The Arkive: Ark and Dove's Newsletter

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2nd Sunday in Lent

March 5, 2023

In-Person Worship at 9:00 and 10:30 am, every Sundays.**

Livestream Worship, 10:30 am, every Sunday.

**Mask required at 9:00 am Worship, Mask Optional at 10:30 am Worship

Child Care available for 9:00 and 10:30 am services.

Sunday School for Pre-K - 8th Grade during 10:30 am Worship, every Sunday.

*Register for Sunday School here.

Get your bulletin here.

You can connect on YouTube HERE.

Message from Pastor Tim

Dear friends and members at Ark and Dove community,

You will read in an article below about the listening sessions that our Mission Ministry are conducting through its ACT - Anne Arundel Connecting Together Core Team. Our goal is to listen to 200 people in the county to understand what keeps them up at night. This information will be used by our soon-to-be launched Long Range Planning Team, Our Community Engagement Team, and our friends in ACT. ACT is hoping to listen to maybe 2000 people. Why? It's how we set our agenda for working for fairness in our county. We listen.

About Four years ago ACT conducted a similar campaign that led us to advocate for testing for lead in the fountains and spigots of public schools, affordable and safe subsidized housing for low-income families, safer busses for our children, and Chromebooks for kids during the pandemic. Another issue we identified was the terrible time returning citizens had getting and keeping jobs after they were released from prison. That last concern led us to Turn Around Tuesday in Baltimore, a movement started by our sister organization in Baltimore, BUILD - Baltimoreans United In Leadership Development.

After years of work, Turn Around Thursday was launched yesterday in Annapolis thanks in part to your support of ACT! Turn Around Thursday is modeled after the Turn Around Tuesday movement and is a partnership with The Anne Arundel Community Action Agency of our county. ACT doesn't run programs, but we will be actively helping Turn Around Thursday by providing Community Organizing leadership, guidance and support. The Turn Around movement has a 65%+ rate of success with returning citizens. After two years, more than 65% of the Turn Around returning citizens have kept their jobs and earned their independence because of the skills they learn and the support they have from this movement. In this type of work, that is an incredible success rate. Thank you to Ark and Dove for supporting ACT and thank you to the strong handful of people from our church that helped to staff the launch and press conference yesterday in Annapolis!

Some of us have returning citizens in our families or neighborhood. They paid their debt to society; Turn Around Thursday can help them become successful and good citizens. Here is the link to Turn Around Thursday. Turn Around Thursday it's a movement, not a program!

Peace,

Tim

tstern@arkanddove.org

Message from Interim Associate Pastors

Dear Members and Friends of Ark and Dove community,

Today we want to write about our youth. We are so grateful for the opportunity to get to know some of the wonderful young people at Ark and Dove. Whitney Grimms is a great leader for our youth during this interim period. It has been a joy to work with our fine youth leaders: Whitney, Kirsten Hitchcox, Craig West, and Adell Gaurin. Caroline joins the middle school on Sunday evenings, and Stephen has been leading a study with the High School. Several of our adults will be providing staffing at the High School GeNon (LOGOS) Summit, which our youth will be attending this summer. We are so proud and thankful for these dedicated adult leaders.

During this transition period, post pandemic and new staffing patterns at Ark and Dove, many of our young people have not returned. It is both a concern and our hope and prayer that as our congregation moves toward more permanent staffing our youth program will rebound and continue to be strengthened.

Our work with the youth at Ark and Dove has called to mind our experience with other churches. As we think about our own youth program, we want to tell you about one of those churches, a church in Nebraska which Caroline served fairly recently. It is in the town which has been in the news recently due to horrendous child labor violations in the meat-packing plant. It is a far-from perfect church in a far-from perfect town. Like Ark and Dove, they struggled to respond to God’s will in the midst of the world’s complexities.

It was a church which had lost their children. It took Caroline a while to discover this, as it was not something anyone talked about. During her fourth year there, there was a five-month period during which she did seven funerals for children and young people: two accidents, one overdose, two suicides, one illness, one adverse response to medication. The grief in the congregation was overwhelming. She started to do the math. Over sixty families in the congregation had lost a child under the age of 25. As we went through each funeral, families re-lived those other funerals.

Perhaps because of this, children in that congregation were held as exceptionally precious. Their Logos program was large and filled with love (as is ours at Ark and Dove). Their budget reflected a dedication to preschool, Sunday school, summer programs and youth trips. The church poured their resources into their children and youth. The budget was designed so that no child was ever denied access to trips, etc. due to financial need.

In support of their youth, they paid a lot of attention to social media and texts. For instance, every day during Lent the youth were sent a text (prayer, meditation, video link, etc.) All year the congregation kept in touch with the youth through various means, encouraging them to participate in activities. The confirmation program involved a mentor for each youth (as does ours) and the mentors were encouraged to continue to meet with and support their youth throughout high school and beyond. After graduation the mentor relationship continued but the care was picked up by the Deacons. Every month college students were sent cards of encouragement, tiny silly gifts, and gift cards for pizza during exams.

The loss which so many families in that congregation were living with made them particularly conscious of our need to care for and cherish our youth. We hope and pray that none of our Ark and Dove families have to live with that kind of grief. We are so very grateful for the wonderful folks at Ark and Dove who are pouring time and love and dedication into our programs for our children and youth. But we also hope that our congregation can creatively think of even more ways that we can support our young people, especially as they leave us and move out into the world.

Caroline and Stephen

caroline.pricegibson@arkanddove.org

stephen.pricegibson@arkanddove.org

Verse and Prayer

Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you . . . and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3

O God, our helper and protector,

You are able to make us more than we have been and bless us on the way.

Help us to trust your power to call into being things that do and do not exist,

and to make all things new.

Keep us as we journey along paths unknown, in sunshine and moonlight;

until all our goings and comings bring us at last to your kingdom promised in Christ. Amen.

You have probably noticed that during the month of February, I did something called the Musician Spotlight, where we read a bio about the visiting soloists for Black History Month. I will be continuing this spotlight for the band and the choir, so that you can get to know more about the music leaders in our congregation. You can read about Ryan Stavely this week- even I learned something new from reading his bio!

This week, I will open the service with a solo called Good to Me by Audrey Assad. This song was released in 2010, and it features Assad's ethereal vocals and sparse piano accompaniment, creating an intimate and introspective atmosphere- a perfect opening to the service. In an interview, Assad described the song as a personal expression of her own struggles with doubt and anxiety, and how she found comfort and peace in the knowledge of God's love and faithfulness.

The choir will lead the music this week, and we are excited for you to hear Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, arranged by Craig Courtney. This anthem sets the text of the Prayer of Saint Francis. The song opens with a simple choral introduction, and then the tenors and basses begin with the melody. The piece builds to a powerful climax on the text "it is in dying we are born to eternal life". The piece ends with an 8 part a cappella Amen, ending in much the same way that it began- contemplative and intimate.

Rebecca

Director of Music

rechols@arkanddove.org

Musician Spotlight

Ryan Stavely sings bass in the choir, along with playing bass and trumpet when needed and runs the sound board with the help of an amazing tech team (that is always looking for volunteers!). He started music early on trumpet and piano, and also served as part-time organist at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church in Urbana, MD through High School. Attending college at Virginia Tech, he grew to enjoy the tech side of music in addition to performance while working as an A/V tech running sound, light, and film projectors along with playing harpsichord in a small ensemble.

He found his way to Ark and Dove in the fall of 2011 and quickly found his way into the tech booth. Slowly, he started playing keyboard with the band more frequently until the fateful day that Mark Edwards said “Hey, nobody is using that bass, you should take it home and play with it”. Quickly becoming a regular with the band on both instruments, he would occasionally slip in with the choir (and break out the trumpet whenever Rebecca would let him). During the pandemic, he learned video production and put together composite videos of the band and choir for the livestream-only services. For his day job, he manages the installation, test, and fleet support of combat systems (sensors, weapons, and everything that connects them) for the ZUMWALT class of Navy destroyers. Ryan lives in Odenton with his wife, Amy (who is also a member of the choir), and their daughter, Ellie, who is in the 5th grade. Their son, Alexander, attends Virginia Tech and majors in Environment Data Science and minors in Music Technology.

Youth Ensemble will be held from 9 AM to 9:45 AM. Choir Rehearsal will be held from 9:45 AM to 10:15 AM. Participating families are encouraged to join our weekly e-mail list and Google Classroom. Important information will be shared in these settings, as well as rehearsal reminders, music for the week, photos from special Sunday’s, etc. To join, please use the below codes. If you have trouble joining, please stop by one of the rehearsals and I will gladly assist. If you have any questions and/or concerns, please e-mail me at raetta.bond@arkanddove.org.

Google Classrooms:

Youth Ensemble

Children’s Choir

In peace,

Rae'tta

Director of Music for Children and Youth

raetta.bond@arkanddove.org

Generosity!

Please Donate Electronically!

DONATE ONLINE! One-time and recurring!

TEXT your donations! 410-983-3481

Text give to get started. Text commands for more options.

ESTABLISH AN EFT

Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Per Capita Special Offering

Ark and Dove is now receiving the Per Capita Special Offering. The church pays a combined $40.00 per member to the General Assembly of the PCUSA ($9.85), The Synod of the Mid Atlantic ($1.15), and the Presbytery of Baltimore ($29.00) to cover the Administrative Expenses of our denomination. Per Capita funding is how Presbyterians mutually share the costs of coming together and to set directions for the future. Contributions to Per Capita provide the ecclesiastical infrastructure that binds our ministry. It enables churches to call pastors; supports those pastors in their ministries; provides for guidance in troubled times; encourages those called to church leadership; and enables us to gather as the body of Christ. You can pay your per Capita by clicking here.

February Financial Summary

YTD Expected Unpledged Income $3,666

Actual Unpledged Income $2,2127

Behind $1,539

YTD Expected Pledged & Electronic Giving $86,658

YTD Actual Pledged & Electronic Giving $75,161

Behind $11,497

Bulletin - 2nd Sunday of Lent

Holy Week Flowers

The Flower Team and Worship Ministry are accepting donations for palms and Easter flowers for Holy week. The suggested donation is $15 and may be made at in-person service or by texting FLOWERS to 410-983-3481. Easter lilies will be available to take home on after Easter Service if desired. Forms are available in the church bulletin or online. If you have any questions, please contact Paula Griggs at 443-510-6687 or paulagriggs32@gmail.com.

Deacons All Call

Calling on All Ark and Dove

members and guests!

The Ark and Dove Deacons will be calling and introducing themselves on Sunday, March 12th after the 10:30 service. The Deacons will also be answering any questions or concerns you may have. We look forward to chatting with you by phone!

Any questions should be directed to Paula Griggs,

paulagriggs32@gmail.com.

Upcoming Listening Sessions

Our Ark and Dove core team is involved in ACT’s current listening campaign. We invite Ark and Dove members and friends and local community members to talk with us. We would like you to share your compelling stories of how you are coping with the challenges of our times. Through these listening sessions, we will learn of your concerns and needs. Your concerns and needs may become causes that ACT addresses through county-wide actions. Closer to home, your stories will factor into our Long Range Planning Team’s work, as well as the Community Engagement efforts that we began last fall.

We are in the process of putting together a schedule of focus group listening sessions. If you are a member of one of these focus groups, you are welcome to attend at the time scheduled. However, attendees need not be affiliated with the focus group; anyone can attend any listening session at their convenience. If you are a member of several focus groups, you do not need to attend more than one session. By early May, we hope to hear the stories of each of you and many of our community neighbors. We look forward to talking with you soon!

The schedule will continue to grow and will include more focus groups in the coming weeks. (Yet to be scheduled: Friendly Seniors, GLEAM, Middle School Youth Group, High School Youth Group)

Upcoming Listening Session Dates

March 8th - 6:45pm-7:45pm, Zoom - EARTH CARE

March 10th - 5:05pm-5:50pm, Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant, Gambrills - OPEN LISTENING SESSION

March 14th, 6:15pm-7:00pm, Ark and Dove Room - LOGOS PARENTS

March 15th - 11:15am-12:00pm following Bible Study, Zoom - BIBLE STUDY

March 19th, 11:45am-12:30pm, Ark and Dove Room - PARENTS

March 28th - 7:00pm-7:45pm, Zoom - OPEN LISTENING SESSION

April 3rd - 6:30pm-7:15pm, Zoom - ANTIRACISM

April 11th -7:30pm-8:15pm, Zoom - NEW MEMBERS

April 16th, 10:00am-10:30am, Ark and Dove Room - OPEN LISTENING SESSION

April 18th - 7:00pm-7:45pm, Zoom - OPEN LISTENING SESSION

April 25th - 7:00pm-7:45pm, Zoom - OPEN LISTENING SESSION

April 30th, 11:45am-12:30pm, Ark and Dove Room - OPEN LISTENING SESSION

May 7th, 10:00am-10:30am, Ark and Dove Room - OPEN LISTENING SESSION

Outreach & Connections

Pastor Tim, Cathy Debus, and Linnie Girdner will be co-facilitating the next Healing through Grief group on Wednesday, March 8 from 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM again as a Zoom meeting. The Healing through Grief small group is open to anyone attending Ark and Dove, as well as family members, friends and neighbors, who have experienced the death of a loved one, whether it is recent or a long time ago.

Please let me know if you have the slightest inclination to attend on March 8th, 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 should be directed to Linnie Girdner, girdnerlinda@gmail.com or 410-999-7892.

Let's be there for one another in our healing through grief. If you need to talk with someone prior to that date, feel free to give me a call or contact your Deacon.

Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church

Anti-Racism

Microaggressions on Steroids

At our next Affinity group meeting we'll dissect a scenario a friend experienced recently that involved not one, but three microaggressions from one person. How were these received? How were they addressed? What would you do? Don't miss this one! Join us on Monday, March 6th at 7 PM on zoom. Contact Paula Sparks (trebleclef48@gmail.com) for the zoom invitation.

Mission

One Great Hour of Sharing

Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through One Great Hour of Sharing to share God’s love with people experiencing need. Our gifts support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development that help people find safe refuge, start new lives and work together to strengthen their families and communities. The Presbyterian Hunger Program receives 36 percent of undesignated gifts, while Self-Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance each receives 32 percent.

Offerings may be submitted in the OGHS envelope in the seat backs in the sanctuary, within the Giving Tab on the A&D website, or by texting Great Hour to 410-983-3481 to donate.

DONATE ONLINE!

Mexican Refugee Family Update

In 2017, Ark and Dove members began supporting a newly-arrived refugee family from Mexico. With the church’s support, they were able to learn how to navigate the various health and government systems in the U.S., gain drivers’ licenses, and generally thrive faster than without. Since that time, they’ve received their permanent residency and are working on citizenship; bought their first house; and more recently the mother was able to buy a food truck with money she’d saved up from selling Oaxacan bread.

The family has since been joined by the mother’s sister and her two children, who were able to cross into the U.S. under advance parole that allows migrants from Mexico to enter for one of four special circumstances: those who have a physical or mental illness, a disability, or are pregnant; lack safe housing or shelter in Mexico; have been threatened or harmed while in Mexico; or are under 21 or over 70. In a future update, I’ll go over more recent policy changes put in place by the Biden Administration for migrants seeking asylum and how what’s happening on the Southern Border is a social justice issue.

For now, though, the family could use some additional support from Ark and Dove members who feel so moved. They crossed with very little belongings: only a couple of outfits, one pair of shoes that they wore, and a stuffed animal for the little girl. The family is in need of clothing, and lightly used clothes are fine. Anyone who feels so moved could also provide grocery cards to help with those rising food costs, as well.

A plastic bin has been installed underneath the coat rack at the church to collect any clothes you might have. It is marked with the family’s alias. If you wanted to also contribute a grocery or other card (Shoppers, Walmart, etc) you can leave that in an envelope marked for the Mexican refugee family on Cherese’s (Church Admin) desk.

The kids will start school next week and will have to wear specific colors for school uniforms, and I’ve included what those colors are on the line following clothing sizes.

Mom

Clothing: Children’s Size 10-12

Shoes: Girls’ (children) Size 2

Son (13 years old)

Clothing: Boys’ size 14-16; pants are size 16; Khaki pants and Navy Blue shirts (polo/button up preferred as usual)

Shoes: Boys’ size 7

Daughter (6 years old)

Clothing: Girls’ size 5T; Khaki pants and Black shirts (polo/ button up preferred as usual)

Shoes: Toddler size 11

If you have any questions OR would like to be added to the email list for future updates, contact Laura Willoughby Perry at ljwilloughby@gmail.com.

I have seen the direct difference the direct support, care and concern for this family has made in their lives: Ark and Dove members have blessed them, and as a result they have been able to prosper and thrive much sooner than others who may not have such support. Know that the entire family is moved and touched by Ark and Dove member’s ongoing support.

Laura Willoughby Perry

Member of Refugee Team

Yarn Donations Requested for Guatemala Partnership Trip

Ark and Dove have participated in many trips with the Presbytery of Baltimore throughout the years. The type of Intercultural Encounters that Ark and Dove have participated have changed since we first started participating. We began through the Immersion-Work Groups, a time of study of a certain topic with work experience where we would participate in mutual learning and interaction with Central American people and groups. We later stared participating in Partnership Strengthening Visits which helps solidify relations with local groups and/or churches. We learn about the realities in which their partners live day to day.

If you would like to learn more about the Partnership, please visit the Baltimore Presbytery website under the Relationships tab.

On March 25th Lori Kronser, Sher Atkinson and I will be traveling to Guatemala for a week of reconnection with CEDEPCA after a few years off due to Covid-19. We will be taking with us yarn for the women who create beautiful scarves that help to support them and their families. A box will be placed near the collection area by the nursery. Any type or color of yarn will be greatly appreciated.

Blessings,

Cheryl Walcutt

Member of CEDEPCA Team

Christian Education

Ark and Dove Book Club

Join us on Friday, March 10th at 7:30 PM for our discussion of Louise Erdrich’s, The Sentence, a novel that “celebrates family, Native American identity, the importance of community spaces, and people coming together in love and support.” The novel, which is set in Minneapolis, incorporates important events of 2020, such as the murder of George Floyd and the COVID-19 epidemic.

For more information and Zoom details, email

Kim Champagne (kim.champagne@arkanddove.org).

Christian Education for Children and Youth

Sunday Mornings for Children and Youth

9:00 AM

Childcare

Youth, Percussion, & Hand Chime Ensemble (9:00 to 9:45)

Children & Youth Choir (9:45 to 10:15)

10:30 AM

Childcare

Godly Play Sunday School Pre-K through grade 4

Middle School Sunday School grade 5 through 8

Leaders and Helpers Needed

To ensure that we can continue to offer the above Christian Educational opportunities we NEED leaders! Currently we do NOT have enough to fully staff any of these programs. Please consider offering your gifts and talents to help these programs thrive. You will need to complete a background check and training. Curriculum and materials are provided. Please contact CE Elder, Sara Fox at christianed@arkanddove.org if interested.

Thank you to those of you who’ve already made a commitment to help out this year!!!

Nursery Helpers: If you are already a CE leader or a high school student, please consider signing up HERE to help in the nursery. You will be assisting Cara Moody as needed.

As always, any questions or concerns please reach out to me at christianed@arkanddove.org.

Prayer Requests

Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:

Love and Sympathy of the congregation is extended to Don and Peggi Ziegler upon the death of David U'Hali, the cousin of Don and upon the death of Peggy's brother, Kevin Litaker.

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT FOR Lucy Sorenson who fell and broken hip and elbow; Joan Berry for good physical and mental health at age 82; Val Ford, having surgery for cancer; Diane McPhail, recovering after surgery; Jeff Miller, Kathy Miller's brother-in-law; Shelley Franklin; Nikol Sahai recovering from surgery; Layla Tyus with health issues and her family; Elizabeth Carter; Joseph Cate, Craig West's partner, Children with cancer, their families, and their care providers; Finn Murray home from the hospital; Jimmy Carter; Tim Soyars, nephew of Dot Forloines; Cyndy Ingram, step-daughter of Dot Forloines; Laura Talbert recovering from surgery; the people of Syria and Turkey; Paul Doughty on the death of his Aunt Faye; Linnie Girdner; Lamika Wilson and family that is facing multiple conflicts and despair; Barb Benson, Mary Benson's sister; Norman Willoughby, Laura Willoughby-Perry’s father; the family of Jatin Patel, who died after a battle with brain cancer; Bernice Taylor; Bri R and Ezra; Ostrach Family; Loretta Frick; the Bonstrom family; Houseknecht family; Eric Grimm who broke his foot; Dick Eckersley's granddaughter; Ebenye Ade upon the death of her brother, Thompson Ade; Amy Tardiff's mother; Aunt Teri in home hospice care; the family of a boy who died in a fire; the SeonBuchner family dealing with ongoing challenges and preparing for upcoming surgeries; a niece who was diagnosed with breast cancer; Denise Bartgis; Ardeth Johns; Mandie Kuhl, the niece of Steve and Cathy Debus, who is battling cancer; the Asian American community in Montgomery Park after recent events; the Marsh Family; for family members suffering from addiction; the Herman's next door neighbor - open heart surgery; Sarah, Brenn Budge's sister; Doris Fields in the hospital; Colleen recovering from a stroke; the Knight Family; a friend facing brain surgery; a mother in the hospital; Don Clark; a friend having medical issues; Linda Walcutt; Ann Hirschy; a friend of Kathy Emmert, Natalie Fenwick who is in the hospital; Karen Dodson; MaryAnn Buckley; Sue Miller, Laura Willoughby-Perry’s mother, after hip surgery; Audrey Miller, daughter of Kathy Miller; a wonderful teen facing the challenges of an eating disorder; Dotty Kaufmann; Mary Elizabeth Nay; Bri Lapp; a teen struggling with peer concerns at school; Holly Folk, friend of Laura Willoughby-Perry; Carol & Henry Saylor; Rose having health issues; Deb Saylor's grand-nephew, Jordan; Christy Hipchen's Great Uncle, Steven Stanko; Chantel Seetram; Debbie and Bruce Arey's Daughter, Allison; families impacted by gun violence; Dr. Jesse Nicholson, Connie Batts' brother-in-law; Danni Johnson, fighting cancer; the family of Gavin Hurley; Amanda Welford; Bruce Arey's sister; Helen Jarkiewicz; Dee going through breast cancer; Doug Dehaven; Marie, Nikol Sahai’s Mom; Irina Lee, Jan and Al Jank's daughter-in-law; Fran; Dot Forloines; Vaughn Brown; Dick Paronto; Julie Devers' friend Zenia Dacio-Messina; Hope Sutphin; Emily Wehage; Freyja Hartzell; Rebecca Echols friend, Lauren Douglas; Andy, friend of Karen Dodson; Ghazal Abawi; Cara Moody’s father-in-law, Gary Moody Sr.; Debbie Saylor's Friends: Carlene Printy and Helen Rossum

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.