The Arkive: Ark and Dove's Newsletter |
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Good Shepherd Sunday!
Please connect on YouTube HERE
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Dear Members of the Ark and Dove Community,
If you have been reading the Arkive regularly, then you will be very familiar with the phrase "One Great Hour of Sharing." During Lent and Easter, we receive the one Great Hour of Sharing offering, which is distributed about evenly to three areas of Presbyterian Ministry.
The Self-Development of People provides grants and training to grassroots organizations, who work to lift people out of poverty and oppression. A chief requirement is that the organization has to have a majority of its board members be the people who benefit from the work of the organization. So not only are people aided, in their own work to benefit their households, but they are also given skills to hone in order to help others.
The Presbyterian Hunger Program provides grants to organizations that feed the hungry and work to eliminate the root causes of hunger.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) provides emergency assistance in the face of natural disasters and community crises. Think Texas winter storm. PDA also stays around for sometimes years and years to help communities recover.
In speaking with treasurer Alta Paronto today, I learned that, last year, our giving to One Great Hour of Sharing was about $4800.00. This year giving has exceeded $5300 so far, and we have not counted the kids Gracie Fish Banks yet. Thank you for your generosity and for your increased generosity in the face of the many needs in our world. As any of our LOGOS Youth can tell you, generosity is one of the fruits of the Spirit.
Tomorrow we will be hosting the memorial service for Karen Dodson’s brother Dennis W. Dodson in the sanctuary, on the Ark and Dove YouTube channel, and Facebook live. We will go live online at about 1:45 pm and the service begins at about 2:00, if you would like to support Karen in this way.
Peace of Christ,
Tim
tstern@arkanddove.org
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Dear Friends and Members of Ark and Dove,
After hearing Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder by the jury, I read through some of the reactions. Several news and social media statements claimed that justice was served. In a sense this is true, but justice was not done.
I think so many of us have too narrow a view of justice. Perhaps that is because justice is so often denied. Justice is more than a guilty verdict given to someone who has done wrong. That is a start and it often does not get that far. According to the Hebrew prophets, justice begins with a guilty verdict and advances so far beyond.
In the first chapter of Isaiah, the prophet issues a verdict on the nation of Judah: they are guilty of evil and corruption. After the prophet gives this judgment, he commands them to seek justice. This is how they are to do it: rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow (v. 17). That is justice served and done.
Derek Chauvin was judged guilty for the murder of George Floyd. This is only a step over the starting line, a door opened. If we are to seek justice as a society for George Floyd and the many, many like him murdered, then we have a lot of work to do. Now, we must rescue, defend, and plead.
Peace,
Jon
jnelson@arkanddove.org
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I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.
-John 10:14
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The Lord is my shepherd. What more can I want? When I am weary, he leads me to rest. When I thirst, he satiates. When I wander, he ushers me in.
I have walked in darkness. Fearful things crept around me and crept in. Even then, you lit the dark corners. You scattered evil. I fear it not. I am comfortably in your care.
I find myself at table with foes become friends. I am esteemed. My cup has no bottom. I am on the receiving end of endless generosity and kindness.
My shepherd has shown me sanctuary. There I shall spend my days.
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I've always loved the image of Christ as a shepherd, maybe more so than other roles and images that have been attributed. In UMC Discipleship there's this idea, too: "In much popular imagination . . . shepherding is a fairly worry-free life; shepherds are smiling and sweet, and all the sheep are cute, puffy clouds. In reality, shepherds are tough-bodied and equally tough-minded people working a clear plan, coordinating the overall movement of a group of easily distracted herd animals, and ready to intervene at a moment’s notice to bring individuals going astray or into danger back into safety. Far from worry-free, the life and work of a shepherd is one of nearly constant vigilance." We've been living lives of vigilance and coordinating a lot of things sight-unseen with many new and unprecedented distractions. That Christ is there, in all of this, has been so comforting, and I hope that you find solace in the congregational hymn, 'My Shepherd Will Supply My Need,' and the postlude, a really gorgeous arrangement of 'The King of Love My Shepherd Is' by Dan Forrest.
Peace,
Margaret
Director of Music
margaret.mcgillivray@gmail.com
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I hope you all were able to hear Pastor Tim's sermon last week. An incredibly important message for the health of our children and environment! As we move into this Sunday, which is Good Shepherd Sunday, let us keep that message in our hearts, as we need to continue to be good shepherds not only to the lost in our communities, but also to our earth. We must always be diligent with reducing, reusing, and recycling to keep our world beautiful for centuries to come. The work we do now will matter the most in the long run. This week the band recorded 'Rescuer' by Rend Collective and another well known gloria response, 'Only Grace' by Matthew West. The offertory is a setting of Psalm 23 by Shane and Shane, one of the best worship bands especially their live album 'Psalms.' I recommend you listen to that album. The vocalist is my long-time friend and previous roommate, Kevin Barrett. He has an amazing musical sensibility, and his voice is phenomenal. Not only can he sing well, he has also consulted as an audio engineer for Ark and Dove to improve our live sound and our streaming set-up.
I hope you all will be good shepherds to our world, and have a blessed week!
Pat
Director of Contemporary Music
psise11@gmail.com
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DONATE ONLINE! One-time and recurring!
TEXT your donations! 410-983-3481
Text give to get started. Text commands for more options.
Text an amount followed by percapita to contribute your portion of per capita.
Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cornithians 9:7
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Why I Pledge: A Monthly Insight |
Throughout multiple moves over numerous states during our 41 years of marriage, one thing that's remained consistent for Bob and I is our desire to quickly find a church. After our move to Maryland a year and a half ago, just one visit to Ark and Dove confirmed it was that new church home. The first Sunday we walked in we felt a welcoming, sweet spirit unlike in any Maryland church we'd visited. Even the focus of the sermon and content of the bulletin mentioning so many social justice endeavors read as if written just for us. After the service's end and a warm welcome from Pastor's Tim and Jon and others, we knew this would be our new church home.
After visiting for several Sundays in early 2020, Ark and Dove went to livestream. And we are so appreciative we and others can join in to Sunday worship, as well as the various ministry groups and studies, even during a pandemic. Apparent in all these activities is the caring heart of the Ark and Dove community and their concern for each other and their commitment and compassion for those in our greater community.
We choose to pledge because it takes money to run a church. We know that God will put the money we give to good use through the ministries of Ark and Dove. We believe that a church should be a force for good in a community, and that churches should actively work to improve people's lives both spiritually and physically. More than any church we have ever attended, Ark and Dove fulfills this mission.
We view our giving similar to planting a garden. The money a gardener spends is not really given; it is invested. With a little care and attention, the money spent on a garden will return many times the investment. In the same way, the small amount we invest in God's kingdom, like the mustard seed, will grow along with the donations of others and will return a growing, vibrant church and an improved community.
Ark and Dove has given us the ability to participate in what we believe is truly the work Jesus wants us to do. We are more than glad to do our part to bring about God's kingdom on earth.
-Bob and Shirley Fuller
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Bagged Lunches for Light House |
The high schoolers of Ark and Dove are organizing a service project for the Light House of Annapolis (a homeless prevention support center). This project involves preparation and donating 25 bagged lunches for people in need and your help is needed. We bag and deliver this Sunday, April 25. Items needed include: Bread, meat (ham or turkey), cheese, healthy snacks (whole fruits and pretzels/popcorn). Please drop off these food items at the church on Sunday morning or arrange a time to leave them at the church. Contact Pastor Jon (jnelson@arkanddove.org) if you plan to donate items.
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The Antiracism and Social Equity Team and the GLEAM Team are joining together for a peaceful demonstration on Tuesday, May 4, 4:30-6:30. We will be supporting Black lives, LGBTQ lives and Asian American Pacific Islander lives. Please bring a thermos of water and come for an hour! lkronser16@gmail.com
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CAP Food Pantry Donations and Volunteer Need |
The Ark & Dove mission ministry is again receiving food donations for the CAP west county food pantry at Severn United Methodist Church. CAP is the Christian Assistance Program, Inc., a group of about a dozen churches, including Ark & Dove, that provides food and clothing to families in west Anne Arundel County. The pantry has been operating throughout the pandemic, with more than 300 households added since last March. For a while there were limitations on what could be donated, but our donations are welcome again and can be left at church on the table just inside the front door or in the covered picnic area. The CAP featured item for April is hot or cold cereal (cold or hot), and for May it’s canned or dried fruit. In addition, CAP needs volunteers to carry bags of food from the pantry out to the cars, 3-5 pm one or more Thursdays per month, especially during the first hour and especially April-June. Greg Makar (GLMakar@juno.com) |
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A Brief Guide to Ministry With LGBTQIA |
Youth Book Discussion Please join us Tuesday, May 18, 7:30 pm for a Zoom discussion of the book A Brief Guide to Ministry With LGBTQIA Youth by Cody J. Sanders. Short and packed with information, this book provides useful advice, case studies, and ministry examples for churches that are looking to expand their youth ministry in ways that fully affirm and welcome LGBTQIA youth. Any questions, please contact Pastor Jon jnelson@arkanddove.org. To RSVP, please contact Amy Tardiff Lilac.n.Spruce@gmail.com
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Parent Group will meet via Zoom on Friday, April 30, 8:00 pm. Please email Pastor Jon to be added to the email invitation. Pastor Jon (jnelson@arkanddove.org) |
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Annapolis Run for the Light House |
Announcing an opportunity for mission and outreach/connections! Run for The Light House is a 1.25 mile, 5K, or half marathon race happening on Sunday, September 19, 2021 (or virtually anytime between Sept. 11-19) that will benefit The Light House in Annapolis, a public charity working to end the cycle of homelessness and poverty. Let's form an Ark and Dove team! For more details and registration, please run here. Notify Nicole Howe if interested! Nicole Howe (fellowship@arkanddove.org)
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The next virtual gathering of the Crafting Group will be Monday, 7:00 pm, April 19. We are a group of handcrafters (all skill levels welcome) who meet on the FIRST WEDNESDAY and THIRD MONDAY of each month at 7:00 pm. All are welcome to join. To receive the zoom link please contact Amy Tardiff at Lilac.n.Spruce@gmail.com.
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Join us April 29, 8 pm for a discussion about heaven, hell, and universal salvation. We will explore what should and should not be believed about heaven and hell. Our session will be informed by David Bentley Hart's short book, That All Shall Be Saved, but reading is not required. The discussion will be facilitated by Tricia Gray and Pastor Jon. Please contact Pastor Jon for the Zoom link.
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Antiracism and Social Equity |
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More than five years ago Linnie Girdner and I attended an 8-week anti-racism workshop given by Baltimore Racial Justice Action. Our final assignment was to create a plan to take the knowledge we’d gained back into our community, and our Anti-Racism/Social Equity Team was formed. Linnie’s enthusiasm, passion, and leadership have been invaluable as we planned forums and book studies, hosted speakers, and created Zoom videos for outreach to other communities. In addition to her leadership on our team, she became actively involved in the Annapolis chapter of SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) and ACT. Because she’s taken on more responsibilities with SURJ and ACT, she will be stepping down from her leadership position on our Anti-Racism team as of May 15th. Linnie – thank you, and best wishes going forward! Now we are in need of a new co-leader for the Anti-Racism team and open to new ideas going forward. If understanding and eliminating systemic racism is something you’re passionate about, let’s talk! Paula Sparks, Trebleclef48@gmail.com, 443-623-1169 |
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Join Linda Girdner and Kim Champagne for a three-week introduction to the ideas proposed by Resmaa Menakem in his ground-breaking book "My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies." Participants need not purchase the book at this time as we will be using a variety of support materials to begin to make sense of the damage caused by racism in America, using a body-centered understanding of white supremacy and its destructive effects. We will also look at some of the strategies Menakem uses to encourage healing. We will explore how these strategies can help us deal with the biological and psychological damage caused by racialized trauma, and how we can use these practices to draw us closer to God as we continue with racial justice work. Three Fridays at 7:30 on Zoom, beginning April 30. (kim.champagne@gmail.com)
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Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
PRAYERS OF HEALING AND SUPPORT for Ardeth and Bob Johns; Karen Schell; Steven Kirby; Arlyce Lohr; Patty Plander; Krista Klohr; Christa Kronser; Dick Paronto; Richard and Edie Budd; ; Vaughn Brown; Camille Dubois’ uncle and parents; Debbie Saylor’s sister, Christine; Ryan Stavely’s father, Brian; Brooks Emrick and her sister, Susan; Amanda Crose’s grandmother, Betty Davis; Dotty Kaufman, her son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Carol, granddaughter, Sarah, and grandson Nathan; Michelle Schoonmaker and her friends Bri Reed and the Liggon-Horn family; Steve Debus' cousin-in-law, Stephan; Kathy Miller’s brother-in-law, Jeff Miller; Lewis Shorter and Lewis Shorter’s niece, Jennifer Schwandt-Gayle; Bob Fuller’s brother, Joe Fuller; Dot Forloines’ family, granddaughter Melisa Tucker Saatthoff and her great-grandson Luke; Donna Anderson's brother-in-law, Tom Brown; Debbie and Bruce Arey’s family in Connecticut and daughter, Allison, and niece, Naomi; Linda Taylor’s mother, Izola; Grant Kirby’s mother, Caroline, and Julia Kirby's mother, Margaret Floyd; 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, and Paul Doughty’s mother, Ruth Doughty; 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 and Doug Walcutt’s grandchild, Gray Adacutt; Cheryl Walcutt’s mother, nephew, and sisters; Erika Sealing's son, Trip, and grandmother, Margaret Schade; and Kim Young’s friend, Kurt Kost.
THE LOVE AND THE PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION go out to the Crose and Davis families on the death of Amanda Crose’s great aunt, Ruth Davis.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING from the Ziegler family for the birth of Don and Peggi’s granddaughter, Audrey Grace Ziegler, 7lbs 15 oz, 19 in.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING from the Sanders family for the birth of Karen and Bruce’s granddaughter, Christine Sanders, 10 lbs 1 oz, 21 inches.
PRAYERS OF HEALING for those with COVID-19 including: Dot Forloines’ granddaughter, Abigail; Julia Kirby’s great niece, nephew, his wife, and friends, and the Coffey family; Michelle Schoonmaker's friend Ajita Robinson; and Jennifer Roman's aunt, Laura Clay, and grandmother, Louise Nothdurft.
If you have prayer concerns or blessings that you would like to share, please contact Deacon Patriceo Green at patriceobgreen@gmail.com and he will add your concern to the prayer partners email chain.
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Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church | 410-674-6400 | admin@arkanddove.org | www.arkanddove.org | 8424 Piney Orchard Pkwy. Odenton, MD 21113
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