The dog days of summer are simmering around us and, in the midst of all this humidity, our ministries and teams are planning for the fall. Once again we are in the uncomfortable position of praying about the best way to do ministry, while the world endures a pandemic. We are keeping a close eye on the Delta variant and how that might influence the decisions we make. Session is meeting on August 24 and we will make some decisions about education programs and worship experiences at that meeting. I deeply appreciate how careful our leaders have worked in the midst of this pandemic and also appreciate the good spirit and flexibility of our whole church. We do know that outdoor activities are safe, and we do know that kids will be back in school come September. Those are two markers that will help drive our decisions. I have been praying for some time that people will get vaccinated and wear masks (see Pastor Jon’s letter in last week’s Arkive ), but I have to confess I have become impatient with people who disregard good science. I also will confess that I am dealing with the anger I feel toward flat-earthers and conspiracy peddlers. I hear God’s voice in the words and thoughts of my colleagues and our congregation. Hot anger, as we say in IAF and ACT is not very useful. You blow off some steam, but it doesn’t really change anything.  Cold anger is channeling frustration into useful and effective action and ministry. That’s our call.

Speaking of hot... I had been keeping up with fires in the west but was very surprised and disappointed to read in the "Washington Post" this week that there are fires in Siberia that are significantly larger than all the fires in the US combined. Earth Care Ministry used to be looked upon as a latte sipping hippy politically correct funk of that small group of tree huggers in your average congregation; kind of a boutique ministry. The scientists and the tree huggers have been warning us for decades that we would be bringing ruin upon our children and grandchildren if we didn’t change our polluting ways. All along the flat earthers, science deniers called it fluff and much ado about nothing. “It is just the way the world spins on its normal axis.” Others exclaimed that we can fix this problem with scientific advancement, don’t worry, be happy, we got this.  We don’t. We don’t have this under control. Earth Care Ministry is no longer boutique; it is essential.  What is the role of the church (our church and the larger church) given what we know now about the perils our planet faces? I know I wrote about this last week, but I also know that not everyone reads the Arkive every week. I want to be sure you know that the Mission Ministry is reviving our Earth Care Ministry (sometimes churches call it the Care for the Earth Ministry). We are looking for leaders and members. Please, please contact Mission Elder, Lori Kronser (mission@arkanddove.org), to become part of this ministry.

For many years our church has supported children in lower income families, in our community, by providing them with back-to-school supplies. Please read the article below and sign up today.

A good friend of mine stopped by the church this week. We talked about a movement of Christians who are now "deconstructing" their faith. "Deconstruction" is now a popular term for what many Christians are doing with received beliefs: reexamining and revaluing them. Currently, many Christians are now leaving evangelicalism and discerning what they can believe. They are asking questions like: did Jesus really need to die to appease God's wrath? Is there eternal punishment for sinners? Are Christian mission and colonialism inextricably intertwined? Are gender roles designed by God? Will God only redeem the righteous? Is the Bible inerrant and infallible? Is homosexuality a sin? Are all Christians necessarily pro-life? Can you be a Christian and vote for a democrat?

Deconstruction is a difficult process, as many are detangling long-held beliefs passed down by those who are loved and trusted. Progressive Christians do not always have much patience with this process. Many in mainline churches like ours look down on those who believe things that we think are wrong or abhorrent. But the reality is that the life of faith for any Christian ought to be one of constant deconstruction and reconstruction. We all receive and come to believe things about God, the world, and other people that are unhelpful and even hurtful. As I was speaking with my friend about deconstructing, we talked about our own reassessment and reevaluation of faith and life. This is part of what it means to follow Jesus, who poked holes in his disciples' beloved beliefs.

What beliefs are in need of some reconsideration? Are there things you believe about God, the world, and others that are no longer of good use? We have been examining such beliefs in our Mythbusters course. I hope you will join us for another good one this Sunday at 9:15 am.

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Russ Hester; Vaughn Brown; Ardeth and Bob Johns; Patty and Steve Plander; Margaret Floyd; Arlyce Lohr; Krista Klohr; Michelle Schoonmaker; Dick Paronto; Richard and Edie Budd; Carol Saylor; Amy Carskadon Lifsey’s father-in-law, Bill Lifsey Sr.; Grant Kirby's stepfather, Mike Michaels; Tricia Gray’s grandfather, Paul; Cliff Wellington’s sister-in-law, Myeong Wellington; Helen Wilkens' mother, Jane Reinert; Barbara Reynold's brother, Don Campbell; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Pat Dole; Judy Cooper’s daughter, Jessica Quigley; Paul Doughty’s mother, Ruth Doughty; Tina Anthis’ father, Steve Bissel; Camille Dubois’ parents and the Dubois family; Debbie Saylor’s sister, Christine; Ryan Stavely’s father, Brian; Todd Stubbs’ stepfather, David Hopsicker; Sue Hanburger’s daughter, Megan; a member of the Tardiff family; Dionne Whitby's daughter and niece, Jannah; Brooks Emrick and her sister, Susan; Amanda Crose’s mother, and grandmother, Betty Davis; Dotty Kaufman, her son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; Donna Anderson's brother-in-law, Tom Brown; Steve Debus' cousin-in-law, Stephan; Kathy Miller’s sister, Beth Krauth, and brother-in-law, Jeff Miller; Lewis Shorter and Lewis Shorter’s niece, Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle; Bob Fuller’s brother, Joe Fuller; Dot Forloine’s granddaughter Melisa Tucker Saatthoff, and her great-grandson Luke; Debbie Arey’s sister, Denise; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s family in Connecticut, and their daughter, Allison; Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; Kennon Bauman’s uncle, Dan Johnston; 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; Hollis Butterworth’s daughter, Rachel Mershont; Amanda Wehage’s sister and father, Dave; 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; Kelly Burnett’s nephew, Justin; Lou Kareha’s cousin, Thomas Kochis; Cheryl and Doug Walcutt’s grandchild, Gray Adacutt; Cheryl Walcutt’s sister Judy, and mother and nephew; Erika Sealing's grandmother, Margaret Schade; Lourdes Cordero's granddaughter and friends, Fred and Arelene Jones; Mike and Charlotte Davie’s friends, Dell and Dave Page; Paula Griggs’ friends Char and Jackie Pullen; Shirley and Bob Fuller’s friend Cindy Schafer; and Maren McGillivray-Stubbs’ best friend’s father, Gentry Sims.

PRAYERS OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING from the Lewis, Connally and Lincavage families on the birth of Maxim Xavier Lincavage, great nephew of Christine Connally, and great-great nephew of Jim and Linda Lewis.

PRAYERS OF HEALING for those with COVID-19 including: Makayla Swearman and her father Judd Rexroth; Susan and Steve Roberts; and Larry Silver.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Reynolds and Campbell families on the death of Barbara’s brother, Don Campbell.