The Beacon
Newsletter
February 17, 2023 Volume 65, No 7
This Sunday: February 19, 2023
Building Community on the Vine of Christ
When we separate ourselves from one another we separate ourselves from God. And Jesus makes it abundantly clear in this passage that cold-hearted, unloving and unChrist-like behavior is the equivalent of cutting ourselves off from the vine, of removing ourselves, like a pruned branch from our life-source; that is, from God. Jesus said: “I am the vine and you are the branches” (John 15:5). We are bound-up together in God, through Christ, and with one another.
Tim McElwee
Sunday, February 19
9:30 a.m. Eat and Meet
10:30 a.m. Worship
11:30 a.m. New Member Reception
12 noon Refugee Resettlement Conversation
Monday, February 20
6:30 p.m. Nurture meeting
7:00 p.m. Education meeting
Tuesday, February 21
Pastor Anna Lisa onsite.
3:15 p.m. Preschool Leadership Team meeting
Wednesday, February 22
Pastor Anna Lisa onsite.
9:30 a.m. Food Bank
Thursday, February 23
Pastor Anna Lisa onsite.
11:30 a.m. Worship Preview meeting
12:30 p.m. Spirit Journey Women
3:00 p.m. Preschool Leadership Team meeting
6:30 p.m. Choir Practice
Friday, February 24
Church Office closed.
Saturday, February 25
Remember to check the Breeze calendar for upcoming events and activities!
Weekly Announcements
This Sunday, February 19, we will gladly receive several new members to Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren! We hope you will join us as we celebrate and welcome them during worship and in a casual reception afterward.
Also, our series Another Way of Living concludes this Sunday as Nevin Dulabaum, president of Eder Financial (formerly Brethren Benefit Trust), takes us on a delightful virtual field trip to Schwarzenau, Germany, during Meet & Eat. No passport or Luggage required!
Worship on 2/12/2023:
In-person attendance 66
Offering 2/5 $9,605.00
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Food Bank on 2/15/2023:
18 Families served
52 Individuals in families
Food Bank shoppers are needed!
The new sign-up sheet is in the church office for those who would like to volunteer as a Staples Shopper for the Beacon Heights food bank. We would particularly like to have volunteers for the month of March!
Please contact Lois Guess or Jan & Dianne Lung with questions.
Contact Mary Wysong with questions and if you plan to attend. Mary is going and would be happy to carpool. Registration is due Feb. 26. Cost of $10 includes lunch.
DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE
Friday, February 17, at 6:30 p.m.
Prayer-In-Motion Circle
UNITY SPIRITUAL CENTER
3232 Crescent Ave
Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Using simple movements, mantras, lyrics and songs from many religious traditions, the Dances focus on peace and harmony, celebrating solidarity and unity with all spiritual traditions of the earth
Discussion Group Invitation
We are forming a group to discuss sponsoring a refugee family or asylum seeker. Our first meeting will be this Sunday, Feb. 19 right after church in the parlor. Anyone who would like to be a part of this effort is invited to attend.
If you have questions, you are welcome to speak with Leslie Sperry or Ev Kilgore.
God, be our guide when we are afraid to open our eyes
And see where we are going, or what we have done.
Take away our stubbornness and defensiveness;
When we are paralyzed by fear may we be embraced by love.
Lent begins February 26 and we will be asking "Open Our Eyes to Our Neighbors, God!" The people throughout our city have lives full of pain and joy and struggle and celebration. Who and what have we tried not to see? Who and what does God call us to embrace?
February 26 is the last Sunday of the month, so we will be collecting quarters for Heifer International, which transforms families and communities through giving animals.
We want your spiritual life to be enriched at home and in community this Lent!
We have two Lenten devotionals to share: one from Brethren Press, and another from Living Compass.
Contact the office by Feb 20 to place your order (for one or both), or if you want an electronic copy, you can follow the links below:
Safe Church Training
Beacon Heights cares about safety and wellbeing of all persons here - especially children. We will be having a Safe Church training this spring, and incorporating other church safety as well - like emergency plans. Part of our Safe Church policy is to strive for two (or more) adults present for all children's activities.
We are blessed to have Jennifer Spoelhof as the main teacher of the K to 5 class, and Kyla Zehr as the main teacher for the middle school class. We need you to consider being a helper in either class, once in awhile. Talk with either teacher about what the class is like, and contact Education Chair Brenda Galbraith to sign up.
We are invited to join Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren for Chocolate Fest!
Next Sunday: February 26, 2023
First Sunday of Lent
Consciousness - Open Our Eyes to People on the Border/People Seeking Asylum
The text from Genesis 2 and 3 is the account of the first man and woman eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 3:7 says that they ate the fruit and “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” What is the relationship between ignorance and innocence? What are our eyes closed to? What don’t we want to see? Today we choose consciousness, with the support and love of one another, as we open our eyes to refugees.
Please read Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7 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