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CONGREGATIONAL SURVEY
The Long Range Planning Team is continuing their work in establishing a narrative of our church's needs as we move forward together as a congregation. Part of that process involves your valuable input. Please take a moment to complete the brief congregational survey located at
http://conta.cc/2bndeCL
. The information that we collect will be kept anonymous. Questions? Please contact: Tracy Churchill, tracy@churchill.net.
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MESSAGE FROM PASTOR TIM
Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,
The Sunday School Year for Ark and Dove is about to begin. Sunday September 11 is rally day, kick off Sunday or first day of Sunday School. Our Christian Education Ministry has been working all summer to plan for this fall, winter and spring. Be sure to be in church so your children can find their classrooms, and parents of middle and high school students, be aware that all students (except those who are nursery age) are starting in worship this school year, so that the whole family of God will worship together each Sunday, at least for a few minutes.
The Session met last week and made a significant financial decision for our church. Starting in January of 2017 the mortgage payments and the facilities major repairs line item will be moved into our Mission and Ministry Fund, which some people still call the Operating Fund. There will be only one pledge card - for one fund - this Stewardship Season. These two avenues of Ministry Mortgage and major repairs constitute the lions share of the "old" building Fund, so basically we need you to move your pledge into the Mission and Ministry Fund.
Why are we making this change? Because mortgages and major repairs are part of everyday church business; they are part of Mission and Ministry. Because both funds had Mission expenditures and Christian Education and Administration Expenses, and because we confused many people by having a Building Fund and a Mission and Ministry Fund that covered many of the same expenses. We also are making this change because two years ago when Stewardship Consultant Rev. Terry Epling was here leading our Stewardship evaluations, the congregation stated that major repairs were our first priority in terms of facilities.
Full Disclosure: There will be a new fund established in June of 2017. This new fund will be called the
Capital Improvements Savings Account. Our goal still is to expand the lobby, build new offices and add two classrooms, but we will only do this when we have the funds on hand or the pledges in kind to move forward. We do not intend to take on a new mortgage. We have paid off four mortgages so far, and we plan to pay off the two remaining mortgages that we have. We may take on a short term (less than three years) construction loan. The
Capital Improvements Savings Account will only be for New Construction and New Capital Improvements, and we will move forward with construction when have the funds on hand. After Easter, there will be a stewardship campaign for the
Capital Improvements Savings Account. In the next six months, the Session will work with our architect to establish our long term goal for new construction, and we will keep you posted.
Peace of Christ,
Tim
Pastor Tim
TimSStern@gmail.com
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VERSE AND PRAYERS
O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.
--Psalm 139
Morning Prayer
Persistent God, as the day begins and the light increases, let me drink deeply of your grace. As the day unfolds, when my heart strays from you, call me back to this moment. Come after me as surely as a woman searches for treasure lost. If I am deaf and satisfied, if I resent the needs of others, blow strong against me. Do not leave me in my foolishness-for I would have your mercy flow from me: I would be a refuge for those who wander; I would lend my heart to celebrations; I would speak your name. Amen.
--from
Feasting on the Word: Worship Companion
Evening Prayer
Patient, persistent God, I offer the day-that-has-been to you, knowing that I was not alone, even when I wandered and filled my heart with noise. [Silent prayer.] As darkness falls, as I yield to sleep, seek me again in my dreams. Call to me in ways beyond my knowing that I might find the strength to feed your people, that I might live, again, to call your name, that I might know the joy of every stranger headed home. For the mercy of the Christ will sustain me and the power of the Spirit send me forth. Amen.
-- from
Feasting on the Word: Worship Companion
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N
TES FOR YOU
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Our children, youth and adult choirs have gotten off to a great start! It is not too late to be a part of them. Dove Choir is for ages 3-5, and we learn music through movement, dance, instruments and our voices. Our youth choir, Joyful Noise, is for kids in 1st grade through 8th grade. Each of these two groups will sing regularly during worship. High schoolers who are interested in singing with a choir are encouraged to join the adult choir.
Our orchestra rehearsals will begin this coming Wednesday, September 7th and will meet at 5:30. We will get a schedule shortly after the first rehearsal, but the full group will not meet weekly. We will break into smaller groups (duets, quartets, trios) on the off weeks. Please email with any questions. RebeccaEBell@gmail.com.
Love,
Rebecca
rebeccaebell@gmail.com
Enjoy!
Mark
mark.edwards.guitarist@hotmail.com
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THREE THINGS THE FINANCIAL TEAM NEEDS YOU TO KNOW:
- Although July was great, in August pledging fell an additional $5000 behind.
- The Congregation is now over $17000 behind in pledged income.
- The Session builds its ministry plans on your pledges, and so it is essential that we as a congregation catch up. We are doing wonderful ministry together.
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Join Us in the Conversation
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ANTI-RACISM AND SOCIAL EQUITY NEWS
Join us in the conversation! Have you heard of the podcast
About Race? "Authors Baratunde Thurston, Raquel Cepeda and Tanner Colby host a lively multiracial, interracial conversation about the ways we can't talk, don't talk, would rather not talk, but intermittently, fitfully, embarrassingly do talk about culture, identity, politics, power, and privilege in our pre-post-yet-still-very-racial America." Let's add Christianity, prayer, discernment, faith, grace, redemption and whatever else to that mix and have our own conversation. That's what Ark and Dove plans to do at a forum on Sunday, October 2nd, in the evening. You are invited to join the conversation.
At its last meeting our Session adopted the
1998 PC(USA) Anti-Racism policy statement. The Session also approved displaying the banner
Dismantle Racism: Join Us in the Conversation in our church lobby. What a powerful way to get our conversation going! ~ Linnie Girdner, lkgirdner@comcast.net
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FEATURED FOOD FOR SEPTEMBER
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CAP WEST COUNTY'S FOOD PANTRY Featured item for September is PEANUT BUTTER AND PRESERVES. Please drop off food items in the Mission Zone bin. Thank you for your donations!
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WINTER RELIEF Save the date! With the recent hot weather pattern we've been experiencing, it seems like the cooler months will never arrive. However, winter will be here before we know it, and our friends at the Arundel House of Hope need our help! This year, Ark and Dove will be the first church to host 25 men experiencing homelessness for Winter Relief. Our week will be
October 10-October 17 and there are a multitude of ways you (and your families, friends, and neighbors) can participate. Questions can be directed to Christine Caufield-Noll, Mission Elder (ccnmission@outlook.com); Sue Hanburger, Co-Coordinator (avongypsygal@gmail.com); and Brooke and David Hisle, Co-Coordinators (brookehisle@gmail.com). Sign-ups will begin shortly, so please prayerfully consider what your role will be in our church's largest mission experience!
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SENIOR SURVEY AVAILABLE NOW! Hello, all of you self-defined seniors! We are organizing a new group for socializing, information, and mentoring others. Several of us actually got together one Sunday after church! We've also learned that Nichols-Bethel Methodist Church might like to join with us. So, if you're interested, fill out the survey on:
https://form.jotform.com/62284945477974
For those of you who prefer, Frances and I will be available after services on Sept. 11 with hard copies to fill out for your convenience. We hope to hear from you soon. Questions?? Ask Joan Berry, berry962@verizon.net / 410-672-5237, or Frances Keyes, FRKeyes1005@gmail.com / 410-874-7253.
Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works. Hebrews 10:24
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COUCH TO 5K RUNNING GROUP
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A&D C25K Are you wondering what this whole running craze is all about? Want to explore the spirituality of running? Or do you just want to get fit? We are putting together an Ark and Dove Couch to 5K running group this fall. Interested? Contact Pastor Jon (jgnelson1985@gmail.com).
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NEW MEMBERS/INQUIRERS CLASS
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NEW MEMBERS/INQUIRERS CLASS Saturday, September 17, 8:30am-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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MUSIC CONCERT: THE PENTAGON WINDS
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THE PENTAGON WINDS The United States Army Field Band's Musical Ambassadors are sending their woodwind ensemble, The Pentagon Winds to play on September 18th at 2pm, at Ark and Dove. The Pentagon Winds woodwind quintet was originally formed in 1989 as part of the Army Field Band's College Clinic Team. This ensemble, reestablished as the Pentagon Winds in 1999, performs in colleges and universities throughout the nation. In addition to recital performances, its members present master classes on their individual instruments and offer coaching in ensemble playing techniques. The quintet was featured in a Millennium Stage recital at the Kennedy Center in 2001 and performed at the 2003 International Double Reed Society Conference. As part of the Army Field Band's continuing educational outreach program, the Pentagon Winds presented chamber music clinics at professional music conferences across the nation in 2002 and 2003. Questions? Suzanne Wiese, suzanne.m.wiese@gmail.com.
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MEN'S BREAKFAST Hi everyone! We're excited to announce the next Ark And Dove Voyagers Men's Fellowship Group breakfast,
Saturday, September 24th, 8:00am-10:00am, at the Nautilus Diner in 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.
Ryan Stavely has agreed to speak. Ryan is a former Naval officer who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and served in the Office of Naval Intelligence. He now leads the Navy and contractor team that designs, installs and tests the combat systems aboard the Littoral Combat Ship. Ryan will be talking about life as a surface warfare officer, his transition out of the Navy, and his current work (as he says the process of building a ship from empty aluminum hulk to fully outfitted vessel). Please RSVP to me at joshuaederheimer@aol.com.
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LOGOS: CHILDREN AND YOUTH PROGRAM
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LOGOS VOLUNTEER AND PARENTS MEETING Interested in our revamped children and youth program? Come to a parent info meeting on
September 6 at 6:00 pm. Food and childcare provided. Contact Jon Nelson, jgnelson1985@gmail.com.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL
Regular Sunday School begins on Sunday, September 11th. Teachers and doorkeepers (assistants) are needed in our Preschool, Godly Play, Middle School and High School programs. Excited to get involved? Please email kim.champagne@gmail.com.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH RETREAT
The Baltimore Presbytery is hosting a middle school retreat in Quarryville, PA on October 21-23. The theme of the retreat is "7 Habits for the Highly Effective Teen." The retreat focuses on fun, fellowship, and spiritual growth for all middle school youth. We are planning to join several other churches for what will be a really great weekend. Please contact Pastor Jon if you are interested (jgnelson1985@gmail.com).
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THE BIBLE AND THE NEWS (beginning September 8) What does ancient Scripture say to everyday events in the news? Surprisingly a lot! You are invited Thursday nights at 7 pm as we pair headline news with Holy Scripture. Each week we will discern what the Bible says to the news of the week in order to see the world through the lens of faith. Contact Pastor Jon, jgnelson1985@gmail.com, for more information.
WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY Starting back up, September 7th! Are you interested in delving a bit deeper into the Bible? Are you looking for some companions on your journey of faith? Come as you are, there are no prerequisites. We discern and discuss new Bible passages every Wednesday, 10:00 am. Questions? Contact Pastor Jon, jgnelson1985@gmail.com.
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THE OPEN VIEW GROUP All are invited as we gather to explore Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living by Krista Tippett. Ms. Tippet is the host of On Being, the acclaimed weekly interview program on NPR. One reviewer referred to this, Tippet's latest NY Times Bestseller, as: "A book in which I underlined more passages than any other book I've read." Another called it: "A mind-expanding exploration of what it means to be human." Open View will meet in the Marshall Room on Sundays at 11:00 AM, September 11 through November 20. Sign-up in the lobby. Questions? Please contact Betsy Baer (bbaer1216@aol.com) or Pastor Jon Nelson (jgnelson1985@gmail.com)
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TWELVE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE
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SPIRITED SISTERS will study 10 of the Twelve Women of the Bible by Lysa TerKeurst and Elisa Morgan. Each session of this study will focus on one woman of the Bible, such as Eve, Rebekah, Abigail, Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Jesus' mother Mary. We will look at the spiritual lessons of each woman and the implications of her story to our lives today. We will consider how our trials and successes can bring us closer to God. This study uses DVDs as well as a study guide. Whether you are brand new to Ark and Dove or a long time Spirited Sister, I invite you to join together on Saturdays from 9-10:30am, beginning on September 17 and continuing biweekly for ten sessions. Kim Champagne, kim.champagne@gmail.com.
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ANTI-RACISM AND SOCIAL EQUITY
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The FAITH AND ANTI-RACISM group will study America's Original Sin by Jim Wallis, who is a NYT bestselling Christian author, a social activist and the founder of Sojourners. Probing, yet positive, biblically rooted yet highly practical, this book is an antidote to the helplessness and overwhelm that many feel today. In America's Original Sin, Wallis unpacks the historical and structural realities of racism and leads us on a path toward becoming the Beloved Community we want our children to inherit.
We invite you to come and mix history, theology, videos and stories, beginning on Sunday, September 18th at 12:30pm and continuing weekly through November 13. We welcome you to our home in Millersville, where we will begin each meeting with fellowship and a light lunch for those who come straight from church. Paula and David Sparks, trebleclef48@gmail.com.
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SMALL GROUP OPPORTUNITY - EXPLORING THE WAY
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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY All are invited to take part Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm, September 20, 27, October 4, 18, 25, and November 1, 8. Pastor Tim will be co-leading, with Steve and Cathy Debus, an exploration of An Introduction to the Spiritual Journey from Upper Room Ministries. In the gathering, the notion of Spiritual Formation will be introduced in week one and, then for next seven weeks, the group will explore and try on several different spiritual/prayer practices, while sharing individual successes, joys and failures. More than a few people, who have participated in this experience, have said that it started them again in a fresh way on their faith journey. Sign up in the lobby or contact Pastor Tim, TimSStern@gmail.com.
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 PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Abbey Boudreau; Lester Dabbs, who is in hospice care; Ken Hare, who is in ICU at BWMC; Merlin Berry; Cassie Saliby; Janet Dabbs; Marie Shorter; Logan Talbert; Laura Talbert; Debbie Arey; Chris Wilkens; Laurie Barrow and her father and mother; Fred Barrow's sister, Mary Jackson; Dot Bruno; Nora Chidlow; Florence Myers; Ann Hirschy; Ann Hirschy's Uncle Jake; Chip Burnett; Mary Benson; Norma Forgrave; Dot Forloines; Henry Duncan; friends of the Stantons, Pat Smith and Gary Finzel; the Stantons' niece, Karen Nations; Marlene DeHaven; Shelly Franklin's father, Arlo; Ashley Ricciuti; Preston Ritchie; Helene Marchand-Stancil; Helene Marchand-Stancil's parents, Paul and Mimi Marchand; Josh Zumbrook; Ray Mosella; Mary Power; Briah Ryan's friend, Holly Robbins; and Kenji Nishikawa's mother, Juanita Frizzell.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING for the birth of Andy Nations, great-nephew of the Stantons.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING for Laurie Barrow's father, who is doing better.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING for the healthy birth of Linnie Girdner's niece.
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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The church office will be closed, Monday, September 5th, for
Labor Day
, and will reopen, Tuesday, September 6th.
Have a safe and restful holiday!
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