The Beacon
Newsletter
November 17, 2022 Volume 64, No 47
this Sunday: November 20, 2022
Theme & Title: What say you?
The ancient prophets felt compelled to speak words of judgment in the face of injustice and oppression, but that was not the final word to be spoken. Rather, those prophets lived with a burning conviction that God is a God of healing and wholeness, a God of new life and new beginnings. In the text from Jeremiah 23, the prophet both proclaims judgment against oppressive leaders and announces that God is able to overcome the failures of flawed human leaders. God is able to bring about new creation, and you and I are to give voice and witness to a new world coming.
Please read Jeremiah 23: 1-6 to prepare.
Joel Kline
Sunday, November 20
9:30 a.m. Eat and Meet
10:30 a.m. Worship
Monday, November 21
Pastor Anna Lisa onsite.
7:00 p.m. Full Board meeting
Tuesday, November 22
Pastor Anna Lisa onsite.
7:00 p.m. Staff Relations meeting (Zoom)
Wednesday, November 23
Preschool closed for Thanksgiving break.
9:30 a.m. Food Bank
Thursday, November 24
Church Office closed.
Preschool closed for Thanksgiving break.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 25
Church Office closed.
Preschool closed for Thanksgiving break.
Saturday, November 26
Remember to check the Breeze calendar for upcoming events and activities!
Weekly Announcements
We Welcome Advent on Nov 27 at 9:30am with treats to eat, cookies to decorate, ornaments to create, and cards to send. Be there to welcome this beautiful season!
We will host a memorial service for Marjorie Runkle on November 29 here at the church. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., followed by the service itself at 11 a.m. All are welcome.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Wayne invites Beacon Heights to a Family Game Night on Saturday, December 10th from 7-9pm. Come and join the games!
We have been invited to two separate upcoming concerts: a Sing Me Home benefit at Manchester Church of the Brethren on Saturday, December 3, where all proceeds go to support On Earth Peace (sponsored in part by the BH Witness team); and the Crest Manor Christmas Concert on Friday, December 16. Find more info below!
Statistics 11/13/2022
Worship 63
Offering 11/6/2022 $4,859.00
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Food Bank on November 16:
26 Families served
67 Individuals in families
COME WELCOME ADVENT WITH US!
The first Sunday of Advent, which is Sunday, November 27, this year, is the time we welcome the Advent season. Nurture Commission has planned fun activities for you! There will be the regular Meet and Eat at 9:30 which will be combined with activities to help welcome Advent: there will be cookies to decorate – and eat!, crafts for the kids, Christmas cards to sign for people at Timbercrest, college students, and others who have a hard time attending, and possibly some sorting and wrapping of Christmas Bureau items. Plus puzzles and Christmas activities on paper for you to do! Please come and join us in the hour before church begins.
SING ME HOME FESTIVAL
Are you interested in going to the Sing Me Home Festival at the North Manchester Church of the Brethren on December 3 at 7:00? It’s a benefit concert with all proceeds going to On Earth Peace. You can reserve tickets on line at Singmehome.org. The group Hearth & Hymn will be presenting music as well as Jacob Jolliff and Seth Hendricks. If you would like to ride with someone, please call or text Ruth Ann Bever at 260-341-2965 and we will try to arrange carpooling. Hope to see you there!
Thanks to Beacon Heights Witness Commission for being a sponsor to this event!
Service to Families in Need
Our Beacon Heights fellowship continues to support families transitioning through homelessness at Just Neighbors: Interfaith Homeless Network. We will be providing, but not serving, dinners at the Just Neighbors home a few blocks from Church on December 4, 5, 6. Please be part of the team providing meal items on one of those evenings. Food dishes will be dropped off, in nonreturnable containers, at the IHN administration office 2925 E. State, back door, prior to 5:00 PM each day. Staff can reheat as needed. Currently 8 families (32 individuals) are in shelter. Other supplies are always appreciated, such as bathroom tissue, cleaning supplies, diapers, lunch food, and can be dropped off at Church or directly to Just Neighbors-IHN. Click this link for the full donation wish list. https://www.ihnfamily.org/wish-list.php
Sign up on the poster or contact Mark/Barb Beck at 637-2144 or 403-6220
or email markabeck@hotmail.com with questions or to volunteer.
NIDCOB Nominations
Did you know that no one from the Northern Indiana District (of the CoB) has been on Mission and Ministry Board for at least 5 years? Now is the time to nominate people for MMB -- and a bunch of other positions: On Earth Peace board, Bethany board, Moderator...etc. Any member of Beacon Heights could be nominated to these positions!
Come to a zoom Nominations Party on Tuesday, Dec 6 at 8pm to learn about all the open positions and how to nominate people. Carol Lindquist and Pastor Anna Lisa Gross will be there, along with other members of the Womaen's Caucus Steering Committee.
Help a Family in Need: Christmas Bureau 2022
Beacon is continuing its partnership with The Christmas Bureau by sponsoring 2 families this year. Family #1 includes Kelvin (age 65), Tatianna (age 19), Kendall (age 14) & Kendrick (age 9). Family #2 includes Joseph (age 55), Stephanie (age 50) & Mason (age 4).
Please consider helping by signing up on the poster board outside of the sanctuary. There are a wide selection of needs, including clothing, households basics and food for a Christmas Day meal. If you are unable to shop or prefer to make a monetary donation, please put donations in the offering plate by November 27 (or deliver it to Melinda in the office) and designate “Christmas Bureau Family”.
Please bring all items unwrapped to the church and drop off in the parlor room by Sunday, November 27.
We will need help with wrapping the week of 11/28. If you would like to participate, please contact Lisa and we will decide on a date that works for most.
Thank you in advance for your willingness to help a family in need this Holiday Season!
Join us on the longest night — December 21 at 7:00 p.m. — for a Blue Christmas gathering.
“Life of Peter” now available
Joel Kline has completed a second book (The Exile was published several years ago) for the denomination’s Covenant Bible Studies series. Life of Peter is now available for purchase through Brethren Press. Here is a brief description:
‘Peter plays a central role in the story of Jesus. The four Gospel writers often place him in a prominent position among the initial band of twelve disciples, portraying him as speaking or acting for the whole group. But, as the biblical narrative tells, Peter is far from perfect. There is an intriguing mixture of fear and courage, affirmation and denial, conviction and doubt, impulsiveness and resolution. In this study, we will examine the life and faith of the apostle Peter, with all his human frailties as well as his strengths, and consider what we might learn about the journey of Christian discipleship.’
Congratulations, Joel!
next Sunday: November 27, 2022
First Sunday of Advent: Joy
Theme & Title: The Things They Carried: Stuff
Mary and Joseph didn’t have nearly as much stuff as we have. Their home wouldn’t have been cluttered - maybe a few carpenter tools and some wood shavings? When the call came for them to report for the census, did they take all their possessions? They were not anticipating that it would be years until they would return to their hometown. When you’ve moved, did you resent or relish sorting through and getting rid of stuff? (or both!)
Please read Romans 8:5-7 and Luke 2:1-5 to prepare.
Pastor Anna Lisa Gross
Published by Beacon Heights
Church of the Brethren
Editor: Melinda Long
Phone: (260) 482-8595
Email: office@beaconheights.net