🌿 From the crowds in the streets to the hope in our hearts. Tomorrow, Palm Sunday, we’re celebrating a King who didn’t come to take over, but to take our place. Grab a palm branch and join us at Christ Church as we start the journey toward Easter. We have three services on Palm Sunday morning: 8:00 a.m. worship takes place entirely in Old Brick. 9:00 a.m. begins in the Great Hall, then process up the Narthex staircase into the New Brick sanctuary, which will include a special Palm Sunday service for kids with choir and readings. 10:30 a.m. begins in Old Brick with the Liturgy of the Palms, and then we all process to the New Brick sanctuary for the rest of the worship. Gather with us at any of these. And see our entire Holy Week and Easter schedule at https://www.christchurchcolumbia.org/holyweek   #palmsunday   #PalmSunday   #thejourneytoeaster   #episcomd   #columbiamdchurch   #columbiachurches   #hocomd   #columbiamd   #worshipwithus   #allarewelcome

Shortly before his death, Henri Nouwen was invited to deliver a special lecture at a university. He had retired at that time and was living in Toronto in the L’Arch community of Daybreak, a community made up of developmentally disabled persons and a few helpers. Henri came onto the stage with several of the people he lived with, informing his audience that since moving to Daybreak, he had never traveled alone. He then invited his Daybreak friends to interrupt him at any time if they had something to say. Several of them did so several times. The topic of his talk was “What makes us human?” This, he said, had become a central question for him since leaving academia and joining the Daybreak community. Henri began his lecture by reviewing the standard list of things suggested by anthropologists and evolutionary psychologists as distinctive to humans, things such as self-awareness, speech and symbolic cognition, conscience, the ability to contemplate our origins and our future, and the capacity to imagine. According to Nouwen, these were all products of the mind, and for good reasons, it was the mind that both the academy and the world had come to assume was the centerpiece of our humanity. But living with the developmentally challenged or disabled forced him to rethink this conclusion. If the mind is the primary factor in what makes us human, then it is easy to say that those who are intellectually deficient must be seen as less than fully human. However, life with the residents at Daybreak taught him that they were far from being considered subhuman. It was from them - the disabled - that he learned that it was not the mind but the heart that makes us human. The heart, as it were, is what makes us fundamentally human. For us Christians, the miracle of being human is being connected to both dust and breath. Genesis 2:7 reminds us that “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Humans are created from the dust of the earth, and are therefore indivisibly connected to the material world - we are material and are connected to all things material that we see. What this means is that part of being human is an attachment to the earth. The other part of being human is that the dust is only animated by breath - divine breath. Divine breath transforms inanimate dust into a living being, a human person. Christians understand this breath as God’s Spirit. The dust cannot be fully human by itself alone, nor can the breath bring life without the dust into which it can breathe. Both the dust and the breath are integral in making the human being come alive.  Humans are connected, therefore, to both heaven and earth . For this reason, if life is to be fully lived, it must be lived with the awareness of these two points: dust and breath, as reference points for human identity and meaning. The full development of our personhood must be anchored in the material realities that surround us, but also simultaneously connected to the divine breath. Our relationship with both is vital in becoming fully human. We cannot focus on one to the detriment of the other. To focus on dust at the expense of breath is to be overly materialistic and lose the kingdom of heaven. Listen to what Jesus said in response to the rich young man in Matthew 19:23: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.” To focus on the breath at the expense of the dust is to be like the Pharisee who denigrated the Publican at prayer in Luke 19. According to Jesus, the Publican went home justified.  We must focus on both at the same time. The two must always interact. The two must always engage with each other. And our lives must be one that honors both material and spiritual realities if we are to find our place and fulfillment as human beings. It is a delicate balance, but it is a dance that we must dance, nonetheless. The truth is, honoring both the breath and the dust as constituent dimensions of being human requires living in the tension between them. But it often feels like we do not have the tools with which to creatively manage the tension between the dust and the breath. The reason is that we are plagued by an inordinate desire and longing, either for the dust or the breath. Listen to what Plato said about human desire and longings : We are fired into life with a madness that comes from the gods and which would have us believe that we can have a great love, perpetuate our own seed, and contemplate the divine. This is the paradox of life: us turning inward, into ourselves, and the desire and longing for breath turn, reflecting a kind of madness that continues to create restlessness within us. The desire and longing for dust turn us inward, into ourselves, and the desire and longing for breath turn us outward, away from ourselves. But the good news is that it is within that tension that we find the sweet spot-the spot that awakens us, enlivens us, renews us, refreshes us, and provides us with a view into our own humanity and that of others. And when we find that sweet spot, it feels like we have found the kingdom of God; we feel liberated. And because of the new freedom that we have found, we commit ourselves to the invitation of that sweet spot, we dedicate ourselves to the values of that sweet spot, and we dive into that sweet spot. And for me, that sweet spot has always been a kind heart, which is both dust and breath, and yet expresses the deep connection between the dust and breath. Our reaction to finding that sweet spot feels like the Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value. Listen to Jesus: "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then, in his joy, went and sold all he had and bought that field." "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.   When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." These parables point to the shedding off all things to possess that one thing - a kind heart. The heart is the part of the human body that makes life possible while also connecting us emotionally and spiritually with each other. The heart, the seat of human kindness, also holds all the contradictions of our lives. And those contradictions will be on full display as we begin Holy Week, leading up to Good Friday. But our contradictions don’t make us less human; it simply means that we are oriented, either to the dust or to the breath. If there was ever any lesson from faith, it is one that assures us that a faithful balance is less prone to contradictions. Being less prone to contradictions doesn’t make us better human beings; it makes us come fully alive as dust animated by breath.   Manny+ (this is an excerpt from my Wednesday Evening in Lent program. I will share another excerpt next week)

The ashes On my face Are only Show Unless they Rest Thoughtfully On my Heart As well, Reminding me That God Uses Both For Creation.   ~ Pamela Pruitt     Jan. 12, 2024

Theology on Tap returns after Lent, and on April 15, it'll take place from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at  Frisco and the Reckless Shepherd  for great food, drink, and conversation. If you are not familiar with Theology on Tap, this is a time where adults gather for fellowship in a casual, fun environment. Topics can range from current to historical events; nothing is off the table - we welcome all ideas - and everything should inspire lively, insightful dialogue. All adults are welcome and encouraged to join us, and be sure to invite your neighbors and friends as well. If you have any questions,  speak to Ed Chrzanowski or any MOCC member at church, and then meet us at 8895 McGaw Road in Columbia for a fun evening! You can also email  ToT@christchurchcolumbia.org  if that's easier, as we'll answer any questions.

Supporting RISE to Help Neighbors in Need in Baltimore County Christ Church continues to join with several congregations in the Baltimore metropolitan area that support RISE, a ministry that offers food and other aid to families who are struggling. The Outreach Commission at its March meeting voted to send $500 for RISE to its founder, Christ the King (CTK). Funds are derived from a Vestry-approved budget and from your contributions to general Outreach. This is in keeping with our mission to support organizations – local, national, and international – that enhance the lives of people in need. Many thanks for your generosity! CTK is an Episcopal parish in the Woodlawn area of Baltimore County whose rector, The Rev. Mary Eliot, is a former assistant rector at Christ Church. During the 2020 pandemic, CTK established RISE to address food insecurity among immigrants and others. The ministry also includes a program helping mothers and babies. RISE conducts twice-monthly distributions of free food, including produce, rice, beans, and maseca. Since January, its volunteers have been feeding 1,360 people per month, of whom 330 to 500 are children. Its partners include the Maryland Food Bank and First Fruits Farm.  In a note of gratitude for our $250 donation last year, CTK’s rector said RISE has fed more than 60,000 people since 2020. “It would not be possible without your support. Thank you from our neighbors and the RISE team,” she said. Food distributions take place at midday on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at CTK, 1930 Brookdale Rd., 20244, which is just off Security Boulevard in Baltimore County. Volunteers are welcome to help with preparation as well as distribution. For more information and to sign up, go online to “ What is RISE . ” A Land Blessing Takes Place at the Site of The Source Community Center Columbia Community Care (CCC) held a land blessing on March 24 of the future home of The Source , a community center facilitated by Howard County to expand opportunities for young people. Representatives of the Christ Church Outreach Committee attended. CCC Executive Director Erika Chavarria welcomed residents and supporters to the interfaith service. It began with a Native American blessing, followed by prayers from more than a dozen faith leaders from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim congregations. Find a post that begins, “Many traditions. One heartbeat,” on CCC’s   Facebook page . The location at 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. 21045 is the former site of the Columbia Flier building, which Howard County acquired in 2014 and that CCC briefly utilized as a pantry and headquarters. The structure was demolished to make way for what the project’s real estate partner, Columbia Concepts, describes as “an inclusive, financially sustainable community hub.” CCC promotes youth programs , including STAND and PUSH, that will use space at The Source to provide services such as tutoring. The community center​ is expected to house a gymnasium, wellness programs, mental and physical healthcare services, and childcare. Please Bring Diapers, Non-Perishables for CCC/FISH, And Consider Volunteering from Home to Take Phone Calls From Neighbors in Need FISH and Columbia Community Care (CCC) partnered last year and merged their pantries. CCC continues to hand out food at three sites on Saturday mornings and by home delivery to Howard County residents. For information, go online to Get Help . Find CCC updates on its Facebook page . 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. FISH will continue to provide telephone support to Howard County residents, offering guidance and financial assistance, because the personal touch is very important when people are in crisis. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong (above photo) or email him at andydelong.fish@gmail.com . You could be the one to 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 always for your support. Kenya Connect 5k Run - March 28 Kenya Connect, an outreach partner of St. John's in Ellicott City, is holding its 12th annual 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, March 28th, at St. John's. The 5K builds community while supporting the work of  Kenya Connect  to provide children with options and new pathways in rural Kenya.  We welcome individual participants or a team from Christ Church. We will have post-race goodies, including a Kenyan crafts market with items made by women and men in our village. We also provide hand-carved medallions from Wamunyu to the top three women and men in all age categories.  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.

The world now is too dangerous and too beautiful for anything but love. May your eyes be so blessed you see God in everyone. Your ears, so you hear the cry of the poor. May your hands be so blessed that everything you touch is a sacrament. Your lips, so you speak nothing but the truth with love. May your feet be so blessed you run to those who need you. And may your heart be so opened, so set on fire, that your love, your love, changes everything.

God of love and compassion, may we always recognize your spirit: · in the refugee family, seeking safety from violence; · in the migrant worker, bringing food to our tables; · in the asylum-seekers, seeking justice for their families; · in the unaccompanied child, traveling in a dangerous world.   Give us hearts that break open whenever our brothers and sisters turn to us. Give us hearts that no longer turn deaf to their voices in times of need; Give us eyes to recognize a moment for grace instead of a threat. Give us voices that fail to remain silent but which decide instead to advocate prophetically. Give us hands that reach out in welcome, but also in work, for a world of justice until all homelands are safe and secure.  Bless us, O Lord... ~ Fr. Dan Hartnett S.J.

At that very moment, perhaps a voice, perhaps an image, opened my heart. I ask myself what that is; it turns out that God has been quietly living in my heart. Since the pandemic, the world has been transformed, communication no longer primarily face-to-face interactions. The internet is now used more to connect people’s lives, including church activities, so I started joining the Christ Church’s online Morning Prayer services. For over four years, weekly morning prayers in both English and Chinese have transformed my life. I’ve gone from simply reading a prayer to truly enjoying do it and to listening to God’s word, even seeing visions He wants me to see. It’s a source of peace and balance, a blessing in my work and my daily life. On New Years Day, I read Forward Day by Day . The editor specifically mentioned in that short essay, he decorated with the figures of baby Jesus and placed them in the matching scene to which they belonged – or, at least, seemed to belong. Those scenes grew more precious to him as he came to see that God has no good reason to dwell here. Yes, every time when I do my morning prayers, it’s that little Jesus Christ who is in every corner with me. Yes there, and here, God is - all of God, as much as we can ever see. With a face and a body, with the whole of our humanity. God chooses to be known to us in the way we are known to one another by name - Jesus. When I read and pray, I am not just reading and praying, but living in it.   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ~2 Corinthians 5:17

Lenten Taizé Vespers Sundays at 6:00 p.m. in New Brick 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 on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. in New Brick, offering different opportunities for prayer, music, and reflection. This worship of reflection offers a chance to meditate 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. If you can't gather with us, please worship online. You can find the service leaflet here .

Lent V at Christ Church We have three services this Sunday morning: Holy Eucharist in Old Brick at 8:00, Family Worship in New Brick at 9:00, and Choral Eucharist in New Brick at 10:30. Collect for Today: Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; 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: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11 John 11:1-45 Sermon for This Sunday: The Rev. Emmanuel Ato Mercer delivers this Sunday's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once worship has begun. Sunday Worship Livestream: Our service livestream begins just before 10:30 a.m. The service leaflet for this worship is here .

This past Saturday, I participated in the Spiritual Direction portion of the Center for Spiritual Nourishment offerings at our church. The session was led by Carol Abbott, who is a certified Spiritual Director and a member of the congregation. Carol led us to reflect on the practice of waiting. For those of us who may not know, waiting is itself an important spiritual practice. Some time back, I learned about this practice of waiting in silence myself. And because of this practice's inherent value, I introduced it into our worship. I didn’t call it waiting. I would rather invite us to meditative silence, which is also a form of waiting. Over the years, I have noticed that many people are not comfortable with the practice, so they fidget. "Why are we meditating in silence?" I am sure they ask themselves. I can understand why some of us may not be all that comfortable with the practice. Not because they object to it, but because we are all used to being busy, doing something, and we hate sitting and doing nothing. We don’t necessarily consider waiting unproductive, but we hate not being busy doing something. For some of us, doing something translates to accomplishment. And so, we cannot simply sit and do nothing. We always have to do something because we want to feel accomplished. But the truth of the matter is that within worship, you hear others speak, read, and sing to you; you hear yourself speak and sing. You hear the holy noise of children. What seems to be missing is that we don’t provide God with the opportunity to speak to us. It is not the case that God doesn’t speak to us through the liturgy of word and sacrament - God does . But God also comes to us and speaks to us in the still, small voice, often while we wait in silence. There are different times when we are invited to wait. Advent is one of those times. Advent is about waiting. We wait for the birth of the God who comes to us in human form as a baby. Our anticipatory wait is crowned with a joyous celebration of the birth of the Christ Child at Christmas. The beauty of Advent’s wait is that we know what we are waiting for. Remember the night in the Garden of Gethsemane? Jesus was deeply troubled as he went to pray. He then asked his disciples to stay awake with him - to, essentially, wait. But when Jesus returned, he found them sleeping. He woke them up and invited them to keep watch, pray, and wait. But they fell asleep again. This happened three times. Jesus’s friends simply couldn’t wait. And it wasn’t because they didn’t know what they were waiting for; their eyes were simply heavy with sleep, and so they simply couldn’t help themselves.  Think about being at a restaurant. The person who is to attend to you is your waitress or waiter, as they are supposed to wait on you. Waiting on you simply means that they are available to respond to any request that you may have. For that reason, they will appear every once in a while to check on you, bring you your menu, tell you about the specials of the day, ask which beverage you want, and when you are ready, they take the order for your appetizers, entrée, and dessert - if you have the stomach for all that. The point here is that you have people waiting on you to attend to your needs. In just the same way that we wait during Advent, we also wait during pregnancy. It is a long wait, but always worth it because our bundle of joy makes it all worthwhile. A couple of weeks ago, I visited a parishioner who had recently given birth. The sweet, baby boy slept through my visit, but I did notice the joy and relief of the mother, father, and grandmother that comes with finally seeing the life that had been slowly growing in a womb. Pregnancy is about waiting. And so, we wait.  In much the same way that we wait for the birth of a child, we sometimes wait for the passing of a loved one. I have had the privilege of being in several situations where a family waits for the passing of a loved one. It is a holy wait. In those situations, we are often more accepting of the transition because we have resigned ourselves to the fact that nothing can be done to give our beloved a new lease of life. There are also times when death offers a sense of relief, especially when the beloved is suffering. And so, however difficult or heart-wrenching our waiting may be, we wait. I once heard someone capture waiting in this way: There is an until waiting for you. You will be misunderstood until you are not. You will be outside until you are inside. You will be suspect until you are celebrated. You will be rejected until you are accepted. You will be underestimated until you are unstoppable. In whatever situation you find yourself, emerging victorious on the other side takes waiting. In the season of Lent, we also wait. We wait till the night when Jesus invites us to the Garden of Gethsemane. It is just the same as the Garden of Eden. But the outcome of these two gardens is different: in the Garden of Eden, we couldn't wait to express our human desires; in the Garden of Gethsemane, we wait because we can control those same human desires. If in the Garden of Eden, we couldn’t wait to eat the apple because of our desire to be like God. In the Garden of Gethsemane, we keep watch, pray, and wait to see what God can do with us. And until God accomplishes God’s task with us. Until we experience the resurrection, we wait, we wait, and we wait. In meditative silence and prayer, let’s keep waiting…  Manny+