Dove Tales Vol. XXVII, Issue 5

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1 Dove Tales Vol. XXVII, Issue 5 March 2016 Seeing Stars These words written by Annie Dillard capture my imagination as we journey through Lent to Easter. She writes: You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary. How is your Lenten journey going? Are you finding yourself growing closer to God, discovering more about God s love for you, or is it the same old same old? Are you being intentional with your spiritual disciplines of reading God s word, prayer, fasting, worship, and service? Or do you find that, as committed as you wanted to be at the beginning of Lent, you now discover the days slip out of your grasp quickly? Somehow, with each passing year, I find that time seems to speed up. Before I know it, the page on the calendar has turned and a new day begins. You know what that is like. As a congregation, we have entered into a time of transition. The news of Pastor Ruth s retirement and the anticipated change in my appointment, finds us in a moment of uncertainty together. Yet our Lenten worship series reminds us that these very days are ones filled with hope and possibilities. There are gifts in the Dark Woods, as we are learning in worship. The secret to finding meaning and new life through days of change is choosing to be intentional. It requires effort and commitment. Easter will soon be here. Don t let it be just another day on the calendar. Take action today to experience something different. It s your choice. I m expecting something miraculous to happen. This is what I want to invite you to do as we, together, move through this season: If you have not yet engaged in any of the spiritual disciplines, I want you to select one not all of them just one and decide to start engaging in that spiritual discipline today. Then no matter what come to worship. There is something about the strength and faith of the gathered community that will empower you. I look forward to experiencing it with you. Blessings Dove of the Desert United Methodist Church Increasing Love for God and Neighbor by Going Deeper, Reaching Farther, Transforming Lives

2 LENTEN SERMON SERIES Dark Wood When we allow ourselves to accept the journey within the Dark Woods, the Holy Spirit Guide tends to shake things up a bit as we awaken to nudges toward a fuller life. But life is messy. Life is uncertain. Rather than a problem to be solved, what if we saw uncertainty as a gift, helping us let go of all we cannot know, so that we can live more wholeheartedly? We begin our Lenten journey in the Dark Wood, where rich discoveries can be made when we are willing to answer the question, Do you want to be made well? March 6 The Gift of Getting Lost March 13 The Gift of Temptation March 20 Palm Sunday The Gift of Misfits March 24 Maundy Thursday The Last Supper A Drama March 25 Good Friday The Gift of Disappearing March 27 Easter Where Do We Go from Here? PALM SUNDAY ACTIVITIES A Journey to Hope The music ministry is pleased to present an Easter Cantata. Come with us on a journey and discover the hope that the Easter Story offers. Listen as four of our musical groups here at Dove of the Desert use their talents to weave the strains of a musical journey through Scripture. Enjoy as we share songs based on traditional spirituals to tell the story of Jesus mission and his ultimate sacrifice. Hear the voices of the Young Adult Choir, the Folk Group, the Dove Notes, and the Celebration Singers as they bring to you this afternoon of thought-provoking and moving music. Join us for A Journey to Hope on Palm Sunday, March 20, at 4:00 p.m. MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE Join us for Maundy Thursday service, March 24, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. for a living dramatization of Leonardo Da Vinci s The Last Supper. In this drama, the disciples speak their minds to themselves and to their Lord in light of the words they hear Jesus speak, One of you will betray me. This would be a wonderful opportunity for you to share this special worship service with your family and friends as we know they will be blessed by this experience. Pancake Breakfast The Youth of Dove will be preparing and serving their annual pancake breakfast between services on Palm Sunday. It includes pancakes, sausage, and juice or coffee. There is no charge for the breakfast, but donations are requested. Proceeds from this breakfast are used to support the Halos Summer Mission Trip. EASTER SERVICES Dove of the Desert will celebrate Easter during four services on Sunday, March 27. Sunrise Service: This year we will begin outdoors with a dialogue from Salome. She will carry the light into the Sanctuary, and we will be bearers of the Light also. Come and enjoy a new beginning for Easter Sunday, led by our Youth at 6:30 a.m. We will also celebrate Easter at our 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 services. We hope that you will join us. 2

3 CHILDREN S & YOUTH MINISTRY Imagine No Malaria The Dove Sunday School children at Route 66 have made an amazing contribution! For the past two years we were able to help make a difference in 122 lives! Children s Easter Extravaganza Saturday, March 26 9:30-11:00 a.m. Bring your Easter basket to collect eggs. The Easter Bunny will be there, along with games and fun activities. All children welcomed up to 5th Grade. If you can volunteer, please contact Jan Ramsey at Thank you! Youth Sunday 9:30 am Jr. High Room 21 ~ Sr. High Room 22 Our youth have been discovering how God s story intertwines with our story from the moment of creation. For up-to-date information on DYF meeting dates and times and Halo Choir rehearsals and activities dates and times, please refer to the Announcements in the Sunday Bulletin or the calendar on the website. 3

4 HABITAT FOR HUMANITY The Dove Missions Team has three remaining build days in 2016 for Habitat for Humanity, located in Peoria, AZ. All skill levels welcome! Build dates: April 2, April 23, and May 21 Build location: 8479 W Washington Street, Peoria. Work hours: from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Food is provided for a break and lunch. Other Info: No experience is necessary. Volunteers are guided by trained Habitat leaders. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old, although year-olds cannot use power tools or work on the roof. If you would like to come out on any or all of these Saturdays, contact Jim Gard to get a waiver form and more details (jim@impact-az.com or ). WORLD DAY OF PRAYER World Day of Prayer Service, led by Board of Church and Society and Dove s Evangelism Team, will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 4 in building D. Christian women in the United States and Canada have initiated cooperative activities in many areas of concern for women and children. Hundreds of thousands of women (and men, youth, and children) from around the world and in every region gather to collectively worship and pray. Each year, a different country serves as the writer of the worship service. This year s service was written by the women of Cuba. The offering that is taken is given to support the needs that relate to the theme. We hope that you will be able to come and pray and worship with us. HIKING GROUP TAKE A HIKE WITH DOVE Fun, fellowship and the great outdoors. Beth Sanders is starting a hiking group at Dove. It is an informal group that would get together regularly. The hike leader could rotate as well as the location of the hike. We will hike in the Deem Hills area. Those who are interested may contact Beth at ussanders@yahoo.com. Dove UMC is filled with great people who enjoy growing together. I hope you will join. I look forward to meeting you. Beth Sanders - Hike Coordinator Inaugural Hikers, pictured at right: Darla Wells, Kim Jackson, Mike & Mary Bennett, Pam & John Dunphy, Flo Wolfe, Karla Averill, and Beth & Lee Sanders 4

5 FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES The LUNCH BUNCH meets the 1 st Thursday of each month for good food and fellowship. Please join them at noon on Thursday, March 3 at Babbo Italian Eatery, N. 67 th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308; Phone: ; PRIMETIME LIVE is Dove s adult fellowship group, including adults who are married, single, young, and young at heart. Please join them the 3 rd Friday of each month at a Dove member s home and enjoy the evening together with food, fun, and Christian fellowship. The host supplies a main course; attendees bring sides and dessert. Join us Friday, March 18 at 6 p.m. at Gary & Sandy Connelly's home. Call them at or them at laurell2@aol.com to discuss what you can bring or for directions. MOMS MORNING GROUP meets in the Dove kitchen each Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Join them and share a devotional, have coffee and a snack, and spend the morning in fellowship with one another! For more information, please contact Ashli Short-Levi at or 100ashes@cox.net. Childcare is available. MOMS EVENING GROUP meets on the 4 th Thursday of each month from 7:00-10:00 p.m. NO childcare is available. For more information, please contact Valerie Burkhart-Betters at Valburkhart@yahoo.com or DOVE BREAKFAST CLUB meets every Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. (or a little earlier) at Cracker Barrel Restaurant, N. 84th Ave., West of Loop 101 and South of Bell Road. Everyone is welcome! For more information, contact Ron & Jan Bender, DOVE MEN S BREAKFAST meets on the 2 nd Saturday of each month for a time of devotion, prayer, and fellowship. Please join them at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 12 at the Black Bear Diner, 6039 W. Bell Rd. RSVP: Rob Sanders at or Dove at Dove Men, including Fathers & Grandfathers, Sons & Grandsons, age 13 and up, are invited to come and bring a friend. A great way to make some new friends! OTHER FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Many other opportunities exist for fellowship at Dove, including Adult Sunday School classes, Men s Bible Studies, Tuesday Talks, Women s Bible Studies, Prayer Shawl Group, and Dove s musical groups including Celebration Singers, Dove Notes, Folk Group, the Bell Choir, a new bell choir that is just beginning, plus many more. Please check the weekly Announcements included with the Sunday Bulletin, as well as the calendar that you can find on the Dove website. We also have a new Hiking Group and the Habitat for Humanity build days (see previous page). We hope you will join in on the wonderful fellowship! 5

6 PRAYER LINE Please use Dove s Prayer Line for your Prayer Requests. Share a concern or a joy! Call PRAY ( ) Our Prayer Partners retrieve prayer requests daily. MONTHLY MISSIONS First Sunday Food Drive for St. Mary s Food Bank Alliance Pet Food & Supply Drive First Wednesday Meatloaf dinner for UMOM On-Going Justa Center Donations UMOM Donations CARE MINISTRY Dove s Care Ministry includes the following areas: Baby Brigade & Casserole Brigade; Blood Pressure Screening; Care/Prayer Notes; Dove s Congregational Card Ministry; Duet Volunteer Orientation; Funeral Reception Team; Homebound Communion; Grief Support Group; Pet Care Ministry; and Prayer Shawl Ministry. For more specific information on each of these, please refer to the Dove website. This month we are highlighting the CareNotes and PrayerNotes. Care/Prayer Notes There are Care Notes and Prayer Notes available on the rack in the Narthex with titles relevant to issues we face each day. The CareNotes cover topics for adults, teens, and children with titles dealing with illness, grief, friendship, loss of a pet, bullying, addiction, anger, hospice care, divorce, peer pressure, depression, and much more. The Prayer Notes provide ideas for praying with the scriptures, increasing the time you or your family spend in prayer, and praying for others, etc. Our Care Ministry Team supplies the booklets, and we encourage you to pick them up to study for yourself or share with a friend who might be facing disappointment or possibly a crisis situation. Dave Smith, Coordinator THANK YOU NOTE Your cards, kind words, and prayers surrounded us with love and comfort following the death of my husband, Ken. I simply could not have functioned had I not known you were praying me through the trauma. I rest knowing he is with our Lord and no longer struggling His earthly life was an honorable one, and his heavenly life is just beginning. Praise God! My family and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. THANK YOU NOTE I would like to thank Dove for all their prayers and concerns during my recent surgery. A special thanks to Don and Velma Trotter and the Prayer Shawl ministry for the visit and beautiful prayer shawl. Anita Burnett Bonnie Quartermain 6

7 MARCH CALENDAR PRAYER POWER POINT 2 Wednesday Night Simple Soup Supper & Fellowship: 5:30 p.m. 3 Lunch Bunch: noon, off campus 4 World Day of Prayer: 7:00 p.m. 6 Worship Services: 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m., with Communion First Sunday Donations for Food Bank and Pet Ministries Financial Planning Seminar: 3:00-4:30 p.m. 9 Wednesday Night Simple Soup Supper & Fellowship: 5:30 p.m. 11 Dove Tales Submission Deadline 12 Dove Men s Breakfast: 7:00 a.m.; off-campus 13 Worship Services: 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. 16 Wednesday Night Simple Soup Dinner & Fellowship: 5:30 p.m. 18 Prime Time Live: 6:00 p.m., off-campus 20 PALM SUNDAY Worship Services: 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. Pancake Breakfast: Between services Palm Sunday Musical Program: 4:00 p.m. 24 Maundy Thursday Service: 7:00 p.m. 25 Good Friday Service: 7:00 p.m. 26 Easter Extravaganza: 9:30 a.m. 27 EASTER Worship Services: 6:30, 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. A complete calendar appears on our Web site. SPECIAL PRAYERS For Condolences To: Gary & Susan Lee and Maddi & Lorenzo Miloscia on the death of Susan s father Blake & Amy Parker on the death of Blake s father Rosetta Tilghman and family on the death of her husband, Granville For these churches... Christ Community UMC, Avondale City Square UMF, Phoenix Community Church of Buckeye PRAYER POWER POINT: The cross is an expectant cross... It s a symbol of hope, for God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus is between us to bring us together. - David Jeremiah PRAYER: Loving God, help us remember that the shadow of the empty cross is what allows us to walk in your light. Let us live our lives in hope and faith that honors your son s sacrifice. In Jesus name we pray. Amen SPIRIT IN MOTION: For a few minutes, find a quiet spot to look with fresh eyes at an empty cross. Write down what is placed in your mind or on your heart, and share it with a loved one. Dove of the Desert UMC 7201 W. Beardsley Road, Glendale, AZ Rev. N. Susan Brims: SeniorPastor@doveofthedesert.com Rev. Ruth Blum: RuthBlum@doveofthedesert.com Director of Music: GregRamsey@doveofthedesert.com Choral Director: Lovita Christianson DoveChoirs@doveofthedesert.com Bell Choirs Director Brent Fike: bfike2@cox.net Sunday School Coordinator Jan Ramsey: jr@gopiano.com Youth Director: Sherry Paddie doveyouth@doveofthedesert.com Dove Tales Editor Mimi Griffiths: azmimig1@cox.net Pam Zurn, Office Administrator: DoveAdmin@doveofthedesert.com Administrative Assistant: MartiBetts@doveofthedesert.com Phone: ; Fax: Office Hours: Mon. -Thurs.: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Fri.: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; Closed for Lunch 12-1 p.m. Dove Tales is a monthly publication of Dove of the Desert United Methodist Church. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all items submitted for publication. 7

8 Dove of the Desert United Methodist Church 7201 W. Beardsley Road Glendale, AZ NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID GLENDALE, AZ PERMIT #512 Return Service Requested Sending Easter Blessings to: Rev. Susan s Message...1 Lenten Sermon Series: Dark Wood...2 Palm Sunday Activities...2 A Journey to Hope...2 Pancake Breakfast...2 Maundy Thursday Service...2 Easter Services...2 Dove Children s & Youth Ministry...3 Imagine No Malaria Thank You...3 Easter Extravaganza...3 Habitat for Humanity...4 World Day of Prayer...4 IN THIS ISSUE: Hiking Group... 4 Fellowship Opportunities... 5 Prayer Line... 6 Monthly Missions... 6 Care Ministry... 6 CareNotes & PrayerNotes... 6 Thank You Notes... 6 March Calendar... 7 Special Prayers... 7 Prayer Power Point... 7 Dove Church Information... 7