It was a great joy to partake in the church picnic and walk through the mission fair. For me, it was a celebration of our community. We have endured so much time apart that sitting outside with so many gathered friends enjoying food was a great privilege. During the pandemic, we have kept our attention on the needs around us and in the world. The mission fair was a celebration of that work and an invitation to do more. Last Sunday, the Ark and Dove community brought me great joy and I was not alone in feeling it.

Community creates so much joy. And yet, the sad part of being in community is that people leave. Many of you know that Margaret McGillivray, one of our directors of music, is leaving Ark and Dove. I am sad to say that this Sunday is her last day leading us in worship. (Please see her letter below.) Margaret, as you know, is an extraordinarily gifted musician with diverse talents. Her range of talents and breadth of musical knowledge has led us to higher praise and deeper contemplation. Her leadership of the choir has often left us stunned at the tight end of an anthem. Her amazingly gifted family and friends have given voice to our prayers. Despite these gifts, Margaret learned new skills during the pandemic. She was able to unite voices recorded in quarantine and uplift us with songs we needed when we were necessarily apart. Margaret has been instrumental in helping us worship together again in a safe manner. I am grateful for all Margaret's gifts given to us, especially throughout this pandemic. She has given this community opportunities to rejoice.

Ark and Dove is a community of joy. I have always felt that here. Today, I am very grateful for the leaders, past and present, who use their gifts to help us rejoice in the gift of life. I pray that you find joy here too.

O God, help us to find a way out of no way. Show us possibility where we see none. Crack open a door in a hallway of closed ones. Help us see a third way where we have only seen two. Rescue us from between the rock and the hard place. Ignite hope where there is despair. Lead us through problem and predicament. Encourage us to move when caught in a stalemate. Recall that which we deem lost. Remind us in our impossible situations that there is no such thing for you. Amen.

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Charlotte Davie; Hiley Green; Nicole Chidlow; Carol Saylor; Ray Bussey's mother, Doris; Liz Olson; Margaret Floyd; Russ Hester; Vaughn Brown; Patty and Steve Plander; Arlyce Lohr; Krista Klohr; Dotty Kaufman; Michelle Schoonmaker; Dick Paronto; Richard and Edie Budd; Cindy Schafer; Cheryl Walcutt’s sister Judy and mother; Christy Hipchen’s Uncle Frank and grandmother, Ann Chubon; Amy Stavely’s aunt, Sharon Boyd; Ryan Stavely’s father, Brian; Amy Hagemann’s sister, Susan Pratt; Mary Benson’s sister; Amy Carskadon Lifsey’s father-in-law, Bill Lifsey Sr.; Karen Dodson’s cousin, Miles, and Miles’ entire family; Tricia Gray’s grandfather, Paul; Helen Wilkens' mother, Jane Reinert; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Pat Dole; Judy Cooper’s daughter, Jessica Quigley; Paul Doughty’s mother, Ruth Doughty; Tina Anthis’ father, Steve Bissel; Camille Dubois’ parents and the Dubois family; Debbie Saylor’s sister, Christine; Todd Stubbs’ stepfather, David Hopsicker; a member of the Tardiff family; Dionne Whitby's daughter, and niece, Jannah; Amanda Crose’s mother, and grandmother, Betty Davis; Dotty Kaufman’s daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; Kathy Miller’s sister, Beth Krauth, and brother-in-law, Jeff Miller; Lewis Shorter and Lewis Shorter’s niece, Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle; Bob Fuller’s brother, Joe Fuller; Dot Forloine’s granddaughter Melisa Tucker Saatthoff, and her great-grandson Luke; Debbie Arey’s sister, Denise; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s family in Connecticut, and their daughter, Allison; Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; Kennon Bauman’s uncle, Dan Johnston; Amy Goldberg’s grandmother, Ruth Cooper; Christy Yeager’s mother, Linda Jordan; Linda Jordan’s niece, Bonnie; Diane Johnson's Uncle Ed, Aunt Janet, and cousin Richard; Shelley Franklin's father; Amanda Wehage’s 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; Laura Willoughby's father, Norman; Ann Hirschy’s aunt, Cindy, and brother; Kelly Burnett’s nephew, Justin; Lou Kareha’s cousin, Thomas Kochis; Cheryl and Doug Walcutt’s grandchild, Gray Adacutt; Erika Sealing's grandmother, Margaret Schade; Lourdes Cordero's granddaughter and friends, Fred and Arelene Jones; Mike and Charlotte Davie’s friend, Dave Page; Linda Lewis’ friend, Carol Fudge; Rob Yeager’s friends, Greta Daughtrey and Peter Brown; and Maren McGillivray-Stubbs’ best friend’s father, Gentry Sims.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Butler and Nesbitt families on the death of Cynamon Butler's uncle, John Nesbitt.

PRAYERS OF HEALING for those with COVID-19 including: Joe Gray’s parents and brother and Louise Sharrocks’ family members in England.