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All are invited to a celebration of the
Baptism of the Lord this Sunday at the 9:30 Traditional and 11:00 Contemporary Worship Services!
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MESSAGE FROM PASTOR JON
Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,
With all the celebration of the Advent and Christmas season, it is easy to ignore two very important celebrations of the Church year that come soon after: Epiphany and the "Baptism of the Lord." We celebrate Epiphany on January 6 to commemorate the revelation of Christ to the Magi. This Sunday we will celebrate the baptism of Jesus.
In the baptism of Jesus, God reveals the core of Jesus' identity: "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (Lk. 3:22). And so, we are reminded this Sunday that the core of our identity is given in baptism. In your baptism, you are told: "You are my child and loved; with you I am well pleased." So if ever you are shaken, remember Jesus' baptism and remember yours: you are a child of God, loved, and good in the eyes of God.
We have many opportunities in this new year to explore and live into our God-given identity. Pastor Tim is offering an opportunity to explore Christian faith in practice starting January 14 (see Pastor Tim or sign-up in the lobby). We are hosting a New Members/Inquirers Class on Saturday morning, January 23rd, for those of you who want to learn more about being a child of God at Ark and Dove and what it means to be a member. Please contact Donna Anderson our Outreach and Connection Elder, if interested.
We are also looking forward to Youth Sunday on February 7. What better way to learn about being a beloved child of God than by our children and youth. If you are interested in participating in this very special service, please contact Pastor Jon or Worship Elder Debbie Saylor.
Jesus is God's beloved Son, we are God's beloved children. May we never forget that most central truth of our lives.
Peace,
Pastor Jon
jgnelson1985@gmail.com
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VERSE AND PRAYER
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3:21-22
God our Loving Parent: You open heaven to us, that you might say "Yes!" to us. You call and claim us as your beloved children, just as you claimed Jesus as your Beloved Son. How often do we forget who we are! We look anywhere and everywhere for some idea of who we are. And yet, you call us back to the center, to a deep and eternal claim on us. We might seek and seek, but we are found in you. On this day, we remember Jesus in the Jordan and we remember who we are. Amen.
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N
TES FOR YOU
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This week is the first week back for Logos, Joyful Noise and the Adult Choir after our Christmas break. We have a lot to look forward to this season! If you are interested in joining the Adult choir for our Lenten and Easter music, please join us on Thursday evenings from 7:00-8:30. Joyful Noise, our children and youth choir, rehearses from 6-6:45 on Thursdays in the sanctuary. I have some big things planned for the Adult Choir, Joyful Noise and our orchestra this coming season! Stay tuned...
Love,
Rebecca
rebeccaebell@gmail.com
I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you one last time about the guitar class that I am offering here at Ark & Dove starting on Tuesday, January 19. So far, the class size is up to 5, so there are still a couple of spots left!
Classes will run for 15 weeks, culminating with an end of the year performance in the Spring 2016 recital. Cost will be $15 per class, or $225 for the semester, and the class size is limited to 10.
Teaching has always been a passion of mine, and I have been teaching professionally now for 16 years. I love it so much that when I am not playing music at Ark & Dove, I teach at: Peabody Institute of Music (Preparatory), Baltimore, MD; Shenandoah University (Conservatory), Winchester, VA; and Frederick Community College, Frederick, MD.
If you would like more information about this, please feel free to give me a call (334.538.0254) or email me.
God bless,
Mark
mark.edwards.guitarist@hotmail.com
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ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
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OPEN VIEW CLASS The Open View Class, meeting at 11:00 a.m. in the Marshall Room on Sunday mornings, will begin this Sunday, January 10. We will be studying the book: Soil and Sacrament, A Spiritual Memoir of Food and Faith by Fred Bahnson. This is a book "about communion in its deepest sense--an inspiring and joyful meditation on what grows above the earth, beneath it, and inside each one of us." For information, contact Betsy Baer, bbaer1216@aol.com, who also has a few books available.
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CELEBRATE ARK AND DOVE We've come a long way as a church family - learning, thriving and growing in God's grace. To celebrate, we're introducing FAITHFUL FRIDAY, a flashback in pictures! Have a picture you'd like to share? Send it our way admin@arkanddove.org.
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Pastor Tim, Adell Gaurin, Kaity Gaurin and Bill Gaurin, c 1995.
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| NEW MEMBERS INQUIRERS CLASS |
NEW MEMBERS/INQUIRERS CLASS Saturday, January 23rd, 8:30am thru 12:30pm. Please join us for a New Members/Inquirers Class where you can meet other people who have been visiting Ark and Dove and enjoy breakfast and fellowship. This "no obligation" class is just for you if you want to learn more about Ark and Dove and what it means to be a member. We'll provide breakfast and childcare. Hope to see you there! Sign-up sheet in the lobby, or email Donna Anderson, Outreach and Connection Elder, donna.anderson30@aol.com.
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ADMINISTRATION VOLUNTEER This is a wonderful opportunity for someone interested in working behind the scenes on light work that makes a big difference. There are many types of opportunities to suit your strengths and time. Feel called and would like to learn more? Please contact the church office, ph 410-674-6400 or admin@arkanddove.org. Thank you!
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MISSION MINISTRY MEETING Are you interested in shaping the mission ministry at Ark & Dove? Please come to the next mission ministry planning meeting on
Tuesday, January 26 at 7:00pm in the Ark & Dove room. We'll focus on brainstorming and dreaming where we'll take our mission endeavors now and into the future. Childcare can be provided; please contact Christine as soon as possible if needed.Christine Caufield-Noll, Mission Elder, ccnmission@outlook.com, 410-960-2479.
CAP WEST COUNTY'S FOOD PANTRY Featured item for January is PASTA AND PASTA SAUCES (semolina pasta, brown rice pasta, etc. / Bertolli jarred sauce, Classico jarred sauce, etc.). Please drop off food items in the Mission Zone bin. Thank you for your donations!
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DEACON MEAL PREPARATION The Deacons fulfill a variety of caregiving jobs in our congregation, including coordinating and providing meals when our extended family experiences a need. I have prepared and delivered meals many times in the past two years as a Deacon. In every case, the food and love were greatly appreciated. I've also received meals when my family was in personal crisis. The simple gift of food and kindness was a gift indeed.
Any one of us can experience an unexpected loss, an unwanted diagnosis, an accident - and suddenly we need the presence of Christ urgently. Jesus calls us, stating, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Please consider answering this call to provide food to a family when such a need occurs.
Right now, there is a church family in crisis who could benefit from care. Contact me at billg.deacon@gmail.com, if you can prepare and/or deliver food this week. Your gift of a meal and your show of Christ's love will multiply. Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you! Peace and blessings, Bill Gaurin, Deacon, billg.deacon@gmail.com.
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 DONATE Online!
Per Capita Special Offering and General Donation. Many opportunities await you!
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PER CAPITA During the month of January we will be collecting the annual per capita funds for 2016. This year, the
per capita apportionment for Ark and Dove is $34.00 per member. This does not include children that have not gone through confirmation. These funds support the various governing bodies of the Presbyterian Church as they coordinate and evaluate mission, provide useful services to member churches, and perform necessary ecclesiastical, legislative and judicial work. It allows churches to work more effectively together and to support each other.
Each church shares a covenant with their General Assembly, Synod and Presbytery to pay their per capita apportionment in full, regardless of the amount of per capita funds contributed by individual church members. The remaining money is taken out of the church budget. This amount was roughly half of the total apportionment last year, meaning that only half of members contributed to per capita in 2015. Your per capita can be conveniently paid on line by going to the
church website. The church is a community that depends on community-wide support, and the per capita offering is a way of providing that support. Questions? Alta Paranto, Treasurer, alparonto@gmail.com
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WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY "I want to get to know the Bible better this year," says one member of our youth group. What a great resolution for 2016! If this is a resolution for you in this new year, I welcome you to our weekly Bible studies:
Wednesday at 10 am and Thursday at 7 pm. Come as you are, there are no prerequisites. We discern and discuss new Bible passages each week. Questions? Contact Pastor Jon, jgnelson1985@gmail.com.
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MEN'S FELLOWSHIP GROUP The next meeting of the Ark And Dove Voyagers Men's Fellowship Group breakfast is
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2016, from 8:00am-10:00am, at the Nautilus Diner at 1709 Transportation Drive, Crofton. We will have a private room, and they are prepared for separate checks. Please share this with other men in the congregation.
As with past meetings, a member of the congregation will be making a short informative presentation. Paul Doughty has agreed to speak. Paul will be presenting "Nuclear Disarmament and Me," where Paul will be giving a personal account of his trips to Russia in the mid-1990's when he served as an inspector under the Start II Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
We'll also be letting you know when our behind-the-scenes visit to the Kennedy Center will occur this Spring. Please RSVP Joshua Ederheimer, joshuaederheimer@aol.com.
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 Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Dot Forloines; Melissa Beaudry's mother, Donata Zartman; Kirsten Seidler; Nancy Gatdula; Henry Duncan; Nora Chidlow; Ann Hirschy; Lester Dabbs; Dot Bruno; Florence Myers; Jason DeVono; Briah Ryan; Karen Dodson's brother, Dennis; Debbie Saylor; Anne Marie Rosenthal's mother, Barbara Winkler; Chris and Teresa Wright, friends of Lindsey Walker; Christian Noll's father, Craig Noll; Roberta Salaman's brother, Mike Salaman; Annette Fenstemacher's parents, Billy and Joyce; and Tammy Wright.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING from Cassie Saliby's family for the results of a recent MRI that showed no abnormalities.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to Lorrie Robinson's daughter, Sarah Hamilton and her boyfriend, Kevin Widner, who have lost their baby at 35 weeks.
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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