Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

During our Christmas pageant, the pastor (perfectly played by Ava) said that we have this mixed-up world and we rejoice in it. Likely, you can relate to the world being mixed-up right now. This latest surge of the coronavirus has surely mixed up our Christmas and Holiday plans. While some people get sick, others go about their lives without any concern for those who might get sick. That is mixed up! Many of us felt like we were about to get this whole thing right, but we were wrong. The world is not as it should be.

Ava the pastor reminds us that Jesus was not born into a perfect world. Jesus was not born in an accommodating room to prepared parents who lived in a just society. No, Jesus was born in a room unfit for a baby to parents that had to flee a murderous ruler. And yet, the gospels tell us that in this mess angels rejoice in great song, the shepherds glorified God, and Mary was content in her heart. They somehow rejoice in their mixed-up world. So will we.

Maybe, despite all, you are full of joy right now. We are grateful for that. We are also aware that many of us feel as if joy is not in the lexicon right now. It is our prayer and the hope of all our preparations this week that you, whether joyful or joyless, find yourself unexpectedly rejoicing this Christmas. Maybe you will find yourself singing loudly outside at 5 pm on Christmas Eve. Maybe you will give thanks to God for a surprising gift. Maybe you will feel a tug of content. We hope that you are surprised by joy this Christmas.

In peace and love,

The Church Staff

Dear Ark and Dove Community,

With Omicron descending upon us with increased speed, the Session is not just inviting you but requiring that you register for worship until we experience some relief. We are reducing the number of people allowed in the sanctuary to absolutely ensure we have proper social distancing. We will continue to offer two in-person worship services in the Sanctuary, at 9:00 and 10:30, but no childcare at either service. Our 10:30service will remain our livestream service.

A word about 9:00 AM worship: Our Music Directors, Pat and Rebecca are offering wonderful music at that service. The prayers, hymns and sermons are very similar, just shortened a tad so we can be done by 9:45ish to allow the tech team time to get ready for livestream. If 10:30 fills up, give 9:00 AM a try. Register here. Let’s keep each other safe.

Merry Christmas,

We want Christmas to be merry and bright, O God. This one has at least some worry and concern around it. We are anxious, a little afraid, really annoyed, and maybe a bit angry that this Christmas is (again) in pandemic mode. But we remember Mary who had to give birth not where she wanted. We remember that her family began under a threat. You came, nevertheless. Help us remember that this Christmas--you come, nevertheless. You arrive in our troubling circumstances where we can be anything but happy and you give us reason to rejoice. May this always and ever be the case on Christmas. Amen.

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Laura Batten-Carbaugh; Nicole Chidlow's son, Jai; Logan Alexander; Michelle Schoonmaker's friend's children, Kai and Ezra; Frank Stillwell; Mary Caolo; David Johns; Carrie Dodson's friend Pam; Lou Kareha's brother-in-law, Gerry Golden, cousin, Thomas Kochis, and friend, Nando Smacci; Ryan Stavely's uncle, Jeff Gouldman; Louise Sharrocks; Angela Goska; Belinda Edwards; Karen Stokes; Ezra; Sarah and Bojan; Betty Small; a friend of Bob Fuller; the Unger family; Debbie and Bruce Arey's niece, Sarah; Calvin Latham; Brianna Lapp; Anne Hirschy's relative Isaiah and cousin Gordon; Diane Makar; Gabriele Mecca; Charlotte Davie; Hiley Green; Adell Gaurin; Dotty Kaufman; Carol Saylor; Ray Bussey's mother, Doris; Liz Olson; Margaret Floyd; Vaughn Brown; Patty and Steve Plander; Arlyce Lohr; Krista Klohr; Michelle Schoonmaker; Dick Paronto; Cheryl Walcutt’s sister Judy and mother; Christy Hipchen’s nephew and grandmother, Ann Chubon; 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’ family; Tricia Gray’s grandfather, Paul Naggard; Helen Wilkens' mother, Jane Reinert; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Patricia Dole; Judy Cooper’s daughter, Jessica Quigley; Paul Doughty’s mother, Ruth Doughty; Debbie Saylor’s sister, Christine; a member of the Tardiff family; Dionne Whitby's niece, Jannah; 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; Dot Forloine’s granddaughter Melisa Tucker Saatthoff, and her great-grandson Luke; Debbie Arey’s sister, Denise; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s daughter, Allison; Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; 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 father, Dave, and sister; 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; Cheryl and Doug Walcutt’s grandchild, Gray Adacutt; Erika Sealing's grandmother, Margaret Schade; Lourdes Cordero's brother Jose, granddaughter, and friends, Fred and Arelene Jones; Linda Lewis’ friend, Carol Fudge; and Rob Yeager’s friends, Greta Daughtrey and Peter Brown.

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND STRENGTH for our families dealing with COVID.