The Beacon
Newsletter
October, 11 2024 Volume 68, No 40
Next Sunday October 11, 2024
Theme : Whirled Peace - Pinwheels for Peace
Pinwheels can remind us of the possibility of the Holy Spirit’s presence blowing through our lives for transformation. For Chinese culture, pinwheels can symbolize turning bad luck into good fortunes. Pinwheels can be a symbol of a new beginning, allowing them to add to our healing after violence in our lives.
Amos 4:13-5:24 IB How can we see the wind?
Pastor Anna Lisa Gross
Sunday, October 13
9:15 a.m. Meet & Eat 10:30 a.m. Worship
Pastor Anna Lisa at Peace Festival
Peace Festival at Marion CoB
Monday, October 14
Pastor Anna Lisa on Site
9:00 a.m.-2 p.m. Office Open
5:00 p.m. Trunk or Treat Meeting
7:00 p.m. Witness Commission Meeting Zoom
Wednesday, October 16
Pastor Anna Lisa on Site
9:30 a.m. Food Bank
12:30 p.m. Area 6 Pastors' Gathering
Thursday, October 17
6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
Friday ,October 18
9:00 a.m.-2 p.m. Office Open
Pastor Paula’s Day Off
6:00 p.m Middle/High School Pizza Night
Remember to check the Breeze calendar for upcoming events and activities!
Worship on 10/6/2024:
In-person attendance 67
Offering 10/13 $1,145.00
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Food Bank on 10/2/2024:
Individuals served: 86
Families served: 26
Brentwood
It’s almost time to feed our Brentwood teachers!
November 6 and 7 are parent- teacher conferences at Brentwood and our teachers will be on the job for 12 hours each of those days. We are going to provide a chili supper to them on November 7 at 3:30.
The sign-up sheet will be in Fellowship hall. We need 6 volunteers to provide a crockpot of chili, hopefully two of those crockpots will be vegetarian.
Also need providers for the chili fixins: cornbread, cheese, French fried onions, and chopped onions, sour cream, crackers, and paper products.
Please indicate on the sign-up sheet if you are able to bring your contribution to Brentwood by 3 PM or if you need to drop it off at church that day by 2:30 and I will transport it.
It’s so exciting to renew our partnership with Brentwood! They are excited about it too and very much looking forward to their chili supper. Thanks for helping!
Breakfast Served at 9:15 am and Presentation at 9:30 am
Beacon and Announcements
Video Deadline
If you would like to include an article or announcement in the weekly Beacon (published on Friday) or Sunday morning Announcements Video, please send that to the church office no later than 1:00 pm on Fridays. (office@beaconheights.net)
September 2024 Food Bank Statistics
Open 4 Wednesdays
Families served: 110
Individuals served: 304
Food donations Beacon Heights: 699 lbs.
Associated Churches: 720 lbs.
Other Churches: 695 lbs.
In addition, Beacon Heights shoppers spent $2813.88 for 2153 lbs.
24 Beacon Heights Food Bank volunteers spent 187 hrs. to keep the Food Bank operating in September
Thank you to all the July 2024 volunteers
Kris Bohnstedt-Thorn Kathy Schmidt
Barb Bohnstedt-Thorn Jan Lung
Sharon Heitz Dianne Lung
Maurie Sperry Jeanie Lantz
Mary Whitehead Lois Guess
Ev Kilgore Tom Coursen
Susan Harroff MaryJane Coursen
Rachel Harroff Joan Thompson
Kyla Harroff Ruth Ann Bever
Kyla Zehr Tom Ann Bever
Amy Hollenberg Mark Beck
Bill Hollenberg Sandy Kiracofe
Food Bank Report and Special Request
Our Beacon Heights Food Bank, a shared ministry with Associated Churches and Beacon Heights and staffed by our members, has been serving an ever-increasing number of individuals and families. Money is so tight for so many people right now. Given the need, it's likely that our food bank will need more funding than what our 2024 budget allows. If you would like to give a boost of extra support to this ministry, your financial donations are welcome. You may write a check to the church with "Food Bank" in the memo line. Also, the food bank always welcomes food donations -- anytime. These may be placed on the labelled table near the food bank, or labelled and left in the church office. Also, be on the look-out for a special Food Bank Drive every Sunday during the month of November as we celebrate generosity and gratefulness.
REGISTER TODAY FOR FABLES AND FAIRYTALES!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 | 11:00 A.M. | PFW MUSIC CENTER
Featuring James Newton Howard's Peter Pan Suite and the book, Peter Pan, narrated by Christopher J. Murphy.
Embark on a musical adventure for the whole family with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s Family Series. Tailored to ignite the imaginations of kids aged 2-12, these sensory-friendly matinee concerts provide a joyful introduction to the world of orchestral magic.
Led by conductor Troy Webdell, the Family Series offers an immersive and entertaining experience, where children can explore the wonders of classical music in a family-friendly environment. From timeless classics to contemporary compositions, each concert promises to be an engaging and delightful journey, creating lasting memories and fostering a lifelong love for music in our young audience members.
Join us at 10:00 before the show for fun, FREE pre-concert activities!
NEW THIS SEASON!
Thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous donor, admission to all Family Series concerts is FREE for the next three seasons!
In the Office
At one time, Beacon Heights had a full-time Office Manager to take care of the countless office tasks of the congregation. Those days are long gone, but sometimes we still expect the Office Manager to do things that we might do ourselves. With tighter hours and still so many things to do, we invite you to think carefully about whether your request is something that you can easily handle, or whether it's something that only our Office Manager or one of the Pastors can do. We appreciate your thoughtfulness in making sure our Staff can work efficiently and productively for the ministry of our community.
Connie McGowin
ReFRESH Milestone
Reports to Fall Council highlighted progress made toward to bringing new energy and enthusiasm into Beacon Heights through changes to the building and the adoption of a new mission statement. A year ago, the congregation voted to raise funds to support ReFRESH with priority on replacing carpet and upgrading the restrooms.
By Christmas time, Phase 1 of ReFRESH had repainted the kitchen, added new lighting, cleaned deeply, and replaced the appliances. Since then, the kitchen has become a popular gathering place that is easy to navigate in a welcoming atmosphere.
The new year ushered in Phase 2 of ReFRESH as the parlor and entry areas were given new looks to make spaces comfortable and appealing. Conversations with the preschool and other groups that use the church helped to determine effective uses of other available spaces. As a result, a relaxed living area in the fellowship hall now offers an additional option for small group conversations and the designation of the south classroom for children’s Sunday School assures our youngest that they belong at Beacon Heights, too. Above all, fresh carpet and upgraded restrooms added a new look and feel to very well used spaces. As Phase 2 winds down, a blessing statement is yet be placed above the south door and some additional work will occur in the lower- level inclusive restroom.
After the first of the year, consideration of Phase 3 will officially begin, targeting the sanctuary and the exterior of the building. Currently, ReFRESH is looking at a grant to pay for planting of several new trees and will provide more information about that within the next few weeks. Conversations about worship practices and sanctuary amenities begun last fall, will continue.
The budget for ReFRESH remains healthy because of the generosity of the Beacon Heights faith family and the careful oversight of expenditure by the committee. Total available funds were approximately $52,000. Of that total, $20,000 was an internal transfer of existing church funds and approximately $32,000 was donated specifically for ReFRESH.
ReFRESH costs tallied approximately $36,000 which leaves approximately $16,000 toward work that could be done in the sanctuary or to the exterior.
The ReFRESH committee remains deeply grateful for free-flowing conversations about priorities and preferences, patience as it took more than one try to get to good results, and an understanding that the church building represents the values of our faith. Moving forward, responsibility for caring for our building spaces rests with us all. Bulletin boards await important information about the congregation and its efforts beyond. Bookshelves await the” ins and outs” of use as books and items of meaning are shared. You are encouraged to contribute to those spaces with a kind reminder that if you put something up, you are responsible for taking it down when its usefulness has expired. Beacon Heights wants all those who visit its building to feel welcome and comfortable. The warm embrace of our faith family remains the most important component of all.
COVID (and other) PRECAUTIONS
Covid has been running wild, lately, and many of us in our congregation have succumbed to it. For some, it's been a brief irritation, and for others, we've truly been through the wringer! With fall coming, that also means that flu and RSV season is quickly on its way! With concern for one another, knowing that there are pre-existing conditions and vulnerabilities among us, please use extra caution if you suspect that you have a communicable illness. Hand disinfectant stations have been placed in the north entrance and fellowship hall, and a large bottle of hand sanitizer will be on the counter outside of the church office. Please wear masks as a precaution when needed. And if you suspect that you are ill, please, please, please stay home. If you have a responsibility -- but that tickle in your throat won't go away or you're coughing or running a fever -- please call someone, and we'll work it out on your behalf. We'll miss you, but we also will appreciate the caution.
Spirit Journey Women
Meeting on Wednesday at 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. in the fellowship hall. 12:30 to 1:00 Enjoy your brown bag lunch and visit1:00 to 2:00 Discuss part of a book the group is reading 2:00 to 2:15 Sharing of prayer concerns and closing prayer
The first book to discuss is BEING MORTAL by Dr. Atul Gawande.
October 23 Chapters 1 and 2
November 6 Chapters 3 and 4
November 20. Chapters 5 and 6
December 4 Chapters 7, 8, epilogue
Ideas for next book
December 18 Potluck lunch & pick new Book in January or not?
For more information contact Lois Guess, lois.g2357@icloud.com or 414-7228.
Contact Donna Lesh if you would like for her to order you a reasonable used book.
Suggested reading before the October 2 meeting: Introduction, pages 1 to 10.
Beacon Heights Women's Retreat (before the hectic holiday season!)
Kyla Zehr is hosting a women's retreat at her home Saturday, November 9 (the day before Reunion Sunday). Her friend, Karla Minter, a spiritual director and retreat leader, will provide the content. The retreat will run from roughly 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch provided. Details are being finalized. Please contact Kyla if you are interested. The retreat style will be based on how many wish to participate. Time for silent reflection will be included. (kdzehr@yahoo.com)
Birthday Wishes
Olivia Christie October 12
Kiara Moore October 12
Axel Kilgore-Smith October 13
Amy Gall Ritchie October 15
Mary Whitehead October 16
Henri Spoelhof October 16
Dale Neher October 16
Vivienne Faulkner October 17
Barb Beck October 22
Lucy Wages October 22
Eli Sampson October 22
Oliver Jackson October 22
Kathy Fry-Miller October 23
Zen (Lorali) Hart October 24
Amy Hollenberg October 25
Donna Belknap October 27
Steve Crab October 27
Janice Shull October 28
Norma Rody October 28
Larry Lesh October 30
Next Sunday October 20, 2024
Theme : Racial Justice
"Follow, lead, and come alongside one another in our journey of faith." This concept is beautifully illustrated in Luke 18:9-14, as presented in the Inclusive Bible. In this passage, we see the importance of humility and grace in our spiritual lives, reminding us to support each other with understanding and compassion as we strive to grow closer to God together.
BEHIND THE SCENES RECOGNITION SUNDAY
Published by Beacon Heights
Church of the Brethren
Editor: Norma Rody
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.)