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+

Given that today's Meditation is a night prayer, we are posting it a little later in the day. Enjoy.   Lord, it is night.   The night is for stillness. Let us be still in the presence of God.   It is night after a long day. What has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done; let it be.   The night is dark. Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives rest in you.   The night is quiet. Let the quietness of your peace enfold us, all dear to us, and all who have no peace.   The night heralds the dawn. Let us look expectantly to a new day, new joys, new possibilities. In your name we pray.   Amen   #nzprayerbook   #nightprayer   #nightprayer 🙏 #eveningprayer   #EveningPrayer

There is an old Cherokee parable used to teach their children about good an evil.  The parables states that each person is born with two wolves in consuming turmoil fighting to be in control inside each of us.  The lesson concludes that the wolf which we feed more, the one we love more, will be the wolf which directs our lives.  The parallel of this legend aligns to the consequence of Adam eating the forbidden apple, thrusting humanity on a road requiring us to know good and evil; the lesson is not lost on us.  The Indian parable is what’s more instructive because it places the responsibility of our destiny squarely in our hands.  We choose which wolf to feed.  So, I ask, “Which wolf do you feed?”   Without any hesitation we will likely answer the “good wolf”.  Surely such a reply reflects our desires or at least our knowledge of the “right answer”.  Are we being truthful if we answer so quickly?  What does it really mean to “feed the wolf”?   When we feed an animal, we express a love toward it. The more we nurture and care for it, the greater our love is expressed through our actions.  Love is not a static emotion; it cries out for action.  Similarly, hate is equally dynamic and demands action.  But there is an important difference besides the obvious antithesis of the two.  That difference is that love requires a relationship of selfless giving often without consideration of the self, while hate requires only greater self-empowerment and its ability to express power on others.  Mark these words carefully.   So which wolf are you feeding?  You are likely feeding both wolves, but one will be favored over the other.  We are told, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6:21, Luke 12:34) Many of us may not recognize when we feed the “evil wolf” for the Deceiver uses many lies to confuse and cause us to stray.  He will use our emotions to make us feel self-righteous and possessors of truth.  He will encourage us to commit actions in congress with his objectives and contrary to the Creator.  One may think that it should be a simple choice for we know exactly the nature of Love, the path of the “good wolf”, as stated by the Word:   Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.   (1 Cor 13:4-7)   So, with these characteristics and understanding in mind, which wolf is fed more?  When you watch news to inflame your emotions, when you re-post hateful speech on social media, when you drive the wedge of hate on a guise of justice and truth, which wolf are you really feeding?  When you ask to discuss something and when tempers flare, you calmly ask to take some time to “cool off”, which wolf are you feeding?  Do you express love to those that hate and revile you?  Do you hate and revile others especially the nameless “those” of potentially many and even countless?  What words do you utter against or for your fellow brother and sister?  Do you judge?  Do you condemn?  Do you leave your troubles at God’s feet, and prayerfully ask what you should do to help His will become real?  So which wolf are you feeding more?   When you feed the “good wolf”, you must also act in accord with Jesus’ way: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”  (John 13:34)  and know that if you abide in Him you will not break His laws as the Spirit has spoken, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” (Heb 10:16)   So, which wolf will you feed more from now on?

What are those odd pictures made up of dark-colored blocks, or bricks, or Lego-looking objects? They seem to be everywhere, but can also appear intimidating to people. But they are actually extremely useful, both for us as a church, and for you, as a parishioner. For example, we provide you with QR codes to share upcoming worship information, to inform you about fellowship events around the campus, and we even provide a digital copy of the Sunday service leaflet and links to the Christ Church Gatherings each week. QR - or Quick Response - codes are now commonplace, a means to send and receive information to readers, church members, or shoppers, depending on the use case. Scanning QR codes has become a standard part of navigating the modern world, and both Android and iPhone make the process nearly instantaneous.  Below are simple guides to reading QR codes on both major phone platforms. Scanning on Android For most modern Android devices, including the latest models, scanning is built directly into the Camera app . Simply open your camera and point it at the QR code; a small banner or link should appear on your screen within a second. If it doesn’t, you can swipe down from the top of your screen to access the Quick Settings  panel and tap the "Scan QR code" shortcut. For older devices or those without native support, Google Lens  (often found as a colorful lens icon in the search bar) is the most reliable tool to get the job done. Here's a brief video that shows you how to scan a QR code using an Android device: Scanning on iPhone On an iPhone, the process is equally seamless using the native Camera app . Just open the camera from your Lock Screen or Home Screen and center the QR code in the frame; a yellow link button will appear immediately below the code for you to tap. If you prefer a dedicated tool, you can add the Code Scanner  to your Control Center  via your phone's Settings. Once added, you can simply swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen, tap the scanner icon, and your phone will automatically open the link as soon as it recognizes the code. Here's a short video that shows you how to scan a QR code using an iPhone: If you have any questions, email Chris at communications@christchurchcolumbia.org and he will contact you and help you get on your way to using QR codes to your benefit.

Lenten Taizé Vespers combine scripture readings, prayer, silent meditation, and music in the contemplative tradition of the Taizé community. Christ Church in Columbia, Maryland, offers these services every Sunday during Lent at 6:00 p.m. in their New Brick Sanctuary. You can also worship online - find the details on our YouTube page or our website - https://www.christchurchcolumbia.org/lent #taize   #lenten   #Vespers   #vespers   #eveningprayer   #episcomd   #howardcounty   #columbiamd

Runners Will Raise Awareness of Suicide Prevention and Support Grassroots at ‘Light the Night’ 5K and Community Event on March 27 Put on your running shoes or turn out to cheer the athletes who enter the fifth annual “Light the Night” 5K , a public awareness event to be held Friday, March 27. It is intended as a “county-wide acknowledgement that we support and care for those impacted by suicide.” Sponsors are the Howard County Department of Health, the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks, and Bullseye Running. Proceeds go to the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center  and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Maryland  (AFSP Maryland). Christ Church is a long-time supporter of Grassroots, which in addition to helping the homeless, provides 24-hour crisis intervention that includes a   supportive counseling hotline .  “Light the Night” takes place at Oakland Mills High School, 9410 Kilimanjaro Rd., in Columbia, where speakers who are active in suicide prevention will give remarks at 6:30 p.m. The race begins at 7 p.m. There will be activities for non-runners, fun take-home items such as bracelets and keychains, and resource packets on suicide prevention. Besides raising awareness in an effort to save lives, the organizers will accept donations that will go to Grassroots and AFSP Maryland. AFSP is the largest private funder of suicide prevention research; it also creates and hosts education programs, leads public policy efforts on mental health, and supports suicide-loss survivors.  Runners are encouraged to sign up here . Registration is $36 plus online processing fees. Runners’ regular packet and shirt pickup is on Thursday, March 26, from 5:45 to 7 p.m. at Feet First, 5305 Village Center Dr, #110, Columbia, MD 21044. On race day, runners’ late packet and shirt pickup begins at 6 p.m. Land Blessing of The Source Community Center Is Scheduled Tuesday, March 24 Columbia Community Care  (CCC), which is a partner in The Source , invites residents to participate in a land blessing of the future home of the building. The interfaith service will bring together faith leaders and Columbia residents on Tuesday, March 24, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. 21045.   The location 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.”   The Source will provide a modern interior of at least 60,000 square feet intended to house wellness programs, mental and physical healthcare services, childcare, movement, play, and more. CCC calls it “a space being built for and by our community.”   “But before we break ground, we bless the land,” CCC wrote in its invitation on Facebook . “We’d love to have you there.” MOCC: Comfort Cases' Fundraising Initiatives March Madness is almost here, and there’s still time to be part of the   2026 Comfort Cases Bracket Pool !   Enter for a chance to win 30% of the total prize pot, all while supporting children entering foster care. Make a $25 donation to receive two brackets, doubling your chances to win and your impact. In the event of a tie, the winnings will be evenly split among the winners. It’s competition with a cause, and every bracket helps bring comfort and dignity to children who need it most.  From March 17–20, your generosity can go even further. During GlobalGiving’s Little by Little Campaign, $125,000 in matching funds will be available to amplify donations made through  Comfort Cases' donation portal . This special four-day campaign coincides with the end of Ramadan, a meaningful time of reflection, generosity, and community support. By simply donating through their GlobalGiving page, you help unlock additional funds that allow us to serve even more children entering foster care! Bring Items for FISH/CCC, and Consider Volunteering to Take Calls from Home 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 deliver it to Howard County residents. For information, go online to Get Help . Find CCC updates, including an anniversary celebration  on March 14, 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 (see 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 FISH's financial assistance. 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.

Each year, the Wednesday Evening Lenten Supper Series is one of the most enriching experiences of the season. We are always thankful to the members of Christ Church's Spiritual Life Commission, who work so hard to put this, and other, events together. The WELS series offers five weeks of insightful, life-transforming seminars, and the first session was a very well-attended success. Tonight, our own Father Manny will present his perspective on our 2026 Spiritual Life Theme, Building Relationships through LOVE, with the meal provided by the Christ Church Vestry. We begin at 6:30 p.m. with a communal supper in the Great Hall, followed by our guest presenter. The evening then concludes with a brief, informal Eucharist. The presentation portion of the evening will be on Zoom, so if you can't make it in person, log in and join us at 7:00 p.m. We emailed the link to our list, but if you need it, email info@christchurchcolumbia.org , and we'll send it to you. There's no other series like this at Christ Church throughout the year, and we highly encourage you to gather with us for this unique discussion and fellowship. Be sure to see all of our Lenten services and gatherings: https://www.christchurchcolumbia.org/lent

God did not wait till the world was ready, till…nations were at peace. God came when the Heavens were unsteady, and prisoners cried out for release. God did not wait for the perfect time. God came when the need was deep and great. God dined with sinners in all their grime, turned water into wine. God did not wait till hearts were pure. In joy God came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt. To a world like ours, of anguished shame God came, and God’s Light would not go out. God came to a world which did not mesh to heal its tangles, shield its scorn In the mystery of the Word made Flesh the Maker of the stars was born. We cannot wait till the world is sane to raise our songs with joyful voice, for to share our grief, to touch our pain, God came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!                                                   ~ Madeleine L'Engle Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:4-8 NIV)

It was more than the right place, right time. What transpired on a recent Sunday afternoon was my proof that both new and old relationships can intertwine in meaningful ways when love is the motivation. By love, I mean agape, the love of Christians for other persons, modeled on the love of God for humankind. With that definition in mind, I set out for a midday gathering in Laurel. My goal was to hear the remarks of Maryland Senator Cory McCray, author of The Apprenticeship that Saved My Life, Guidebook to Navigating the Earn-While-You-Learn Opportunity of a Lifetime . A book-signing would follow his presentation, and I planned to buy a signed copy that I could pass along to young people. Perhaps the teens at a Christ Church partner, St. Luke’s Youth Center. Or the teens who participate in the mentoring organizations associated with Columbia Community Care. Sure, I’d have to do a little networking to reach those who might benefit, but I was willing to make the effort given what I’d heard on the radio about McCray’s career. My invitation to the event grew out of a relationship dating back more than 40 years with a journalism colleague, Sheilah Kast.  For the last decade or so, I’ve made it a point to attend an annual brunch that she co-hosts with her husband, Maryland Sen. Jim Rosapepe of Prince George’s County. He and McCray are colleagues in the state General Assembly. And it was Kast whom I’d heard interviewing McCray for an episode of On the Record  on WYPR-FM. Hence, he was the perfect keynote for the event. The VFW Hall was crowded. I had to wait in line just to talk to Kast, let alone the guest of honor. While waiting, I struck up a conversation with a fellow next to me, who turned out to be a college classmate of hers from the 1970s. Later I would again meet up with this Catholic University alum in the book-signing line. He bought a paperback and asked McCray for a personal dedication. Meanwhile the two of us and the author engaged in a lively discussion about mentorship until it was my turn. I had bought a hardback, intending for it to be passed from one person to the next. “No, no,” I said, “Don’t make it personal. Please address it to some unknown reader who, like you, will be inspired to turn their life around.” McCray wrote: “May this book help to open one more door!”   Pleased with the inscription, I hurried from the hall to the next task on my to-do list. Let’s just say I was going from the sublime to the mundane… Destination: the Walmart Supercenter in Laurel. There I waited at Customer Service, impatient as precious minutes passed. But it would only get worse - at the cash register, I was told that parts of the computer system were down, and I would have to go to another Walmart. Resigned, I headed to a smaller store in Columbia, where I suspected its line might be even longer. It was. About a dozen of us took positions next to the supply of empty shopping carts, which clattered and squealed each time an associate returned from the lot and slammed more carts into place. I bantered with surrounding customers, making comparisons to the screech of chalk on a classroom blackboard. I told the guy in front of me that this was my fourth line of the day, stipulating that the first two were worth it because of McCray’s book and speech. A union apprenticeship had created a path from arrests as a juvenile to wage-earning electrician. McCray went on to become a Baltimore entrepreneur and a state leader. It “opened the door” to meeting his full potential, McCray said. I flipped open my pocket notebook, quoting not just from the speech but from my notes on mentorship. Soon I would learn why this Walmart customer was such an attentive listener. After I finished my transaction, he approached, gesturing with phone in hand. He had called his wife, an English professor at Howard Community College. At that moment, she was at home, working on curriculum for a course she teaches at the college’s new Workforce Development & Trades Center. Would I please share information about McCray’s book on apprenticeship? “I can do better than that,” I replied. “Let me give you the book, and she can put it to good use.” And so it was. ~ by Patricia F.