Bay Area Disciple Churches Help Establish Anne Arundel Co. Community Empowerment and Action Organization

October 15 2018

by The Rev. Timothy S. Stern, Pastor of Ark & Dove Presbyterian Church

After two years of rigorous listening and consensus building, Anne Arundel Connecting Together (ACT) – a non-partisan, grassroots organization focused on community empowerment – launched on Oct. 4 with the overwhelming support of more than 1,100 interfaith residents; twenty-five member and friend-organizations; and, a host of county officials, politicians and local leaders. Three Presbytery of Baltimore churches were instrumental in establishing the organization. They include the First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church in Odenton and Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Christ Our Anchor Presbyterian Church in Annapolis is discerning its role in the organization, as well.

ACT is committed to making real and relevant changes in Anne Arundel county on many issues. For the past six months the organization has conducted “listening sessions” with more than 2800 residents in scores of locations to learn about the problems most plaguing the county’s communities. Those deep listening sessions led to the organization’s plans to address six problem areas: education, including lead in school water; gun violence reduction and safety; mental health and addiction; transportation; immigration; and, affordable house and safer neighborhoods.

ACT is committed to working together to build community power so that people’s voices are represented, and solutions presented, at the places where decisions are made. ACT builds power by forming deep relationships within the organization and community. Muslims, Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Quakers, Unitarian Universalists, Independent Christians, Baptists and Jews are active in the organization.

“This is a new moment,” Rev. Ryan Sirmons of the United Church of Christ of Annapolis said at the organization's launch. “In a time of incredibly partisan politics dividing us. ... We are united, in search of solutions, going beyond the politics of division. We don’t have a logo, we don’t have a mission statement, we have relationships. We are building power by developing those relationships between organizations and people.”

ACT is a sister organization to BUILD in Baltimore, PATH in Howard County and AIM in Montgomery County, which are all affiliates of the IAF Industrial Areas Foundation , the he nation's largest and longest-standing network of local faith and community-based organizations.

ACT will never endorse candidates; however, ACT does invite candidates and county leaders to endorse its agenda. A good number of candidates attended the launch, and there, they were asked the same three questions that amounted to: Would they pledge to work with and meet regularly with ACT. All candidates responded with yes, yes, and yes — save one.

Rev. Tim Stern of Ark and Dove, Rev. Dr. Heather Shortlidge of First Annapolis and Ms. Cynamon Butler, Director of Mission at Woods Memorial, all serve on the Strategy Team of ACT. These three leaders, as well as Rev. Jon Nelson of Ark and Dove, have received national, or NEXT Church, IAF training. As Rev. Shortlidge said at a meeting in July, "We are looking forward to getting into holy trouble together!"

To learn more about ACT, read More Than 1,100 Interfaith Residents Unite, Pledge To Make Anne Arundel County a Better Place in the Oct. 8 edition of the Capital Gazette.

MEETINGS

All meetings held at the Presbytery of Baltimore's Office unless a different location is indicated

Cuba Partnership will meet 7pm Wednesday, Oct. 17

Steering Committee will meet 1pm Wednesday, Oct. 24

Committee on Preparation for Ministry will meet 2pm Wednesday, Oct. 24 at Catonsville PC

Commission on Reconciliation will meet at 6:30pm on Wednesday, Oct. 24

Taneytown Presbyterian Church Closes

190-year-old Taneytown Presbyterian Church held its final worship service on Sunday. Oct. 14.

TAKE NOTE/ ACT NOW

Presbytery & Church-Wide

Per Capita: $35.73

Presbytery.......................................$25.93

Synod/Mid-Atlantic.........................$ .85

General Assembly............................$ 8.95

Background Checks

Background checks available through the Presbytery office. Member Churches in the Presbytery of Baltimore are now able to order background checks through Presidium at a much-reduced rate, by ordering them through the Presbytery office. Please contact Wanda Morgan at [email protected] for details; pricing varies according to the type of check which is desired.

ENGLISH VERSION

KOREAN VERSION

Webinar: "' I Was A Stranger and You Welcomed me: US Refugee Policies and the Church's Response"

Monday, Oct. 29 7 pm - 8:15 pm

Join Susan Krehbiel for a webinar discussion about asylum seekers and the Southwest border; refugee resettlement; and, local opportunities to engage your congregation in in the refugee crisis. Click here to learn more . . .

SDOP Deadline: Oct. 15, 2018

Don't miss this opportunity for community engagement!

The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People is prepared to establish partnerships with groups within the boundaries of the Presbytery of Baltimore who:

are oppressed by poverty or social systems,
want to take charge of their own lives,
have organized or are organizing to do something about their own conditions,
have decided that they are going to produce long term changes for their lives or communities,
will control the programs they own and will directly benefit from them.

If interested, click here for details

Churches

Second Presbyterian Church invites youth and their families to join them from 6-9pm on Saturday, Oct. 6 for "Fall Youth Fest" during which the congregation will welcome the Rev. Grace Ji-Sun Kim. Rev. Kim is the author of Mother Daughter Speak: Lessons on Life (a message not limited to mothers and daughters). Join the congregation for a night of worship, energizers, mission project, and to share in a meal together. Please send RSVP to [email protected] .

Catonsville Concerts at 3 presents Carolyn Black-Sotir and friends with a stunning tribute to Leonard Bernstein on his 100th anniversary, "BRAVO; Bernstein on Broadway!" This free concert will be presented at 3:00 pm on Sunday, Oct. 14 at Catonsville Presbyterian Church, 1400 Frederick Road in Catonsville. For more information, call 410.74.6180.

Ark & Dove Presbyterian Church seeks a Music Director . Click here for job description.

FREE CHOIR ROBES

Franklinville Presbyterian Church is offering

10 dove-grey choir robes to any church in need.

If interested, email [email protected].

The EARTH FORUM of First Presbyterian Church of Howard County will be held on Sun., Oct. 21, from 2 - 4:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County (9325 Presbyterian Circle, Columbia, MD). A panel will discuss effective communication strategies with people who might not (really) be listening.... Examples used will be water pollution solutions and water policy issues. All interested persons are welcomed to this free program. Contact the church office (410.730.3545) for childcare for the youngest ones. Additional information at [email protected].

First & Franklin Spire Series

First & Franklin Presbyterian Church’s SPIRE SERIES kicks off their 2018-2019 music season on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 at 8:00 P.M. with Kurt Nikkanen performing a mostly J.S. Bach solo violin program. Mr. Nikkanen is the Concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra. Tickets are $20 general/$10 students. Click Kurt Nikkanen for details.

Click here for a subscription.

Discipline with Love

Saturday, Nov. 17 9:30am-11:30am

Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church

Come talk about discipline in the church

Addressing the challenging topic of discipline in the church, this workshop considers the basics for effective,

loving discipline and provides recommendations

for helpful strategies in the classroom and other settings

Click here for details

Pumpkin Patch at Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church

4640 Edmondson Ave.

October 15-31, Noon to Dusk

Come and get your pumpkins and get a taste of the country inside the city! Join us for fun family activities on Saturday October 20 from 2-4 pm and on Sunday October 28 from 4-7 pm (includes a bonfire and marshmallows!)

The Tiffany Series Features Trumpeter Sean Jones

Trumpeter Sean Jones will play for the Tiffany Series at 3pm on Sunday, Oct. 21 at Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in the Bolton Hill section of Baltimore. He will be joined by Peabody faculty members Alex Brown on piano, Kris Funn on bass, and Quincy Phillips on drums. Tickets are $20 general admission ($50 Patron) and are available at: ww.browndowntown.org/current-season. Students get free admission. NOTE: Free parking and shuttle service will be available. For more information, call 410-523-1542.

Community

Webinars

Clergy Finance Workshop

With Martha Reisner of the BOP

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 9am - 1pm Maryland Presbyterian Church

1105 Providence Road, Baltimore

Do you have questions about benefits? Taxes? Retirement? Whether you are new in ministry or approaching retirement, financial issues can be challenging and ever-changing. Martha Reisner, our presbytery's liaison with the Board of Pensions will be offering a morning workshop around these issues. Lunch will be provided and Martha will be available throughout the afternoon to meet with individuals about their own financial planning.

If you plan to attend, RSVP to Debbie Schmidt: [email protected] .

It is widely recognized that in life preparation is key, but how do we prepare ourselves and family members to face major life decisions surrounding the aging process, serious illness, and end-of-life care? Join Revs. Brandon C. Brewer and Scot Crannell for an important seminar entitled , "Starting the Conversation," at Massanetta Springs Oct. 19-20. Click here to learn more and register.