Christ Episcopal Church's 2025 Annual Meeting and Vestry Elections This Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in New Brick Everyone is encouraged to gather with us for Christ Church's Annual Meeting and Vestry Elections this Sunday. We'll have just one service tomorrow, at 10:00 a.m. in New Brick . A potluck lunch, our Annual Meeting, and the Vestry Elections will follow. Please be sure to join us - we review our past year's ministries and activities while making plans for our 2026 leadership, and it's one of the most important gatherings of the year. There are no youth or adult formation classes today, but there are nursery services for those who need them. All formation classes return next Sunday, October 26th. Download Your Copy of the Sunday Leaflet & Annual Report This full-color, digital version contains both the liturgy and  the report, so download your copy now and bring your tablet or phone (ringer off 😊 ) to church (and help spare a tree's worth of paper in the process!). Wonderful volunteer parishioners, clergy, and staff put lots of work into creating detailed ministry reports for you to catch up on, including Father Manny's annual message, our Vestry Candidates' details, and much more - they're all here in this 60-page, image-filled PDF doc. You can go here  for your copy, click the image above, or scan the QR codes in the Narthex. We'll share a brief potluck meal after worship and before the Annual Meeting. The church will provide sandwiches and beverages, so if you choose to bring breakfast pastries, light lunch treats, snacks, or desserts to share, that works. Worship Online with Christ Church - Livestream begins at 9:50 a.m. You're invited to worship with us remotely as we livestream our 10:00 a.m. service. There are several places to do so - on the main page of the  Christ Church website , as well as our  YouTube  and   Facebook  pages. Annual Meeting Livestream Begins at 11:30 a.m. Then, at approximately 11:30 a.m., we will begin the livestream of Christ Church's Annual Meeting on YouTube. If you can't make it in person, you will still get to experience the gathering.

I love Annual Meetings. These gatherings more than bring the congregation together to deliberate on the church’s business and elect new leadership; they provide the opportunity for those who have been entrusted with leadership to give an account of their stewardship. Accountability during Annual Meetings reminds me of a parable Jesus told in Matthew 25, about a master who gave talents to three servants based on their individual ability. To one, he gave five, to another, he gave two, and to the last, he gave one. Jesus then tells us that after a period, the master returned and invited each of the servants to give an account of their stewardship. One of the important lessons from that story is that the three servants didn’t receive an equal number of talents. That same principle exists within the sacred space of the church; we are not given an equal number of gifts because we do not have the same strength, capabilities, or even abilities. There is no doubt that we are one people, but we are also uniquely different from each other. St. Paul couldn’t make it any more straightforward when he makes the point that we have different gifts. And the fact that we all have different gifts is because we are different people with different abilities. A remarkable thought about our gifts is that not only do we have different gifts, but that even if we have the same gifts or talents, they wouldn’t be of the same quantity. They still would be different because we have different abilities. Another important lesson about the parable is that our ministry of service has never been about how many gifts or talents we each have; it has always been about what we do with the gifts or talents that we have been freely given. And so, if you have five talents, use them. If you have three talents, use them. And if you have one talent, use it. Using our gifts or talents is a testament of our faith in the God who provides and the ultimate means by which we honor our commitment to God’s service. Growing up at St. Andrew’s Cathedral Church, Sekondi, I remember Annual Meetings being very contentious. Looking back at those times, it feels a little odd that we were under a military dictatorship, but within the church was this gem of democratic principles: parishioners could run for the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and be elected to serve. The PCC is our version of Vestry. I am glad our annual meetings are not as contentious, probably because it has always been about what has happened in the past. This year’s Annual Meeting might be a little different because, quite apart from calling us to account, it would invite us to reflect on the future and what the future holds for our beloved Christ Church. I once heard that the past is the rearview mirror, the present is your steering wheel, the future is the road ahead, so focus your eyes ahead, and drive with intention so you don’t crash while looking back. I love history and the lessons of history. These lessons are to guide us as we look into the future. But they do not determine the future for us. As many of you have heard me say elsewhere, the present operating model, where about 80% of our income is based on pledges, is not sustainable in the long term. And so, as a community, we must honestly discern what God might be calling us to do as we look into the future.   Our experience building New Brick and the great effort we put into retiring our debt should guide us, but it shouldn’t predetermine the direction we choose. Again, we learn from the lessons of history, but we commit ourselves to due diligence as we focus on the steering wheel in our hands. This is all part of being accountable. A few months ago, a number of Catholic Churches closed in Baltimore, which was the first Roman Catholic Diocese in Colonial America. I read an article on Axios.com :  15,000 churches could close this year amid religious shift in U.S. The reasons are many and varied, but the story is the same -churches are closing. Sometimes, it feels to me that many of these congregations saw the writing on the wall, but they behaved as if everything would be fine by doing nothing. We don't have to fall into that trap. There's nothing wrong with being proactive. The truth is, the Episcopal Church isn’t immune to these challenges. As a matter of fact, one of the large congregations in the Diocese of Maryland had to let go of an Associate Rector due to financial constraints, and many congregations are opting for part-time Rectors rather than full-time Rectors. As a congregation, we recently couldn’t hire a full-time Associate because we didn’t have the resources to do so. We are blessed to have Mother Marcia, who has committed herself to this congregation and often works without compensation. Quite apart from that, there are a few positions here that need to be full-time with benefits but that isn’t the case, and there are new ministries that we could develop and or build but we don’t have the capacity to resource them. These are issues that weigh down on me and give me sleepless nights. This is because they cry out for a dispassionate assessment and conversation about our common life, and for new and strategic ways to ensure the long-term sustainability of this congregation. If we all agree that the status quo isn’t sustainable, then it is our duty to find new and sustainable ways in which we can support our common life into the future. I take great pride in the fact that we are an attractive and growing congregation, that we have done extraordinary ministry, and that we continue to do so much within this community and beyond. But we are also an aging congregation, and this reality must guide some of the decisions we make as we hold the steer. Pope John XXIII once said, “Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do.” The question is, what is still possible for us to do as a congregation? There's a lot we can do because there's a great need in our troubled and weary world. Please join us this Sunday and participate in the conversation. Be a part of the process. "Render your heart," as Jesus once said. We therefore need a heart that is passionate, discerning, and open to welcoming the ideas and suggestions of others. We need a heart that seeks to support the well-being of the congregation. We need a heart that will commit to working as hard as possible to nurture a dream for our congregation. We need a heart committed to the future and the long-term sustainability of this congregation. We need a heart that believes itself accountable, not only to the present but also to the future. Are you the one with that heart? Do you feel you can hold yourself and each other accountable? Let us all hear from you.  Manny+

Countdown to Service: Take Part in the Fall Food Drive on Saturday, Nov. 8, 1 to 5 PM, at Dorsey’s Search Giant to Help Feed Hungry Families Be a part of one of the most rewarding ways to help feed the hungry. Please sign up for a shift during the Fall Food Drive on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Dorsey’s Search Giant supermarket, 4715 Dorsey Hall Drive, in Ellicott City. Walk-ins and children are welcome as Christ Church continues a hands-on, family-friendly activity that occurs twice a year, in spring and fall. Look for a signup sheet in the Narthex or in Old Brick, starting on Sunday. Please volunteer for a one-hour shift. To learn more, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org . Groceries collected from shoppers will go to two food pantries. One is the Howard County Food Bank, which is operated by the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC). The other is SAFE , its partner pantry that provides free gluten-free and allergy-safe foods to low-income families and individuals. At our Spring Food Drive at a Giant supermarket in Clarksville, we collected 1,294 pounds; at the 2024 Fall Food Drive held at Dorsey’s Search, the haul was 1,440 pounds . Together, that totals more than a ton of food and staples! During these Food Drives, the experience provides hands-on service not only for our volunteers but also for shoppers we approach with a list of requested items.  Most importantly, access to food and necessities is a lifeline for people struggling to make ends meet. In Howard County, the number of these households has grown due to inflation and the current federal workforce reductions, so any help you can give is most certainly needed and appreciated. Now’s the Time to Walk or Run in CAC’s ‘Steps Forward’ Fall Fundraiser It’s not too late to participate in Steps Forward , a Walk/Run campaign to raise funds for t he Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC). Individuals or teams are invited to accumulate miles during October while soliciting donations. Participants will receive a special T-shirt and discounted entry to the  Run Through the Grapevine 8K,  hosted by the  Howard County Striders  in Mt. Airy, Maryland, on Sunday, November 2. The annual cross-country/trail race takes place at Linganore Winecellars.   On race morning, a non-perishable food drive will benefit the Howard County Food Bank, which CAC operates. As the county’s designated anti-poverty organization, CAC provides multiple services as described in its 2024 Impact Report . These include early childhood education, eviction prevention, weatherization, and utility assistance. Christ Church Sends Food Aid to Victims of War in Ukraine and in Gaza At the Oct. 13 Outreach Commission meeting, we approved a $750 donation to World Central Kitchen (WCK) to help feed people deprived of food in two different wars. Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, WCK began serving meals to meet the needs of families in conflict zones, as described in a post on its website . Present conditions are dire as people cope with attacks, power outages and the approach of winter. An amount of $500 will go to WCK’s Chefs for Ukraine. Separately, $250 will go toward aid for the starving residents of Gaza as a peace deal has been declared in the Israel-Hamas War. A new field kitchen opened this month, WCK said on its site , as Palestinians await a greater flow of humanitarian aid. In both instances, these are Vestry-approved funds derived from your pledges and contributions. Thank you! Lake Elkhorn Middle School Kindness Pantry Many thanks to all of you who signed up for and brought in food and household items for the LEMS Kindness Pantry. Last Wednesday, we delivered the items that counselors and staff will distribute during meetings with families in need of assistance. In addition, we helped to hand out 100 bags of fresh food from The Roving Radish at the school as parents came to pick up their children or stopped by after work.   Our next project is to put together 60 "health bags" for teachers' classrooms. Each bag will contain facial tissue, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and a thank-you note from Christ Church. We'll be assembling the bags at Lake Elkhorn Middle School next Tuesday, October 21st from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., and would love to have some help putting the bags together, so please let us know if you are available - speak with Cathy Whittaker, Jan DeBoissiere, Jennny Cecil, or Sara Kirkpatrick at church on Sunday, or email lems@christchurchcolumbia.org . Christ Church Sends Funds to FISH and CCC to Help Neighbors in Need At the Oct. 13 Outreach Commission meeting, we approved $500 in  donations to   Columbia Community Care  (CCC) and $300 to FISH . Recently, the two non-profit organizations became partners and merged their food pantries into one. On Oct. 11, Pantry Manager April Lee posted a plea for support on CCC’s Facebook page : “These are difficult times right now for so many and, sadly, they will most likely get worse. If you are able to, would you please help us restock our inventory?” Your contributions to Christ Church for Vestry-approved funds make these donations possible. On behalf of our needy neighbors, please accept h eartfelt thanks! CCC continues its distributions at three sites on Saturday mornings and by home delivery to Howard County residents. For information, go online to Get Help . 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 keep bringing baby wipes and diapers, especially large sizes. FISH will continue to provide guidance and financial support by telephone because the personal touch is very important when people are in crisis. Consider volunteering from home by giving just one day a month to assist those who could benefit from financial assistance from FISH. Training is provided. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong or email andydelong.fish@gmail.com . Thanks for your support. 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.

Taizé Vespers is a liturgy of Evening Prayer that combines scripture readings, prayer, silent meditation, and rich music. On the first Sunday evening of each month, Christ Church offers this truly beautiful service of contemplative prayer and music in the tradition of the Taizé community of France, promoting peace and justice through prayer and meditation. November's Taizé Vespers reflect on Thanksgiving—appropriate for the season. With attention to silence, prayer, and singing, Taizé offers an opportunity to give praise and thanksgiving for God's love and presence in one's life, prayer for oneself and others, and to share in a supportive community. Gather with us at 6 p.m. November 2nd for this powerful and peaceful worship.

Pentecost XVIII 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 Collect for Today: Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Today's Readings: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 Psalm 66:1-11 2 Timothy 2:8-15 Luke 17:11-19 Sermon for Today: Father Manny delivers today's sermon, and you can view it in the video below once the service starts. You can also read the sermon's text here . Holy Eucharist Livestream: Our service livestream begins at approximately 10:20 a.m. this Sunday. The service leaflet for this worship service is here .

The Episcopal Church is dedicated to strengthening its network of leadership and educational resources to support Indigenous people in mission and ministry, and is determined to create a national support system to allow for remembrance, recognition, and reconciliation of all Indigenous people. Visit https://tinyurl.com/IndigenousPeoplesDay2025 #susquehannock   #piscataway   #accohannock   #indigenouspeople   #IndigenousPeoplesDay   #honorthosewhocamebefore   #nativeamerican   #nativeamericanhistory   #Respect   #episcomd   #hocomd   #susquehannock   #piscataway   #accohannock   #indigenouspeople   #IndigenousPeoplesDay   #honorthosewhocamebefore   #nativeamerican   #nativeamericanhistory   #Respect   #episcomd   #hocomd

Our hearts and souls are full as we watch our littlest addition to the family, Elijah, grow in Christ! #baptism   #GrowInChrist   #baptized   #episcomd   #hocomd   #baptismalblessings

A Recital like No Other: Larissa and Friends Today in New Brick at 5 p.m. We are proud to present our Music Director and HCPSS teacher, Larissa Sanders, in what's now an annual Christ Church tradition. Larissa has assembled a cast of incredibly gifted musicians to present a program of works spanning centuries and cultures. A reception with the musicians and light refreshments will follow, so visit the New Brick Sanctuary today at 5:00 p.m. for a memorable concert experience. The livestream for Larissa's recital is below, and the program is here .   #musicrecital   #hocomd   #columbiamdmusic   #columbiamaryland   #musicisthebest

I have been doing a lot of walking these past several months. It just so happened that during a conversation with a friend who expressed an interest in walking, we both decided to be walking partners. This friend lives out of state, but we have become walking partners. We wake up, get on our phones, and walk. During our walk, we talk about everything under the sun: life, work, politics, spirituality, soccer, football, food, kids, and the whole nine yards. It is therapeutic to hit the trail—I have come to enjoy it, and I look forward to waking up and walking. Over the summer months, when the sun rises by 5:30 a.m., I would hit the trail. The timing didn’t really matter to me because the sun was up, there was light, and I could see. Since I have been on the trail several times, I have already mapped out the path that I walk each morning. I don’t stray from the path. I always walk the same path. With the sunlight, which lightens the trail, I can walk my path and see all those who are also walking, running, or riding bikes on it. One morning, while it was still dark, I was about to hit the trail when I heard unusual screams. It wasn’t a scream of anguish, as if someone was in some physical pain; it was one of anger because it was filled with expletives. I could hear those screams coming from the woods. Within that very moment, I realized that I couldn’t go on the same path that I had been walking. To walk that same path would mean confronting the danger of an angry person in the woods while it was still dark. I made a turn to walk on a different path, away from the screams. That decision reinforced the fear of the dark side in each of us, and it would be foolish on my part to walk in the dark woods without knowing the kind of danger that awaited me. Changing my direction meant walking in an area where, although there was not enough light, there was also no immediate danger. I wasn’t necessarily scared of the darkness; I feared the dark side of the stranger who was walking in the dark. This is because darkness itself cannot harm us; it is the one with a dark side who walks in the dark that can hurt you and me.  There’s no doubt that we all love light. The presence of light assures us that, despite any darkness or our dark sides, there’s a powerful redeeming force that has the capacity to invite us and walk with us into its beaming light, so that we wouldn’t have to be afraid to walk in the dark because another person with a dark side is also walking in the dark and screaming. The thought of having a dark side reminded me of a conversation I had with a very dear friend who wondered if there are spiritual forces of darkness that exact evil on humans. I responded that I do not doubt St. Paul when he says that “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” The reality is that it is human beings like you and me, those of us with dark sides, who give life to the evils of the world. Do I believe that there’s a dark caricature with two horns on its head holding a pitchfork? Absolutely not. But I believe that whatever evil there is, it is committed by human beings like you and me. Our struggle is with our fellow neighbors with their pitchforks out, ready to stab, betray, and denigrate. Our struggle is with our neighbors with dark sides. We are presently dealing with a government shutdown. Federal workers have been furloughed. There’s a ton of anxiety among fellow citizens because many of these families who live paycheck to paycheck don’t know where their next meal is coming from. They don’t know how they are going to pay their bills. It is as if families were not struggling already. With your generous support of the discretionary fund, I regularly help some of these families, and so I am very much aware of the precarious situations they find themselves in. This shutdown is an added aggravation of an already porous economy that is tilted towards those who have more than enough means to survive. There’s a story of the nail asking the hammer one day, "Why are you always hitting me?" The hammer replied, “I don’t hit you to hurt you, I do this to help you fulfill your purpose." "But it hurts so much," said the nail. "I know it hurts," said the hammer, "but without those blows, you would never go into the wood. You would never be useful. You would never hold anything together." The nail then asked, "Don’t you get tired of hitting me?" "Of course, I get tired," said the hammer. "But it is worth it because I know that through this you are serving an important purpose." The nail was quiet for a moment, then he said, "Thank you for pushing me even though it hurts. Thank you for not leaving me halfway." If we are to fulfill our divine purpose, we should not be afraid to walk the trail in the dark, because someone who has a dark side—as I do—is also walking in the dark. Each of us is a nail that a hammer must hit to go through some wood. That is how we can fulfill our God-given purposes. Being hit by the hammer is our struggle with the dark side. Novelist Martin Shaw writes something about the dark side in his book Courting the Twin Within. The dark side often reminds us that we are not worth it and we are not fit for purpose. The dark side questions why we give to support God’s work, the dark side raises doubts in our minds about our sense of worth, the dark side questions any and all things that has to do with a faithful expression of our belief in God, the dark side creates the fear of the other in us, the dark side gives life to the dehumanization of others, the dark side reviles the sight of others being happy-it wants to see suffering, it perpetuates suffering and glories in the suffering of others because it delusionally believes that it benefits from it. Carl Jung once said, “Modern man can’t see God because he doesn’t look low enough.” The tragedy is that we have misappropriated our understanding of God by creating a fictional God who brims with luxury, is devoid of suffering, distant, and high up above the clouds. We therefore have to look up beyond the skies to see this fictional God for regular handouts. If you want to see God, don’t look up. Bend and look low. To bend and look low enough is to see your dark side and the God who redeems and transforms it. To bend low enough to look is to see the God who invites us into His life and asks us not to fear, for He is always with us. To bend and look low enough is to see the God who, despite our dark side, uses us to accomplish His divine purpose. Thanks be to God for not leaving us halfway.  Manny+

Gather with us for a pair of events, both of which are sure to stir the soul. First, join seekers of a deeper relationship with the Divine at the Center for Spiritual Nourishment. The 2nd Saturday CSN offers free experiences that engage the mind, body, and spirit by providing safe spaces to explore a range of opportunities for spiritual growth. The CSN is for anyone interested in spiritual nourishment, regardless of religious affiliation or spiritual beliefs, and you can come for one session or the entire morning. We begin with a communal breakfast at 8:30, so visit cecevents.org/CSN-Oct2025 for all the details, and come to New Brick. Then, at 5 p.m., we are proud to present our Music Director, Larissa Sanders, in her fall Christ Church recital—a beautiful annual musical tradition. Larissa and her selection of musicians will present a program of gorgeous pieces spanning several centuries and cultures. Visit the New Brick Sanctuary today at 5:00 to support and enjoy extraordinary music performed by gifted musicians. This concert is a free-will offering, and light refreshments will be served at a reception following the performance.   #SpiritualNourishment   #musichealsthesoul   #hocomd   #columbiamd

LEMS Kindness Pantry Needs Many thanks to everyone who's signed up to bring items for the Lanke Elkhorn Middle School Kindness Pantry! We have most items covered, but we still need small bottles of dish soap and canola oil. You can find the sign-up list here  and can bring all items to Christ Church by this Sunday, October 12th. Place them in the blue LEMS bin located in the New Brick Narthex, and we'll get them to the school. Another way you can help our local students and families is by coming to LEMS on October 15 and assisting The Roving Radish  in distributing boxes of food to those in need. Email us at LEMS@christchurchcolumbia.org  and we'll send you more details. Thank you for helping support the students and teachers of Lake Elkhorn Middle School! YOU CAN HELP! Inviting You to Join Our Monthly Outreach Meeting this Monday Learn many ways to help others by joining us remotely for the Outreach Commission meeting on Monday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Our mission has a local, national, and international scope. To join us on Monday, email outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org and we'll send you the Zoom details. Help Grassroots on Monday, Oct. 13, by Providing Food for the Homeless On the second Monday of each month, Christ Church serves a hot midday meal at the Day Resource Center (DRC) and delivers dinner to residents of the Grassroots Emergency Shelter. The Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center  operates both facilities. A team led by Outreach member Shahra Toth makes side dishes and desserts that we serve in person after car-pooling to the DRC in Jessup. To help on Monday, Oct. 13, 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 Sept. 8. Every second Monday, the parishioners who cook or shop for the evening meal arrive in the Old Brick parking lot between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. Get details in our Grassroots online signup form . Grassroots handles serving that meal to shelter residents, who include numerous children. It’s efficient to provide for both venues on the same day, usually feeding a total of about 150 people. Your donations and Vestry-approved funds pay for the fried-chicken entrees. Thank you! As you respond to a call to help the less fortunate, keep in mind the scripture that underpins our mission: And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40 Did You Know? Grassroots Offers Crisis Services That Go Well Beyond Sheltering and Welcoming Our Homeless Neighbors Parishioners are urged to spread the word about the array of mental health options available through Grassroots, which strengthened its resources  as part of an expansion to a third site in 2023. The center’s staff at 8990 Old Annapolis Rd., Suite A, in Columbia provides behavioral health, substance use disorder, and suicide prevention help around the clock. Someone suffering a mental health crisis –or their loved ones– can walk in, call 410-531-6677, or chat, text, or phone 988 (which is modeled on 911).   Parishioners were updated by Anna Katz, director of grants and support at Grassroots, who spoke during our Sunday Circle series, Virtues of a Beloved Community: GENEROSITY,  on September 21 ( view her mental health overview on our Zoom recording here ). While many of us are familiar with the operations at Grassroots’ two facilities for the homeless — such as meals, shelter, and pantry supplies — its counseling services are less well-known. You can watch the entire Sunday Circle presentation on our YouTube channel or above in this email.   In Howard County, clinicians on its mobile crisis team are dispatched to accompany police on psychiatric emergencies. Its outpatient mental health clinic offers free long-term therapy. Its substance use disorder stabilization program aims for treatment within 24 hours. Its behavioral health urgent care is the state’s only one that remains free, Katz said. Grassroots is a call center for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and a national backup for 988 chat and text. The Pew Charitable Trust’s Trend Magazine featured Grassroots in a 2023 article, “What Happens When You Call 988?” Now’s the Time to Walk or Run in CAC’s ‘Steps Forward’ Fall Fundraiser It’s not too late to participate in Steps Forward , a Walk/Run campaign to raise funds for t he Community Action Council of Howard County  (CAC). Individuals or teams are invited to accumulate miles during October while soliciting donations. Participants will receive a special T-shirt and discounted entry to the  Run Through the Grapevine 8K,  hosted by the  Howard County Striders  in Mt. Airy, Maryland, on Sunday, November 2. The annual cross-country/trail race takes place at Linganore Winecellars.   On race morning, a non-perishable food drive will benefit the Howard County Food Bank, which CAC operates. As the county’s designated anti-poverty organization, CAC provides multiple services as described in its 2024 Impact Report . These include early childhood education, eviction prevention, weatherization, and utility assistance. FISH and CCC Have Combined Pantries, and FISH Needs Phone Volunteers Recently, FISH and  Columbia Community Care (CCC) partnered to provide food services for Howard County residents. The two organizations have merged their pantries. FISH will continue to pick up donated goods from Christ Church and others. CCC will continue making distributions at three sites on Saturday mornings and by home delivery. For information, go online to Get Help . 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 keep bringing baby wipes and diapers, especially large sizes. FISH will continue to provide telephone support to Howard County residents to provide guidance and financial support because the personal touch is very important when people are in crisis. You could be the one to lend a helping hand by lending an ear! Consider volunteering from home by giving just one day a month to assist those who could benefit from financial assistance from FISH. Training is provided. For information, ask parishioner and FISH treasurer Andy DeLong or email andydelong.fish@gmail.com . Thanks for your support. 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.