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All are invited to Communion this Sunday as we celebrate the Fifth Sunday in Easter!
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MESSAGE FROM PASTOR TIM
Dear Ark and Dove Friends and Families,
Some of the most controversial words in scripture are surprisingly from Psalm 24:1-2. The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it. For he has founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers. The Psalmist insists that since we were created by God, we belong to God. The Psalmist insists that since all creation was created by God, it belongs to God.
We may like the idea that we belong to God, but if we subscribe to the notion that the earth belongs to God, then all our legal deeds (paper deeds), and all our assumptions about our land, our country, our air and water and our rights to enjoy them, are compromised. The Bible asserts that the earth, God's creation, is on loan to us, and we are God's Stewards, appointed to take care of it.
Given the various levels of environmental destruction in the world, one can see that as a species, we are falling short of caring for God's green earth. Today is Earth Day. May we each ponder how we can be better stewards of God's wonderful gift of creation.
This Sunday The Chesapeake Interfaith Environmental Group will be hosting an Earth Day Festival in Parole Plaza - great things for families to do from 2:00 to 4:30. See article belo w.
If you are pondering the state of the environment, you may find these links helpful:
Peace,
Tim
Pastor Tim
tims10@aol.com
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HOUSEHOLD PRAYER
God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
--Genesis 1:31
Caretakers of Our Planet (source PCUSA)
We give thanks to you, God our Creator, for all the wonderful gifts you have bestowed upon us. We are grateful to you for helping us endure, as long as we have, on our beloved planet earth. Wonderful Creator, we ask you for strength and courage. We ask you to help each one of us to gain the understanding and wisdom we need to heal our brokenness - to love one another and to finally realize peace, with each other and with our lands. We ask you to help each one of us become more aware of our responsibilities in caring for all life on this beautiful planet. We know deep inside that we are a part of you and all creation. We want to take back our roles as caretakers of our planet. We want to open our hearts to honoring, respecting, and caring for our natural environment, so that this good earth that you have given us for our sustenance is sustained for the good of all, both now and into future generations. Amen.
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N
TES FOR YOU
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We are getting closer to the Cantata! Please mark your calendars for June 12th and plan on joining us for
John Rutter's incredible
Mass of the Children. This would be a good Sunday to invite friends and family members, too! It will be presented at the 9:30 service.
Love,
Rebecca
rebeccaebell@gmail.com
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NEW LAY READER TRAINING If you would like to bless us with your gift of reading, we will be having a New Lay Reader Training, on Monday, May 2nd at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. There will be a signup sheet in the lobby. If you have any questions please contact Debbie Saylor at debsaylor1@aol.com.
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HOLY WEEK SURVEY In the continued effort to make Holy Week services as accessible as possible to our congregation, we have a two question survey for you. The purpose of the survey is to determine whether an earlier time would make worship more accessible to children, but we are also wondering if an earlier time would make worship less accessible to commuters. Please click
HERE. Thank you for your response!
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BANNER GROUP Do you have Red, Purple, Blue, Green, White, etc... fabric lying around the house that you would like to donate? The Banner Team is looking for some really nice material (no felt, please) to create new paraments for the sanctuary. Please contact Debbie Saylor, debsaylor1@aol.com.
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Children, Youth and Young Adults
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SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MINISTRY NEEDS YOU! Are you itching to try out a leadership position at Ark and Dove, but not sure if you are ready (or have the time) for something that is a long-term commitment? Pastor Jon and I would like you to consider this opportunity for service as a church leader - Summer Sunday School Superintendent. The last day for regular Sunday School is June 5th. We need someone to coordinate volunteers for three Sunday school classes that are held throughout the summer: pre-school and multi-age classes at 9:30 and one multi-age class at 11:am. Last year, we created folders with Sunday school lessons and materials for each lesson. It's a great way to meet people and to help our children have rewarding Christian education experiences while they are out of school for the summer. Please contact Pastor Jon (jgnelson1985@gmail.com) or Kim Champagne (kim.champagne@gmail.com), if you feel called to fill this short-term leadership position. We will be grateful, the children will be grateful and your church will be also!
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CHURCH YARD SALE tomorrow
Saturday, April 23rd, 8am-12noon. For questions, please contact: Wendy Wellington, swt520@verizon.net.
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LIFT EVERY VOICE: RACISM, CLASS AND POWER On
Friday, April 15th, Jon Nelson, Brooks Emrick, Vaughn Brown and I attended the Presbyterian Church Training Day sponsored by the
Compassion, Peace and Justice Ministry at the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in D.C. How can we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, and visit the imprisoned, if we do not know anything about them? On this day we were saddened to hear about the suffering of so many others, but also inspired by worshiping together and hearing of others who are answering the call expressed in Matthew 25. Of greatest immediate value for our congregation, as we move forward on the path of Race and Reconciliation, was receiving copies of
Facing Racism: A Vision of the Intercultural Community Churchwide Antiracism Policy. This vision will be voted on at the next General Assembly. It has an accompanying six week study guide, which we are likely to roll out down the road.
I'll keep you posted,
Linnie Girdner
Team Co-leader, Joint Ministry on Race and Reconciliation
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EQUIPPING THE SAINTS Please join us for our last Equipping the Saints meeting of this program year, on
Wednesday, May 4th, from 6:30-8:30, in the Marshall Room. We will be discussing the sixth and final mark of discipleship - Acts of Mission, Mercy, or Justice. Dinner will be provided. Please sign up in the lobby. Childcare will be provided upon request. Contact Samantha Dewey with any questions: samanthadewey@gmail.com
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RACE AND RECONCILIATION The Joint Ministry on Race and Reconciliation is sponsoring two upcoming events. On
Friday, April 29th, the movie
SELMA: One Dream Can Change the World will be shown in the sanctuary at 7 pm, followed by a discussion. On
Wednesday, May 11th, Jon Nelson will present on
The Cross and the Lynching Tree: Coming to Terms with Racism in Coming to the Cross. Sign up for both events in the lobby. Child care will be available. Any questions, contact Linnie at 410-999-7892 or Paula at 443-623-1169.
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If you are interested in joining the Race and Reconciliation Team to plan future events and/or facilitate discussions, please let one of us know!
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CELEBRATE ARK AND DOVE 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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EARTH * WATER * FAITH FESTIVAL
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CHESAPEAKE INTERFAITH ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP EARTH-WATER-FAITH FESTIVAL this Sunday, April 24 at 2:00-4:30pm at the Annapolis Towne Centre. This is the sixth annual celebration of Earth, Water, and the Faith that connects them all! The festival will feature live music, displays from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, face-painting, rain barrel painting, and more. Free admission! Please visit the
EVENT PAGE for more information.
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 PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Cassie Saliby; Logan Walcutt; Janet Bass; Laura Talbert; Amy Tardiff's aunt, Francis Sylvia; Carol Baily; Barbara Reynolds; Mary Benson; Norma Forgrave, Minnie Bradley; Dot Forloines; Dot Bruno; Nora Chidlow; Florence Myers; Lester Dabbs; Henry Duncan; Ann Hirschy; Jason DeVono; Christian Noll's father, Craig Noll; Pat Stanton's brother-in-law, Ken Hare; Marlene DeHaven; Shelly Franklin's father, Arlo and sister Terri; Brett; Bill Champagne's mother, Patricia; Ryan Stavely's grandfather; and Kelly Burnett's husband, Chip.
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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