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 this Sunday, 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 also the last Sunday of the month, so we will be collecting quarters for Heifer International, which transforms families and communities through giving animals.

Ladies’ Birthday Luncheon - March 8, 2023

What: A social time for any women from Beacon Heights and other friends. There will be food, fun, and fellowship, and we will especially celebrate anyone observing a March birthday!

When: Wednesday, March 8, at 12:30 p.m. Bring a salad, dessert, or something else yummy to share for lunch.
Drinks and dinnerware will be provided.

Where: Heritage Pointe Clubhouse at Villas of Heritage Lakes where hostesses, Lois Guess and Mary Whitehead live. Heritage Pointe is located at 5250 Heritage Parkway on the south side of St. Joe Road. If you are coming on St. Joe Road from Fort Wayne, turn into facility just before you go under 469. Another way is to take Maplecrest Road to St. Joe Road, turn left on St. Joe Road and turn into Heritage just after you go under 469. Do not turn into the main Living Center, but follow the road, two streets down to the clubhouse which usually has a large flag flying. There is plenty of parking space, but you may see other parked cars there for a different event.

RSVP: It would be helpful to have a general idea of how many people to expect, so please RSVP to Lois Guess (260-414-7228) or Mary Whitehead (260-409-2328). If you decide at the last minute that you can come, please don’t hesitate even if you have not reserved your spot. We hope to see many of you there, as we begin again the long standing tradition of the Beacon Heights’ Ladies’ Birthday Luncheons.

Next Sunday: March 5, 2023

Second Sunday of Lent
Calling - The Powers and Principalities that Blind Us
Sermon Title: God’s Eye

And Jesus will say "I was hungry, and you cut food stamps;
I was thirsty, and you bottled my water;
I was an immigrant, and you built a wall;
Without covering, and you destroyed my tent;
I was sick, and you gave me debt;
I was in prison, and you fought to keep me there.

~ The Center for Prophetic Imagination

The Pharisees, religious leaders who should have had a corner on compassion, were scornful of the formerly blind man, Jesus’ authority, and any implication that they might have blindness of their own. What blindness do white Christians have in regard to race? How does claiming “color blindness” (e.g. “I don’t see race”) keep us from acknowledging and addressing injustice? What kind of sight is Jesus calling us to have? How does “we aren’t the 1%, we’re not really rich” keep us from understanding our privilege? And just like when Jesus healed the man born blind, how do the cultural powers and principalities of our world thwart justice and healing?

Please read John 9: 1-41 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