Dear Members of the Ark and Dove Community,

One of the hallmarks of Presbyterian governance is shared authority. The Pastor(s) does/do not run the church, the Session does; but both the Session and the Pastors are elected by the congregation. The Pastors are members of Session and work together with the elders to organize ministry in the local congregation. In the case of Pastors, when there is a vacancy, the Session does not search for a Pastor, but the congregation elects a Pastor Nominating Team. It is a significant responsibility and a weighty task to serve on such a team. In our case, Pastor Jon has accepted a call to a church in California and we need an Associate Pastor Nominating Team (APNT). The relationship between and pastor and a congregation is a three cornered shape (shared authority). The APNT, the Congregation of Ark and Dove, and the Presbytery of Baltimore must all agree on the candidate. The APNT searches for an Associate Pastor, The Presbytery Commission on Ministry aids and guides the APNT and vets the candidate and the congregation must ultimately approve the candidate at a congregational meeting, and the vote needs to be carried by a substantial majority. That’s not part of the rules, but a substantial majority is needed to assure a good fit and harmonious congregation. A 51 to 50 vote might work in the Senate, but spells trouble for a church. The votes to elect me and Pastor Jon were unanimous.  That gets you off to a good start.

The Session of Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church is pleased to call a special congregational meeting for Sunday August 21st at 11:45 AM, the purpose of the meeting is to elect an Associate Pastor Nominating Team. The following names will be placed in nomination by the Session:

Ylonda Fauntleroy     Laura Willoughby

Adora Grace Nilsen Johnson

Julie Devers       Emma Talbert

Donna Anderson     Aaron Fox

Fred Barrow     David Lawson

Jim Cooper      

As one of the long term goals of our congregation is to continue our journey toward becoming a multicultural community; the session has worked to nominate a diverse team of church leaders in terms of race, gender identity, cultural background, age and length of membership at Ark and Dove. 

This will be a hybrid meeting, taking place in person, in the sanctuary and by Zoom. CLICK HERE for the Zoom Meeting Invitation.

 

Three other significant staff updates:

And a final piece of wonderful news. A Library Team of Kim Champagne (Team Leader) Yewande Bayly, Amy Tardiff, Shelly Franklin, Paula Sparks, and Lori Kronser have completely reorganized our church library in the Ark and Dove Room. It was a herculean effort! Thank you to the team. The entire collection is also online. You can email the Librarians at librarian@arkanddove.org

Kim will hang out in the library after church, this Sunday if people want to chat about the library, sign up as a patron, or wish to join our team.

Peace of Christ,

tstern@arkanddove.org

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Lourdes Cordero for a safe trip; those in Gaza under attack; Karen Judeich recovering from surgery and COVID; Harrison-Wyatt Family searching for Jamil Wyatt; people of Smith Island, MD who are recovering from tornado hit; Ronald Sahai, Rawn’s Dad, recovering from a heart attack; Marie Sahai, Nikol’s Mom, health issues; Irina Lee, Jan and Al Jank's daughter-in-law; Tricia Gray; Payton 18 months old , starting chemo therapy; Fran; Laura Talbert; Dot Forloines; Vaughn Brown; Dick Paronto; Pamala Morrison recovering; the family of Lillian Henderson, who passed away; for Candis Milbournes's family after the passing of her aunt; For members of the Davie family killed in East Glacier Park Village, Montana; for Julie Devers' friend Zenia Dacio-Messina, recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer; for Hope Sutphin, recently diagnosed with breast cancer; Dotty Kaufmann; Arlyce Lohr; the family & law enforcement office of Daniel Vasquez; a friend and her family experiencing big changes, Talbert family for passing of Aunt; Emily Wehage; Diane Makar's friend mother, 95 and recovering from surgery; Donna Beckwith recovering from 2nd round of chemo; Joshua having oral surgery; Alex from Communidad Presbiteriana La Trinidad; Stephen Herman; Jeff Miller, Kathy Miller brother-in-law; Freyja Hartzell; Amy Goldber's father, Michael Cooper; Denise Bartgis; Rebecca Echols friend, Lauren Douglas, and Uncle, Rick Orfinger; Andy, friend of Karen Dodson; Jeanne Elbefeld; Abawi family member; Praise the healthy arrival of Lillian Rose, Great niece of Laurie & Fred Barrow; Charlotte Davie; Mike Bartgis's cousin; Lydia Doughty; Marjorie Tanner, Laura Doughty’s mother; Ellen; Cara Moody father-in-law, Gary Moody Sr.; Friends of Michelle Schoonmaker: Carly & Chris Taylor and Bri Reed; Jan Hof; Laurie Barrow's brother, Steve Beckwith; Fred Barrow’s sister, Betsy Sargant; Debbie Saylor's Family and Friends: Carlene Printy, Helen Rossum, Wayne Rennex, Alison Buffington & Chris and Jeff; Karen Mongold, colleague of Ray Bussey; Donna Kurtz ; Chris and Jeff, friends of Deb Saylor; Amber Maschino, neighbor of Craig West; Jack Sweeney; Mary Lou Dulina, friend of Cheryl Schafer; Alvin Dennis and Audrey Price; Ashton Borsella; Tiffany Thompson; Courtney, Deborah Dingle’s niece; Anna Scofield; the people of Ukraine; Lou Kareha's friends and family: Aubriella and Michael Steele, B. Wicker, James Karanasky (sister-in-law's brother), Thomas Kochis (cousin), and Nando Smacci (friend); Mike and Denise Bartgis' son-in-law; Lourdes Cordero's family and friends: Diane Cordero (sister), Jose (brother), granddaughter, and Fred and Arelene Jones (friends); Christy Hipchen’s nephew and grandmother, Ann Chubon; Josh Arnold; the family of Mike Esparza; Amy Tardiff’s Aunt Fran; Michelle Schoonmaker; Bernice Taylor, Michelle Schoonmaker's great aunt and Ylonda Fauntleroy’s Aunt; Cameron Jackson, Ylonda Fauntleroy’s cousin, dealing with a difficult situation; Frank Stillwell; Mary Caolo; David Johns; Angela Goska; Belinda Edwards; Karen Stokes; Betty Small; Calvin Latham; Ann Hirschy's family: Isaiah, Aunt Cindy, and brother; Ann Hirschy; Adell Gaurin; Carol Saylor; Ray Bussey's mother, Doris; Amy Hagemann’s sister, Susan Pratt; Mary Benson’s sister; Bill Lifsey Sr., Amy Carskadon Lifsey’s father-in-law; Helen Wilkens' mother, Jane Reinert; Karen Dodson’s cousin, Miles and the family; Pam, Carrie Dodson's friend; Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle, Lewis Shorter’s niece; Dot Forloine’s Family: Melisa Tucker Saatthoff (granddaughter) and Luke (great-grandson); Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; Amy Goldberg’s grandmother, Ruth Cooper; Diane Johnson's Family: Uncle Ed, Aunt Janet, and Cousin Richard; Diane Johnson's friend, Tom; Shelley Franklin's father; James Franklin's sister-in-law, Kelli Franklin; Gunther Kurtz, Laurie Barrow’s nephew; Carl Hahn, Laura Doughty’s brother-in-law; Ruth Doughty, Paul Doughty's mother; Cheryl and Doug Walcutt’s Family: Cheryl Walcutt (mother of Cheryl), Judy (sister of Cheryl); Don Clark, friend of Cheryl Walcutt; Margaret Schade, Erika Sealing's grandmother; Rob Yeager’s friends: Greta Daughtrey and Peter Brown; Linda Jordan, Christy Yeager’s mother; Bonnie, Linda Jordan’s niece.