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Year: 2019

Be a Community Wednesday

Sun, February 24, 2019 Published by

Here is the line-up for the month of March—1st Wednesday at 2:00PM (LC) Community Town Hall; 2nd Wednesday at 2:00PM (LC) Community Residents Council; 3rd Wednesday at 2:00PM (PB) Wednesdays Sundaes with Dave; 4th Wednesday at 2:00PM (LC) Community Welcome Coffee with New Residents…. read full article here https://wp.me/p7o8lu-gQf

Excavation, a Redevelopment Update

Sun, February 17, 2019 Published by

The underground utility work on 17th Drive has halted to avoid a 4” Century Link fiber optic cable.  The 17th Drive northbound traffic has been re-opened during this delay. The underground utility work will shift over to the Myrtle site while the fiber cable is worked around.  The demolition of the Garden Apts. is progressing quickly and will wrap up this week or next.  Dust control is in effect at all times. Some very good news—SRP believes they can provide a transfer switch that will mitigate our risk during a severe power outage. We are hoping that this switch would be provided at little or no cost to the campus. SRP, Orcutt Winslow and Weitz are continually proving to be outstanding partners.

Long-Lasting Consequences

Sun, February 17, 2019 Published by

Have you noticed how many more people seem to be drinking from reusable water bottles? This is a great step forward in reducing our plastic waste, and in moving us away from being a ‘throwaway society’, although there is clearly much more yet to be accomplished as we seek to become better stewards of God’s creation. To use another example, did you know that according to Eco Age, (an organization which helps companies to focus on sustainable production methods) in the West, new clothes are worn on average for just 5 weeks before being thrown away?! That is the scary truth of the ‘fast fashion’ world in which we live…. read full article here https://wp.me/p7o8lu-gME

Courage and Joy

Sun, February 17, 2019 Published by

Fifty-five years ago, the visionaries and pioneers of Beatitudes Campus held a historic groundbreaking on undeveloped farm land, bought for $25,000 an acre, with a vision to change the face of nursing homes of the 1960s—to build  a place where older adults could live, learn and play for the rest of their lives. They created a vision so big and so bright that it lives on from generation to generation.

From the first apartment built after that groundbreaking (Plaza South), so much has been built, and 16,000 seniors have lived vibrant and fulfilled lives at Beatitudes Campus.

Ten years ago, another historic groundbreaking occurred—the building of the Central Park Apartments and creation of our Town Plaza. At that groundbreaking ceremony, our founder, Rev. Dr. Bill Nelson, offered an invocation:
“…Never let the mystery keep us from plunging into the future with courage and with joy…may we turn the sod over and rearrange the world in more human ways…”

I have never forgotten those words, and they seem especially pertinent as we prepare for another chapter in the life of the campus—an eight-year master plan of redevelopment. We are rearranging the world—in ways that allow our residents to live empowered and purposeful lives, in ways that nourish and strengthen our neighborhood and community, in ways that allow our staff the privilege of servant leadership. I am honored, and humbled, to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors—Dr. Nelson, Rev. Everett Luther, Rev. Ken Buckwald and Peggy Mullan—to build on the firm foundation they have laid and embark on the biggest redevelopment the campus has seen. And, I am so privileged to serve our residents and our future residents and learn from you the lessons of hard work, of survival amidst momentous change, of sacrifice and of honor.

Our master plan is not just an investment in Beatitudes Campus. It is an investment in our community-in the lives of residents and future residents and in the staff who answered the call of service to others. We have grown from a dozen staff members to our 450 dedicated staff who have a sacred responsibility of service to 650 residents. The growth of the campus to become one of the largest employers in North Central Phoenix and in the Top 100 in Phoenix, is a testament to our vision to be a leader in aging services and serve the broad middle class. Our focus is not only confined to our campus – the campus is also a major contributor to our community’s economy. More than half of our expenditures to vendors is  returned to our local community businesses that are headquartered in Arizona, most of whom are located in Maricopa County or are small businesses.

As Dr. Nelson so clearly stated ten years ago, we must plunge into the future with courage and joy. It takes courage to redefine senior living as we are doing each and every day, but the joy I feel when you thrive and contribute to our community is life affirming. Our redevelopment and expansion speak to the heart of our campus mission.

We will celebrate this new chapter in the life of the campus with a Groundbreaking Ceremony on Thursday, February 21 at 10AM. Residents and staff can watch the ceremony live from the Luther Life Center, followed by a reception and refreshments from 10:00—1:00PM with our special guests and future residents. The Beatitudes Campus Board of Directors and I invite you to share with us, and each other, this important milestone in the evolution of the campus and feel the joy along with us.

CLEAN KIDS – CLEAN CLOTHES – OFF TO SCHOOL!!

Sun, February 10, 2019 Published by

EASY, RIGHT?  NOT ALWAYS……..If you are a refugee family, buying cleaning supplies is a challenge, as you cannot get them with food stamps. Help us provide a month’s supply for a Maryland School refugee family.

Here’s what we need:

  • Laundry detergent
  • Dishwashing soap
  • Lotion
  • Toilet Cleaner
  • Toothpaste
  • Body soap
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Lotion
  • Two bath towels

Drop off Donations in the Box by February 10th.
Donation boxes are located in all building lobbies.

We are hoping to deliver these supplies to 22 families.  If you like, please include a note of support and encouragement to the family.  If they cannot read it, it is likely the children can translate for them – they are learning more quickly, especially with the help of tutors from our partnership who are helping them!

 

DID YOU HEAR?

Sun, February 10, 2019 Published by

DID YOU HEAR: New Hearing Loop System and the Importance of Addressing Hearing Loss

Many of you may have noticed the signs in recent days announcing that a new audio induction loop system has been installed in the Life Center. An audio induction hearing loop is a unique type of sound system for use with hearing aids that provides greater sound quality when listening to presentations. Most newer hearing aids are embedded with a telecoil receiver setting that can be used with this type of sound system to enhance sound quality, but directions for turning this setting on and off vary greatly by type of hearing aid. Due to the wide variety of hearing aids on the market, you will need to contact your audiologist to learn whether your hearing aids are enabled with this telecoil setting and how to turn it on and off. If you use hearing aids, this is the perfect time to give your audiology provider a call to utilize this new system in the Life Center.

On the subject of hearing, it seems timely to address the importance of hearing in maintaining quality of life at any age. The World Health Organization (2014) states that untreated hearing loss can have a debilitating impact on multiple facets of an individual’s quality of life. For example, research has shown that individuals with unaddressed hearing loss are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, decline in cognition, decreased self-esteem, and feelings of isolation (World Health Organization, 2014).

Additionally, a 2012 study by Johns Hopkins University indicated that unaddressed hearing loss was correlated with three times the risk of falling among adults. The good news is that by addressing hearing with your healthcare providers, whether you have new concerns, or it is just time for a checkup, you are taking a step with the potential to transform your well-being and social participation for the better. Along with using hearing aids when needed, it is important to advocate for yourself in social situations and utilize hearing protection when exposed to loud noises. Although age related hearing loss is common, there are steps we can take to minimize the impact of hearing loss on quality of life.  We hope you will consider exploring hearing aids for a variety of health and wellness reasons if you have trouble hearing. And if you already have them, talk to your hearing aid provider or audiologist to learn how to take advantage of the hearing loop technology in the Life Center.

[Editor’s Note…]

The loop system at Beatitudes Campus has been a longterm project brainstormed within the Communications Committee for many years. We are highly thankful for all previous work done by this committee to make this vision a reality today.

A Place for the Tiger

Sun, February 10, 2019 Published by

There’s a story about the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci.  During the time when he was working on his famous painting “The Last Supper,” he became angry with an acquaintance of his. The two men had words and parted from each other on very bad terms. Leonardo returned to the church on whose wall he was painting the fresco.  It was no use. Leonardo could paint nothing he was happy with. He had reached the point in the project where he was doing the face of Jesus. Time and again he tried to render a likeness of the Lord, but he was unable to do so.  Finally the great artist realized that he had work to do, but it was not in the church he had been commissioned to decorate. Leonardo put down his brushes and sought out the man who had been the subject of his wrath. He asked the man’s forgiveness. The man accepted his apology and offered an apology of his own. It was only then that Leonardo was able to return to the church and finish painting the face of Jesus.

St. Paul wrote a letter to the church at Ephesus because he knew that the church was engaged in quarreling that threatened to tear them apart.  He counseled them: “No more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.” Sometimes we feel we should never be angry, we should repress our true feelings.  However, when we do that, our anger continues to simmer within us and ultimately festers or blows up and can be terribly destructive.  Avoidance of conflict makes room for the devil.  Anger is a natural part of our emotional makeup as humans.

Think back on your own life and reflect on what role anger has played in your relationships—was it healthy anger or destructive? Are you a spewer or a stewer?  Anger itself is not a sin. Sometimes we are called to be angry.  The world would have lost much without the blazing anger of William Wilberforce against the slave trade. If Martin Luther King had not been angry at racism, the civil rights movement would not have flourished. If Gandhi had not been angry at oppression, India’s independence might not have happened. Anger, channeled in a positive way, can be a catalyst for change.  The famous writer Dr. Samuel Johnson was once asked to temper the harshness and anger in a book he was about to publish.  His answer to that request was that “he would not cut off his claws, nor make his tiger a cat, to please anybody.”  There is a place for the tiger in life; and when the tiger becomes a tabby cat, something is lost.  How many relationships have been forever destroyed because some small issue was left to fester, grow, and divide the best of friends? Resolution of differences may take a long time but Paul is telling us to put aside our anger quickly.  If we have been in the wrong, pray to God to give us the grace to go and admit that it was so; and even if we have been right, pray to God to give us the graciousness which will enable us to take the first step to put matters right.

 

Arizona State Retirement System Changes

Sun, February 10, 2019 Published by

Are you an Arizona State Retiree who gets health insurance through your retirement plan? This year the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) announced a change in one segment of its retiree health insurance.

ASRS has traditionally had two plans to choose from: they offered both an HMO Plan (Medicare Part C) and a Medicare Senior Supplement (Original Medicare with Part B Supplement, also called a Medigap plan). If you previously had Medicare coverage through the ASRS HMO Plan, these new changes do not affect you. If, however, you had Original Medicare with a Senior Supplement through ASRS, the 2019 changes will affect your coverage.

Both ASRS plans rely on “passive enrollment,” which is a convenient way for people to keep their current plan from year to year. This year, however, retirees who had the Senior Supplement Plan (not the HMO) were passively enrolled out of Original Medicare and into a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) through UnitedHealthcare (the same insurer who provides coverage for the HMO beneficiaries).

The “behind the scenes” problem with this change is that retirees were not informed that by enrolling in a Medicare Advantage Plan, they would lose “guaranteed issue” to future Supplement / Medigap policies. Guaranteed issue means that you have the right to buy a policy without medical underwriting, which can lead to denials of coverage or inflated prices based on age and health conditions. Another concern is that the new lower premiums, while attractive, are due to a temporary rate adjustment, and future costs may not remain low.

How might this affect you? Both our contracted outpatient services through OASIS and our Campus Home Health program accept Original Medicare but not Advantage Plans (HMOs or PPOs), with the exception of Home Health accepting UHC Community and UHC Dual Complete (AHCCCS). For example, if you are a retired teacher previously on the ASRS Senior Supplement Plan, you are now on a PPO Plan. You may have had physical therapy on campus as an outpatient, or through the campus Home Health service. Now, however, you will not be covered and will need to seek outpatient services off campus, and Home Health from an outside agency.

SHIP Medicare Counselors believe individuals can get better coverage at a better price by remaining on Original Medicare with a Supplement and Part D coverage. The new deadline to change your Medicare coverage from the new PPO to Original Medicare with a supplement is March 3rd, 2019.

If you are affected by this change, and wish to speak to a Medicare counselor about making a change, please let Josephine know no later than February 15th at x16117.

The Most Exciting Times

Sun, February 3, 2019 Published by

Beatitudes Campus is truly entering one of the most exciting times in its 54-year history as we celebrate the beginning of construction of our new 34 patio homes. I thought you might be interested in a little of the planning background for this new addition on the north and west perimeters of campus and we are so excited to welcome this new group of residents.

Research has shown and our history supports that this is one of the most often requested accommodations in a continuing care retirement community or life plan community, as we are now known. Many coming to see our presentations looked at a condo setting as they considered selling their larger homes and have reported five significant differences between patio homes and condos.

  1. Patio homes found in a senior living community, such as ours at Beatitudes Campus, are built specifically for post-career adults. Our patio home residents must be age 62+. At a condo, who will be your neighbor now and into the future? You have no control over that.
  2. Patio homes often include additional services and amenities. While you may pay a fee that you don’t have with a condo, you typically gain home maintenance, housekeeping, dining, daily activities, an aquatic center, etc., that are included within the senior living community. Home responsibility, maintenance and repair costs remain yours with a condo.
  3. Patio home floor plans typically do not include a basement nor stairways. They are designed for low maintenance with easily accessible garages, walkways and safety/security features.
  4. By being part of a community living neighborhood, a patio home comes with built-in security. For example, our patio homes are located within a gated community with security features throughout the campus and in the homes. You also gain a sense of neighborhood protection when you are part of a community. It can be hard to find this in a condominium unit or any stand-alone neighborhood.
  5. Patio homes often include services and amenities on site. We are a life plan community and our new homes have the continuing care benefit that so many find important. Within our campus, we offer services and accommodations for rehabilitation, therapy, assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing.

Most of our residents move into an independent living patio home while they are younger, healthy and active. If or when assistance or care is needed, they can stay within the community but move into an assisted living apartment or other care arrangement.

Being a life plan community allows our residents to always remain living in the community where they have built friendships, know the staff and feel at home.

At Beatitudes Campus, we have 3 different floor plans for one- or two-bedroom designs. Our patio homes feature attractive finishes, fully equipped kitchens, attached garages, and plenty of outdoor space both in the front and rear of each. We are excited to formally celebrate “spades in the ground” on February 21st at 10 A.M. as Michelle Just, CEO, the board, executive staff, the construction company, architects and our twenty -seven depositors all meet for a brief ceremony at the Myrtle Avenue sight that we are going to live-stream to the rest of the campus in the Life Center.

Please join us in the Luther Life Center anytime from 10:00AM—1:00PM for a come and go celebration complete with a light brunch menu. We will have numerous displays of information and our consultants and staff will be on hand to join in the festivities and answer questions. There will be more information posted on the community channel as we get closer to the date. In the meantime, please RSVP to Ali Shreeve, marketing assistant at 18467 so that we can plan appropriately. It’s going to be a great day!

 

The Year Without a Summer

Sun, February 3, 2019 Published by

This week, the weather has been hitting the headlines. As the quote from the Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “there is nothing new under the sun”, except for the headlines being written in 1816, when the new occurrence was that there seemingly was no sun.

“I had a dream, which was not all a dream. The bright sun was extinguish’d, and the stars did wander darkling in the eternal space.” Written in July 1816, these words from Byron’s poem Darkness are inspired by the strange events of The Year Without a Summer. It followed the eruption of Mount Tambora (the largest recorded volcanic eruption in history) located in modern day Indonesia, which in turn sparked months of unusual weather and climate disruption around the globe as its large dust cloud of volcanic ash entered the atmosphere. During this period, the sun frequently disappeared behind that thick acrid cloud. Instead of summer, the winter temperatures continued. Some thought the strange climate signaled the imminent destruction of the sun and the end of the world. We know of course now that though the dark uncertainty might have felt never-ending in 1816, the world did not in fact end. The world kept on spinning, and eventually the cloud dissipated and the sun reemerged. One of the most notable things about The Year Without a Summer is the number of seminal works of art, music and literature that it produced. It was around this time that Beethoven began his celebrated late period of composition, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, and Byron his epic poem Prometheus, as well as many other successful endeavors.

Just as it did that fateful summer 200 years ago, beauty continues to emerge from uncertainty. We have our own metaphorical clouds of darkness and uncertainty brooding around the world today, and yet gimmers of sunlight shine forth brightly amidst that darkness. The light of hope continues to shine as we engage with others and when we choose respect rather than incivility; unity rather than division; love over hate. The hope spoken of in the teachings of Jesus – while not denying fear and uncertainty – requires the believer to look beyond present circumstances and instead to choose to have faith in a better future. As 14th century Christian mystic, Julian of Norwich, put it: “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” But hope is not a lottery ticket. Nor is it blind or passive optimism. It is the firm belief that we can each dispel the clouds of darkness by working together in love.

Black History Month—February 2019

Sun, February 3, 2019 Published by

As many of you know, February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

Black History Month (BHM), also known as African-American History Month, is an annual observance time celebrated in the U.S.

There are a handful of other countries worldwide who celebrate BHM under a different name called “Black Achievement Month”.

The precursor to Black History Month was “Negro History Week” created in 1926 in the United States, by historian Carter G. Woodson

It was chosen to be on the 2nd week of February because it coincided with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and Fredrick Douglass (Feb. 14).

Beatitudes Campus has a “Black History Month (BHM) Planning Committee”  The 2019 members are, Josie Gay, Nancy Cortez, Anthony Farias, Conroy Dennis, Bob Longoni, Betty Greathouse, Shirley Kendrick, Sherika Johnson, Doris Lyke, Ella Adams, Barbara Williams, Emma Walls, Betty Hullaby, and Gerald Roseberry, we are all motivated to participate in the BHM related events.

This year, the BHM Planning Committee wants to expand the recognition throughout the month instead of cramming all of the information into one 90 minute event like has been done in the past.

It all starts with me writing this article.

There will be a Black History Month display once a week in the Bistro during lunch time.  Each display in the roadrunner will be advertised with the date and time.

The BHM Committee will host one movie each week this month in the Life Center which will also be advertised in the Roadrunner.

Look for BLACK HISTORY related information posted on the BEATITUDES CAMPUS COMMUNITY CHANNEL throughout this month.

The recognition will conclude at the end of the month with our grand finale!!!  THE BEATITUDES 6TH ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH event created and lead by campus staff member, Josie Gay, on Thursday, February 28.

I am most excited about my former fitness client and friend, VERNON PARKER, (Paradise Valley’s 1st Black Mayor) who will come and speak at the event.  He will be sharing his experiences from when he worked in the White House during both “President Bush” administrations.

Why am I so excited to participate in this event?

Many different conversations lead me to realize that a lot of our residents and staff do not know of the many aspects of  Black history.  I thought that it was common knowledge to most Americans, but I was wrong.

For example, most poeple in one of my wellness classes didn’t know that there is a Negro National Anthem.

The reactions were quite comical before I convinced the ones who didn’t know that the song really does exist!

What I found most amazing about this matter is that residents whom I spoke with (who are not African American) were interested in knowing MORE about African American Culture.  It will be our pleasure to present these topics to you, just think of it as “Black History 101.” Please join us in the Celebration.  I hope that you will find it to be educational and fun! *

Excavation, a Redevelopment Update

Sun, February 3, 2019 Published by

Earthwork on 17th Drive continues.  During work hours, 17th Drive northbound traffic will be closed for about 12 days as the underground utility excavation continues.   The permits for the patio homes were issued.  The demolition of the Garden Apts is progressing quickly.  Dust control is in effect at all times.  The rubble is being hauled off instead of being utilized as fill.  The change in plan is because the noise created during the crushing process was feared to be too loud for Central Park residents.  The contractor will still provide the expected credit for the savings for haul off costs, and the contractor will provide the fill at no cost to the Campus.  Additional questions and information?  Contact Scott Mardian, [email protected]

 

Quarterly Air Filter Change

Sun, January 27, 2019 Published by

Please be advised, Maintenance Technicians will be in all residential buildings—Central Park North, Central Park South, Central Park West, Plaza North & South, Plaza View and the Health Care Center. On Thursday, Jan 31st, between 8:00AM and 5:00PM, to change out the air filters in all resident homes. Due to the size of this task, Maintenance is unable to provide a specific time for the filter change.  If you would like to be home when Maintenance changes your air filter, please adjust your schedule accordingly.

 

Diversity and Inclusion Day: What a Celebration!

Sun, January 27, 2019 Published by

We hope you made it over to the Life Center last Monday for our inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Day! Over 150 residents and staff members participated in this happy event. CEO Michelle Just and President of Beatitudes, proclaimed January 21, 2019 as Beatitudes Campus Diversity and Inclusion Day. Thank you, Michelle! Here is a segment from that proclamation:

“Now, therefore, I, Michelle L. Just, President and CEO of Beatitudes Campus, with a continued commitment to diversity, inclusion and equality, proclaim January 21st, 2019, (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day),  Beatitudes Campus’ Diversity and Inclusion Day, and we resolve to stand together with all people of good faith in our community recognizing we have the power to change our attitudes, to overcome our ignorance and fears, and ability to influence our peers and neighbors to embrace and build together a more loving, caring community, open and affirming of all.”

On large maps of the world and USA, participants were invited to mark their places of origin and cultural heritage. Attendees also explored exhibits and gathered information about Black History, the LGBTQ community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning), the personal and cultural meaning of Dia de los Muertos, and they were able to see and handle cultural heritage artifacts from Indonesia and Ukraine. The Success Matters team gave attendees the opportunity to experience age-related changes such as losses in their vision or hearing. The differences in how folks responded when they actually experienced those losses surely represent another, very personal kind of diversity. Participants were invited to write out answers to the question “What does Diversity mean to you and what makes you unique? How would you answer?

The celebration continued with staff members dancing, singing, and playing music at the event. Resident, Barbara Levy, read a very moving poem she had written in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr, and his call for a more just and inclusive world. In keeping with the spirit of the celebration, there was delicious food from around the world. Throughout the event, one video offered Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, another moving video entitled “The Real Thing” explored how to support transgender community, while another video focused on exploring the meaning of diversity. Most importantly, and enjoyably, there was time just to talk with each other. Residents and staff shared stories about many topics, including service in the Peace Corps, participation in civil rights demonstrations, and the many personal moments where there were deep vows to raise children and grandchildren in a more just world guided by values and faith.

So why was the event held? The Diversity and Inclusion Action Council, made up of staff and residents, organized and planned the event. The Council has been meeting since last April to further explore and focus our attention on diversity and inclusion, and we decided to highlight diversity and inclusion through this event! Our Beatitudes Campus Promise statement moves us to “value the diversity of all” and that promise was surely kept in this celebration. This event was an addition, not a replacement to the long-standing campus traditions of honoring Black History, Veterans, LGBT community, and older adults.

Our campus is a special place where we come together to create a community of welcoming for all– regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, marital status, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and age. As you know, we welcome all faiths and those choosing not to identify with a faith. Beyond welcoming, our activities and day-to-day interactions and life on the campus illustrate our commitment to learning from one another and always expanding our beliefs and worlds. We also bring our commitment to diversity to off-campus community involvement through volunteering at schools, participating in neighborhood organizations and so much more.

Our Diversity Day highlights our rich past and guides us to future actions about diversity on campus. What are some of your reflections about diversity on campus? What would you like others to know about you or your heritage? Let’s keep the dialogue going! The Diversity and Inclusion Action Committee is looking for others who are passionate about this work so if you would like to join the Council or would like more information, please call Linda Travis, at X16365, or Chaplain Peggy Roberts at X16109 *

PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU

Sun, January 27, 2019 Published by

As you may already know, the Beatitudes Campus has received a $30,000 grant to be used for our current and future on-campus transportation needs. The new Patio Homes (now under construction) and the future Promenade Apartments will add a large number of new residents, many of whom may require transportration help to reach various facilities on campus, not to mention current residents with similar needs.  We have created a sub- committee of the Transportation Committee consisting of residents Sherwin Block, Kay Baker, Jim Plaster and Bob Telleen, plus staff members David Ragan and Barbara Wood to deal with these issues.  We’ll need  your help down the road, so stay tuned for details of the program as they become available.

 

God is Still Speaking

Sun, January 20, 2019 Published by

During the past few weeks I have been reading various economic, political, environmental and sporting predictions for the coming year. Happily (and especially if you are a D-Backs fan), people are notoriously poor at predicting the future. Time has shown that we tend to construct predictions from our wishes or fears rather than actual data. Those who are paid to make such forecasts are often way off the mark, such as the banker who famously told Henry Ford that the horse was here to stay, or the British weatherman who famously on the eve of the country’s worst ever recorded storm, announced that “it might be a little windy tomorrow.”

There are dangers in putting too much store in what might happen, however prophecy and prediction are not the same thing. When the prophets – like Jeremiah and Isaiah – pointed to events in the future, they were not predictions of what would happen; but rather descriptions of what could happen if the people didn’t change their ways. Their focus was on making things right in the present, rather than being right about the future. They called out uncomfortable truths – sometimes at great personal risk – about the injustices of society, the people’s indifference to poverty, or the environment – urging people to change now in order to avoid future catastrophe. The Jeremiahs are perhaps long gone, but if we listen carefully we can hear the prophets of our day. They could be journalists, or musicians, or perhaps even children. There are no special qualifications required, and the message, doesn’t have to be conventionally religious. The inspiration of their message if it is for the good, can be seen ultimately to have its origin in the divine, but the action is earthly, urgent and rooted in the now. Some believe that part of the supernatural outworking of creation is that God has placed the future inside the present. Are we ready to discern and listen to those speaking the truth about what is necessary this year in order to win a hopeful future for ourselves and the generation to come? May it be, that our hearts and minds may be open to those voices, and to God speaking through them. *

Diversity and Inclusion

Sun, January 20, 2019 Published by

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

I wanted to take this opportunity to follow up on Peggy Roberts’ article from last week regarding the Diversity and Inclusion Day to be held this Monday, January 21st in the Everett Luther Life Center, between 12:00 and 3:00PM. The Diversity and Inclusion Action Council (consisting of residents and staff) specifically chose to hold the event on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an honor to the many contributions of King’s societal movement to a more inclusive society.

A day such as this makes me incredibly proud of our campus community as we resolve to stand together to recognize we have the power to change our attitudes, to overcome our ignorance and fears, and have the ability to influence our peers and neighbors to embrace and build together a more loving, caring community—open and affirming of all.

The campus is a community of caring people who, together,  create a healthy, safe and secure place for everyone—no matter the geographic, ethnic, economic, religious, sexual orientations, age, or gender identity—to live, work and age with dignity. It is truly  an environment which promotes acceptance, inclusion and diversity where everyone can thrive and live to their fullest potential by respecting each other.

I do hope you will join us for the open house. Whether it is for 10 minutes or the entire three hours, your presence is appreciated.  Come by to hear what diversity and inclusion means to others, share your place of origin on the world map, and enjoy foods from around the globe. *

Permitted, a Redevelopment Update

Sun, January 13, 2019 Published by

Earthwork will begin this week on the 17th Drive site.   You will see earthmovers scraping up 18”-24” of existing soil trenches and then lay it back down with proper compaction. The permits for the patio homes may be issued this week.

The abatement of the Garden Apts will finish up this week.  The demolition of the Garden Apts will be scheduled for the end of this month.  For every tree we remove, at least one replaces them.  On a separate note: An Eagle Scout Project will install a Bocce Ball Court in the grassy quad west of Plaza View and north of the Administration Conference Room.  Additional questions and information? Contact Scott Mardian, [email protected].*