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Thought for the Week:

“Hate cannot drive out hate.
Only love can."

Dr. Martin Luther King
             
        
In worship this week:
January 21, 2018

Pastor: Rev. Janie McElwee-Smith

Music Director: Aubrey Nelson

Pianist: Bingyu Peng

Liturgist: Barb Pfeifer

Youth Liturgist: Haleigh Thompson

Ushers: Mike and Connie Leonard
Flowers this Sunday are presented
to the Glory of God
by Jim and Mary Martin.

Focus on HPC:       
Media Communications . . .

Not only is it a new year, but there’s a whole new world out there – the world of “Media.” Some of our Congregation claim to remember when phone lines came to rural areas. Even more of our Con-gregation remember when you had to dial a phone to make it work. Now we live in a world where we are surrounded by communications at the touch of a screen or the click of a mouse. Have you recently looked at all the new forms of com-munications that Highland uses to reach our to members and the world?

For the past year we have been electronically sending our newsletter, Connections, and mid-week “updates” directly to those with e-mail. Now we would like to bring your attention to our newest communications tool; a new, “revitalized” website at www.highlandpresbyterian.org.  A click of the mouse or tap of the screen can now take you to this website which will allow you to access this hub of Highland’s communications and much further. Our weekly Connections, past and present, are available in full on the “News” page. Also on the website, you can click on the “Links” page and with another click connect to our Facebook page (no membership is needed to view our page.) On the Facebook page, with another click, you can listen to another new addition, Rev. Janie’s sermon posted in audio each week.  Go back to the Links page and you can click on each of two blogs, Rev. Janie’s personal blog or one especially intended for Highland. These sites offer Rev. Janie’s thoughts communicated through “blogging,” sharing in a written format via electronic media. Who knew so much was just a click away? As Dr. Seuss likes to say, “Oh, the places you can go.”























This week in PCUSA Mission:                
         
Criminal Justice Sunday
Hans Hallundbaek and Un Ngo

Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them. —Hebrews 13:3a

Let us, on this Criminal Justice Sunday, be reminded of these sad facts:
•   That our country is the world’s leader in incarcerating our own.
•   That the United States of America, which holds 5 percent of the world’s population, holds 25 percent of the world’s prisoners.
•  That the vast majority of people incarcerated in our country are from poor, inner-city neighborhoods and are of predominantly African-American and Latino descent.

Let us be reminded also that our stance on punish-ment is in sharp contrast to our Christian gospel’s redemptive message of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, as expressed in Luke 4:18; and that our salvation, individually and collectively, is linked to our treatment of those in prison, as declared in Matthew 25:41–43.

Society’s stance on criminal justice is historically a pendulum swinging between restorative and pun-itive. Our country is long overdue for prison re-form based upon rehabilitative and restorative principles, as practiced in other developed cultures with which we compare ourselves. This should in-clude the “Mandela Rules,” reflecting the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the abolition of for-profit prisons and an end to capital punishment.
Immediate Church Family*:
Betty Bagent; Carol Behrmann; Doris Baugh; Inez Geoghegan; Betty Lancaster; Mary Perry; Deanna Lewis Sklar; Brad Smith; Caitlin Thompson.

Extended Church Family* :
Brandon Behrmann (Carol’s nephew); Ron Brelsford (Rosemary John’s brother-in-law); Lettie Capers (friend of the Leonards); Austin Casey (Jack and Betty Bagent’s grandson); Wayne Cline (Sherry Hutchinson’s brother); Steve Dull (husband of Lynn Nichols Dull); Dan Durway (former Pastor of Highland); Cecil and Judy Eubanks (former members); Eva Fuller (Inez Geoghegan’s niece); Hank and Helen McKinney (former members – Hank has cancer); the Miller twins (friends of Brad Smith); Aleta Pickholtz; Earl Rabe (friend of Rick Gurtner); Joy Walker (niece of the Pfeifers); Larry Wilcoxson (friend of the Leonards); Barbara Zeagler (friend of the Dyes.)

 * New names or concerns added to the prayer list this week are in italics.

Birthdays
January 21-27: Barb Pfeifer & Kate Stewart (27)

Anniversaries
January: none
Detail of the Prague Astronomical Clock in thePrague Old Town

This week at HPC:
Monday, January 22:
9:00 a.m Pastor's Event - Broadmoor UMC
12:00 p.m. AA

Tuesday, January 23:
9:30 a.m. WW quilters
10:30 a.m. Bible Study
12:00 p.m. AA 
7:30 p.m. AA

Wednesday, January 24:
12:00 p.m. AA
5:30 p.m. HPC choir practice
7:00 p.m. Ladies’ AA

Thursday, January 25:
12:00 p.m. AA
8:00 p.m. Men’s AA

Friday, January 26:
12:00 p.m. AA

Saturday, January 27:
Yard Crew – Mike Leonard & Brandon Lithgoe
9:00 a.m. Session Retreat

Sunday, January 28: 
9:30 a.m. Worship
7:00 p.m. AA
coming soon brand new product release next up promotion and announce road sign or announcement billboard
Upcoming Opportunities at HPC
  • Today - “Souper Bowl of Caring” Get those soup bowls ready! Our Third Sunday Lunch will feature soup and all the fixings. All proceeds will go to fight hunger in our area. 

  • HPC Youth carry the ball for “Souper Bowl of Caring”!  The youth inspired movement called The Souper Bowl of Caring utilizes the energy of the Super Bowl to bring attention to fighting hunger in our communities. Watch as our youth pick up the ball and run with it by collecting non-perishable food items and funds to fight hunger.
  • A Session Retreat is scheduled for Saturday, January 27, 2018, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 pm. All remaining, outgoing, and incoming Ruling Elders are expected to attend. Lunch will be provided.  

About HPC
Highland Presbyterian Church is a vibrant tree in God's grace-filled orchard. Deeply rooted in God's life-giving presence here on earth, this tree extends its branches to support one another in faith and reach into the world around it to produce fruit. Whether you are seeking God's presence through questions or service, discussion or fellowship, there is a home for you at Highland.
Connecting with Our Pastor
Rev. Janie McElwee-Smith

office hours for Rev. Janie are Mon. 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
and Thurs. 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
by appointment Mon. – Thurs. 9:00 am – 4:30 pm  
cell (call or text): 314.283.7596
office: 766-5775 (please leave a message)
Highland Presbyterian Church (USA)
10024 Highland Road • Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • 225.766.5775 • www.highlandpresbyterian.org