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This Sunday is the Second Sunday in Advent! All are invited to the 9:30 am Traditional Worship and 11:00 am Contemporary Worship Services.
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MESSAGE FROM PASTOR JON
Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,
I must confess: I really like coffee and chocolate. However, I will drink any coffee that's available and, if you give me the choice between a Hershey's bar and some organic 73% cacao super dark bar, I might just go for the Hershey's. That's mostly because I often don't savor my coffee or chocolate. That takes patience. Most of the time, I chug and gobble.
The writer Joanna ES Campbell writes, "Have you ever just let chocolate melt in your mouth? It's an exercise in anticipation. The rewards are great. Hints of cinnamon, cayenne, or citrus can blossom like moonflowers-their beauty takes you by surprise. Your eyes will widen. Flavors will arrive that you miss by crunching or swallowing." Campbell says that Advent is a time where we let good chocolate melt in our mouths. We are patient, we wait for a beauty and burst of flavor coming.
So while there's a rush of consumption all around us, in "preparation" for Christmas. Here at Ark and Dove during Advent, we practice patience and let the chocolate melt in our mouths. In our worship and gatherings, we hear the message of Christ coming. We let that message sink in, we savor it, we taste and see that Christ comes again and again. In giving to the CAP Food Pantry, in helping the House of Hope Clothing Drive, and providing Christmas gifts through the Holiday Sharing Program, we also taste and see a Christ who comes to those in need.
I look forward to seeing so many of you in the coming weeks, in worship, at our
Christmas Revels Advent Concert on December 13 at 6 pm (a performance and party you and your friends won't want to miss), at our
Christmas Pageant on December 20 during the 11 am service, and in all the fellowship in between.
So, savor that next cup of coffee or tea and let some good chocolate melt in your mouth. And as you do anticipate the coming of Christ who flavors all creation.
Pastor Jon
jgnelson1985@gmail.com
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PRAYERS FOR HOME USE
MORNING PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ we await your coming. We wait filled with hope, knowing your light will shine in the darkness. We wait anticipating your peace, believing one day it will fill our world. We wait embracing your love. May we reach out to share it with our neighbors. We wait with joy, bubbling up in expectation of your birth. Lord we wait. Come soon and fill us with your life.
EVENING PRAYER
In this season of waiting, breathe in life. Life of the One who created all things, whose image we bear. In this season of waiting, breathe in love. Love of the One who gave a precious Son to live as one of us. In this season of waiting, breathe in peace. Peace of the One who calmed the sea and quiets the tumult of our souls. In this season of waiting breathe in hope. Hope that the One for whom we wait is indeed making all things whole.
-Christine Sine
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N
TES FOR YOU
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The Children's Choir has a new name! From now on, the Children's Choir will be called JOYFUL NOISE. Don't miss your SNEAK PEEK of our Christmas pageant. This Sunday at the 9:30 service, Joyful Noise will be singing a movement of their pageant, and it's sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.
Next week at the 9:30 service, we have a very special anthem called Celtic Advent Carol. If you like Celtic music, this is the week to come! We will have our chamber orchestra joining us as well. That evening, beginning at 6:00 pm, we will have the Christmas Revels concert. My Jazz Choir will be coming to sing, Eric and I will perform together, and there will be solos, duets, and performances by the Adult Choir, Joyful Noise, and much much more. You will NOT want to miss this!!
I look forward to sharing this Advent season with you.
Love,
Rebecca
rebeccaebell@gmail.com
The band is so excited to share new music with you this Advent season, so whether you are reading this on a break, at work or in your leisure time at home, here are some new tracks to add to the usual holiday favorites!
God bless,
Mark
mark.edwards.guitarist@hotmail.com
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CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING The Christmas Joy Offering for Mission will be received by the church during Advent and Christmas.
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CAP WEST COUNTY'S FOOD PANTRY Featured item for December is BAKING MIXES (bran muffins, Bob's Red Mill pancake mix, etc.) Please drop off food items in the Mission Zone bin. Thank you for your donations!
ARUNDEL HOUSE OF HOPE CLOTHING DRIVE The House of Hope, our partner in Winter Relief, will be hosting a clothing drive on the morning of
December 14. They would like to give their guests a "shopping experience," where they are able to select items themselves. Here's what they need (for men and women): coats, gloves, hats, scarves, pants, sweaters, and undergarments/long johns (sizes XL and XXL most needed). If you'd like to contribute, please contact
Tim Mahoney at pkthuey@yahoo.com. All clothes should be washed prior to being dropped off. The deadline for donating items is
December 7th. Thank you!
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SHARING Ark & Dove is participating again in the Christmas Holiday Sharing Program organized by the Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services. Through this partnership we provide Christmas gifts to families in our community by sharing some of our blessings. The Holiday Sharing office matched us with 28 families (80 children) in Odenton and Severn. We will purchase a clothing item and another gift for each child and then deliver to the families after the 11:00 service on December 20. Sign-ups for gift-giving and delivery will begin on Sunday, November 29. For more information, contact Greg Makar (301-483-8255, GLMakar@juno.com) or Beth Stewart (bpstewart@gmail.com, 410-672-6394).
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CHILDREN AND YOUTH PROGRAM Is your family interested in joining Ark & Dove's children and youth program? The second semester of LOGOS will begin on Tuesday, January 5. Our program is for all youth grades K-12 and we have nursery care for younger siblings. If you are interested or have any questions please contact Amy Tardiff itsmemim@gmail.com or Abbey Boudreau mrsaboudreau@yahoo.com.
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Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for for Kirsten Seidler; Nancy Gatdula; Christina Nelson's uncle and family; Henry Duncan; Nora Chidlow; Ann Hirschy; Lester Dabbs; Dot Bruno; Florence Myers; Jason DeVono; Bill Jennings; Briah Ryan; Tracy Churchill; Kathy Miller's sister, Diane; Karen Dodson's brother, Dennis; Charlotte Davie's uncle, Charles Sabin; Pat Stanton's uncle, Bob Berg; Janet Dabbs' sister, Diane Maloy; Lester Dabbs; Debbie Saylor and Tammy Wright.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the family of Lauryn Miller, a former elementary student of Scott Howe, upon her death.
PRAYERS OF JOY AND THANKSGIVING for a successful procedure for Henry Hanburger, Sue Hanburger's son.
If you have prayer concerns or blessings that you would like to share, please contact Deacon Sue Hanburger at avongypsygal@gmail.com, and she will add your concern to the prayer partners email chain.
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