The Arkive: Ark and Dove's Newsletter | |
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New Year's Day
Communion
January 1st, 2022
Single Service Sunday at 11 am
Sunday School and Nursery Care Provided
Get your bulletin here.
Regular Services
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.
You can connect on YouTube HERE.
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Dear Friends and Members of the Ark and Dove Community,
This Sunday is the First Sunday of Christmas, the first day of 2023 and a Communion Sunday. Last week was a bit of a blur for many of us, so in lieu of writing a letter, I am pasting a copy of a recent communication from our stewardship team for your consideration.
Blessings See you next year!
Tim
tstern@arkanddove.org
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2023 Renewed in God
Stewardship Team
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Dear Members and Friends of Ark and Dove,
Greetings and happy holidays! As the Calendar year draws to a close, the 2023 ‘Renewed in God’ Stewardship team would like to take a moment to thank you for your faithfulness in giving to the mission and ministries of Ark and Dove this year. Your faithful generosity in the giving of your time, talents, and resources has been outstanding and deeply touching. Through your giving, you have helped the church offer hope, healing, and real community to a world in desperate need of experiencing God’s love.
This Fall, the Stewardship Team embarked on a mission to share the many ways that we experience renewal and revitalization at Ark and Dove and how that renewed faith, hope, and love fuels our tireless actions in working for a more just and inclusive world. From beautiful and relevant worship experiences to a variety of Christian education opportunities for all ages, to social activism and community engagement on the issues that matter most to those most vulnerable among us, Ark and Dove remains committed to learning, growing, and working together so that we can continue to share God’s love, justice, and peace in a world so hurting. I highly recommend visiting the Renewed in God page under the Giving tab on the Ark and Dove website for an in-depth look at some of the ways God is working in our midst and how we would love to grow into the future together. This year, we have asked that every household prayerfully consider making a pledge or even increasing their pledge by 1% of household income. This would help us not only sustain our current mission and ministry activities, but also ambitiously reach forward into new opportunities to experience and extend the faith, hope, and love of God to others.
Today we are happy to share that as of December 20th, we have received 54 pledges out of 160 active households. We sincerely thank everyone who has already submitted a pledge! Our pledges are promises of financial support for the next year and are an important part of the planning process that the Session at Ark and Dove engages in as we look to the future and consider the mission and ministry goals and dreams that we can reach for together. If you have not yet submitted your pledge, there is still time to do so! Last year we had 81 pledging households, and our hope is that this year we will surpass that threshold and move boldly into the future as a community of disciples that embodies the life and spirit of Jesus Christ. We are still accepting pledges via USPS or in-person during the offering at Sunday services. If you happen to give regularly via PayPal or EFT, but have never pledged before, we ask that you please consider filling out a pledge card just so that we are aware of your plans and can make mission and ministry decisions accordingly. Or, for an even easier option, you can always submit your pledge by simply emailing giving@arkanddove.org with your giving plans for the year.
The Stewardship team would again like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for all that you have done during this past year to continue our life of worship, fellowship, and community outreach. We truly appreciate your continued prayers, love, commitment, and financial support. Thank you and God bless!
-Tricia Gray from The 2023 Renewed in God Stewardship Team
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Message from Interim Associate Pastors | |
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Dear friends and members at Ark and Dove,
The New Year is traditionally a time for resolutions. Our New Year’s Resolutions have usually involved an attempt at a lifestyle change and have rarely been effective. This is to say that we are terrible at sticking to our resolutions! Whether it’s losing weight, or ceasing to procrastinate, or praying more diligently, we have found ourselves failing miserably. Sometimes we start out well but as the winter drags on our resolve weakens and our guilt multiplies. Wanting to avoid that in the future, we have almost ceased to make resolutions. So instead, this year we are focusing on things we are looking forward to in the year to come. We are anticipating God’s gifts to us in the coming year.
Of course, a great deal of the year to come is shrouded in mystery. We don’t know how it will turn out – but we are hopeful: Hopeful for occasions to work for good in the lives of others and in the life of the world; Hopeful for occasions to celebrate accomplishments and transitions in the lives of our loved ones and neighbors; Hopeful for moments to enjoy the beauty and grace God bestows upon us in unexpected ways.
While we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with you at Ark and Dove and feel truly blessed by the ministry we share, we are hopeful that Ark and Dove will soon find the person God has in mind to serve as the Associate Pastor. We echo Pastor Tim’s words: Pray for the APNT. The team has been hard at work assessing the needs of our congregation and finding ways to present our ministry as a congregation in such a way that possible candidates will have a clear picture of that work and be drawn to the unique community which is Ark and Dove.
Our great hope for the year to come is that discernment and grace be given to the APNT. We are looking forward to God guiding the congregation to call the right person to serve as the Associate Pastor for Ark and Dove.
Happy New Year!
Pastors Caroline and Stephen
caroline.pricegibson@arkanddove.org
stephen.pricegibson@arkanddove.org
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9When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, [f] until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped,[g] they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Matthew 2:9-12
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The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.
-Howard Thurman
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I am still flooded with emotion and awe from the Christmas services. I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who made our Christmas services truly meaningful. Your talent and dedication played a crucial role in each of the 3 services last weekend and seeing you all work together was beautiful and uplifting. I especially want to thank every singer, instrumentalist, the members of the VMG team, Ryan Stavely, Rae'tta Bond, Pastor Tim, Pastor Caroline and Pastor Stephen, for their collaboration.
This week, on this Single Service Sunday, we will begin with an arrangement of The Wexford Carol arranged by Stephen DeCesare. This piece dates back to the 12th century and tells the story of the birth of Jesus and the journey of the three wise men to Bethlehem. This particular arrangement by DeCesare is written for flute solo, accompanied by piano and will be played by Laura Doughty.
The Offertory is May You Find a Light by The Brilliance and will be sung by Paul Doughty. This is a gentle and uplifting song that begins with the imagery of "lost and weary travelers searching for a way to go", just as the Magi were as they were guided by a star to Bethlehem to the ultimate light of Jesus. The chorus states "May you find a light to guide you home" and it is this idea of a light guiding the way home that resonates with this story of the three wise men and their travels.
It is my hope that we can go into this new year with hope and determination to continue making a positive difference in this world. You have been such a bright light in my life this year, and I am looking forward to this new year filled with possibility.
With love and gratitude,
Rebecca
Director of Music
rechols@arkanddove.org
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Greetings! I pray everyone had a blessed holiday season. Rehearsals for our children and youth will resume on Sunday, January 8, 2023. The youth ensemble will meet from 9 AM to 9:45 AM. The children will gather for choir rehearsal from 10 AM to 10:30 AM. Our older youth are welcome to attend choir rehearsal if they would like to sing. We would like to extend a warm welcome to all new comers for both our youth ensemble and children’s choir! There is room for you! There is a place and role for everyone! If you would like to be added to our weekly email list, please e-mail Rae’tta at raetta.bond@arkanddove.org. All families participating in the Children’s and Youth Music Ministry are encouraged to join our Google Classroom. Please click below for class codes.
Children’s Choir
Youth Ensemble
I am looking forward to seeing and working with each of you in the new year! Have a blessed week!
Rae'tta
Director of Music for Children and Youth
raetta.bond@arkanddove.org
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Message from Interim Director of Youth | |
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There will be no youth group on New Year’s Day. We will resume on January 8th.
Grace & Peace,
Whitney
Interim Director of Youth Ministry
Whitney.grimm@arkanddove.org
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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
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Bulletin - New Year's Day | |
Christmas Joy Special Offering
Each year during the Advent and Christmas season, we turn our eyes to Bethlehem and celebrate the wondrous gift of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
God has blessed the Church with incredible leadership in every time and place, but those leaders often need to be supported by their communities as well. This Offering addresses the support needed by some of our leaders, including supporting leadership development for communities of color, and providing support for Presbyterian church workers in their time of need. Please give generously!
Donate Online
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From the Tech Booth: Volunteers Needed
We are in need of volunteers to help staff the tech booth. In the recent past, we’ve had to adapt at the last minute due to the small size of our team... In a perfect world, we would have sufficient volunteers to have a “once per month” rotation. Each week, we would like to have seven people participating on the tech team, so to have everyone volunteer once a month, 28 people would be needed. We’re still looking for 17 additional people!
If you’re interested in being one of the 17, please stop me (Ryan Stavely) on a Sunday morning or email me at ryan.stavely@arkanddove.org. Once a handful of people have been identified, we’ll hold a brief orientation session and then begin your training. No prior experience is needed, and you don’t need to be a “computer person” to be a good fit. If Sunday morning doesn’t work for you, one of the weekly needs is the prior preparation of the graphics/words for the service. This can be done from home any time during the second half of the week.
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The Fellowship Table Wants You!
With more people visiting Ark & Dove, we want to make sure they feel welcome. We are looking for people to help with bringing the snacks, setting up, and cleaning up on a regular or periodic basis. This can be a great opportunity to get children involved in the life of Ark & Dove! They can help choose the "menu", set the table, and get to meet more folks in our faith community. Please contact us at Outreach@ArkandDove.org to sign up or want more information.
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Parent Group will resume in 2023
Parent group will begin meetings again starting January 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Howe at nicolehowe123@gmail.com.
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THE RACE CARD
(And other "microaggressions" that get in the way of real conversations about race)
On Sunday, January 29th the Anti-Racism team will host a luncheon after the service, followed by a 2 hour workshop from 12:30 - 2:30pm presented by Jeff Bolognese. Jeff comes to us highly recommended from Presbytery and has led these trainings through work and in churches. Please add the date to your calendar now and plan to join us for this important training.
Please register no later than January 22nd:
Register Here
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GLEAM - Changing the Game,
movie & discussion
Movie & discussion- Join us Sunday, January 15th at noon in the sanctuary for a viewing and discussion of the documetary Changing the Game. Light snacks and drinks provided. If you need childcare contact Amanda Crose amanda.rose.crose@gmail.com
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Donations Needed
As the Abawi family settle into their new home, we can then concentrate on the many other ways we can support this family.
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Car Donation
As they find employment in the near future along with the many health appointments they have, both the Annapolis Presbyterian Church and Ark and Dove are asking if you, or anyone you may know, have any vehicle that can be donated to the Abawi family. Please reach out to Debbie Arey at debarey@hotmail.com.
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Ark and Dove Book Club January Read
The Ark and Dove Book Club's January Selection is New York Times Bestselling novel entitled The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. This historical fiction novel tells the inspiring story about JP Morgan's personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, a "Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy..." We will meet on Zoom to discuss this book on Friday, January 20th at 7:30pm. Contact kim.champagne@arkandove.org for more information.
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Christian Education for Children | |
Sunday Mornings for Children and Youth | |
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9:00 AM
Childcare
Middle School Chimes and Percussion Ensembles (9:00 to 9:45)
Godly Play Sunday School Pre-K through grade 5
10:00 AM
Children’s Choir
10:30 AM
Godly Play Sunday School Pre-K through grade 4
Middle School Sunday School grade 5 through 8
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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.
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Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Mike Davie; Daryle Echols, who is recovering from a seizure; Kathie Brownie, who lost her husband; Crystal Evans on the death of her mother; Reggie Connally, husband of Christine Connally; Linnie Girdner; Amy Goldberg; Ann Hirschy, who has been ill; Carole Wilson; the Hench family on the death of John; Michelle Schoonmaker and Jesse Pennebaker who joyfully and anxiously get to announce a healthy pregnancy; Laura Talbert; Nikol Sahai, undergoing chemo-therapy; Denise Bartgis chemo treatments; a nephew with Alzheimer's; 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; a family member struggling with addiction and their loved ones; Audrey Miller, daughter of Kathy Miller; Neal Frick in the hospital; Shannon Graf after an assault; for those struggling through the holiday season; inspiration meeting individuals & collective needs; Mike Davie's sister-in-law in hospice care, and for her family; the Marsh Family waiting for their adopted children to come in January; a wonderful teen facing the challenges of an eating disorder; The mother of Sara Yotter; Martha Huthmaker, Cherese's mother-in-law; Dotty Kaufmann; Mary Elizabeth Nay, diagnosed with Colon Cancer; Bri awaiting preliminary results & tests; a teen struggling with peer concerns at school; Ron Miller, dealing with health issues; Holly Folk, friend of Laura Willoughby-Perry, recovering from back surgery; Carol & Henry Saylor; Rose having health issues; Deb Saylor's grand-nephew, Jordan; Christy Hipchen's Great Uncle, Steven Stanko; a friend's mother in hospital battling an illness; Chantel Seetram; Debbie and Bruce Arey's Daughter, Allison; a husband awaiting test results; families impacted by gun violence; Dr. Jesse Nicholson, Connie Batts' brother-in-law; Danni Johnson, fighting cancer; little girl diagnosed with leukemia and her family; the family of Gavin Hurley; Amanda Welford; Bruce Arey's sister; Helen Jarkiewicz; Dee going through breast cancer; Doug Dehaven with cardiac problems; Karen Judeich; 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; Jeff Miller, Kathy Miller’s brother-in-law; Freyja Hartzell; Rebecca Echols friend, Lauren Douglas; Andy, friend of Karen Dodson; Ghazal Abawi; Mike Bartgis's cousin; Cara Moody’s father-in-law, Gary Moody Sr.; Carly & Chris Taylor, Friends of Michelle Schoonmaker; 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.
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Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church | 410-674-6400 | admin@arkanddove.org | www.arkanddove.org | 8424 Piney Orchard Pkwy. Odenton, MD 21113
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