Pentecost XX at Christ Church This Sunday, we continue our fall schedule: At 8 a.m. in Old Brick, we celebrate Holy Eucharist without music. Our Family Worship is at 9 a.m. in New Brick and focuses on engaging our younger church members, featuring a special sermon and a Communion gathering around the altar. We then have our Choral Eucharist at 10:30 in New Brick. Collect for Today: Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: Isaiah 25:1-9 Psalm 23 Philippians 4:1-9 Matthew 22:1-14 Sermon for This Sunday: The Reverend Natalie Tinner, our new Associate Rector, will give today's sermon, and you can read her sermon text here. Sunday Worship Livestream: Our service livestream begins just before 10:30 a.m. The service leaflet for this worship is here.

Solo in Flight's Fall Farm Market Field Trip - Meet at Church this Saturday, October 24, at 9:00 a.m. Join us for a festive autumn excursion to explore two of Maryland's wonderful local farmers' markets: Bougher's in Westminster and Miss Jenny's in West Friendship. We will meet in the upper parking lot of Christ Church at 9:00 a.m. to organize carpooling, and enjoy a fun morning selecting fresh seasonal produce, crisp apples, vibrant pumpkins, local honey, and artisanal fruit butters. Don't forget to treat yourselves to fresh apple cider, warm donuts, and delicious homemade pies to celebrate the harvest season and fill our treat baskets! And stay tuned: Solo in Flight events and gatherings are held every month throughout the winter and spring, with many ways to enjoy the company of others!

Your Help is Needed to Provide Support for Comfort Cases, a Long-Standing Outreach Group for the MOCC - November 19 The Men of Christ Church needs volunteers to help pack bags in support of Comfort Cases. If you are interested in helping out, please speak with Duane Smith at church or email MOCC@christchurchcolumbia.org. You can also find flyers around the campus with more information.

Christ Episcopal Church's 2026 Annual Meeting and Vestry Elections This Sunday, October 18, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in New Brick Everyone is encouraged to gather with us for Christ Church's Annual Meeting and Vestry Elections this Sunday. We'll have just one service tomorrow, at 10:00 a.m. in New Brick. A potluck lunch, our Annual Meeting, and the Vestry Elections will follow. Please be sure to join us - we review our past year's ministries and activities while making plans for our 2027 leadership, and it's one of the most important gatherings of the year. There are no youth or adult formation classes today, but there are nursery services for those who need them. All formation classes return next Sunday, October 25 (except for those participating in next weekend's Halloween Lock-In). Download Your Copy of the Sunday Leaflet & Annual Report Download Your Copy of the Worship Leaflet & Annual Report This full-color, digital version contains both the liturgy and the report and has working links, so download your copy now, bring your tablet or phone to church (ringer off, of course) - and help spare a tree's worth of paper in the process! Wonderful volunteer parishioners, clergy, and staff put a lot of work into creating detailed ministry reports for you to read and learn about their activities, and the document includes Father Manny's annual message, our Vestry Candidates' details, and much more, all in this 60-page, image-filled PDF. You can download your copy here, or scan the QR codes in the Narthex. We'll share a brief potluck meal after worship and before the Annual Meeting. The church will provide sandwiches and beverages, so if you choose to bring breakfast pastries, light lunch dishes, tasty snacks, or dessert treats to share, that works. Worship Online with Christ Church Livestream begins at 9:50 a.m. You're invited to worship with us remotely as we livestream our 10:00 a.m. service. You can join from several places: on the main page of the Christ Church website, or on our YouTube and Facebook pages. You can also worship using the document link above. Annual Meeting Livestream Begins around 12 noon Then, at approximately 12 noon - about a half hour after worship ends - we will begin the livestream of Christ Church's Annual Meeting on YouTube. If you can't make it in person, you can tune in to watch the gathering. Click here for that broadcast.

This Sunday, we will all gather for the Christ Church Annual Meeting. We will begin with worship at 10:00 a.m., followed by potluck brunch and then the business meeting. The meeting will focus primarily on a presentation by the Vision and Strategy Committee, which was formed this summer to review a consultant’s report and recommend a way forward for our congregation. From all indications, the committee did a fabulous job, and I am most grateful. It is with great joy that I share that this congregation is a voice of hope within the Columbia community and beyond, and our task is to continue this faith-filled, life-transforming work that has come to define who we are as voices of hope. I sincerely believe the path the Vision and Strategy Committee has charted for us will not only serve us well, but also invite us to insist on continuing to be voices of hope, even in the most challenging times. There are times when I am inspired by the story of a people who are not only the longest persecuted people in the world, but the most persecuted - Jews. The remarkable story of the Jews is one where you and I can draw some life-changing inspiration. Despite what history tells us happened to them, they remain hopeful. As Christians, we are tied at the hip with the Jews because our foundational text is theirs, and when we read those texts, we remind ourselves of the God who is present in everyday life. When we wake up and say our prayers, we remember the gift of life itself. When we see our loved ones, we remember the sacred gift we share with them. It isn’t a fleeting moment; it's a profound gift we should never take for granted. When we take a shower, put on our perfume, and say goodbye as children go to school, we go to work, or simply hang out at home or wherever, we are reminded of the journey that takes us to both familiar and unfamiliar places. When we go out for lunch in the middle of the day, whether we eat the food we brought to work or walk to a cafeteria to grab something, we remember the sustenance food gives us. When we find ourselves on the highways or byways at the end of the workday, driving home, we remind ourselves where our day started and where it will end. When we get home, our loved ones welcome us back from the morning we parted. We hug each other, take showers, cook together, reminisce on our day, and eat dinner together. After dinner, we watch TV, read a book, or enjoy family moments before we retire to bed. The strangest thing is that nothing in our daily life suggests the day will flow so seamlessly and unchaotically, but like our Jewish ancestors, we maintain some modicum of hope that, despite any chaos that may disrupt our day, life will look kindly on us. One of my favorite hymns is Lord of All Hopefulness. I have sung this hymn for as long as I can remember, but for some reason, I never seem to get the sequence of events of the day right. Here it is: Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy, whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy: Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray, your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day. Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith, whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe: Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray, your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day. Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace, your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace: Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray, your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day. Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm, whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm: Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray, your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day. As challenging as getting it right may be, I never lose sight of the fact that being a Christian means being a voice of hope. The kind of hope expressed in this hymn. If you asked me, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that the many ministries here at Christ Church are voices of hope. Through our Outreach Ministries, including the Food Drives, Friends of Sabina, Lake Elkhorn Middle School, Paumier Scholars at Oakland Mills High School, Columbia Community Cares, Refugee Ministry, Bridges to Housing Stability, and more, we become voices of hope by helping those in need. Through our many Inreach Ministries, like visitations by clergy, phone calls, text messages, Lay Eucharistic Visits to the Homebound, Christmas Caroling, Christmas flower delivery, Easter flower delivery, and above all, our daily prayers, we become voices of hope to those who are lonely or need our warmest touch of care. The point is that you and I wouldn’t do this work without hope. And so, every time we offer a prayer, share a meal, gather for worship or fellowship, share a blessing, invoke God’s peace, or serve others, we not only make a fragment of God’s light accessible, but we unlock the joy and beauty of everyday life. I am really excited about our common life and the hope that abides here at Christ Church. I thank God for giving us the opportunity to share such a rich life of faith together. If you are as excited as I am about this rich life of faith we share, then come, let’s break bread and reason together about our beloved Christ Church. I’d like to conclude by sharing this beautiful prayer from the Companions of the Cross: Lord, I am nothing. I have nothing. And I can do nothing. But Lord, if you can use nothing, use me. I became so emotional, with tears running down my cheeks, when I first read the prayer. This somber prayer hit me to the core because it exposed a profound truth about all of us. In my bewildered state, I asked myself, "Who am I that God should use in God’s vineyard?" "I am nothing." I reminded myself. But since God uses nothing, I pray that God may use you and me as voices of hope. Blessings, Manny+

Christ Church’s Annual Meeting - This Sunday, October 18 One Worship Service at 10:00, followed by Lunch and the Annual Meeting Everyone is encouraged to join us at Christ Church for our Annual Meeting and Vestry Elections this Sunday, October 18. We have only one service at 10:00 a.m. in New Brick, followed by a brief lunch (bring a quick potluck dish to share!). At the Annual Meeting, we'll review our ministries and activities from the past year, hear the Vision & Strategy Committee's findings, and plan for next year's leadership. We will also hold the Vestry Elections that day, so please read about all of our candidates at cecevents.org/VestryCandidates. We will also thank those Vestry members concluding their terms, thank our ministries and staff, and learn about our future direction as a parish. With so much happening that day, this is certainly one of the most important gatherings of the year. Don't miss it.

Christ Church Donates to Episcopal Relief & Development in the Aftermath of Hurricane Isaias Hurricane Isaias made landfall on Oct. 9 in the Florida Panhandle as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm unleashed several tornadoes and drenching rain in Alabama and farther north. Thousands of residents were coping with severe destruction, as described in an Oct. 10 NBC News report. In response, Outreach Commission members approved a $600 contribution to Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD). Thanks to parishioners’ pledges and contributions to Christ Church, Outreach can draw upon Vestry-approved funds each year for disaster aid. The donations are in keeping with our mission to help those in need – locally, nationally, and internationally. ERD is partnering with the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast to aid those affected by Hurricane Isaias. In an Oct. 14 statement, ERD said support includes a mobile feeding ministry, emergency sheltering, and cash and voucher assistance to households with urgent needs. Please join in praying for those harmed by natural disasters. One helpful resource is the prayer hub provided by ERD, which offers people seeking comfort and hope an online guide. There you’ll find prayers in a time of a disaster, hurricane season prayers and prayers amid crisis. Humanitarian Aid Goes to Victims of Famine in South Sudan The World Food Programme (WFP) has declared an emergency in South Sudan, where 7.8 million people experience high levels of hunger. More than 2.2 million children under 5 are severely malnourished. WFP collaborates with partners to ensure life-saving nutrition reaches the most remote, crisis-affected areas. To help meet these needs, members of the Outreach Commission at its October meeting voted to contribute $400 to WFP through World Food Program USA. The emergency is due to armed conflict between warring groups in neighboring Sudan as well as climate factors. Drought has damaged crops and reduced water availability. These are Vestry-approved funds derived from your pledges and contributions. Heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who makes this humanitarian aid possible. Save on Coffee: Buy DreamBuilders Goods On Sunday at the Annual Meeting Look for coffee and tea being sold to benefit DreamBuilders during the potluck at the annual meeting on Sunday, Oct. 17. The fair-trade coffees will be half-price to clear the way for renewed inventory in the fall. There’s a limited selection of teas. It’s for a good cause as teams prepare to travel to rebuild after disasters. In June, a teen from the Christ Church Youth Group helped build homes in flood-damaged Hazard, Ky. Enjoy an Outing at Topgolf, Baltimore on Nov. 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. to Benefit the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center Pick up a golf club, have fun, and help mariners from around the world whose ships call at the Port of Baltimore on Friday, Nov. 6. The Baltimore International Seafarers' Center (BISC) will hold its annual golf event from 3 to 5 p.m. at Topgolf, Baltimore, 1411 Warner St., Baltimore, Md., 21230. Parking is in the nearby Horseshoe Casino garage. Go here to see if you or your company would like to become a sponsor or to sign up as an individual player. For $100, a one-player ticket covers general admission, food, water, tea, soda, and one drink ticket. Topgolf is a sports entertainment complex offering a high-tech golf game that everyone can enjoy. Players can experience the thrill of hitting golf balls at giant targets, with Toptracer technology tracking their drives for real-time feedback and scoring. The outing is for a good cause. BISC provides spiritual care and hospitality to mariners working far from their homes and loved ones. You can get a feel for the ministry on the donation page of its Support Catalog, which lists services such as a month of Wifi and “snacks for one crew stuck on their ship.” BISC is a program of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, supported by the Bishop’s Appeal. It's Christmas at Sea for the Seafarers, and You Can Help Please join us in supporting the International Seafarers' Center's annual Christmas at Sea program by donating items through November 8. WOCC representatives will deliver all collected goods in mid-November, and we will announce the exact delivery date once it is confirmed. Donation bins marked "Seafarers" are ready to receive your contributions. The Center is especially in need of the following items: Warm Clothing: Watch caps (warm hats) and scarves without fringe or other trim. Comfort & Care: Hand warmers and cookies (homemade if close to the delivery date, or store-bought otherwise). Souvenirs & Reading Materials: Flat Baltimore souvenirs like postcards, magnets, or stickers, along with 2027 calendars and magazines such as Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, and Smithsonian. If you have any questions, please reach out to Carolann Sawyer or Cindy Read. And thank you for your generosity! Please Fill the Altar Basket and Parish Hall Bin with Goods for FISH/CCC Since 1976, FISH, an all-volunteer organization has aided tens of thousands of Howard County residents facing hard times. Delivery of food, staples and hygiene supplies are handled by Columbia Community Care (CCC), which merged pantries with FISH last year. CCC delivers food to Howard County residents and distributes it at three sites on Saturday mornings, except on holiday weekends. For information, go online to Get Help. FISH picks up donated goods from Christ Church and others. Please put non-perishable food and personal care products in the altar baskets or in a bin just inside the Parish Hall. Look for a combo label “FISH/CCC”. Please bring baby wipes and diapers, especially large sizes. FISH will continue to provide telephone support to Howard County residents, offering guidance and financial support because the personal touch matters when people are in crisis. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong or email andydelong.fish@gmail.com. You could lend a helping hand by lending an ear! As a phone volunteer, you can help from your home by giving just one day a month to assist those who could benefit from financial assistance from FISH. Training is provided. Thank you! 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.

Lenten Taizé Vespers Sunday at 6:00 p.m. in the New Brick Sanctuary Each Sunday evening, Christ Church offers a service of contemplative prayer and music in the tradition of the Taizé community of France. This community promotes peace and justice through prayer and meditation. Our Taizé Vespers service mirrors Taizé-style attention to silence, holy words, prayer, and singing, and offers a chance to meditate and reflect on God's love and presence in one's life, to offer prayer for oneself and others, and to share in a supportive community of fellow pilgrims on the way. Here is tonight's Lenten Taizé Vespers. The service leaflet is here.

Vespers is a liturgy of Evening Prayer that combines scripture readings, prayer, silent meditation, and rich music. Each Sunday evening, Christ Church offers a service of contemplative prayer and music in the tradition of the Taizé community of France. It offers this special service each Sunday evening during this Lenten season with the hope of offering different opportunities for prayer, music, and reflection. The founder of the Taizé community, Brother Roger, explains: "What we usually call 'worship' the Taizé community simply calls 'Prayer.' Taizé Prayer consists of 'short chants, repeated again and again, giving them a meditative character. Using just a few words, they express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being. Meditative singing thus becomes a way of listening to God." ​ This community promotes peace and justice through prayer and meditation. Our Taizé Vespers service mirrors Taizé-style attention to silence, holy words, prayer, and singing and offers a chance to meditate and reflect on God's love and presence in one's life, to offer prayer for oneself and others, and to share in a supportive community of fellow pilgrims on the way. SUNDAY, MARCH 23 Service leaflet link

With autumn in full swing, the days become shorter. This month, we reflect on the waning light and the seasons of transition in our lives that this may represent. As we accept the ever-changing nature of our lives, we also lean into God’s continual presence, guiding love, and light. Join us for times of teaching and sharing, spiritual direction, meditation, inspirational films, and Fr. Mike’s healing space for trauma, grief, and hope. The 2nd Saturday Center for Spiritual Nourishment (CSN) provides opportunities for us to be in closer relationship with God by offering an array of experiences that engage the mind, body, and spirit. If you want to learn more about future Center for Spiritual Nourishment events, submit your email address below to receive regularly updated information (we will not share or sell your address to anyone). Whether you've joined us before or are a first-timer, we are sure that there's something special waiting for you here. Everyone is welcome, and we hope to see you there! Schedule of Events: 8:30 – 9:00: Breakfast and social time 9:00 - 9:10: Greeting; outlining the day's sessions 9:10 – 10:05: The Sacred Inbetween Film #1 : Miracles, episode 7 10:15 – 11:15: Christian Meditation/Contemplative Prayer The Swastika: The Corrupted Symbol Film #2 : Miracles, episode 8 11:20 - 12:00: Spiritual Nourishment Collective: Holding Space for Trauma, Grief, and Hope Join us on Saturday, October 10 as we offer: The Sacred Inbetween led by Toni Summerell Sometimes we are no longer who we were, but haven't yet become who we are going to be. Explore these spaces as places where God may be quietly working to help you become what may be hard to see. Spiritual Direction Circle led by Carol Abbott Riffing on a poem that reflects this month’s theme of transitions, we’ll share how our spirits are nudging us through this season of change in our lives. Film Session #1: Miracle · episode seven led by George Toth Prayer Expresses Our Faith, and Blessing is His Response. Desperately wanting children, a newly wed couple find that physical conditions will not permit conception. Seeking IVF seems the only avenue, but expense seems daunting at best. Having a strong faith, the couple place their faith into operation in devout, committed prayer to the God of Miracles. Can the story of Sarah happen again? Watch and learn how prayer expresses our faith in a God of Life, and He in turn blesses our faith with a fruitful miracle which glorifies His intimate involvement in building His Kingdom through the lives we share. Christian Meditation and Contemplative Prayer led by Leah Chrest Sometimes during periods of transition we hold onto what is in the past and resist change. This resistance prevents us from fully embracing what God has right in front of us. Through a reflection on the first couple chapters of the book of Daniel, group discussion, and, of course, extended time in silent prayer, we will explore the areas where we are resisting change and closing doors to what is possible. Film Session #2: Miracle · episode eight led by George Toth Do We Really Look for the Resurrection? A man steers his life toward the lure and pursuit of worldly success and wealth. Focused on self he seems a success story to society. He has a family, home, wealth and is living comfortably. Eventually things go stale and he has an affair seeking to find something he feels is missing. Then one day he suffers a severe cardiac event and dies in spite of all the efforts of emergency workers. Readied for transport to the morgue, the skilled cardiac surgeon intent on meeting his scheduled surgery, feels an intervening call from God to do something he has never done before. Sacrificing his scheduled appointment, he goes to the ER and prays over the body of a dead man, cyanotic and discolored, feeling words well into his mouth from the Holy Spirit. Telling the attending nurse to shock the body one more time, she reluctantly does. You can guess what happens, but come and watch the truly amazing life changing consequence of prayer and work of God in making himself known to all of us. Spiritual Nourishment Collective: Holding Space for Trauma, Grief, and Hope led by Fr. Mike Life’s heaviest seasons can leave our spirits feeling empty and worn. If you are navigating loss, processing trauma, or simply searching for a flicker of light, we invite you to join us. This workshop offers a gentle, non-judgmental sanctuary to rest, receive soul-care, and quietly tend to your heart in the company of others who understand. You do not have to carry it all alone. Our October session will focus on what it looks like to try to move from grief to hope by exploring the promise of compassion. The session will include a brief presentation, discussion, storytelling, and a creative exercise. The Swastika: The Corrupted Symbol led by Fr. Manny It has been used for thousands of years since the Vedic times, in the Indus Valley civilizations, in ancient Troy and by Native Americans. Sanskrit defines the Swastika as “That which brings good luck and well-being.” Our conversation will center around the ancient meaning of the symbol. Have Questions? Wish to Help Lead Future CSN Sessions? #nourishyourspirit #SpiritualNourishment #allarewelcome #RefreshYourSpirit #divinelove #hocomd #episcomd #columbiamd #columbiamaryland

A couple of years ago, I took my first sabbatical after many years in ministry. It was such a powerful experience for me. I got the chance to rest, read, travel, and experience different corners of the world. I visited Christianity’s historical path, and that journey took me to Zurich and Geneva. The morning after I arrived in Geneva, I went for a walk and grabbed breakfast. The moment I stepped out of the hotel, a sweet, beautiful smell enveloped me. I couldn’t believe the aroma that was surrounding me. I was so heavenly surprised that when I walked into a shop, I couldn’t help but share my thoughts with the shopkeeper. I then asked him this silly question: “Do they intentionally spray some perfume in the city every morning? This place smells so, so good. What makes this place so pleasantly good? The fact is, when we can distinguish the pleasantness of a smell, we are automatically alerted that a particular smell isn’t like what we are used to. We notice a difference. One of our acts of worship to our own bodies as the temple of God is to treat it right, to make sure that we smell good by using sweet-smelling shower gels, deodorants, perfume, and cologne. In fact, some of us have different perfumes and colognes for different occasions and days. The point is to carry that sweet aroma with us, one that fills every space with what we wear. The smell of Christ is like a perfume or cologne you wear. The smell is a personality that you embody. Unlike expensive cologne or perfume you wear, you don't have to talk about this smell or speak about it; it is easily noticeable because it is our lived experience. In the gospels, Mark, Luke, and John tell stories about women who poured expensive perfume on Jesus. In the Mark story, Jesus was in the house of Simon the Leper; a woman came with a jar of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head. In the Lukan story, a woman who had a reputation of being a sinner heard that Jesus was in the home of a Pharisee; she went to the house uninvited, wet Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped his feet with her hair, and poured perfume on them. John’s gospel names the woman: Mary. She also poured perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The similarity is the woman's faithful act of pouring perfume on Jesus. The striking difference is that the Lukan story identifies the woman as a sinner. Her reputation was one of being a local sinner. But whatever her station in life was, she was inspired to defy the sinner she was. This was a woman who had her salvation to gain and material stuff (perfume) to lose. She could taste her own redemption, and if it cost her a jar of sweet, scented perfume, so be it. For her, there was more to gain than the perfume she lost. It is interesting that the Pharisees who observed this act of defiance were quick to castigate Jesus for allowing the sinful woman to touch him. But Jesus didn’t buy into their diatribe; he told them a parable that supported the woman's act of defiance. She, who carried as much sin, deserves as much forgiveness as those who thought that they carried less. Jesus seems to say that those who recognize the enormity of their sins and make a conscious effort toward redemption have greater value than those who think they have none. From the story of the three women, I am inclined to believe that what we give, sweet-scented costly perfume or our treasure, talent, and time, may not always return in the exact same way. But I have no doubt that what we give is always who we are; what we give the world is our character. As someone rightly said, only our character can go to heaven. And so, when Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:15, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing,” Paul is essentially hitting home the importance of the gift of sweet aroma, which we may possess and which must be pleasing to those who are being saved and those who are perishing. The smell of Christ we carry should be pleasing, inviting, enticing, and captivating. It should be the kind of smell that rescues people from life's abyss because they can sense something more pleasing. It should be that kind of smell that leads people to the redemption that they seek. It should be that kind of smell that inspires people to follow us to the very place where we were showered with that sweet smell. Jimmy Osborne has this beautiful poem: Take Me To Church (maybe church isn’t always a building): Take me to church, And I don’t mean a cathedral. Or a place with a steeple Surrounded by people Take me to church, But away from the pews Away from the preachers And away from the news Take me to church, Where the green grasses grow Where the rabbits run free By the rivers that flow. In a place where the birds sing But there’s no church bell to ring Just a beautiful chorus To meet the morning. Yes, church isn’t always a building, but I have come to appreciate the sacred sanctuary of a church as the place where the sweet fragrance of the smell of Christ is always present and impactful. It is the place where Mary can pour her perfume on Christ, the sinful woman can pour her perfume on Christ, and the unnamed woman can also pour her perfume on Christ and still receive more than the perfume that they lost. Believe me, the sacred sanctuary is the one place where we can focus on improving and not proving. For if we focus on improving, we assure each other of the presence of the sweet smell of Christ, which is always available and never wears out on any of us. I invite you to come wear that sweet fragrance of Christ. Blessings, Manny+