Dear Friends and Members of the Ark and Dove Community,

This Sunday evening is our Annual Congregational Meeting. I hope you will be able to attend our meeting at 7:00 pm by Zoom. We are going to break out into small groups, so we can talk to each other just to say hi and speak for a little bit about our Long Range Plan.

If you have any questions about anything in the annual report, please send Pastor Jon or me an e-mail, and we will get your question to the correct elder, officer or deacon.

All organizations and groups develop a common vocabulary. Two phrases that we have added to the Ark and Dove lexicon this year is “More Light” and “Matthew 25 Church.”  One aspect that both of these phrases have in common is that they are about drawing larger circles of God’s love in the world.  If these words seem only vaguely familiar, I request this:  Scroll down to the very bottom of the Arkive, and click on the two boxes just under our prayer concerns, and please explore. In a year when we could have easily hunkered down and held still, you, as a congregation, chose to reach out and move forward towards carrying God’s dream into the world. What a great year of ministry we have had.  Thank you for being Ark and Dove.

In Christ,

tstern@arkanddove.org

Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

During this month I have been reflecting on the last year in the life of Ark and Dove. So much has happened, and much has changed. Some things have stayed the same. I have not seen so many of you in person for almost a year, seeing many of you only on screen. Oddly, you see me far more than I see you. Despite our inability to be together in person, ministry continued and expanded--meeting the unexpected needs of the year.

You gave so much so that many could eat, pay bills, and and keep safe. Masks were stitched together, and blankets were tied in knots. You marched in Odenton and Severn demanding justice. You stood on Piney Orchard Parkway affirming Black Lives Matter. Some of you built a technological platform for worship, and you led us in worship from your homes. You made music that has helped more people worship than ever before. You led and participated in classes on Zoom. You helped us to be a Matthew 25 and More Light church. You made sure that our children have more than one chance to learn our faith every week. You gave our children opportunity to enjoy one another, when they could not be with one another in person. You gave generously when the news made you feel like you should keep for yourself. So much has changed but the work and witness of the church remains the same.

I hope you will join us on Sunday night for the annual meeting. We will reflect on the year we have had and ready ourselves for the year ahead. There is so much you have to offer this world, Ark and Dove, and we know from experience that we will find a way to share our gifts with the world.

Peace,

jnelson@arkanddove.org

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Arlyce Lohr; Patty Plander; Krista Klohr; Gary Myers; Christa Kronser; Wren Suggs; Merlin Berry; Dick Paronto; Bob Johns; Camille Dubois; Richard and Edie Budd; Vaughn Brown; Frances Keyes; Brooks Emrick and her sister, Susan; Dotty Kaufman, her son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; Lewis Shorter and Lewis Shorter’s niece, Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle; Bob Fuller’s brother, Joe Fuller; Dot Forloines’ family and her great-grandson Luke; Donna Anderson's brother-in-law, Tom Brown; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s family in Connecticut and daughter, Allison, and niece, Naomi; Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; Grant Kirby’s mother, Caroline, and Julia Kirby's mother, Margaret Floyd; Clarke Beaudry’s mother, Judy LaMarque; Kennon Bauman’s uncle, Dan Johnston; Amy Goldberg’s grandmother, Ruth Cooper; Christy Yeager’s mother, Linda Jordan; Diane Johnson's Uncle Ed, Aunt Janet, and cousin Richard; Shelley Franklin's father; Hollis Butterworth’s daughter, Rachel Mershont and brother-in-law, Brian Smith; Amanda Wehage’s mother, sister and father, Dave; Laurie Barrow’s nephew, Gunther Kurtz; Sabonna Keeney’s mother; Bernabe and Griselda Solano, and Griselda's sister, Irma; Laura Doughty’s brother-in-law, Carl Hahn, and Paul Doughty’s mother, Ruth Doughty; Laura Willoughby's father, Norman; Bill Ruble’s mother, Mary Jane Weathers; Ann Hirschy’s aunt, Cindy, and brother; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Pat Dole; Kelly Burnett’s nephew, Justin; Patriceo Green’s cousin, Philip Brown; Lou Kareha’s aunt, Judy Kochis, and cousin, Thomas; Cheryl Walcutt’s mother, nephew, and sisters; Erika Sealing's son, Trip, and grandmother, Margaret Schade; Kathy Miller’s friend, Sandee Dickson; Sue Hanburger's friends, Barb, Phyllis, Martha and Craig; Linnie Girdner and Jan Hof’s friend, Grace Ligon; Ylonda Fauntleroy’s friends, Alma Hinton and Tanya; Rob Yeager’s friends, Lisa and Kearston; Scott Howe’s friend, Jen Miller; the Gaurins’ friends Nyla and Danielle; and Kathy Emmert's friend, Patty.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to Stone Ashwood and his family upon the death of Stone's uncle, Arthur Davidson Ashwood.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Crose and Davis families upon the death of Amanda's grandfather, Doc Davis.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Dodson family upon the death of Karen’s brother, Dennis.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Knott family on the death of Cindy’s mother, Madeline Emily Knott.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Suggs family upon the death of Robert's aunt, Wanda.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to Amanda Wehage and her family upon the death of Amanda's mother, Mary Anne Fuller.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Willoughby, Perry and Booten families on the death of Laura’s grandmother, Jane Booten.

PRAYERS OF HEALING for those with COVID-19 including: Kyle Elliott; Christine Connally’s cousin, Karen; Jim and Judy Cooper’s friend, Tim McNutt; Amanda Crose's grandmother, Betty Davis; Zach and Hayden Brecheen's grandfather, Mike Brecheen; Michelle Schoonmaker's Auntie Bernice; Josephine Girdner; Paul Doughty’s uncle, Dan, and cousin, Elizabeth; Doug Walcutt’s father, Chuck Walcutt, and stepmother, Linda Walcutt; Diane Johnson’s grandson, Avery Woods; Ed Barrett's friend, Joe Bogner; Julia Kirby’s great niece, nephew, his wife, and friends, the Speer family, the Coffey family, and April and Sam; Amy Hagemann’s friend, Mary Hurt Werner; Rob Yeager’s friends, David Palombo, and Jeff and Ana Siegel; Lisa Marino, Jay Mulholland, and their 4-month-old daughter Lily; Ylonda Fauntleroy's family, Annette and Leah Turner, and friends, Sandra and Elijah Williams; Debbie Saylor’s friend, Frank Williams; Michelle Schoonmaker's colleague, Ajita Robinson; Stephanie; Andrew; Yeni, her husband and their six children; Jennifer Roman's aunt, Laura Clay, and grandmother, Louise Nothdurft; Cheryl Walcutt’s student; Kathy Emmert’s friends, Chuck and Cheryl; and Lori Kronser’s friend Debbie and her family.

PRAYERS OF LOVE, SUPPORT AND PROTECTION for all essential workers around the world, including: Mike Stiegler; Bill Gaurin; Tricia Gray’s mother; Becca Distad; Jack Burnett; Caitlyn Bussey; Emily Sanders; Audrey Miller; Linda Jordan’s nephew, Russell; the Ralston’s family members and friends; Simone Stiegler’s friend, Jean Marie; Amy Grimm’s mother; Jeff Grimm; Amy Goldberg’s brother, Joseph Alexander, and parents, Michael and Maryann Cooper; Judy Cooper’s daughter; John Mikeska’s son, Jonathan; and Hollis Butterworth’s sister-in-law, Cyndie.