Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

As the school year begins, it begins under extraordinary and challenging times. Students, teachers and parents are all facing a very different school year.  I know that many households in our congregation and community are finding this time of COVID-19 very difficult, and so I am very much keeping you all in prayer.

 

I want us all to remember that there are still some unfriendly people in the world that are preying on the good will and faith of disciples and churches.  One thing that is repeatedly happening almost every week is phishing.  People or computer programs send emails to a church member claiming to be the pastor of their church asking for money or gifts cards. Pastor Jon and I will never send you an individual email asking you for money or gift cards.  Both of us now have e-mails that end in arkanddove.org. No phishing scammer can get an e-mail that ends in arkanddove.org.  As the Discipleship Ministry and the Stewardship Team and Session start to plan for 2021, we as a church will send letters and articles in the arkive, but we will only be asking you to pledge to the church. 

 

Since the internet is constantly evolving, we thought it might be good to offer a cyber education course at Ark and Dove.  I am grateful to Joe Gray and Sean Futch and our Discipleship Ministry for preparing a three week course for us beginning on September 22, 2020, and I look forward to joining them at 8 pm each evening--short one half-hour classes. See article below.

 

Ancient Prayer Practices. Beginning on October 27, I will be leading a five week experience on Ancient Prayer Practices on Tuesday evenings at 7 pm by ZOOM.  Our book will be Creating a Life with God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices by Daniel Wolpert.  You can order it at Amazon or https://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com.  Please register for this experience by sending me an e-mail at tstern@arkanddove.org.  I will then contact you to set up a one-on-one ZOOM to prepare for our group time together. Please note that our second group session will take place on election night, November 3. We will be sure to pray for our nation.

Peace of Christ,

tstern@arkanddove.org

Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

This Wednesday night we had our first adult Christian education class in-person. We put on a small campfire and people circled around with lawn chairs. We had to talk a little louder, on account of masks and outdoor noise. About 20-30 minutes in, it started to drizzle and then rain. Those in attendance scrambled to grab umbrellas and even though it rained enough to dowse the fire, everyone stayed. Christian education continues through Covid, through the storm.

In the coming week, we are kicking off our Christian education programs for children and adults. All of the opportunities are below, please do take a look. I want to highlight one of our programs because it is a big departure from last year. This year LOGOS, our midweek children and youth gathering, will take on a new look. It will be a hybrid of online engagement and safe in-person outside meetings. We are inviting families to participate in something we believe will be a great support through the coming months.

This year, LOGOS is a 4-week rotation around these actions: learn, connect, act, and worship. Each segment happens on Tuesday evenings. Our theme for the year is fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). This is what it looks like:

We will kick-off this LOGOS year with a spiritual walk around the church campus on September 22, 4-6 pm. All are encouraged to come to church and walk through stations exploring the fruits of the Spirit on our grounds.

The LOGOS team invites you to a meeting this coming Tuesday night (the 15th) at 6 pm to discuss this new approach to LOGOS in 2020. We hope you will get engaged! This new program seeks to accommodate safety precautions with the real need we all have for community. Contact Jen Roman jroman8414@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

Let us support one another in creative ways in these difficult days.

Peace,

jnelson@arkanddove.org

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Dick Paronto; Camille Dubois; Clark Beaudry’s mother; Deborah Dingle; Dot Forloines’ family and her great-grandson Luke; Dot Bruno’s son, Deante Musgrove; Jess and Adell Gaurin; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s daughter, Allison; Linda Jordan; John Mikeska; Ylonda Fauntleroy’s husband, Tony Schoonmaker and friend, Tanya; Jesse Pennabaker; 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, and friend; Zach Murray’s father, Kelly Murray; Becky Marcus; Fred Barrow; Laurie Barrow’s nephew, Gunther Kurtz; Carlton Jackson; Sabonna Keeney’s mother; Pattie Plander; Richard and Edie Budd; Bernabe Solano; Griselda Solano's sister, Irma; Kathy Miller’s sisters, Patty and Beth; Dotty Kaufman, her son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; Laura Doughty’s brother-in-law, Carl Hahn; Bob Johns; 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; Chip Burnett; Kelly Burnett’s nephew, Justin; 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; Cheryl Walcutt’s mother, nephew, and sisters; Brooks Emrick and her sister, Susan; Vaughn Brown; Frances Keyes; Julia Kirby's mother, Margaret Floyd; 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; Margaret McGillivray's friend, Kim Nolet; Kim Young's friend, Joyce Miller; Linnie Girdner and Jan Hof’s friend, Grace Ligon; the Yeager’s friend, Karen Schell; Steve Debus’ cousin-in-law; Lori Kronser's friend, Barbara Noonan; Noah; and Doug Mattingly’s mother.

PRAYERS OF LOVE, SUPPORT, SAFETY AND GUIDANCE for all students, educators, parents and guardians.

PRAYERS OF HEALING for those with COVID-19: Mary Benson’s brother, Alan Benson and a member.

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: Tricia Gray’s mother; Becca Distad; Jack Burnett; Caitlyn Bussey; 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.