Dear Members and Friends of the Ark and Dove Community,

 

I am grateful this day for the FDA progress on approving the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use. I know we are far from being out of the woods, but I can feel a little relaxing of my aching neck muscles and some hope is rising up. Hope is one of the main themes of Advent. Jesus is the light always coming into the world, and his coming inspires hope and change. His light chases the shadows out of our souls.

 

We were asked at the Deacons meeting on Wednesday night, by moderator Cathy Debus, about where we see some light. She was referencing Howard Thurman’s poem, which starts out the Advent Devotions provided by Presbyterians Today. It is called I Will Light Candles This Christmas. My response was: ....the many ministries and innovations I see breaking out all over Ark and Dove even during, and maybe because of, the pandemic and the crisis in democracy.  

 

I see hope and light in the many advent wreaths that were created by people in our church. I see hope and light in the many members that signed up to participate in the Holiday Sharing gift giving partnership with the Department of Social Services. I think there are only nine children left to sponsor. You can sign up here.

I see hope and light in the excitement there is in staff and the worship ministry to make the best of Christmas this year with music and liturgy--and even Lanterns and Luminaries.  The county has approved Christmas Eve outdoor worship! We will soon have a sign up link on our website. The deal is “rigorous social distancing” and “masks.”  That is the covenant we are making with each other for our short and sweet service.

 

I hope you are preparing your hearts for the light that is coming into the world.

Peace of Christ,

tstern@arkanddove.org

Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

This morning I was sitting at the table eating breakfast when my son asked me, Papa, do you remember that Black lives matter? Little did he know that I was reflecting on the government-sanctioned murder of Brandon Bernard, whose Black life was ended last night at the age of 40. Bernard was given his death sentence for a crime he committed when he was a teenager.

The death penalty is a statement about a life. The sentence it proclaims is that this life does not matter because of what was done (or what has reportedly been done) in such a life. Such a sentence is a lie. Brandon Bernard's life mattered/matters and to say otherwise by putting an end to it is the antithesis of Christian teaching. Sister Helen Prejean, the death penalty abolitionist whom I preached about two years ago, has been so faithful in advocating for the end of the death penalty not only because many innocent people have been put on death row, but also because she believes in the gospel. In her words, everyone is worth more than the worst act of his or her life. Yes, everyone is a child of God who not only matters but has great worth. I strongly encourage you to read Sister Helen's December 3, 2020 Washington Post article protesting the ways in which the Trump administration is pushing to execute inmates on federal death row before January 20, 2021. Brandon Bernard's life mattered/matters and so does everyone on death row, regardless of the reasons that got them there.

This Advent season we, with Mary the mother of Jesus, hope in the mercies of God. May we remember the mercy Mary sings about in her Magnificat, and may we abolish the unmerciful death penalty.

Peace,

jnelson@arkanddove.org

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Gary Myers; Wren Suggs; Merlin Berry; Dick Paronto; Bob Johns; Camille Dubois; John Mikeska; Richard and Edie Budd; Vaughn Brown; Frances Keyes; Brooks Emrick and her sister, Susan; Dotty Kaufman, her son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; Lewis Shorter and Lewis Shorter’s niece, Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle; Bob Fuller’s brother, Joe Fuller; Dot Forloines’ family and her great-grandson Luke; Amanda Crose's grandmother, Betty Davis; Donna Anderson's brother-in-law, Tom Brown; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s family in Connecticut and daughter, Allison; Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; Grant Kirby’s mother, Caroline, and Julia Kirby's mother, Margaret Floyd; Clarke Beaudry’s mother, Judy LaMarque; Kennon Bauman’s uncle, Dan Johnston; Amy Goldberg’s grandmother, Ruth Cooper; Christy Yeager’s mother, Linda Jordan; Michelle Schoonmaker's Auntie Bernice; Diane Johnson's Uncle Ed, Aunt Janet, and cousin Richard; Shelley Franklin's father; Hollis Butterworth’s daughter, Rachel Mershont and brother-in-law, Brian Smith; Amanda Wehage’s mother, 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, and Paul Doughty’s uncle, Wes; Cindy Knott’s mother, Madeline; Laura Willoughby's father, Norman; Bill Ruble’s mother, Mary Jane Weathers; Ann Hirschy’s aunt, Cindy, and brother; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Pat Dole; Kelly Burnett’s nephew, Justin; Patriceo Green’s cousin, Philip Brown; Lou Kareha’s aunt, Judy Kochis, and cousin, Thomas; Cheryl Walcutt’s mother, nephew, and sisters; Erika Sealing's son, Trip, and grandmother, Margaret Schade; Kathy Miller’s friend, Sandee Dickson; Sue Hanburger's friends, Barb, Phyllis, Martha and Craig; Linnie Girdner and Jan Hof’s friend, Grace Ligon; Ylonda Fauntleroy's friend Tanya; Conner Boswell’s friend; and Kathy Emmert's friend, Patty.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE from Yvonne and Leslie Awasom on the birth of their child, Lyon Leslie, October 14.

PRAYERS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT for the McGillivray and Noren families on the death of Margaret’s cousin, Sten Noren.

PRAYERS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT for the Crose and Davis families on the death of Amanda Crose’s uncle, Harold Davis.

PRAYERS FOR SAFE TRAVELS for Fred Barrow.

PRAYERS OF HEALING for those with COVID-19 including: Emily Crose's grandmother, Lois Echhorn; Doug Walcutt’s father, Chuck Walcutt, and stepmother, Linda Walcutt; Diane Johnson’s grandson, Avery Woods; Ed Barrett's friend, Joe Bogner; Julia Kirby’s friends, Sam and the Speer family; Robert and Marissa Lyle; Lisa Marino, Jay Mulholland, and their 4-month-old daughter Lily; Ylonda Fauntleroy's family, Annette and Leah Turner, and friends, Sandra and Elijah Williams; Margaret’s neighbor, Wayne; Michelle Schoonmaker's colleague, Ajita Robinson and friend Rusty; and Jennifer Roman's aunt, Laura Clay, and grandmother, Louise Nothdurft.

PRAYERS OF LOVE, SUPPORT AND PROTECTION for all essential workers workers around the world, including: Bill Gaurin; Tricia Gray’s mother; Becca Distad; Jack Burnett; Caitlyn Bussey; Emily Sanders; Audrey Miller; Linda Jordan’s nephew, Russell; the Ralston’s family members and friends; Simone Stiegler’s friend, Jean Marie; Mike Stiegler; Amy Grimm’s mother; Jeff Grimm; Amy Goldberg’s brother, Joseph Alexander, and parents, Michael and Maryann Cooper; Judy Cooper’s daughter; John Mikeska’s son, Jonathan; and Hollis Butterworth’s sister-in-law, Cyndie.