This Sunday we experience another evolution in the way we are doing worship at Ark and Dove. With the weather changing and some recent changes in the extent and dimensions of the Pandemic, the Session has decided that our first worship service which was outside at 9:15 every other week will now be indoors every week at 9:00 AM. This service will be similar to our 10:30 in person and live stream service, but it will be shorter and there will be more instrumental only music and solos in the anthem slots. We are leaning toward a more contemplative and acoustic experience. As with our 10:30 service, all worshipers will be masked and we are asking you to make reservations on line. I am looking forward to enjoying this new experiment with all you early risers. At this time, there will be no Sunday School or childcare at 9:00 am, but we will see how this new service evolves. Your reflections are welcomed.

 

I am very pleased to announce that Wendy Wellington has accepted the call to be our Interim Church Administrator. She will be publishing her hours, hence our church office hours, in an article below. As we make this transition to a new Church Administrator, we say goodbye with great thanks to our previous Church Administrator. We wish her Godspeed and reflect on her warm and caring ministry among us for the past seven years. The Church office made many leaps under her leadership and tenure and for that we are very grateful. Our prayers go with her.

 

Like many of you I was planning to attend First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis tonight to hear Julie Rodgers, author of "Outlove," speak about LGBTQIA justice. The rain storm that caused the cancellation of school for today is said to be likely causing floods in downtown Annapolis so the event has been postponed until Friday November 12. I’m changing my calendar so I can be there.

 

Please watch your mailbox this week for a special mailing about Generosity from the Discipleship Ministry of Ark and Dove. The mailing will come in a large envelope with real stamps and it will contain a printed brochure about Harvesting Generosity and other important information.  We don’t send too much USPS mail anymore, so I wanted to be sure to give you a heads up. 

 

As it says on our Peacepole across the driveway in the garden - in many languages: 

May Peace Prevail.

On Tuesday evening, a ghastly reiteration of the Grim Reaper entered the sanctuary with scythe in hand. Outside, one car trunk was decorated to resemble the fires of hell (as pop-culture conceives it). And yet, as far as I know, there was no real fright at the sight of death or hell. We were celebrating "Trunk or Treat," and any fear was overcome by candy.

As I saw these dark depictions, I was reminded of an essay written by a dear Catholic friend who defended a Christian child's choice to wear devilish costumes. He argues that costumes, at least in theory, mock that which they depict. It follows then, as believers in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that Christians should mock the devilish destruction that Christ overcomes. The medieval mystic, Julian of Norwich, gave permission to do something similar: laugh at the devil. In a bizarre way, kids in horrific Halloween costumes might proclaim the gospel.

Either way, our children will announce the good news on this Halloween Sunday. Now, I hope these costumes will not appear in the morning, but our children will be singing 'Hallelujah' in celebration of a more significant celebration, All Saints' Sunday. Hallelujah is the special word we use for resurrection joy. On this Sunday, we remember loved ones who have died this year and sing 'Hallelujah' to give thanks that their lives are now caught up in God's eternal life. 'Hallelujah' may also be sung, in the angry stage of grief, as a protest. It may be sung or shouted as a way of saying, death has no final say.

On this All Saints' Sunday, on this Halloween day, children will (perhaps unknowingly) mock and protest evil and death. Fear and grief are not to be ignored, but there are times when we can find hope in mockery and defiance. This Sunday might be one of those times.

A Prayer for the Grieving and All Saints Day

 

God of all time, we say that time is a healer,

and yet healing does not come without our permission.

If we come to All Saints Day with bitterness, persuade us with your sweetness.

If we come before you with anger, calm us with your patience.

If we come to you with pain, soothe us with your tenderness.

If we come with numb and shock, heal us with your hand placed gently on our shoulders.

If we come in despair and aching grief, give us hope and fill us with your light, for in your light we find love.

 

Based on a prayer by Ruth Burgess of the Iona Community

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Charlotte Davie; Hiley Green; Adell Gaurin; Dotty Kaufman; Jai’Quain, Nicole Chidlow’s baby; Carol Saylor; Ray Bussey's mother, Doris; Liz Olson; Margaret Floyd; Russ Hester; Vaughn Brown; Patty and Steve Plander; Arlyce Lohr; Krista Klohr; Michelle Schoonmaker; Dick Paronto; Richard and Edie Budd; Cindy Schafer; Cheryl Walcutt’s sister Judy and mother; Christy Hipchen’s Uncle Frank and grandmother, Ann Chubon; Amy Stavely’s aunt, Sharon Boyd; Ryan Stavely’s father, Brian; 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; Tricia Gray’s grandfather, Paul; Helen Wilkens' mother, Jane Reinert; Christina Nelson’s grandmother, Patricia 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; a member of the Tardiff family; Dionne Whitby's daughter, and niece, Jannah; Dotty Kaufman’s daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; 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 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; 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; Erika Sealing's grandmother, Margaret Schade; Lourdes Cordero's granddaughter and friends, Fred and Arelene Jones; Mike and Charlotte Davie’s friend, Dave Page; Linda Lewis’ friend, Carol Fudge; Rob Yeager’s friends, Greta Daughtrey and Peter Brown; and Maren McGillivray-Stubbs’ best friend’s father, Gentry Sims.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Vernon and Brown families upon the death of Harold E. Brown, Autumn's grandfather.

THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Applegate and Howe families upon the death of Christine Applegate, motherly figure to Nicole Howe.

PRAYERS OF HEALING for Dennis, recuperating from burns.