#martinlutherkingjr   #martinlutherkingday   #MLKDay   #mlkday   #MLK2026   #episcomd   #hocomd   #columbiamaryland   #ihaveadream   #CivilRights   #civilrights   #love   #justice   #equality   #equalityforall   #freedom

Epiphany II at Christ Church 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist in Old Brick 9:00 a.m. Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist in New Brick Sunday School, Adult Forum, and all other formation classes resume this Sunday. Collect for Today: Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: Isaiah 49:1-7 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 John 1:29-42 Psalm 40:1-12 Sermon for This Sunday: Father Manny delivers today's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once the service starts. You can also read his sermon's text here . Sunday Worship Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

🙏Share your inspiration with the world! For 25 years, Christ Church has published an annual Lenten Meditation Booklet and distributed it to our parishioners right before Ash Wednesday. The LMB is created with love to assist us all in times of quiet contemplation, preparing ourselves for rebirth and renewal at Easter. Poems, quotes, stories of reflection, images, prayers, and inspirational pieces - they all come together to make up this special booklet - one you can take home and use daily throughout the season. The 2026 Spiritual Life Theme is "Building Relationships through Love" and you can learn more on our website's SLC page - www.christchurchcolumbia.org/spiritual-life-commission . To accomplish the LMB in time, we must have all submissions in by Sunday, February 1, so we can edit and publish this work in physical and digital form, the latter of which is viewed by thousands of individuals worldwide throughout Lent. That means there's ONLY TWO WEEKS left for submissions, so please don't delay! Submit yours by email to SL@christchurchcolumbia.org or info@christchurchcolumbia.org , or place them in the Spiritual Life mailbox in the Church Office. You can submit these by name or anonymously - your choice. If you need help getting started, visit christchurchcolumbia.org/lenten-meditations and check out past reflections. Questions? Speak with Ellen Hoke at church, or email us.   #meditations   #Reflections   #lentenprayer   #Lent2026   #lent2016   #episcom   #hocomd   #inspirationdaily   #inspiration

NO MORE TRASH BAGS. Did you know that many children in foster care move from home to home with their belongings in a black trash bag? We are honored to host Rob Scheer, Founder & CEO of Comfort Cases, right here at Christ Church in Columbia! Based locally in Gaithersburg, Comfort Cases is on a mission to restore dignity and hope to youth in the system. Join us on Sunday, February 8, at 10:30 a.m. to hear Rob’s inspiring journey and learn how we can make an impact right here in Howard County. All are welcome! In the meantime, you can donate to Comfort Cares through our drop-off bin, located in the Narthex of Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road in Columbia. You can also leave items at our office if you can't make it to church on Sunday. Let’s show our support for foster youth in our community!

Every Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend leaves me with profound feelings of sadness mixed with gratitude. It is always a mixed feeling. I cannot help juggling these two balls: gladness over the progress we have made, and melancholy over the sad, sad state of affairs for millions in our country who do not feel any sense of welcome or belonging. And even if they do, there’s this question about whether others believe in them. In my reflections on Dr. King and many in the Civil Rights Movement, I arrived at two conclusions: First, belief in each other. Second, belief in doing what is right. The first, belief in each other, is so fundamental to human development and progress. We believe in each other because we can identify with their inherent value and gifts. These gifts come in all kinds and forms. The profoundness of human progress is the acceptance that having a gift isn’t so much about the productivity or the profitable use of that gift; it is about the gift itself. I believe that each human being has a gift, and believing in that gift is, in itself, an affirmation of that human being. Again, it isn’t about the productive use of that gift. The affirmation isn’t dependent on who that human being is. It isn’t dependent on where that human being comes from. It isn’t dependent on how that human being looks. It isn’t dependent on any external attributes of that human being. It is solely dependent on the fact of a human being. It is, for this reason, that our individual ability to recognize, embrace, and affirm the presence of a human being is so consequential. This is because it can change the trajectory of that human life. In 1956, Harper Lee was 30 years old and worked as an airline ticket agent in New York City. Harper loved to write, and she had had a manuscript that she had worked on for many years. Her friends, Michael and Joy Brown, knowing Harper's passion and recognizing that she was not in a position to quit her job without income, surprised her one Christmas with a gift. Harper opened the envelope she had received from the Browns, thinking that it was the usual Christmas card. But on the card was a check - the total annual salary of Harper, and an encouraging note: "Quit your job and devote your time to your passion." Remember, Harper already had a manuscript, so she worked on it, both on her own and with agents. Harper drew on her lived experience in Jim Crow Alabama, her father’s legal career, and the injustice that she had experienced growing up in Alabama. The manuscript was first titled Go Set , but after extensive editing, its title became  To Kill a Mockingbird. The book was published in 1960, won a Pulitzer Prize, and received many other awards. Every high school kid reads it, and over 40 million copies have been published so far. The point here is that having a gift is one thing, but having someone who believes in that gift is another. The Browns believed in Harper. And they demonstrated their belief in her by recognizing the gift she had and providing her with a path that changed the trajectory of her life and that of millions. I don’t think that the Civil Rights Movement would’ve changed much of America were it not for Whites, who sincerely believed in the African American and the cause of the African American to secure justice, dignity, and the promise of America. I tend to think that those who believed in the inherent value of the African American, and believed in the gift that each human being - including African Americans - possesses, did well by betting on the value of dignity over bigotry. To an appreciable extent, those who supported and still support the Civil Rights Movement are like the Brown family - they know of a gift. But before they committed themselves to help lift up that gift, they first embraced the dignity. The selling point in our belief in another person is our belief in inherent dignity. Second, belief in the understanding that true freedom is doing what is right. Several weeks ago, in my quiet time of prayer, this prayer came to mind: ‘May I not be the master of myself, may I be the servant of what is right. Doing what is right is difficult, but we choose to do it anyway because it builds character. Lord Acton is believed to have once said that "Liberty is not doing whatever you want, it is being free to do what is right." Many of the people, especially White people, who fought against slavery, Jim Crow, and segregation, understood what it meant to do what is right. They understood the right use of their freedom. I once came across this startling thought in a book that I was reading: White people like Black people only when they perform a particular task or service - be it labor, entertainment, or sport. Beyond that, there is little to no appetite for liking Black people. As damaging as this is, it shouldn’t surprise you or anyone that this is one of the constructs that underpins a race-based culture which first gave rise to slavery and the later exploitation of Africans, African Americans, and people of color around the globe. The sad reality is that this horrible, senile, deficient, and abhorrent ideology still permeates our societies. There are some who believe that others should lie down so they can wipe their dirty feet on them. But to what end? If we are to do what is right, if the freedom we have is to do what is right, and if the value in our freedom is in doing what is right, then it stands to reason that there is absolutely no value in our cherished freedoms if we use them to perpetuate what is wrong. We may differ on what is wrong and right. But true freedom lies in our ability to confront what we all know to be wrong and to transform it - even if we have to lay down our lives, as Jesus did. The fact is, African Americans and indeed all people of color don’t have to be liked by White people and vice versa. The issue here is this: God doesn’t command us to like each other; God commands us to love each other. You don’t have to like me to love me; you must love me, whether you like me or not. It is incumbent on Whites to love African Americans and African Americans to love Whites. It is incumbent on Whites to love Asians and Latinos, incumbent on Asians and Latinos to love Whites, incumbent on African Americans to love Asians and Latinos, and it is incumbent on Asians and Latinos to love African Americans. It is incumbent on everyone to love one another, because that is the one duty we all owe to each other. The principle here is that if you love, you can do no wrong to your beloved - that love becomes a barrier for you. And it is in coming up against the barrier, which is love, that we experience the divine. Listen to what Plato said: We are incomplete creatures, wandering the world in search of our other halves, and that love can make us whole - even, in a sense, bring us closer to the divine. Love can indeed make us whole and bring us closer to the divine, because that is how we experience the one who loves unconditionally and unrestrainedly. As we celebrate Dr. King’s Day, I am reminded of the work that he did, and I am grateful for his staunch belief in human dignity - not only of the Negro, but of every single human being. As we praise Dr. King, I am reminded of all the diverse groups of people - Whites, Blacks, Asians, Latinos, and countless others who simply believed in him. As we commemorate Dr. King, I am eternally grateful for the gift that he had. It was a gift that spoke to and resonated with all those who were in tune with the rightful use of their freedoms. I applaud Dr. King for advocating for welcoming spaces with his unique gift. That gift informed him that no space was too small, too narrow, too broad, or too big to hold all of God’s beautiful human creatures together. We honor Dr. King because he never stood for violence, and he encouraged us not to do the same. I once read that Jesus treated Judas so nicely that none of his disciples knew he was the one who betrayed Jesus - that’s how loving your enemy looks. Truth is, if I feel free enough to do what is right, I shouldn’t have any problem affirming who you are, and I should have no choice but to welcome you, the affirmed, into any space. I learned that diversity engenders creativity, and a diverse presence at any welcoming space honors God’s gift of dignity to each one of us and brings to the fore the best of human creativity. Happy MLK Day! Manny+

Grassroots Expresses Gratitude for Support by Christ Church Christ Church parishioners regularly brighten the lives of our homeless neighbors who rely on the Day Resource Center (DRC) in Jessup, pitching in personally in ways that go beyond cooking and serving our monthly midday meal. Some make substantial purchases for its pantry and donate gently-used clothing, especially outerwear. The latest gifts even included a hand-knit hat. Recently, the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center , which operates the DRC and two other facilities, expressed hearty thanks in a couple of ways. In a Jan. 6 post on its Facebook page , Grassroots said, “Thank you for your support,” while outlining an astounding number of recent services provided by the DRC, located at the Leola Dorsey Resource Center. “In December, we gave away more than 16,000 food and clothing items! We provide free hot meals, showers, laundry, access to housing and social services, case management, support through a food and clothing pantry, and other resources.” In its Facebook story post, the center enumerated: 1441 visits, 436 guests, an average of 120 people served daily, 282 showers, 277 loads of laundry, and distribution of 15,759 food items, 515 pairs of underwear, 282 shirts, 111 hats, 730 pairs of socks, 59 pairs of shoes/boots, 138 pairs of pants, 104 sweatshirts, 48 coats, 61 scarves, and 105 pairs of gloves. All that was accomplished with the help of 168 volunteers who put in 767 hours. As you may recall, Christ Church paid for some of those things, spending nearly $500 in November and December on men’s new and gently used clothing, as described in the Outreach Blog of Dec. 23, 2025 . The Outreach Commission also approved a $500 donation to Grassroots for its various services in Howard County. These funds were derived from parishioners’ giving to the church. Here’s an expression of gratitude that’s meant for you: “Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of those we serve,” wrote Dr. Mariana Izraelson, executive director of Grassroots, in her letter of Dec. 30, 2025. “Grassroots is there for our community members during a crisis situation. Your gift helps provide mental health crisis counseling, emergency shelter, and access to our food pantry. Thank you for your support of our programs and services.” We heard about the comprehensive nature of those programs on Sept. 21, when a Grassroots representative spoke on the theme of Generosity at Sunday Circle. For a recap of the presentation by Anna Katz, Grassroots director of grants and support, go to the Outreach Blog of Oct. 9, 2025 . Food Truck Event on January 31 Will Support Hurricane Relief in Jamaica The charitable arm of Althea’s Almost Famous food truck and catering company has partnered with Howard County government to host a drive for hurricane relief during a food truck event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. The location is outside the Howard County building at 9755 Patuxent Woods Dr., Columbia, MD 21044. Participants are asked to bring non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, and hygiene products. These will be sent to communities impacted by Hurricane Melissa, which struck the Caribbean in late October. A post by Althea Hanson, the caterer’s proprietor, was shared by leaders of Columbia Community Care (CCC) on CCC’s Facebook page :  “After the recent hurricane, families in Jamaica lost homes, food, and basic necessities. Many are still experiencing an incredibly hard time – emotionally, financially, and physically. Recovery is ongoing, and the need is still real," she said. Christ Church, through the Outreach Commission, donated $700 to hurricane relief in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, as described in the  Outreach Blog of Dec. 11, 2025 . CCC and FISH Need Diapers, Non-Perishables for Their Shared Pantry FISH and Columbia Community Care partnered last year and merged their pantries. CCC continues to hand out food at three sites on Saturday mornings and deliver it to Howard County residents. For information, go online to Get Help . CCC also offers activities for young people. FISH continues to pick up donated goods from Christ Church and others. Please put non-perishable food and personal care products in the altar basket 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. DreamBuilders - Upcoming Save-the-Dates February 8th, 2:00 p.m. at Temple Isaiah - DreamBuilders General Meeting · Come hear about our plans for the year, and how you can get involved. We’ll have descriptions of upcoming trips and local projects, too. There will be lots of pictures of projects past and lots of people who can answer any questions. March 14th, 5 - 8 p.m. at Temple Isaiah - DreamBuilders Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction · Come enjoy a spaghetti dinner and bid on a wide and wonderful variety of items and activities, all in support of DreamBuilders. This is our largest fundraising event of the year. Proceeds help make our building projects possible.  We will need lots of help to make this event a success, and we will be looking for donations for the auction, too. The LEMS Kindness Pantry Returns in 2026 We have probably all had moments when we have said, or at least thought, that 2025 was a tough year for too many people. And it has been, particularly for those who struggle economically or physically.   Yet when I look back on 2025, I am so amazed by what all of you have done to make life a little better for the students and families of Lake Elkhorn Middle School by providing items for our Kindness Pantry. There are many stomachs that weren't hungry and bodies that weren't cold because you contributed. You packed book bags and brought them to the school to help students start the school year with the supplies they needed. You were God's hands and feet in our community.   In addition, many of you contributed funds that supported events such as Shrek - the school play, the multicultural dinner, the Turkey Trot, and costumes for the science teachers. Some of you became tutors, and lunchroom aides, or attended school events like the amazing one for Black History Month. Our first request for 2026 is to replenish the Kindness Pantry. The items should be placed in the blue bin in the narthex at New Brick by next Sunday, January 18.  Please click this SignUpGenius link and let us know what you can bring. And don't forget to let us know if you would like to become more involved by distributing food at the next PopUp Pantry on January 21, or by becoming a lunchroom aide, or tutor. We would love to have you! Email LEMS@christchurchcolumbia.org Help the MOCC Impact the Foster Care Community Thanks to everyone who has already contributed to the MOCC's ongoing R.A.K. ( Random Act of Kindness ) in support of Comfort Cases. In our country today, the number of kids entering the foster care system is steadily rising, and that's where Comfort Cases come in - they're a small duffel bag or backpack filled with items designed to provide a bit of comfort for youth as they enter their local foster care system. Every donation aims to provide comfort to those who are experiencing this firsthand. You can find the donation bin in the Narthex, and in February, you'll be able to meet and speak with Comfort Cases founder Rob Scheer. Rob will share details about Comfort Cases with our congregation during the 10:30 service on Sunday, February 8th. In the meantime, we invite you to learn about Rob's powerful story and learn how we can make an impact here in Howard County. 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.

Christmas Eve, 2025 Building Relationships Through Love. Rev. Emmanuel Mercer      “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.” John’s prologue is so beautiful and awe-inspiring. I get chills whenever I read that text because it points to the beginning of everything.      Its beauty rests, first in the poetry and second, the mystery that it evokes. The poetry gives us the chance to appreciate the beauty and power of language and how carefully crafted words can inspire us, renew us and lift us up, taking us to places we never thought possible and making us yearn for something new and different, a new beginning if you will.      The mystery lies in John’s claim that God’s self-communication, the Word which was in the beginning with God, and through which God created the world, has now come to live among us as a human being-how extraordinary is that?       Two things worth pointing out: First - The way God created the world was by speaking creation into being. Second - When God speaks; stuff happens.      The good news is, when God speaks into the mess void of our often disordered lives, new creation emerges-a new creation which gives meaning and substance to our daily experience with God and others.      For those of us who may not know, the Greek word for word is logos, from which we get the word logic. Greek philosophers in antiquity spent time talking about the logos of things or the logic of things. To know the logos of something is to know why those things exist.  And unless you understand the reason why something exists, you are going to have problems with it. Take your microwave for instance. We all know that microwaves are for warming food, thawing fish or meat or for some simple cooking, like oatmeal.      To understand the use of the microwave is to know that you cannot use it as a rice cooker-no matter how much time you put rice in a microwave, it cannot cook your rice for you. To know the logic of something is to know why it exists, the reason behind its existence.           The Greek philosophers at the time when John wrote his gospel believed that human beings had a logos-in other words human beings had a reason for their existence. But it is only when you can discern that logos through philosophical reasoning, and apply yourself to that logic can your life go well.        It was within this society of varying degrees of philosophies that John changed human thought by saying, for the very first time that there is a reason for your life, there is something you should be living for. And it is not an abstract principle discernible through philosophical means, but it is through a person that you can come to know and love-Jesus Christ. It is through a relationship of love with Jesus Christ. And this Jesus made his home with us and lived among us.      The word that John used for lived is tabernacle-Jesus became a tabernacle in our midst. This idea takes us back to Exodus 40-when Moses and Aaron made a tabernacle in the wilderness, where presence of the glorious living God rested within the tabernacle. To see the tabernacle was to acknowledge the presence of God. This image represents the essence of Jesus presence among us.        The point of the incarnation then is, since it is the creator of the world who made us for himself, and has pitched his tent among us, it is only when we know and love him that we would be aligning with our logos, it is only when we know and love him that we would know the logic of our existence.      And at no time of the year does this revelation come alive than at Christmas. Christmas reminds us that the incarnate God who pitched his tent in our midst, in spite of who we are did so because of love. And it is only the gift of love that can help us unravel the mystery of the incarnation. It is only the gift of love that can help us understand the beginning of everything.      The incarnation is the beginning of everything and it embraces the idea of love that comes alive because of presence. If you love someone, the greatest gift you can offer is your presence. If you are not present, how can you prove your love? Here’s a meaningful declaration when you are in love ‘Darling, I am here for you.’ Your presence is as important and essential and that cannot be bought with money. Christmas reminds us that God proved God’s love with God’s presence.      Do you know what your logos or logic is? Sometimes we confuse our logic or logos with our jobs. But your logos or logic isn’t your job. You are not your job. Your logos or your logic is to make creation anew every day. Your logic is to partner with God to renew God’s creation every day. And the beauty is, you can use your job to make creation anew.        Here’s a story for you. Gillian Lynne is one of the famous ballerinas in England. Gillain is a dancer but long before she became a dancer, she struggled in school, so her mother, took her to the doctor and explained about her fidgeting and lack of focus.      Upon listening to the mother, the doctor told Gillian that he needed to talk to her mother privately. He turned on the radio and walked out. He then encouraged Gillian’s mother to look at Gillian, who was dancing to the radio. The doctor told the mother that she was a dancer and encouraged her to take her to a dance school.      That was the beginning of everything for Gillian. A discovery that made creation new for her and all who loved her. Who is it that said that God cannot begin again or begin anew with us? Who is it that said a new creation isn’t possible, that the beginning of everything isn’t possible. Remember, with God all this are possible. And like Gillian, a new beginning awaits all of us because Christ is born tonight.      Miss Dixie asked her Sunday school class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories, She was puzzled by Larry’s picture of four people on an airplane, so she asked Larry, which story are you illustrating? “Oh, that’s Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus on their flight to Egypt.” But who’s the fourth person, Larry? Asked Ms. Dixie. “Oh, that’s Pontius the Pilot.”      To say that God is with us is to say that God stepped into our humanity so that we might step into his divinity. It means that God is not a distant deity but a God who draws near to us-shares our joys, our sorrows, our ups and our downs, who opens heaven to earth and earth to heaven. This is the beauty of the incarnation-the invisible God made visible through the birth of a fragile baby and who speaks the word into our silence and inspires us to make creation anew every single day.      Oscar Wilde, an Irish poet once wrote these words “You don’t have to love someone for their looks or their clothes or for the fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.” The song that I hear is one of a king, a priest and a prophet who loves you and I unconditionally, came into our world as a baby, made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf and empowers us to sacrifice, to make room, to let love overflow in our lives and to bring to life the glory that lives in us.      May you hear the song that invites you into God’s deeper relationship of humble obedience, joy, peace and love. A song that ushers in the new beginnings that we know is possible. Merry Christmas, my beloved. May this night be the beginning of everything for you. Amen.

Happy New Year! The first worship at Christ Church in 2026 takes place in New Brick at 10:00 a.m., so gather with us in person or online this Thursday, January 1, 2026. The service leaflet can be found at https://cecliturgy.org/TheHolyName2026 .

Epiphany I at Christ Church 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist in Old Brick 9:00 a.m. Family Worship in New Brick 10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist in New Brick Sunday School, Adult Forum, and all other formation classes resume this Sunday. Collect for Today: Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. This Sunday's Readings: Isaiah 42:1-9 Acts 10:34-43 Matthew 3:13-17 Psalm 29 Sermon for This Sunday: Parishioner Leah Chrest delivers today's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once the service starts. Leah is also part of the leadership team at the Center for Spiritual Nourishment, and you can learn about the CSN here . Leah's sermon text can also be read here . Sunday Worship Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

I give great thanks to God for the New Year and for each of you, my beloved and faithful parishioners.  I offer thanks to you for the many ways in which you bless this community of faith with your faithfulness. I give thanks to God for the opportunity of serving you and for beginning this new year with you. My heart always burns with love for you and for walking alongside you in faith, and I am grateful for the positive energy that abounds here at Christ Church. Each new year, month, week, and day brings its own challenges and opportunities. On the one hand, challenges can be life-transforming; they shape us, as someone once said: "Stay with the discomfort; that’s where true transformation comes from." Opportunities, on the other hand, open a different window for us; they offer us a view that helps us develop a perspective, and they also reveal our true character - what we are made of, and to an extent, what we worship.  With our best efforts, we handle those challenges and opportunities. But we do so bearing in mind that although there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to the challenges and opportunities that life presents to us, there is one source from which springs forth wisdom, faith, determination, perseverance, and courage to handle both the challenges and opportunities that come our way.  I have no doubt that there is one source that opens our eyes to the opportunities that come our way and teaches us the best way to take advantage of them in the service of the greater good. It is that one source that generates within us the strength to embrace challenges and even find the silver lining in them.  To acknowledge this source is to reject these substitutes for God - wealth, power, pleasure, and honor. For some of us, these are the gods we have built for ourselves because they provide us with some latitude and control over them. But there’s no way we can serve these gods and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus, in one of his admonitions, said this: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot worship God and money." This is the highest test of our loyalty, and our choices betray our faithfulness.  The question "What do you worship?" arises because we can tell a great deal about a person from what they worship or where their loyalty lies.  Romano Guardini, in his book The Lord , writes about wrestling with Christmas. One day, he was standing at the manger, looking intently at it and trying to understand why: "Why did God do this?" An older person who stood nearby and overheard him responded, "Well, because love does things like that." You and I may never understand why the God who needs nothing from us, and has no lack, would decide to become a human being. Think about the depth of love that we have been loved by this God, that this God would decide to do something like that for you and for me. While I admire the love symbolized by the baby in the manger, we are not only supposed to look at it but also to ask, "What do you want from me? What is the gift that we can give in return for this love?" To ask these questions is to reflect on your faithfulness. For what would be the gain if you embrace the gift from the manger, but miss the salvation that Jesus offers?  There’s a story of a monk who was teaching his students about enlightenment. He gave them a hypothetical: "If you are holding a cup of coffee and someone bumps into you and you spill the coffee, why did you spill the coffee?" The entire class answered, "Because someone bumped into me." "No," said the monk, "You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup - that was what you were carrying. Had you been carrying tea in your cup, you would have spilled tea. Whatever you carry is what you will spill out." Life, I am afraid, is the same way. When life shakes you - which it will - whatever you are carrying inside of you will spill out of you. If you are carrying anger, fear, hatred, bigotry, pride, and a host of vices, that is what will spill out. But if you are carrying compassion, love, empathy, kindness, grace, authenticity, and a host of virtues, then that is what will spill out of you. The point is this: It has to do with what is inside of you. And for me, the good news is that this is primarily determined by what you worship. As we begin this new year, what comes to mind are not only the values I carry, but also who brings them to life and gives them meaning. So then, whether it is I who carries them or you who carries them, we can insist on their relevance and power in every situation of our lives. It is for this reason that, despite all the challenges in our world and in our individual lives, I remain hopeful.  And this hope is grounded in the faithfulness and trustworthiness of the one whom I worship.  If there is some joy to be found in all of this, it is the joy of knowing that the only gift worthy of all that I am and you are, all that I will be and you will be, and all that we have, is the gift of our salvation which lies softly in a lowly manger, surrounded by God’s creatures of cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, ox, donkeys, camels, chickens among others. Here’s a poem for you. It was written by Edward Everett Hale:  I cannot do everything,  but still can do something. And because I cannot  Do everything  I will not refuse to do  The something that I can do. Each of us can do something. And the least that we can do is to honor each moment of our lives with a choice that honors the God who comes to us in the most unusual way, in the form of a baby. And then invites us to offer what we have.  Surprisingly, all that God asks of us is a grateful heart. This year will be a great year because we can turn our hearts in faithfulness to the God who knows each of us by name and invites our loyal worship. To the God who reveals the self to us in the form of a baby, to this God be praise, glory, honor, and thanksgiving. Happy New Year. Manny+

Help Grassroots by Providing Food for the Homeless on Monday, Jan. 12 On the second Monday of each month, Christ Church serves a hot midday meal at the Day Resource Center (DRC) that is operated by the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center . A team led by Outreach member Shahra Toth makes side dishes and desserts that we serve in person after car-pooling to the Leola Dorsey Center in Jessup. To help on Monday, Jan. 12, please check our DRC online signup form , which describes the procedure. Drop-off time is 12:45 p.m. in the parking lot near Old Brick for DRC’s side dishes. We last participated on Dec. 8 (see photos). Your donations and Vestry-approved funds pay for the fried-chicken entree. Thank you! During the winter months, Christ Church has paused our previous delivery of an evening meal at the Grassroots Emergency Shelter. Other congregations involved in the Code Blue and Cold Weather Shelter programs are handling those duties instead. Mark your calendars: Our next date for an evening meal drop-off and delivery of dishes will be Monday, April 13. If you want to plan ahead, go to our Grassroots online signup form . Inviting You to Join Our Monthly Outreach Meeting next Monday, January 12 Learn many ways to help others by joining us remotely for the Outreach Commission meeting next Monday, Jan. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Our mission addresses many areas of need and spans local, national, and international levels. It's a tough time for many individuals and families, so if you feel called to assist in any way, we can help get you started with a ministry that speaks to you. We hope you'll join us for a brief time next Monday evening. Email us for the Zoom link - outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org . Christ Church Provides Warm Coats for Kids at St. Luke's Youth Center On Dec. 6, representatives of Christ Church attended Christmas festivities for St. Luke’s Youth Center ( SLYC ) in what has become a holiday tradition. And in a related tradition, we arranged to once again provide warm coats for children who lacked suitable outerwear as winter approached.   On Dec. 8, Outreach Commission member Michon Semon delivered 39 coats for the West Baltimore youth, including one in an infant size. Outreach member Dione Mahoney had volunteered to shop local thrift stores and others added a few gently-used coats for girls and boys. The purchases cost $321, drawn from Vestry-approved Outreach funds that come from your contributions to Christ Church. Thanks to you, SLYC students were all set to return to school after the holiday break.   “The members of Christ Church have truly shown to be a blessing to SLYC,” wrote Program Director Danny Simmons. She, along with Engagement Coordinator Darlene “Grandma” Clark, received the coats. It was Clark who dressed as Mrs. Claus at SLYC’s Christmas Cafe, held at a partner church (see photos).     SLYC is a collaborative of West Baltimore families who together provide youth with critical resources, life-enriching experiences, and a safety-net of support. Many of you may recall hearing from Clark last summer when she visited Christ Church to recruit volunteers and tell us about accomplishments. (To view Clark’s remarks at a worship service, go to Pentecost V: July 13, 2025 on the Christ Church YouTube channel. The SLYC portion of the video is from 1:03:30 to 1:10:06. )   Read about SLYC’s impressive results in a 2024 Impact Report . Christ Church is among many supportive parishes in the diocese. The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland is a partner, and its reparations task force awarded a grant to SYLC in 2022. Bring Non-Perishable Foods, Household Supplies and Diapers for CCC/FISH Columbia Community Care (CCC) has reopened after shutting down operations over the holidays. Distributions are on Saturdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or while supplies last. The three distribution sites are located at Long Reach Village Center , Suite 107, 8775 Cloudleap Ct., Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., and The Barn at Oakland Mills Village Center, 5853 Robert Oliver Place, all in Columbia, MD. People who require home deliveries should go to “Get Help” on CCC’s website to make a request.   FISH and CCC partnered last year and merged their pantries. FISH continues to pick up donated goods from Christ Church and others. Please put non-perishable food and personal care products in the altar basket 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.  DreamBuilders - Upcoming Save-the-Dates February 8th, 2:00 p.m. at Temple Isaiah - DreamBuilders General Meeting · Come hear about our plans for the year, and how you can get involved. We’ll have descriptions of upcoming trips and local projects, too. There will be lots of pictures of projects past and lots of people who can answer any questions. March 14th, 5 - 8 p.m. at Temple Isaiah - DreamBuilders Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction · Come enjoy a spaghetti dinner and bid on a wide and wonderful variety of items and activities, all in support of DreamBuilders. This is our largest fundraising event of the year. Proceeds help make our building projects possible.  We will need lots of help to make this event a success, and we will be looking for donations for the auction, too. The LEMS Kindness Pantry Returns in 2026 We have probably all had moments when we have said, or at least thought, that 2025 was a tough year for too many people. And it has been, particularly for those who struggle economically or physically.   Yet when I look back on 2025, I am so amazed by what all of you have done to make life a little better for the students and families of Lake Elkhorn Middle School by providing items for our Kindness Pantry. There are many stomachs that weren't hungry and bodies that weren't cold because you contributed. You packed book bags and brought them to the school to help students start the school year with the supplies they needed. You were God's hands and feet in our community.   In addition, many of you contributed funds that supported events such as Shrek - the school play, the multicultural dinner, the Turkey Trot, and costumes for the science teachers. Some of you became tutors, and lunchroom aides, or attended school events like the amazing one for Black History Month. Our first request for 2026 is to replenish the Kindness Pantry. The items should be placed in the blue bin in the narthex at New Brick by next Sunday, January 18.  Please click this SignUpGenius link and let us know what you can bring. And don't forget to let us know if you would like to become more involved by distributing food at the next PopUp Pantry on January 21, or by becoming a lunchroom aide, or tutor. We would love to have you! Email LEMS@christchurchcolumbia.org MOCC's Comfort Cases Update Thanks to everyone who has already contributed to the MOCC's current R.A.K. ( Random Act of Kindness ), supporting Comfort Cases. In our country today, the number of kids entering the foster care system is steadily rising, and that's where Comfort Cases come in - they're a small duffel bag or backpack designed to provide a bit of comfort for youth as they enter the local foster care system. Every donation aims to provide comfort to those who are experiencing this firsthand. You can find the donation bin in the Narthex, and in February, you'll be able to meet and speak with the founder of Comfort Cases, Rob Scheer. Rob will share details about Comfort Cases with the congregation during the 10:30 service on Sunday, February 8th. In the meantime, you can read about Rob here . 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.