. We Shall Overcome because we hear a new voice calling out to us in the middle of the night. It is not like the old tired voice of Eli which was so familiar to Samuel. See, the old voice has lost its relevance because when God revealed Himself to Samuel, he heard a new voice. When Christ revealed himself to Nathaniel, he heard a new voice. When God reveals Himself to us, we hear a new voice which calls us out of the pursuit of injustice to pursue justice. The question this morning is, do you hear that new voice? We know the old, familiar voice that believes in separate but equal; we are familiar with the old, familiar voice that believes that human nobility rests in ones superior nature, or that human nobility depends on being superior over the other. But as Ernest Hemingway reminds us: “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is in being superior to your former self.” That self which is emblematic of the old, tired voice. We believe We Shall Overcome because if something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come out of the dungeons of hunger, poverty, homelessness, violence, and our drug-infested communities of color. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come out of the dungeons of meaninglessness that causes some to use politics as a tool for violence. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come from our nation’s capital. If something good can come out of Nazareth then something good can come out of the violence recently visited upon the Capitol. If something good can come out of Nazareth, then something good can come even from the darkest experiences of our lives. And so, like Philip, we should not give up on the ‘Nazareths’ of our lives. We Shall Overcome because like Samuel we have to listen to the new voice that calls us in the morning; to respond to its invitation would mean freeing ourselves from the temptation of believing that the old, familiar voice is the only voice that counts. We Shall Overcome because listening to the new voice that calls us in the middle of the day would mean responding to an invitation that allows us to walk hand in hand with neighbor, believing that the content of a neighbor’s character matters more than their politics. We Shall Overcome because listening to the new voice that calls us in the evening would mean responding to an invitation to shed off the load of the day, with the hope that a new day will open to us a new way of being generous, compassionate and affirming. Jesus Christ calls us to follow Him, and in following him, we must understand that all things are lawful, but not everything is beneficial. But for those things that are lawful AND beneficial, we must pursue with relentless zeal, and we must do so by turning the dungeons in our lives and in our communities into an oasis of peace, compassion, honor, dignity, prosperity, and love. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathaniel asked. Yes, something good can come of out Nazareth because we refuse to give up on human dignity, we refuse to give up on justice, and we refuse to sit at the back of the bus. As the old Negro spiritual says... We Shall Overcome Someday. Amen. [1] MacCulloch, Diarmad Christianity-The First Three Thousand Years p. 725 [2] ibid p. 728