The Arkive: Ark and Dove's Newsletter
|
|
All are welcome at both the 9:30 (choir led) and 11:00 (band led) worship services!
|
|
Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,
One of the great things about Ark and Dove is that you are a congregation that shows up. When there is need to act or speak out, you are faithfully present. The most recent example of this was at our ACT launch, on October 4th, when you showed up and then some. Last year, more than 100 Ark and Dovers were there to support 25 men experiencing homelessness as they found a home in our building for Winter Relief. Already, many of you have made promises to be there for 25 new guests arriving this coming Monday evening. Your faith is not without action.
This is more important than we often think. We live in a time when public promises are made and broken, when values are claimed but not lived, and when convictions are not carried out when it is uncomfortable. When you step out and act, you show that you really mean what you believe and say. Many who are homeless are used to Christians who call themselves compassionate, but are more often callous. Your presence at Winter Relief tells our guests that Christians are caring and hospitable people. You know the saying: actions speak louder than words.
Our LOGOS program is another example of how we back up our values. At LOGOS, we demonstrate our conviction that children are claimants of God's kingdom. By showing up, Tuesday after Tuesday, our adults tell our youth that they really matter. The more adult involvement, the more we improve the program, the better we say to our children that they are worth the best we can give them. Please consider coming and investing in our LOGOS program, it is worth your time.
Thank you for being faithful in action.
Peace,
Jon
jgnelson1985@gmail.com
|
|
Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the hear.
-Hebrews 4:12
|
|
Gracious God: you speak to us in many ways. You disclose yourself in worship words, in creation's song, and in the communication of community. Once and for all, you revealed yourself in Jesus Christ. We, however, have crowded out your Word with many words. We attend to what others say to us rather than what you have to say. Your word is comforting and encouraging, though it is also challenging and convicting. Open our hearts and minds to what you would have us know. Amen.
|
|
World Communion Sunday was wonderfully moving! The choir had the joy of leading a number of international pieces, and it was heartwarming to hear that your were touched by these pieces, especially the anthem, “Kadosh.” It was truly a beautiful piece, and so fun to add the guitar part. Thank you Paul! This week, we will be singing “As the Deer” by Martin Nystrom, which is one of my favorite arrangements of the piece. Come and join us in worship as the fall weather officially begins!
Joyfully,
Dorene
Interim Music Director
doreneschen@gmail.com
|
|
This week we are contemplating the building of our community through stewardship and giving. As we approach Sunday's message, keep an open heart to contributions you can make to help spread the love of God. One of these contributions is through worship leadership. We welcome anyone who is interested in joining the band as we all work together in rehearsals to present a strong and welcoming community for worship. Instrumental lessons and vocal coaching are available to make everyone comfortable with being a part of the leadership team during services.
God bless!
Pat
Interim Director of Contemporary Music
psise11@gmail.com
|
|
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
|
PDA is responding to the
urgent need for disaster recovery assistance following hurricanes Florence and Michael and urges your support for those affected. PDA is delivering immediate aid to those impacted. Initial assessments suggest catastrophic destruction, but the full scope of the damage will not be known for many months.
|
|
DONATE
ONLINE
!
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Peace and Global Witness Offering for ACT: Anne Arundel Connecting Together
,
Pledged Giving
,
Capital Savings Fund
and more!
Many opportunities
await you!
|
|
Saturday, October 27, 8am to 2pm. Come join us in cleaning up our building and grounds! We need people to paint, people to weed and people to rake. We need lots of people! Come for 1 hour or stay the whole day! Please contact Rob Yeager, Facilities Elder, facilities@arkanddove.org , for more info.
|
|
Giving Statements through the end of September were emailed out (or mailed out if requested) on Monday, October 8. Thank you all for your generosity to Ark and Dove. If you did not receive your statement or have questions about its content, please contact Stan Houck (shouck@aol.com) or Steve Debus (steven.debus89@gmail.com).
|
|
Renewing our Annual Stewardship through a Consensus Building Process
|
In place of our regular Annual Stewardship Appeal this fall, we are undertaking a
Consensus Building Process
to discern together our church's priorities and how we will increase giving in order to support them. We need your thoughts, questions, ideas and perspectives as part of this process, and we invite you to consider the following:
- Continue your current financial support of Ark and Dove's ministry and pray for the Spirit's guidance in this discernment process.
- Sign up and attend a small group dialogue session between 11/3 - 11/11. Sign-ups will be at church and online starting October 21.
- Complete a survey, which will be mailed to you or will be available online beginning November 3. Deadline for completing the survey is November 18.
|
|
Peace and Global Witness Special Offering
|
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. -Matthew 5:9
If you were able to attend the
ACT
launch last week, you know how powerful and exciting the evening was! The launch showed how we are an active
community “organization of organizations.” By working together, we build community power so
your
voice can be heard. The
Peace and Global Witness Offering
our church supports, provides the tools and resources for us, as we join together with other faith organizations as active peacemakers in Anne Arundel County. While we exceeded our commitment to bring 105 people to the launch,
we are under
our commitment of pledging $2,500.00 this year to ACT.
All of the donations, from the
Peace and Global Witness Offering
, go directly to supporting
ACT
. Let us offer the Peace of Christ at all times and in all ways. Peace for our world, our community, our church, our family and ourselves. Thank you for your support of the
Peace and Global Witness Offering
!
If we all do a little, it adds up to a lot!
Please give generously
. Peace, Cheryl Schafer, Mission Elder, csscas@verizon.net.
|
|
Winter Relief: October 15 through October 22
|
Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers
.
- Romans 12:13
Monday, October 15th is our first day of Winter Relief!
Please keep our soon to be guests in prayer this weekend! This is our last Sunday for sign ups, and we are still in need of: people to show radical hospitality on Sunday, drivers, one overnight person, a few intake/hospitality helpers, someone to bring ice daily, a reset team for the Tuesday after winter relief and monetary donations for Sunday’s meals (we would like to do subs at lunchtime and pizza for dinner). Please prayerfully consider where you can share your gifts! Questions? Contact Ylonda Fauntleroy (yfauntleroy@gmail.com), Debbie Saylor (saylordeb@yahoo.com), co-team leaders, or Cheryl Schafer (csscas@verizon.net), Mission Elder.
|
|
CAP is the Christian Assistance Program, Inc., a group of about 13 churches, including Ark & Dove, that provides food and clothing to families in West Anne Arundel County. Ark & Dove helps sustain CAP through regular food donations, clothing donations, the annual Souper Bowl of Caring, and volunteers for CAP activities. CAP operates a food pantry at Severn United Methodist Church and needs volunteers to help carry food from the pantry to the clients’ cars. The pantry is open Tuesdays (11am-1pm) and Thursdays (3-5pm). Help is needed both days, but more on Thursdays and especially the fourth Thursday of the month. For more information, or to volunteer, please contact Greg Makar (GLMakar@juno.com, 301-483-8255).
|
|
CAP featured food item for October
|
Featured item for October is CANNED VEGETABLES (sweet potatoes, pumpkin, tomatoes, etc.). Please drop off food items in the Mission Zone bin. Thank you for your donations!
|
|
Local Attorneys and City of Annapolis help Asylum Seekers and Immigrants
|
A few of us from the ACT Immigration Research Action Team attended an event by Action Annapolis on immigration. We heard from two local lawyers who had traveled to Dilley, Texas to help prepare immigrants for the credible fear interviews. They learned about the ‘ice box’ (temperature conditions in the 50’s) where immigrants spend the first several days and then the ‘dog cages’ where they are taunted to try to convince them to self-deport before seeing the lawyers. In the cages, they are permitted to stand for two 30 minute periods during the day and get two meals a day with parents often saving their food for their children. There are not enough phones (used for translating) or interpreters. No one had any complaints about the facility, only the border patrol. The immigrants/asylum seekers they saw fled due to gangs. For one mother, a gang had taken her 13 yr-old daughter so she and another child fled. Gangs are trying to recruit sons by saying they will kill their little brothers. For another woman, her brother had fled and made it to the US, was deported, taken by a gang and shot, so she fled.
The people of Central America do not want to leave their homes. The gang violence has pushed them. They have to decide which child to bring with them in some cases; there is sex and human trafficking. The lawyers are their first friends. Most immigrants/asylum seekers pass the first credible fear hearing and are given ankle bracelets, released to their sponsors and taken to a bus station. The exit interview floods them with too much information. They don’t know how to get work, how to cover their debts or how to get their children to school.
On the local level, the city of Annapolis is reaching out a hand. As the mayor has said, "One Annapolis – opportunities for all." Immigrants/asylum seekers want to work and not get aid from the government. Some work many jobs with no health insurance and low wages. Measures the city is taking include: English classes, help with transportation, information flyers, a Spanish video on how to start a business, round tables on taxes and gov’t regulations, liaison with the Community College and Boys/Girls Clubs. The city is also trying to provide some sense of community – "if their lives get better, everyone will do better." The city is trying to build relationships and trust between immigrants, the police and government. The police need the help of the community to keep it safe.
Cindy Timbie
|
|
Are you interested in helping with the worship experience on Sunday morning? You are cordially invited to Lay Reader training on either October 22 or 24, 7pm, in the Sanctuary to learn more. Please sign up in the lobby, and contact Betsy Baer (
bbaer1216@aol.com
) or Ryan Stavely (
ryan@stavely.org
) with any questions.
|
|
Is the Bible really relevant to us? Can it speak to the complicated issues of our time? Join us as we read the Bible with Jonathan L. Walton, an acclaimed professor and preacher at Harvard and author of
A Lens of Love: Reading the Bible in Its World for Our World. Please purchase the book
online or join us as you are, Sundays after worship for a bagged lunch discussion beginning October 28th and ending November 25th. Contact Kim Champagne (kim.champagne@gmail.com) or Pastor Jon (jgnelson1985@gmail.com) with any questions.
|
|
New Members/Inquirers Class
|
If you are new to Ark and Dove, please join the New Members/Inquirer’s Class on
Saturday, October 27, from 8:30 am to noon 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 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 on the bulletin board in the lobby or contact Donna Anderson at donna.anderson30@aol.com, so we can plan for breakfast and childcare.
|
|
Candidates' Forums for Delegates and Maryland Senate
|
|
Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT
for Ylonda Fauntleroy's granddaughter and Michelle Schoonmaker's niece, Wren; Declan Steward's mother, Cynny; Donna Hahn; Al Furlow; Charlotte and Mike Davie; Jay Olson; Mary Beckwith; Colette Efiom; Kameron and Kamarii Miller; Karen Dodson; Cliff Wellington’s father, Roy; Cheryl Walcutt’s sister, Judy Walsh; Amanda Wehage’s family; Jon Nelson’s aunt, Linda, and grandmother, Peggy; Chip Burnett; Laura Doughty's aunt, Marie; Ylonda Fauntleroy's aunt, Bernice Taylor; Diane Johnson's aunt; Brooks Emrick and her sister, Susan; Vaughn Brown and his sister, Kathie, and brother, Jim; Ann Hirschy; Carol and Dick Baily; Christy Yeager's father, Leon Jordan; Donna Anderson's brother-in-law, Tom; Frances Keyes; Dot Forloines and her friend, Doris Weber; Helene Marchand-Stancil; Laura Willoughby's father, Norman; Julia Kirby's mother, Margaret Floyd; Amy Carskadon's nephew; Jason Ziegler; Erika Sealing's son, Trip, and grandmother, Margaret Schade; Sue Hanburger's grandson, Enzo; Laura Rockwell's friend, Adam Hurst; Edie, Richard and Jennifer Budd; Dotty Kaufmann's grandson, Nathan; Amy Benson's family; Lisa Mezaache’s friend, Pearl McNamara; Greg and Diane Makar’s aunt, Adeline; Annetta Fenstermacher’s sister, Margaret; Dorene Chen’s grandfather, Tian Tao Li; Christy Hipchen’s cousin, Corey; David Michels; Dakota Miller; Clarence Scott; Marlene and Doug DeHaven; Mike Stefanick; Jerry Webb’s friend, Mary Van Orten; Matthew Hagemann’s friend, Michael Prosperi; and Matthew Fellows.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION
go out to the Forloines family on the death of Dot’s cousin, Bill.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION
go out to the Hof and Thomsen families on the death of Jan’s cousin, Elizabeth Thomsen.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION
go out to the Gunson family on the loss of their second child in four years.
LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION
go out to Reed family upon the death of Tony, Kameron’s and Kamarii's grandfather.
If you have prayer concerns or blessings that you would like to share, please contact Deacon Patriceo Green at patriceobgreen@gmail.com and he will add your concern to the prayer partners email chain.
|
|
Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church | 410-674-6400 | admin@arkanddove.org |
www.arkanddove.org
| 8424 Piney Orchard Pkwy. Odenton, MD 21113
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
