This SUNDAY: The Ever-Growing Net of Love

Sometimes the Holy Spirit surprises us, upending our long held convictions about what and who is acceptable to God. Peter’s experience illustrates how often we still hold on to rigid boundaries, narrow understandings, and a limited language of love and praise. But will we hear something new if we listen more closely to other languages – to the rivers clapping, the seas thundering, and the hills ringing? In what ways might God be saying something new to our congregation through this story in Acts? Do we think we’ve already arrived, or will we be surprised? Will we resist it, or will we welcome it? How will we discern the way forward together?  Simon Peter thought he’d come a long way, and he had. And yet, he and other Christians are surprised by the ever growing net of love that Christ Jesus keeps tossing.

Special music will be shared by Kelsi Lee and Cote Godoy during the service this Sunday.

To prepare, please read: Acts 10:27-36, 44-48.

Pastor Paula Ulrich

What do “Worship Coordinators” Do?

You may have noticed that a “Worship Coordinator” is listed every week in our bulletin as someone participating in worship. Have you ever wondered what that person does? Often, the Worship Coordinator’s work is “behind the scenes.” Using the scripture and theme provided by the pastor or speaker, they then plan worship, sometimes completely on their own, and sometimes in tandem with the pastors. They find or create liturgy (the Call to Worship, for instance), select the hymns and music (often in conversation with Melody, our Music Director), and invite others to participate in the service as worship leaders, readers, and Children’s Time leaders.

The Worship Team meets periodically for conversation, scheduling, and planning, especially around special seasons and the way we want to use resources, such as A Sanctified Art. Some Worship Coordinators plan worship as often as once a month or so, and others only once a quarter. There’s a lot of latitude in the scheduling and timing.

Serving on the Worship Team is a big job and a very important one! But it’s also rewarding – both for the ones planning services and especially for the congregation. It’s one way that we include many voices in our worship together. We benefit from the creativity, insights, and experiences that each Worship Coordinator shares. Currently, our Worship Coordinators are Jan Long, Janice Shull, Leslie Sperry, Lisa Liechty-Steele, and Kyla Zehr. Make sure to share your appreciation with each of these women for the work they do week in and week out to make our worship rich, inspiring, and life-giving! And remember, that worship coordination doesn’t need to be limited to the women of our congregation! Others are invited to join us, too!

Does being a Worship Coordinator sound like something you would like to do or try, even on a trial basis? If so, please speak to one of the pastors to learn more. Our next Worship Team meeting is Sunday, June 2, following worship. We will gather for a simple potluck lunch, and then engage in conversation and planning. If you feel called to explore this ministry at Beacon Heights, we’d love to have you join us! 

April 2024 Food Bank Statistics

Open 4 Wednesdays

Families served: 79
Individuals served: 218

Food donations
Beacon Heights: 552 lbs.
Associated Churches: 1140 lbs.
Other Churches: 900 lbs.

In addition, Beacon Heights shoppers spent $805.85 for 697 lbs.

22 Beacon Heights Food Bank volunteers spent 172 hrs. to keep the Food Bank operating in April

Thank you to all the April 2024 volunteers

Mike Crill, Brenda Galbraith, Paula Crill, Kathy Schmidt, Sharon Heitz, Jan Lung, Maurie Sperry, Dianne Lung, Mary Whitehead, Joan Thompson, Ev Kilgore, Lois Guess, Susan Harroff, Tom Coursen, Rachel Harroff, MaryJane Coursen, Kyla Harroff, Tom Bever, Kyla Zehr, Ruth Ann Bever, Dave Wysong, Tom Coursen III

Next SUNDAY: may 12, 2024

Theme:  To be fearfully and wonderfully made

We are divinely designed to need and want intimacy, yet we are afraid of how vulnerable intimacy is! Can our intimacy with God be the safe foundation of intimacy that equips us to have intimacy with others? Can God’s delight in us empower us to delight in ourselves and others? When we are told to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves,” we must be able to love ourselves to fulfill this command. This Psalm is one of the most intimate passages of scripture - it can sound threatening, comforting…or both. Psalm 51 is the best-known psalm of forgiveness. The accurate translation could be: “According to the mercy of your womb, blot out my transgressions. The psalmist is appealing to God's mother-love, that eternal connection rooted in creation and compassion. The psalmist is confessing to God in the context of an eternal, steadfast, womb-like connection.” (Dana)

To prepare, please read: Psalm 139.

Pastor Anna Lisa Gross

Published by Beacon Heights
Church of the Brethren

Editor: Alexis Shoda
Phone: (260) 482-8595
Email: office@beaconheights.net

We have two email lists for news: the Beacon (which you're reading) and the Local Congregation (which includes worship information and other announcements). Contact the Office to be added or removed from either list. We also have a private email prayer chain (active participants may contact the Office to opt-in.)