The Beacon
Newsletter
April 19, 2024 Volume 66, No 16
This SUNDAY: Earth Day, Creation Care
Our new mission statement proposal says, “We recognize all of God’s creation as holy and deserving of our compassion and care.” On this Earth Day Sunday, we will be joined by special guest, David Radcliff, Director of New Community Project, who will bring the message, children’s story, and moment for mission as we consider the earth, humanity’s destructive impact, and the ways that we can proactively live into hope in the face of despair. Please make sure to especially invite friends and family who feel concerned about climate change, the future of our earth, and what we can do. David, a member of the Church of the Brethren, is a dynamic, prophetic speaker and teacher who “practices what he preaches” with a focus on earth care, learning tours, and “peace thru justice.” NCP is a small nonprofit organization with a Big Goal: to change the world! You can learn more at Environmental Sustainability | New Community Project.
To prepare, please read: Jeremiah 32
Sunday, April 21
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
Monday, April 22
Office Open 8:00-1:00
Tuesday, April 23
12:30 p.m. Spirit Journey Women
Office Closed
Wednesday, April 24
9:30-11:30 a.m. Food Bank
Office Open 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 25
4:00 p.m. Worship Preview meeting
5:30 p.m. Sister Song Circle
6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
Pastor Anna Lisa On-site
Office Closed
Friday, April 26
Pastor Paula’s Day Off
9:00-2:00 p.m. Office Open
Saturday, April 27
Sunday, April 28
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
Remember to check the Breeze calendar for upcoming events and activities!
Worship on 4/14/2024:
In-person attendance 80
Offering 4/7 $7,263
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Food Bank on 4/17/2024:
Individuals served: 53
Families served: 20
A time of remembrance for Ryan Saffer will be in the Fellowship Hall on Saturday, May 4 at 1pm. Over a light lunch, all are invited to share stories, and support for the Saffers.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/fortwayne/name/ryan-saffer-obituary?id=54559781
We celebrate with the Preschool the highly engaged parent-teacher conferences this week with virtually all families participating to learn more about their students' growth and interests. Thank you Michelle, Jen, Lydia, Paula, Britta, Alissa and Pam for your inspired and inspiring work with the Preschool!
Meet & Eat
Church of the Brethren congregations throughout the country are encouraged to delve into discussion and reflection on the topic standing with people of color. There are discussion prompts and resources for reflections developed by On Earth Peace and others, that Jan and John Long will facilitate for us during Meet & Eat on April 21 and 28. From sharing our own family and cultural histories to stories of our earliest awareness of race and ethnicity, this is a time to deepen our self-awareness, know our siblings in faith better, and be challenged to engage in the sacred vision of racial justice---together, and with breakfast provided! Please come to both sessions, though it's perfectly fine if you can only make it to one.
There are more resources than we'll have time to look at together, and if you want a preview, you can read all about it at https://www.brethren.org/swpoc/ .
Mother’s Day
Mother's Day will be here soon (May 12), and we hope that you will honor the women in your life by supporting mothers all around the world through our Mother's Day Project! You can donate online or mail a check along with your name and recipient's name and address to: Global Women's Project, c/o Karlene Tyler, 333 South Lakeside Drive, Unit I, McPherson, KS 67460. If you donate online, please also send your name and recipient's name and address to our email. Please note that for recipients to receive a card by Mother's Day, GWP must receive your donation by May 1st. Also, we invite you to help us promote this project to your friends and congregations. Attached is a bulletin insert for you to aid in this promotion.
Green Team
Beacon Heights has green efforts throughout our shared space - collecting compost on the kitchen, solar panels, etc. We know we could always do more! In order to explore some grant opportunities and discern possible priorities, we invite you to consider joining a Green Team which would meet as-needed to research and study together. This is not a 3-year commitment of monthly meetings, but it's not simply a place to have a loud opinion - we want to think hard together!
Contact Pastor Anna Lisa and/or Witness Chair Steve Myers to volunteer
or to learn more.
Volunteers Needed!
Nurture is looking for two volunteers for our potlucks on the last Sundays of the month for Meet and Eat. One person would be in charge of making sure the coffee is started and the other person would be in charge of making sure things get cleaned up. There could be different people at each potluck or you could do more than one. There is a sign up sheet in the office or you can email or text (Ruthann.bever@gmail.com or 260-341-2965) if you would be willing to help with this for a month. We will be taking a break in July from Meet and Eat so we won’t need volunteers then but that leaves April, May, June, August, September, October, November, and December. Please think about helping!
Weekly Food Bank Update
Thank you for all your donations! Currently, the most needed items are pancake mix and broth. Monetary donations are also appreciated.
Shoppers are needed for June 2024, if you would like to sign-up! The sign-up sheet is located on the office countertop.
Sister Song Circle
Love does not need to be a finite resource. In these times when we can know the violence and heartbreak throughout the world, every minute of the day and night, we must nourish ourselves and one another all the more intentionally and generously. As women gather to sing together, singing each other's favorite songs, singing gentle lullabies, singing in many languages, singing of strength and hope, singing that creates and celebrates beauty - we generate more love among us, within each of us--to sustain each woman, each family--to share widely. Practicing curiosity and kindness with new friends, old friends, friends for only one night as we pass through one another's lives. We open our ears to listen to the song. We open our hearts to each person who gathers, from all ages and walks of life.
All women (as you understand yourself) and your kids/grandkids/niblings are invited to our monthly Sister Song Circle, a partnership between Beacon Heights and Sophia's Portico, birthed by Kelsi Lee. You don't need to be a "singer" to come. We begin with a potluck at 5:30pm, then the women sing together while the kids have crafts and a mindful movie. You are encouraged to bring $5/family to support the childcare program (whether you bring kids along or not, this is a way of caring and sharing together).
We gather on the last Thursday of each month, so April 25. Contact Pastor Anna Lisa with questions.
Used Eclipse Glasses Wanted!
We're collecting eclipse glasses to share with schoolchildren in Latin America for the August 2024 eclipse! Please bring any US-made paperboard glasses that have the manufacturer's address and contact info and that bear the ISO logo. All others will be discarded due to liability and quality issues.
Lenses must be in good condition, without perforations, tears, or punctures that would allow radiation to penetrate through to the user's eyes. Damaged lenses will be discarded.
Cardboard and Workday
Diana's Poplar Village Garden needs more cardboard for the best layering and mulching practices! Support this community garden with your unneeded boxes - you can drop off at the garden (2107 Broadway) or bring to the collection tub in the church kitchen. See more volunteer and donation opportunities at https://www.facebook.com/poplarvillagegardens . Next workday is Sunday, April 21 at 1pm - what a great way to celebrate Earth Day after a powerful worship service with David Radcliff - want to bring your lunch and work alongside some Beacon Heights friends?
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner!
Come join the fun of meeting at someone’s home for dinner on Saturday, May 18 at 6:00 p.m. Sign up to be the place people come to and furnish the main course and drink. OR just sign up to bring dessert, or a side dish, or a dessert. Meet new people, join old friends! It’s so much fun! Just sign up! The form will also be emailed to you.
Please sign up using the bulletin insert on April 21 or 28, email to ruthann.bever@gmail.com or text her at 260-341-2965 by MAY 5. Please sign up as soon as you know your schedule as Ruth Ann is out of town May 1-9. You will receive your assignment on Sunday, May 12 in your box. If you don’t pick it up, you will get a phone call. Hope you can join the food and fellowship!
B.I.C.Y.C.L.E.
Here is a list of the Beacons Intergenerational Cycling (Yes Cycling) League of Enthusiasts rides for this spring and summer.
Saturday, June 1st, 11 AM - ride from Life Bridge Church along the Pufferbelly Trail followed by picnic at the trail head
Saturday, July 6, 11 AM - ride the Pumpkinvine Trail starting in Shipshewana
Saturday, August 10, 1:30 PM - meet at Swinney Park and ride to the Bever's for ice cream
Put these dates on your calendar. More info to come!
Summer Picnic Opportunities
Nurture has chosen some casual picnic dates after church through the summer months. If interested, simply bring a picnic lunch and join others after church to eat at nearby Lion's Park (3299 Carew Street address for parking). Lion's Park has a nice playground and picnic tables--only a 2 minute drive from church.
Picnic Dates: June 2, July 7, August 4.
Next SUNDAY: April 28, 2024
Theme: Guide to Gardening Care and Pruning
“I am the true vine, and my Abba is the vine grower who cuts off every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, but prunes the fruitful ones to increase their yield. You’ve been pruned already, thanks to the word that I have spoken to you. Live on in me, as I do in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself apart from the vine, neither can you bear fruit apart from me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who live in me and I in them will bear abundant fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. Those who don’t live in me are like withered, rejected branches, to be picked up and thrown on the fire and burned. If you live on in me, and my words live on in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Abba will be glorified if you bear much fruit and thus prove to be my disciples. As my Abba has loved me, so have I loved you. Live on in my love.
To prepare, please read: John 15 :1-9.
Pastor Paula Ulrich
Published by Beacon Heights
Church of the Brethren
Editor: Alexis Shoda
Phone: (260) 482-8595
Email: office@beaconheights.net
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