Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

We anticipate having in-person worship, along with the livestream, at 10:30 am on January 30th. We will limit capacity in the sanctuary, so please be sure to register. On the following Sunday, February 6, we plan to bring back 9 am worship in the sanctuary and have in-person worship and Sunday School at 10:30 am. Again, registration is required.

Now that I have said that, I want to let you in on what went into that decision. Our Session, the group of leaders called to lead our church, met this week to discuss in-person worship and the budget that will be presented at our Annual Meeting next weekend. (See you there!) These leaders have been making such decisions for the last two years. They are difficult decisions, but are made with great discernment and love. Every time our session makes these decisions about worship and in-person attendance they hold together our congregational values and research-based reasoning. Together, they discern how we might still connect as a congregation and protect the most vulnerable. Our leaders have had to make faithful decisions in unprecedented circumstances. It can be easy to forget that behind every action and offering of this church is a dedicated team of leaders who have our interest and the interest of the most vulnerable always in mind. I am deeply grateful for our leadership at Ark and Dove.

Peace,

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Deb Saylor's niece, Courtney Jaberi; Alvin Dennis; Rebecca Bell Echol's uncle, Steve Bell; Laura Willoughby's father, Norman; Diane Johnson's friend, Tom; Christy Hipchen’s nephew; the Sealing Family; Karen Arnold's brother, Tim; Josh Arnold; the family of Mike Esparza, sister struggling with mental illness; Debbie Arey; Steve Debus' father, Bill Debus; Paul Doughty's mother, Ruth Doughty; James Franklin's sister-in-law, Kelli Franklin; Amy Tardiff’s Aunt Fran; May Gilden; Richard Jasper; the Finnegan family; Laura Batten-Carbaugh; Nicole Chidlow's son, Jai; Michelle Schoonmaker's friend's children, Kai and Ezra; Frank Stillwell; Mary Caolo; David Johns; Carrie Dodson's friend Pam; Lou Kareha's cousin, Thomas Kochis, and friend, Nando Smacci; Louise Sharrocks; Angela Goska; Belinda Edwards; Karen Stokes; Sarah and Bojan; Betty Small; a friend of Bob Fuller; the Unger family; Debbie and Bruce Arey's niece, Sarah, and daughter, Allison, and Debbie’s sister, Denise; Calvin Latham; Brianna Lapp; Anne Hirschy's relative Isaiah, aunt Cindy, and brother; Diane Makar; Gabriele Mecca; Charlotte Davie; Adell Gaurin; Dotty Kaufman and her daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; 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 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; Helen Wilkens' mother, Jane Reinert; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Patricia Dole; Judy Cooper’s daughter, Jessica Quigley; Debbie Saylor’s sister, Christine; a member of the Tardiff family; Dionne Whitby's niece, Jannah; 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; 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; 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.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Hirschy family upon the death of Ann Hirschy's cousin, Gordon Hirschy.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Caufield and Noll families upon the death of Christine Caufield-Noll.

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