The Beacon
Newsletter
January 12, 2024 Volume 66, No 02
This SUNDAY: January 14, 2024
Theme: Wrapped in Wisdom: Reading the Stars
It’s the season of Epiphany, which means Revelation or Manifestation! This season began on January 6 and ends with February 13, the day before Lent begins. We will remember the story of the magi – or as I often call them, the wise ones -- who follow a star that draws them to Jesus. We will explore who these people are, how many of them came (was it three – or more?), whether it was only men or included women, our long-loved traditions that have no biblical basis but yet are fun, and more! We also will touch the shadow side of the story – the harsh reality of our world that continues to plague us – the part of the story we rarely tell our children. And finally, each of us will have an opportunity to receive a Star Word, which is a word for prayer in this season that we hope will draw each one closer to Jesus as we ponder and pray with it, listening for the way that God might be speaking to us as we “read the stars.”
To prepare, please read: Matthew 2:1-12.
Pastor Paula Ulrich
Sunday, January 14
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
Monday, January 15
Office Open 8:00 a.m.-1 p.m.
Tuesday, January 16
Office Closed
Wednesday, January 17
9:30-11:30 a.m. Food Bank
11:30 a.m. Worship Preview meeting
8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Office Open
Thursday, January 18
Office Closed
6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
Friday, January 19
9:00-2:00 p.m. Office Open
7:00 p.m. Board Appreciation
Saturday, January 20
9:00 a.m. Board Retreat
Sunday, January 21
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
Remember to check the Breeze calendar for upcoming events and activities!
Worship on 1/7/2023:
In-person attendance 56
Offering 12/31 $2,082.00
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Food Bank on 1/10/2024:
Individuals: 73
Families: 26
*Pastor Anna Lisa will have time away January 8th through the 18th!
Christmas Eve Contributions
A total of $1407 was raised on Christmas Eve, thank you to everyone who contributed to these wonderful organizations!
Meet & Eat
Something fun to be announced soon!
Mark Your Calendars -- for these upcoming Meet and Eat programs at 9:30 am on Sunday mornings:
February 4th, 11th & 18th -- three sessions with Joel Kline teaching a Bible Study on Peter
March 3rd & 10th & 17th & 24th -- four sessions with Dan Ulrich teaching and leading a discussion on the book entitled, Fight Like Jesus.
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).
lenten devotionals
If you would like to order a Brethren Press ($5.50) or a printed paper copy Sanctified Art Lenten Devotional (no charge), please let Alexis know by January 24th by email or by signing up on the sign up sheet near the name tags; office@beaconheights.org.
Thank you!
We may have started a new Advent tradition at Beacon Heights! Thanks so much for contributing many more nativities than we ever thought we'd get, enough that an additional display area had to be created! Several of them have already been reclaimed -- please feel free to take yours home as soon as you can. Anything not claimed after worship this Sunday (the 14th) will be moved to the office.
Thank you again for making Christmas that much more special.
Exploring membership at beacon heights
The pastors are planning two sessions for those who are interested in joining us as members, or who want to learn more about the Church of the Brethren and our congregation, or who perhaps would enjoy a refresh! Tentative dates include February 4 and February 11. We will meet after worship at 11:45 with a light lunch provided. The first session will take a look at the Church of the Brethren as a denomination with a brief overview of history and core values. The second session will look at Beacon Heights as a congregation, the way we live into our denomination's core values, and the ways we have taken our own path as a progressive congregation following Jesus. If you have questions or would like to attend, please speak with Pastor Paula or Pastor Anna Lisa.
Your chance to support our refugee family!
Aimerance needs rides to and from her English class on Tuesdays and Fridays. It runs from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Class is at 1005 West Rudisill (Door A), on the former campus of Fort Wayne Bible College/Taylor University. You can drive her whenever it works for you. Please contact Kyla Zehr as soon as possible if you are available on any Tuesday or Friday. (Aimerance is very friendly and communicates well with smiles for now. She lives very near the church at 2606 Lynn Avenue). Thank you!
Ladies’ Birthday Luncheon news
All ladies are invited to join the Birthday Luncheon group to celebrate monthly birthdays and enjoy spending time together. Please mark your calendars for the following date.
February 14 at 12:30 p.m. Treat yourself to an elegant Valentine’s Day lunch in a private room at Don Hall’s Gas House, downtown. (If Fort Wayne Community Schools happen to be canceled because of bad weather, we will not meet.)
It would be wonderful to have you join us for the luncheon!
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 February 21st if you would like to sign-up! The sign-up sheet is located on the office countertop.
December 2023 Food Bank Statistics
Open 3 Wednesdays
Families served: 68
Individuals served: 223
Food donations
Beacon Heights: 247 lbs.
Beacon Heights Pre-School 44 lbs.
Associated Churches: 650 lbs.
Other Churches: 311 lbs.
In addition, Beacon Heights shoppers spent $1032.21 for 897 lbs.
21 Beacon Heights Food Bank volunteers 113 hrs. to keep the Food Bank operating in December
Thank you to all the December 2023 volunteers
Tom Bever, Kathy Schmidt, Ruth Ann Bever, Jeanie Lantz, Sharon Heitz, Jan Lung, Maurie Sperry, Dianne Lung, Mary Whitehead,
Joan Thompson, Mark Beck, Lois Guess, Ev Kilgore, Tom Coursen, Sandy Kiracofe, MaryJane Coursen, Susan Harroff, Kris Bohnstedt -Thorn, Rachel Harroff, Barb Bohnstedt-Thorn, Kyla Harroff
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 21, 2024
Theme: How to be led well
Theme: Our Church Board met for retreat all day yesterday. We’re one year from the next presidential inauguration. In this new year we long for vision, purpose and harmony - personally, locally and globally. We often consider leadership skills, but how often do we consider how to be led well? What do our worship, ministries and missions demonstrate about how we invite leaders to lead, and followers to follow? And what glimmers of meaning do you find in Jesus' mysterious words about sheep, gate, door -- and more?
To prepare, please read: John 10:1-10.
Pastor Anna Lisa Gross
Published by Beacon Heights
Church of the Brethren
Editor: Alexis Shoda
Phone: (260) 482-8595
Email: office@beaconheights.net
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