The Beacon
Newsletter
December 29, 2023 Volume 65, No 52
This SUNDAY: December 31, 2023
Theme: Wrapped in ritual: the comfort and the challenge
Just what counts as ritual? Habits like brushing our teeth? Group ecstasy like when our team wins the game? It’s more than these, your gut says…. And what about rituals that are getting in our way - even harmful? New Year’s Eve is a great time to meet up with the Holy Family, Anna and Simeon in the temple and reflect on the rituals of our lives.
Pastor Anna Lisa Gross
Sunday, December 31
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
8:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. New Year Party
Monday, January 1
Office Closed
Tuesday, January 2
Office Closed
Wednesday, January 3
9:00-2:00 Office Open
11:30 a.m. Worship Preview meeting
Thursday, January 4
Office Closed
Friday, January 5
9:00-2:00 p.m. Office Open
Saturday, January 6
Sunday, January 7
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
Remember to check the Breeze calendar for upcoming events and activities!
Worship on 12/24/2023:
In-person attendance 97
Offering 12/17 $10,119.00
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Food Bank on 12/20/2023:
Individuals: 21
Families: 88
*Pastor Anna Lisa will have time away January 8th through the 18th!
Thank You to Our Many Worship Participants During Advent and Christmas
If you planned worship . . . .
or served as a worship leader, reader, Children's Story-Teller, or dramatic actor . . . .
If you sang in the choir . . .
or played bells, or shared pre-worship music for Christmas Eve . . . .
If you provided Welcoming Music and Music to Send Us on Our Way . . .
Or accompanied our voices with flute, piano, organ, clarinet and more! . . . .
If you directed our choirs, or lit the candles . . . . .
Or if you helped stir the meghli rice pudding or shell pistachios or wash up the dishes . . .
If you helped collect the offering, the prayer slips, or hand out the bulletins . . . .
Or if you greeted our visitors and made them feel welcomed and loved . . . . .
If you designed the worship center to complement our worship themes . . . .
Or if you invited us into Visio Divina (Prayer with Art) . . . .
If you moved furniture out of the way to make space for people and tidy the sanctuary . . . .
Or if you connected us to our friends on-line, operated screen and slides, or made sure that everyone could hear . . . .
If you served communion . . . .
Or shared one of the many countless, invisible gifts that bless and enhance our worship . . . .
If you graciously pulled together complicated bulletins, inserts filled with liturgy, and art pages . . . . .
Or simply attended our worship services, sharing your presence with us . . . . .
We pastors say, "Thank you," from the bottom of our hearts.
We feel grateful for this congregation and the many gifts you share with us and with one another.
We feel refreshed in this weary world because of your generosity, energy, and joy.
With appreciation and love, Pastors Paula and Anna Lisa
Meet & Eat
Come to Meet and Eat on Sunday. Have some food and then sit in small groups and talk about the New Year! What plans do you have? What are your hopes? Share with others and maybe gain some new ideas for yourself! See you Sunday!
The Nurture Commission thanks everyone who has so thoughtfully planned, crafted, and presented breakfast since we started Meet and Eat! We look forward to the new year and new Meet & Eats!
Anyone interested in providing breakfast on a Sunday just needs to sign up on the shared google document: Eat Sign Up on Meet & Eat Spreadsheet or reach out to Thom Quinlan at: thomquinlan@gmail.com or 260.341.5064 (text is preferred).
Missing Hymnal Supplement
Pastor Paula has been missing her personal copy of the blue Hymnal Supplement, and thinks it may be somewhere in the church building. Her name (and notes and markings) are in the hymnal, so if you happen to see it and could help it to get back to her, she would appreciate it very much. Thank you!
Help needed
Please plan to stay after worship, if you can, on Sunday, December 31st, to help move extra chairs that were placed in the south classroom to another storage space on the lower level. Many hands make for light work!
11th Annual New years eve
game night
Everyone is cordially invited to the Eleventh Annual New Year's Eve Game Night. Bring cards, games, snacks, knitting, beverages - and - a smile! Beaconers and friends will meet in the Parlor from 8 p.m. to midnight. Hosted by Janet Mitchell and David and Daniel Mitchell-Dix.
Refresh update
We celebrate Christmas and welcome the New Year with a refreshed kitchen thanks to the generosity and hard work of our faith family. May it enhance the health and well being of all who are served by it! The committee has also enhanced the north entryway with beautiful new art to reflect the beauty of wintertime. In 2024, the ReFRESH committee will recommend additional updates to the congregation for updating our church building and ways to provide financial support for whatever projects are selected.
Preschool update
We celebrate that the Preschool has been refreshing the lower level, including this new sink they purchased with grant money, involving a staff member's family to make the counter. Check it out and schedule a time to read a book (like Pastor Anna Lisa did last week) or share a hobby or passion of yours (like Ruth Ann did, playing piano, last week) by emailing preschool@beaconheights.net.
We hope all families, and especially staff, have a wonderful holiday and come back refreshed on Tuesday, January 9th!
Photo Credit: Lydia Priest Morris
Extra 2024 Calendar?
Do you have extra 2024 calendars? Please donate them to the food bank for use by our clients.
Weekly food bank update
Thank you for all your donations! Currently, the most needed items are broth, rice, and pancake mix. Monetary donations are also appreciated.
Shoppers are needed for January 24th and February 21st of next year if you would like to sign-up! The sign-up sheet is located on the office countertop.
Thank You for Your Support
Our Beacon Heights fellowship continues to support families transitioning through homelessness at Just Neighbors: Interfaith Homeless Network. We will be providing, but at not serving, dinners at the Just Neighbors home a few blocks from Church on January 7, 8, and 9. This will be the first of 3 rotations this year. 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 nine families (23 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 in the Fellowship Hall or contact Mark/Barb Beck at 637-2144 or 403-6220 or email markabeck@hotmail.com with questions or to volunteer.
Mark and Barb Beck
Adult Education Opportunity: In six evening sessions, Dr. David Lindquist will be teaching a course entitled "Confronting the Shoah" that explores events of and attitudes contributing to the Nazi Holocaust of World War II. Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne, the class will be held from 7:00 - 9:00 each Tuesday evening beginning January 9 through February 13 at the Peggy Murphy Community Grief Center (5920 Homestead Road). The fee of $5 covers the cost of supplies and registration can be made by calling the Jewish Federation at (260) 456-0400 or office@fwjf.org. Consider attending with a friend to share a deeper understanding of the growth and impact of antisemitism. For more information feel free to contact Carol Lindquist (260.402.2994).
Power Hour for Palestine
Join us on January 19 at 2pm EST for a Palestine Power Hour! We will go over the current needs of Palestinians and discuss the best ways for us to support them. There will be a mini workshop on how to contact your congressional and local representatives on Palestine. After that, we will take time together to contact our representatives. This will be a space to ask questions and support each other as we come together for Palestine.
Please contact palestine@onearthpeace.org with any questions or concerns.
NEXT SUNDAY: January 7, 2024
Theme: We trust our Belovedness
“Hey, good lookin’!
What-cha got cookin’?
How ‘bout cookin’ somethin’ up with me?”
Through the baptism of Jesus, we will explore not only Jesus as God’s beloved son, but the way that we also are God’s beloved, created in God’s image, wrapped in God’s presence and care, and liberated and invited into co-creation with God.
To prepare, please read: Isaiah 43:1-7 and Luke 3:15-16, 21-22.
Pastor Paula Ulrich
Published by Beacon Heights
Church of the Brethren
Editor: Alexis Shoda
Phone: (260) 482-8595
Email: office@beaconheights.net
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