Dear Friends and Members of the Ark and Dove Community,

I do so much look forward to Confirmation Commissioning Sunday and will deeply enjoy this Sunday’s 10:30 worship when 8 youth present themselves to become full adult members of our church. It is always a moving Sunday. Some of the youth were baptized in this church, some were not baptized as children and some have only come to bless our church in recent years. In any case confirmation and commissioning comes only after a rigorous year of prayer, discussion and internal exploration. I am deeply grateful to Pastor Jon, Kirsten Hitchcox, and our confirmation sponsors for walking with these youth this past year.  This is such important spiritual work.

There is a direct connection between the baptism of children and the many Christian Education programs we offer at Ark and Dove. We take seriously the vow we make when we as a congregation baptize.  We promise to support and nurture children as they grow at every baptism.  We promise to support the parents as they parent their children. We promise to teach child and parent the Good News of the Gospel – that Jesus calls us to love God, love people and love justice and fairness in the world. We teach by example and by the community we create in this place. Thank you for keeping your vows. You make a huge difference in the lives of our children and youth.

You should have received a special Arkive in your email yesterday.  It’s all about our plans for celebrating Jon’s ministry next Sunday June 26th. Please be sure to scroll back if you have not read it. There will be a luncheon for the Nelson family next Sunday after worship. Be sure to make a reservation.

Looking ahead – Sunday July 3 will be single service Sunday – one service at 10:30 AM.  Also with the vaccines for children coming available, the Session has decided our mask policy will change on Sunday July 24. Masks will become optional, although always warmly welcomed. We have come to learn in this time of COVID that there can be unforeseen evolutions of the virus and so we will stay alert and remain nimble, and if we need to change our policy again we will.

Peace,

Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,

On Sunday we celebrate the confirmation of faith. Several of our youth will affirm what they believe and become members of this community. We have not had a confirmation/commissioning class since 2019 and we have all been changed between then and now. The pandemic has altered our lives in many ways, no less the lives of our youth. But some things have not changed in time: the faith in which we share and the ongoing support of this church.

Over the course of this school year, our youth have wrestled with Christian faith in the midst of a pandemic and tumultuous cultural change. They have learned to hold firmly what can be reasonably and necessarily believed. They have also learned to hold lightly those elements of Christian faith that ought to be continually questioned. When, at 10:30 am this Sunday, our youth answer questions of belief and are told the promises proclaimed in baptism, I hope that you will also find an opportunity to consider what you believe throughout all this change. I think you will be encouraged, on this Confirmation Sunday, by faith seeking understanding.

We can also be encouraged by those students who have graduated in 2022. It has not been easy for these students to complete degrees during a global pandemic. Let us celebrate their accomplishments and the God who sustained them to the finish.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. -Joshua 1:9

PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Andy, friend of Karen Dodson; Healing for Jeanne Elbefeld & Donna Beckwith; Abawi family member hospitalized; Prayers to the person(s) who attempt to change us by repeatedly defacing, destroying, and stealing our signs of affirmation; Praise the healthy arrival of Lillian Rose, Great niece of Laurie & Fred Barrow; Charlotte Davie; Mike Bartgis's cousin; Lydia Doughty for a speedy recovery; Marjorie Tanner, Laura Doughty’s mother, recovering in hospital after fall; Donna Beckwith beginning chemo therapy this week; Ellen for a successful surgery this week and a full recovery; Cara Moody family member, Gary Moody Sr.; Friends of Michelle Schoonmaker: Carly & Chris Taylor, Karen Butler, Bri Reed, and the Conway Family on the passing of Bruce Conway; Jan Hof recovering from COVID; Laurie Barrow siblings recovering from surgery: Donna Beckwith (sister) and Steve Beckwith (brother); Fred Barrow’s sister, Betsy Sargant; Debbie Saylor's Family and Friends: Carlene Printy, Helen Rossum, Wayne Rennex, & Alison Buffington; Karen Mongold, colleague of Ray Bussey; Donna Kurtz who is waiting test results; for women, E.B., and her children, leaving an abusive home environment; Irina Lee, Jan and Al Jank's daughter-in-law, recovering from surgery; William Campbell, grandfather of Cherese, with cancer; Chris and Jeff, friends of Deb Saylor; Amber Maschino, neighbor of Craig West; Dotty Kaufmann; Jack Sweeney, fighting cancer; Mary Lou Dulina, friend of Cheryl Schafer; Alvin Dennis and Audrey Price; Ashton Borsella, heart surgery; Donna Williams; Courtney Dudley Thomas, recovering from a stroke; Tiffany Thompson, starting a new round of cancer treatments; Courtney, Deborah Dingle’s niece, in the hospital suffering from brain cancer; Anna Scofield; the people of Ukraine; Lou Kareha's friends and family: Aubriella and Michael Steele, B. Wicker, James Karanasky (sister-in-law's brother), Thomas Kochis (cousin), and Nando Smacci (friend); Mike and Denise Bartgis' son-in-law; Kathy Miller's brother-in-law, Jeff Miller, and sister, Beth Krauth; Lourdes Cordero's family and friends: Diane Cordero (sister), Jose (brother), granddaughter, and Fred and Arelene Jones (friends); Christy Hipchen’s nephew and grandmother, Ann Chubon; Josh Arnold; the family of Mike Esparza; Amy Tardiff’s Aunt Fran; Michelle Schoonmaker; Michelle Schoonmaker's friends and their children: Kai S., Liam F. and Ezra R.; Floretta Watkins-Barbee, Michelle Schoonmaker's Aunt and Ylonda Fauntleroy’s friend; Bernice Taylor, Michelle Schoonmaker's great aunt and Ylonda Fauntleroy’s Aunt; Cameron Jackson, Ylonda Fauntleroy’s cousin, dealing with a difficult situation; Frank Stillwell; Mary Caolo; David Johns; Angela Goska; Belinda Edwards; Karen Stokes; Betty Small; Calvin Latham; Ann Hirschy's family: Isaiah, Aunt Cindy, and brother; Ann Hirschy; Adell Gaurin; Carol Saylor; Carol Saylor’s family: sister-in-law who passed away of stomach cancer, and granddaughter being bullied at school; Ray Bussey's mother, Doris; Vaughn Brown; Arlyce Lohr; Dick Paronto; Amy Hagemann’s sister, Susan Pratt; Mary Benson’s sister; Bill Lifsey Sr., Amy Carskadon Lifsey’s father-in-law; Helen Wilkens' mother, Jane Reinert; Karen Dodson’s cousin, Miles and the family; Pam, Carrie Dodson's friend; Lewis Shorter; Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle, Lewis Shorter’s niece; Dot Forloine’s Family: Melisa Tucker Saatthoff (granddaughter) and Luke (great-grandson); Dot Forloines; Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; Amy Goldberg’s grandmother, Ruth Cooper; Diane Johnson's Family: Uncle Ed, Aunt Janet, and Cousin Richard; Diane Johnson's friend, Tom; Shelley Franklin's father; James Franklin's sister-in-law, Kelli Franklin; Gunther Kurtz, Laurie Barrow’s nephew; Carl Hahn, Laura Doughty’s brother-in-law; Ruth Doughty, Paul Doughty's mother; Cheryl and Doug Walcutt’s Family:Cheryl Walcutt (mother of Cheryl), Judy (sister of Cheryl); Don Clark, friend of Cheryl Walcutt; Margaret Schade, Erika Sealing's grandmother; Rob Yeager’s friends: Greta Daughtrey and Peter Brown; Linda Jordan, Christy Yeager’s mother; Bonnie, Linda Jordan’s niece.