Dear Friends,

I have been reading the story of Jesus’ birth, from a children’s book, to my granddaughter for the last couple of weeks. It’s really short. Every couple of days she asks me to read it again. I think it's because she is really getting into Christmas decorations. Someone might have mentioned Santa to her as well. The last page of the book says that we give gifts because the shepherds and the Magi gave gifts to baby Jesus. As I interpret scripture, this is the truth. Mathew recounts gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh from Magi, and Luke tells of the gift of worship from shepherds. I certainly have said this countless times in sermons and children’s sermons.

 

Kelly and I have been debating Christmas gift giving for at least the last 20 years. I seem to recall that there was one ridiculous Christmas when my mother and her father were still alive: they both visited, and there was no room to walk in the living room because of all the gifts.  It was that year that we knew we were off balance, and we began to cut back on the ridiculous.

 

Spring forward to this year and COVID. We came to an agreement that we would not exchange gifts with each other, pinky swearing, crossing hearts and everything. Okay, one stocking stuffer allowed.  It just seemed to us that the money spent should not go to each other in the face of such dire need in our country. We have decided to split $500 between the Christmas Joy and Samaritans Today (emergency needs and food pantry support) special offerings.  People are calling the church with larger than normal needs, and we are able to help them because of your generosity. Thank you for supporting the mission at Ark and Dove, and please read the Christmas Joy article below.

 

I look forward to seeing some of you at Lanterns and Luminaries.

Peace of Christ,

tstern@arkanddove.org

Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

I inadvertently created for myself some Christmas joy. You can experience it too. This year, for the Christmas Eve Children's Service at 4 pm, we will be hearing a version of the Christmas story told by many children and youth in our congregation. Throughout this week, my inbox has been filling up with short clips of spoken word by these children. Each clip conveys a bit of personality and every single one has made me smile and laugh. I have not seen some of these children for almost 9 months, but every video reminded me of their unique gifts, talents, and character. Each child and youth brought me some joy for the season.

If you tune in on Christmas Eve at 4 pm, I think you will know what I am talking about. If you come to Lanterns and Luminaries shortly thereafter, you may see some of those bright eyes above masks and over six feet away. And if you stream the service after that, I think you will be surprised by joy that will not be hampered by circumstance.

My hope is that you create or find some Christmas joy these coming weeks.

Peace,

jnelson@arkanddove.org

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Gary Myers; Wren Suggs; Merlin Berry; Dick Paronto; Bob Johns; Camille Dubois; John Mikeska; 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; Amanda Crose's grandmother, Betty Davis; Donna Anderson's brother-in-law, Tom Brown; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s family in Connecticut and daughter, Allison; 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; Michelle Schoonmaker's Auntie Bernice; 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 uncle, Wes; Cindy Knott’s mother, Madeline; 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 friend Tanya; and Kathy Emmert's friend, Patty.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE for Fred Barrow’s safe return.

PRAYERS OF HEALING for those with COVID-19 including: Paul Doughty’s uncle, Dan, and cousin, Elizabeth; Emily Crose's grandmother, Lois Echhorn; 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, Sam and the Speer family; Robert and Marissa Lyle; 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; Margaret’s neighbor, Wayne; Michelle Schoonmaker's colleague, Ajita Robinson and friend Rusty; and Jennifer Roman's aunt, Laura Clay, and grandmother, Louise Nothdurft.

PRAYERS OF LOVE, SUPPORT AND PROTECTION for all essential workers workers around the world, including: 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; Mike Stiegler; 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.