The Arkive: Ark and Dove's Newsletter
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June 7, 10:00 am
Please connect on YouTube
HERE
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Dear Friends and Members of the Ark and Dove Community,
In this week of national protests and intense political debate, I hope that you have found time to ground yourself in meditation and prayer. It's probably not a useful spiritual practice to throw things at the TV nor is it a wise use of our resources to buy a new TV every week. Last week in Pastor Jon's letter and again in his Pentecost sermon, he invited us to join in a 21 day Racial Justice Challenge, and he provided us with two links, which I am reprinting below:
It only takes five minutes a day to do some reading, which then can inform your time of prayer or meditation. We hope that the Spirit of God will speak to your heart about racial justice. If you haven't started yet, that's fine, start today. We are going to keep the orange, yellow and red Pentecost colors up in the Sanctuary for two more Sundays to remind us to stay passionate about the justice to which the Holy Spirit of God calls us.
The session is continuing its development of a church re-opening policy and the many new procedures that we will need in place in order to worship together safely. We are using the guidelines of the
Presbytery of Baltimore and the
Anne Arundel County Health Department as our tools for implementation. We value the health and safety of all our members, so this will take some time. Although some houses of worship are meeting with small numbers, we know we are not ready and that is why I am grateful for your generous giving to the
livestream fund (and grateful that pledged giving is steady and ahead of budget). Each week our leaders on the facilities and worship ministries are working hard to add new technology and make Sunday morning
livestream even better. We are conducting listening sessions on returning to worship and so far the congregation is united in the feelings that we miss worship, christian education and each other, but that we should go slow and get it right. We would like to hear your voice. Please contact
admin@arkanddove.org to register for a listening session this week.
June 10, 7:00 PM
June 11, 9:00 AM
June 12, 1:00 PM
or next week June 16, 7:00 PM
or June 18, 6:00 PM (new time)
Peace of Christ
Tim
timsstern@gmail.com
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Dear Members and Friends of Ark and Dove,
The news is overwhelming. Opening a browser to a news source, tapping the NPR app on the phone, or unfolding a newspaper can induce stress and anxiety. Bombarded by news through notifications on our devices, sometimes it is the good and necessary decision to turn it off.
This is a privilege many of us have, to shut off the news of deadly pandemic and racial violence. For so many people, the bad news we hate to hear is daily life. It cannot be turned off. To be in solidarity with those who suffer, I think we have to spend some time reflecting on what is happening outside our homes.
One strategy we might take to balance our news intake is to incorporate it into our devotional practice. The Swiss theologian Karl Barth told his students that they should hold the newspaper in one hand and the Bible in another. It does nothing to just hold the Bible in hand. It needs to be opened and read. What if we placed daily news in conversation with Scripture?
As an example, when you read about cases of COVID-19 and the fear it still induces it might be encouraging to read Isaiah 41:13, where God promises to help in times of distress. Or when we read about the ways in which leaders are considering re-opening businesses, public spaces, and houses of worship, it might be instructive to read Paul's words to the Philippians in chapter 2, verses 1-11. There Paul encourages the people to look not only to our own interests, but to those of others--just as God has done for us in Christ Jesus.
Or, when hearing George Floyd's last words, we might be moved to consider the seven last words of Jesus. When we see how national leaders ignore the cries of the oppressed, we might be instructed by the prophet Jeremiah who proclaimed:
Thus says the Lord: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord (9:23-24).
In a time such as this, we need to place the word of the Bible in conversation with the word on the street. In this way, we can re-frame current events. One of the things prophets have always done, from Isaiah to Martin Luther King Jr., is place current events within God's history as revealed in Scripture. In this way, they found hope that, even in the worst occasions, God was making something new (Rev. 21). Instead of being overwhelmed by the news, let's devote ourselves to some time where we can place today's stories within God's story.
Peace,
Jon
jnelson@arkanddove.org
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Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
- Genesis 1:26-27
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I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through a belief in threeness, through confession of the oneness of the Creator of Creation. I arise today through the strength of heaven, light of sun, radiance of moon, splendor of fire, speed of lightning, swiftness of wind, depth of sea, stability of earth, firmness of rock. I arise today through a might, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness of the Creator of Creation.
-St. Patrick of Ireland
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It's not too late to participate in our virtual children's choir. This week, I've sent around a recording and lyrics sheet to 'Jesus Loves Me'. If you have a device for them to listen to the accompaniment, head phones, and a separate device to record, you're in business! We're so excited to have the children help lead worship on June 21--we've missed seeing their faces! The deadline for submissions is
Monday, June 15.
Peace,
Margaret
Director of Music
margaret.mcgillivray@gmail.com
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This week the band is going to be sharing a song that speaks to letting the spirit in to change ourselves and our communities for the better, "Breathe" by Gungor. I know we don't really want anyone breathing on anyone else right now due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic, but we do need God to breathe out love, patience, guidance, and spirit, so we can truly work together on healing this broken ground.
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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YTD Expected Unpledged Income
Actual Unpledged Income
Behind
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$16,120.00
$12,893.00
$3,227.00
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YTD Expected Pledged Income
YTD Actual Pledged Income
Ahead!
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$188,965.00
$198,215.00
$9,250.00
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Last month we started our new mission commitment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
Samaritans Today! and your response has been outstanding. Thank you for your generosity and kindness. As of the end of May we have raised $8,170.
For those who may not recall,
Samaritans Today! includes three pillars of action: helping alleviate hunger in our county, ensuring the Missions and Ministries of Ark and Dove remain funded, and supporting families from our congregation in financial distress during this crisis. At least 50% of the funds raised through
Samaritans Today! will continue to be used to procure and distribute meals through our partnership with the Kingdom Celebration Center here in Odenton. Our near-term goal is to fund 2,020 meals for those in need. With the funding already earmarked from
Samaritans Today! and the money pledged to the Food Pantry, we are already two-thirds of the way to that initial goal and are distributing 125 meals a week via our Mission Ministry.
As to the other two pillars of this effort, the effects of the pandemic are starting to be felt more directly within Ark and Dove. Each month the number of families that have had to reduce or stop their contributions to the church has grown as the economic fallout spreads across the community. The church has also started providing direct support to families in our congregation as jobs have been lost, but bills continue to come. These are truly trying times, but your gifts have ensured we have a buffer to help meet these needs and continue sharing the love of Christ.
When the Samaritan first rescued the traveler, he took him to an inn and cared for his immediate needs – much as our gifts through the month of May have helped care for many of the initial needs in our community and our congregation. The next day, however, the Samaritan told the innkeeper to continue caring for the traveler and that he would return to pay whatever expenses remained. The Samaritan’s generosity continued, as we hope yours will (for those who are able) as we continue to meet the COVID-19 pandemic head-on, together, united in faith and love.
Steve Debus, Joe Gray, Tricia Gray, Diane Johnson, Bruce Sanders and
Doug Walcutt (The Stewardship Team of Ark and Dove)
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The Cross and the Lynching Tree
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Emmett Till was lynched in Mississippi. George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. Jesus Christ was crucified on Golgotha.
James Cone wanted us to see the connection between these three killings. Famed artist, Chance the Rapper, tweeted Cone's reflections in the wake of Floyd's murder, making Cone all the more relevant to a new audience. In Cone's book,
The Cross and the Lynching Tree, he helps us to see how Christ has been and is crucified on American soil. His book is a sober look at the injustices done to black and brown bodies, including Jesus of Nazareth. It is also an exploration of the ways musical artists, theologians, and writers found hope in seeing Jesus in contemporary suffering.
On
June 23, 7 pm, Pastor Tim and I will host a discussion on Cone's provocative identification of Jesus of Nazareth with the sufferings of black persons in America. We encourage you to pick up and read Cone's short book in advance, but you do not have to read the book to participate. Our discussion will include music and poetry. If you would like to join, please contact Pastor Jon at (jnelson@arkanddove.org).
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What's New With Our Building!
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Hi all! We hope you are all doing well. While we have not been in the building for a while, we are still hard at work updating and addressing things, in advance of phasing back in building usage. The facilities ministry has done so much to allow us to have livestreaming, and we want to acknowledge all the hard work that has gone into making that a success. They have also installed new technology to help with worship, done some interior painting, as well as landscaping. KUDOS Facilities ministry and volunteers!!
While the Session is waiting to hear back from the listening sessions regarding a phased reopening, we know of several things we need to address in the interim. One of our big projects will be to clean the air ducts in the church and have an air purifying system for the offices. In addition, we are considering joining a co-op to save on various costs to include the copier, trash pick-up, electricity and gas. We are saving a small amount of money due to our current situation of only livestream worship, but as we phase back into the building our costs will go back up. Thankfully, our congregation has been giving generously to support our mission! Thank you to everyone who has given so generously through pledging, dedicated gifts, and donations to our special funds. You make this possible! You can donate anytime on our
website
.
We are getting close to a point where we need to update our lighting in the sanctuary. The particular wattage, of some of our light bulbs, are no longer being made. We do not have a large amount set aside for building updates and maintenance, particularly after we recently replaced the roof and siding. In order to make the lighting project possible, we will need to take out a loan for purchasing and installing new sanctuary light fixtures. The good news is the new fixtures will be MUCH more energy efficient, perhaps even to the extent that the savings in energy costs might cover the interest on the loan. We will be researching and proceeding thoughtfully with this new lighting project. Anyone who feels called to assist please contact Julia Kirby, administration elder, at maybe_soon98@yahoo.com or Autumn Vernon, facilities elder, at autumn.vernon03@gmail.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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Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:4
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Pastor Tim and I will be co-facilitating the next
Healing Through Grief group on Wednesday, June 10 at 7 pm as a Zoom meeting. The Healing Through Grief small group is open to anyone attending Ark and Dove and their family, who have experienced the death of a loved one, whether it is recent or long ago. While quarantining during COVID-19, many have found grieving for lost loved ones, even from years ago, a difficult thing to bear.
Let us know if you have the slightest inclination to attend on
June 10, so that we can send you the link to the Zoom meeting. If you change your mind later, no problem. Also, let me know if you have not used Zoom before, so that we can provide you with some information in advance. Any questions, please contact Pastor Tim Stern at
timsstern@gmail.com or 410-674-6400 or Linnie Girdner at
girdnerlinda@gmail.com or 410-999-7892.
Let's be there for one another in this new way of healing through grief. If you need to talk with someone prior to that date, please feel free to give me a call or contact your
Deacon. (To keep the growing group at the appropriate size for deep sharing, we are sorry to say that it will not be open to neighbors and friends unless they have participated in the past or were invited to the last session. I am happy to provide referrals to other community resources.)
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Antiracism and Social Equity
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The murder of George Floyd has unleashed a powerful movement that challenges us to action. But this movement goes far beyond police injustices. This movement is about systemic racism and inequality in education, in food insecurity, in housing, in environmental problems, in wealth, and in a government where people of color do not have a seat at the table. Watching the young people actively involved gives me hope that maybe this time we will stand up and effect change for our black and brown brothers and sisters.
I’m not sure who wrote the following, but I’m hoping we will all reflect on it.
We want to say that All Lives Matter.
It’s true.
But …
All lives weren’t held in bondage for hundreds of years; Black lives were.
All lives weren’t raped and impregnated to have their children sold off like cattle; Black lives were.
All lives weren’t held in human zoos; Black lives were.
All lives weren’t legally segregated in schools and buses and businesses; Black lives were.
All lives weren’t lynched after a woman lied on them; Black lives were.
All lives weren’t murdered by police officers in broad daylight on camera; Black lives were.
When we say that #BlackLivesMatter, please understand that it doesn’t mean that only Black lives matter, or that Black lives matter more. What we mean is “we see you”. It’s an affirmation to our friends that we are here for them and an assertion that we will do what is within our power to make this country a place that works for all of us….
…Because we want to say “All Lives Matter”. We want to live in that world, and we want our children to live in that world.
But we can’t, because our history – our past and our present – shows that not all lives matter. And nothing will change until we have the courage to face that ugly history openly and honestly.
When we say that “All Lives Matter”, we’re saying “we don’t want to think about reality”… “we don’t want to deal with history and its legacy” …”we want to stop talking about these problems” … “we want to be happily unaware”.
We want to say “All Lives Matter” … but it’s a lie. All lives won’t matter until #BlackLivesMatter.
Paula Sparks, Antiracism and Social Equity team
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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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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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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 John Mikeska; Adell Gaurin; 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; 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; 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; Patriceo Green’s brother and sister; Jennifer and Shawn Ralston’s niece; 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 McGillivray's friend, Kim Nolet and neighbor John Romero; Michelle Schoonmaker's friend Amaris Wallace; Linnie Girdner and Jan Hof’s friends, Grace Ligon and Skip Dorrell; Churchill’s friend, Tammy; Jerri Webb’s friend, Chuck Mabry; Kim Young's friend, Joyce Miller; 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 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 Koch and Biondolillo families on the death of Jane Biondolillo’s sister, Amy Koch.
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the families of those who are battling COVID-19: Dot Forloines' friend, Monique Nelson; 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 all those who are working toward justice, truth and good; for those who fight against odds for others’ rights, safety and well-being; for those who care for, protect and strengthen the vulnerable and victimized; for those who are the voice for those who have none; for those who choose healing; and for those who are finding their way to healing.
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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