The Arkive: Ark and Dove's Newsletter
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All are invited to celebrate the Day of Pentecost with communion!
Please connect on YouTube
HERE
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Dear Friends and Members of the Ark and Dove Community,
As you know there has been a lot of discussion in the media about when and how to re-open worship for churches. There are at least two anxieties out there. People are anxious to worship together, and people are deeply concerned about safety, therefore there is a built-in tension. I was talking to a clergy colleague this week who has a background in biology and public health. One question he thought every church should wrestle with is: how would you feel if you held a worship service and a member of your church was infected with COVID-19 at your service and died? Another question I heard raised by a clergy person was: should a church hold a worship service and exclude the vulnerable like the elderly or poor in health? Is that ethical? Another question I heard from a colleague was: can a church hold a worship service, but exclude children? Is that ethical? You know children don't really socially distance themselves.
There are many conversations about re-opening worship going on in our church right now, and people are offering interesting perspectives and creative ideas. After speaking with our worship elder, Ellen Makar, at the mission meeting last night (go figure) , we would like to hold a series of Zoom listening sessions, over the next few weeks, to give people in the congregation a chance to express opinions and feelings and to offer ideas.
Now a listening session is not a free-for-all where the extroverts get to dominate the discussion. In a listening session each person in the session gets to offer their answer to a question, uninterrupted before any discussion takes place. A note-taker records all answers.
Pastor Jon and I will be leading listening Sessions with partners on the following dates and times:
June 2, 7:00 PM
June 4, 3:00 PM at Friendly Seniors
June 5, 10:30 AM
June 10, 7:00 PM
June 11, 9:00 AM
June 12, 1:00 PM
June 16, 7:00 PM
June 18, 7:00 PM
Please register by emailing admin@arkanddove.org. We will be limiting registration at each listening session to 12. If we have a registration boom, we will add more dates and times.
My heart is heavy over the killing of George Floyd, an African American man, age 46, father of two, in Minneapolis, and the resulting outpouring of raw emotion. I am praying for peace with justice and for civil order and civil discourse. I recommend that you read Pastor Jon's letter below and engage in meditation and prayer.
Peace,
Tim
timsstern@gmail.com
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Dear Members and Friends of Ark and Dove,
Where was Jesus Christ this week? Where has he been these past months?
Following the late theologian James Cone, I must say that he has been crucified in Brunswick, Louisville, and Minneapolis. Identified in Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd--Jesus Christ is crucified again.
Where are we, as these crucifixions occur? Are we like those first disciples of Jesus who, in their denial, fled the scene? Are we unable to witness the weeping mothers and stand beside them as the beloved disciple did with Mary? As we shelter in place, do we shut out the cries of the oppressed? From our privileged place, do we condemn riots even after we criticized peaceful protests?
We can't huddle in rooms together, as the disciples did after Jesus' crucifixion. We cannot lament and say anguished prayers in the company of many disciples. That is what we want and need now. But God is not One to be limited by necessary restrictions. Jesus will step into our homes and pass his Spirit to us that we might be able to do as he has done. Even more, the Spirit of God will rush into each of our homes empowering us to speak and listen. Pentecost is upon us.
Some of us will be granted the ability to speak what needs to be said. But all of us are granted the capacity to hear what needs to be heard or discern what needs to be known. We need to hear the voice of George Floyd crying, "I can't breathe," as much as we needed to hear Jesus' suffocated cry from the cross, "I thirst." We need to listen to the voices who have always been crying out from under heavy weight. That is the grace and the task of Pentecost.
In this season of Pentecost, I invite you to join us in a 21-day racial justice challenge. Below, I am providing two links to two different challenges. The first is from our denomination. The second is by Myers Park Presbyterian Church and is called, "Better When We're Back Together." Starting this Sunday, pick one article to read, one video to watch, or engage in one exercise every day that gets you considering racism and the biases that fund it. Please choose from these links:
During this challenge, we (the Anti-racism and Social Equity Team) will provide you with opportunity to reflect together on what you are engaging. As you may know, this team has been at this work for some time. Please contact one of our leaders Linnie Girdner (girdnerlinda@gmail.com) with questions that arise.
May the Spirit of God rush upon us that we might be able to hear, then speak and act.
Peace to you,
Jon
jgnelson1985@gmail.com
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When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
- Acts 2:1-4
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Come, Holy Spirit! Rain upon our dry and dusty lives. Wash away our sin and heal our wounded spirits. Kindle within us the fire of your love to burn away our apathy. With your warmth bend our rigidity, and guide our wandering feet; through Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
-
Book of Common Worship
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This week, as we celebrate Pentecost, our music is very "spirit" themed. The choir has been working hard to record and present
Come, Gracious Spirit by Dale Wood, based on a lovely, lilting Scottish melody. For postlude, we'll have a quartet of horn players playing
Blessing and Honour from Handel's
Judas Maccabeus.
Peace,
Margaret
Director of Music
margaret.mcgillivray@gmail.com
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The installation of the new mixing board went off without a hitch. Huge thanks to everyone who has donated to the
livestream fund to allow for these necessary upgrades to integrate all of the technology to keep our streams at the highest quality. This mixing board will also help so much with recording and is going to save a lot of time that the recording process takes. To give an idea of the time the musicians, Ms. Margaret, and myself have been putting into the recordings each week, one song with recording time, editing, mixing, mastering, and video editing takes an average of 20 hours. With these upgrades, we are able to both integrate all the technology together and make this process much faster. So again, my huge thanks to all those contributing to these upgrades, and to those who helped with installation and learning of the new tech to keep our streams running great and bringing some wonderful worship services to our community.
God bless,
Pat
Director of Contemporary Music
psise11@gmail.com
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TEXT your donations! 410-983-3481
Text
give to get started. Text
commands for more options.
- Text an amount followed by stream to contribute
- Text an amount followed by GoodSam to contribute
You will be enriched in every good way for your generosity….
- 2 Corinthians 9:11
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You are invited to meet via ZOOM on
TONIGHT, May 29, 7 pm
. Join other parents/guardians of children from ages 0 to 18 for informal discussion. Looking forward to connecting with you! Nicole Howe, nicolehowe123@gmail.com
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The Deacons Invite You to Play Codenames
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If you are looking for some fun on Saturday night, join the Deacons to play Codenames over Zoom! Codenames is like a board game that is very easy to play virtually--it's not a video game. Get an invitation to the Zoom meeting from eemakar@aol.com. Get the game at www.horsepaste.com/deacons. There is no sign up, download, or registration. You will need to tile your screens, to be able to see Zoom and the game at the same time. It is best to play on a computer, for size. Saturdays at 8 PM.
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All Children Are Invited!
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We would love our children to present music in June during our online worship. We'll be singing a short version of
Jesus Loves Me, and Ryan Stavely and I will be working to put it together. If you would like to participate, you'll need earphones/headphones, a device for the children to sing along with and a device to record video them singing. (Think 2 phones and a set of headphones.) If you would like your child or children to participate, please email Margaret: margaret.mcgillivray(at)gmail.com.
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Although Gov. Hogan has cautiously announced that parts of Maryland are entering phase 1 of reopening, Ark and Dove will continue livestreaming (please see County Executive
Steuert Pittman's executive order). We all miss seeing each other, so please
submit selfies of you and your families, so we can share during worship. We especially love seeing how you are worshiping! In front of the TV? On the phone at the kitchen counter? Little ones in jammies? Please send photos to admin@arkanddove.org. Ellen Makar, Worship Elder, eemakar@aol.com
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We Want to Celebrate Your Achievements!
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If you or a family member recently graduated from high school, undergrad or grad school, let us know (admin@arkanddove.org)! We understand that it has been very hard to complete programs without the traditional endings and celebrations. We want to celebrate your achievements, especially under these circumstances. Please include the graduate's name, school and, if applicable, degree. Graduates will be included in the prayer list, formally acknowledged in the June 21 bulletin and celebrated by the Ark and Dove community.
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Structured Decision-Making
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Leadership at Ark and Dove is tasked with making countless decisions covering a myriad of topics such as long-range plans, budgets, mission and ministry programs, and so much more. Structured decision-making can be a helpful tool in this endeavor. What is structured decision-making? Structured decision-making is a general term for carefully organized analysis of problems in order to reach decisions that are focused clearly on achieving fundamental objectives. In our next Equipping the Saints class, our own Pat Devers will help us delve into how this approach to decision-making can better equip leadership at Ark and Dove to make good and effective decisions that align with our core values and accomplish objectives. Join us via Zoom on
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 pm. Please contact Pastor Tim timsstern@gmail.com to receive an invitation.
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Thursdays at 3:00 pm
on Zoom. Please contact Pastor Tim (timsstern@gmail.com) to receive an invitation.
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Antiracism and Social Equity
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Calling In, Not Out: A Virtual Workshop
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Calling In, Not Out: A Virtual Workshop offered by Showing Up for Racial Justice Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chapter will take place on
Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 - 8:30 pm. When you hear a comment that is overtly or coded racial language, it is hard to know how to respond. Being silent can make us feel complicit. Calling the person out by saying "that's racist" usually only results in the person's defensiveness and denial. How can we call people in? How do we respond in a way that is not self-righteous and indignant, but instead thoughtful and engaging? This free 2 hr virtual workshop is designed to increase participants' ability to have conversations around race and racism. We will identify opportunities for "calling in," define white fragility and discuss how to navigate it, and learn tactics to address common microaggressions and racist statements. Sign up
HERE! Any questions, contact Linnie Girdner at 410-999-7892 or girdnerlinda@gmail.com.
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This summer Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church will be offering a virtual Summer Bible Club for kids, Kindergarten through 5th grade. There will be opportunities for youth and adults to get involved too! We will be adapting 5 lessons of the Vacation Bible School Curriculum "On Earth, as in Heaven", for 5 weeks of Summer Bible Club fun. The program invites children and adults to (re)-experience the Lord's prayer and to see the connections between prayer and service in the world. There will be a combination of on-line, family and Zoom activities. If you love cooking, crafting, playing games, or seeing friends on-line, Summer Bible Club is for you. More information about dates and registration are on the way. In the meantime, any adult or middle and high school youth interested in helping out (games, crafts, snack, group leaders, music, AV, stories) can contact Christina Nelson, christinajoy87@gmail.com or Linda Lewis, lclewis022@gmail.com.
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Zoom Games and Bible Lessons
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We hope children and youth will join us for our opportunities to play zoom games and share lessons of faith.
- Senior High Fellowship, Sunday @ 5 pm
- Middle School Fellowship, Tuesday @ 5:30 pm
- Kindergarten through 5th Grade, Wednesday @ 5 pm
Please check your e-mail for the zoom links. For security reasons, we will not post them publicly. Any questions? Email Pastor Jon (jgnelson1985@gmail.com) or Julie Devers (jbdevers@gmail.com).
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Godly Play, our Sunday school program for Kindergarten through 5th grade, takes place via zoom on Sunday mornings at 9am. Amy Tardiff leads our Godly Play program. Our host welcomes the children; the storyteller tells a story and then leads the children in reflection and wondering. If you have any questions about Godly Play or would like to be put on our list to receive zoom invitations, please contact Julie Devers, Christian Education Elder, at jbdevers@gmail.com.
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Livestream Equipment, Subscription and Services Fees
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The
streaming services fund
connects us during our most trying times through
livestream
and Zoom. Worship services and programs can now be viewed through
livestream
and Zoom when in person participation is not possible. Thank you for contributing to this crucial fund that strengthens our church home and our whole community.
Please
donate online
or text an amount followed by
stream
to
410-983-3481.
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Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Hollis Butterworth’s daughter, Rachel Mershont; Amanda Wehage’s mother, sister and father, Dave; Bruce and Debbie Arey; Ben Rollins’ sister, Caroline; Zach Murray’s father, Kelly Murray; Becky Marcus; Fred Barrow; Carlton Jackson; Sabonna Keeney’s mother; Pattie Plander; Richard and Edie Budd; Daryl Sensenig; Amy Grimm’s sister and grandparents and Amy’s father; Joan and Merlin Berry; Adell Gaurin; John Rolewicz; Laurie and Fred Barrow’s niece, Hope Simeone, nephew, Samuel, and Fred’s aunt, Lee; Bernabe Solano; Griselda Solano's sister, Irma; Kathy Miller’s sisters, Patty and Beth; Dotty Kaufman, her son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Carol, and granddaughter, Sarah; Ellen Makar’s uncle, Carl Erickson; Greg and Diane Makar’s aunt, Adeline Makar; Laura Doughty’s brother-in-law, Carl Hahn; Bob Johns; Hollis Butterworth’s brother-in-law, Brian Smith; Cindy Knott’s mother, Madeline; Debbie Saylor’s two friends and her uncle, Wayne; Laura Willoughby's father, Norman and Laura’s friend; Bill Ruble’s mother, Mary Jane Weathers, Shane and Aubrey Ard and Ashley Ruble; Stan Houck and Ann Hirschy; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Pat Dole; Chip Burnett; Kelly Burnett’s nephew, Justin; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s daughter, Allison; Debbie Arey’s aunt, Linda Rose; Dot Forloines; Dorene Chen’s family; Lewis Shorter and niece, Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle; Archer and Honor Bauman’s grandfather, Larry; the Tardiff family; Brian Boudreau’s cousin, Valery Householder; Kameron and Kamarii Miller; Cheryl Walcutt’s mother, nephew, and sisters, Judy Walsh and Lori Henninger and Lori Johnson; Ylonda Fauntleroy's aunt, Bernice Taylor; Brooks Emrick and her sister, Susan; Vaughn Brown; Frances Keyes; Julia Kirby's mother, Margaret Floyd, cousin, Judy, niece Amy Heiny, and friend Barb Cleland; Erika Sealing's son, Trip, and grandmother, Margaret Schade; Amy Benson's family and Amy’s friend, Brian Shriner; Lou Kareha’s friends, Thomas and Judy Kochis, Nellie Eboli, and Jim Zaranosky; Margaret’s friend, Kim Nolet; Michelle Schoonmaker's friend Amaris Wallace; Linnie Girdner and Jan Hof’s friends, Grace Ligon and Skip Dorrell; Michelle Schoonmaker’s friends, Patriceo Green’s brother and sister; Jane Biondolillo’s sister; Tracy Churchill’s friend, Tammy; Jerri Webb’s friend, Chuck Mabry; Jennifer and Shawn Ralston’s niece; the Yeagers’ older neighbors and Rob Yeager’s friend, Kareh Schell; Connie Kinnick’s friend, Robbie Heverling; Amy Hagemann’s friend, Gayle Medford; and Doug Mattingly’s mother.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE from Barbara Reynolds’ for the continual healing of her sister-in-law, Kay Campbell.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Makar and Balestra families on the death of Adeline Makar, aunt of Greg and Diane Makar.
PRAYERS OF LOVE, SUPPORT AND PROTECTION for all hospital staff, patients, clinics, grocers, essential workers and hourly workers around the world, who are working bravely and arduously to protect our loved ones and our communities. Including: Becca Distad; Jack Burnett; Emily Sanders; Audrey Miller; Linda Jordan’s nephew, Russell; Diane Johnson’s grandson; 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.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the families of those who are battling COVID-19: Emily Dellinger’s sister; Laura Willoughby’s friend, James Carberry; Cliff and Wendy Wellington’s neighbor’s daughter, Lisa; Deborah Dingle’s daughter’s fiancé, Sergio; and Michelle Schoonmaker’s friends, Sarah and Lloyd Russ.
PRAYERS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT for those on the frontlines; those experiencing domestic abuse; those who are searching for jobs; those who are furloughed or laid off; for the children who are scared and lonely; for those going through marital stress; and for those challenged by mental illness and addiction.
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.
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Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church | 410-674-6400 | admin@arkanddove.org |
www.arkanddove.org
| 8424 Piney Orchard Pkwy. Odenton, MD 21113
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