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Daylight Saving Time ends
Sunday, November 4 at 2:00 am
Thought for the Week:


“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success
when they gave up.”

Thomas Edison

       
 In worship this week:
November 4
All Saints' Sunday

Pastor: Rev. Janie McElwee-Smith

Pianist: Bingyu Peng

Liturgist: Emma Stewart

Ushers: Bill and Barb Pfeifer

Hospitality: The Family of Dudley Payton

Communion Servers: Dave and Peggy Adams
Flowers this Sunday
are presented by the family of Dudley Payton
to the glory of God and in celebration of
Dudley’s 95 th birthday.


Focus on HPC:     
All Saints' Day
(from www.Presbyterianmission.com)

In early Christian tradition, saints’ days began as a way to mark the anniversary of a martyr’s death — his or her “birthday” as a saint. By the middle of the church’s first millennium, there were so many martyrs (particularly due to the persecution of Diocletian) that it was hard to give them all their due. All Saints’ Day was established as an opportunity to honor all the saints, known and unknown.

All Saints’ Day has a rather different focus in the Reformed tradition. While we may give thanks for the lives of particular luminaries of ages past, the emphasis is on the ongoing sanctification of the  whole  people of God. Rather than putting saints on pedestals as holy people set apart in glory, we give glory to God for the ordinary, holy lives of the believers in this and every age. This is an appropriate time to give thanks to members of the community of faith who have died in the past year. We also pray that we may be counted among the company of the faithful in God’s eternal realm.
All Saints’ Day has been celebrated on November 1 since the year 835. Previously it had been connected with the Easter season as a feast of all martyrs.

This week in PCUSA Mission:            
    
Christian and Citizen
The Rev. Jimmie R. Hawkins; Director,
PC (USA) Office of Public Witness

Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.   He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives   and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,   to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." 
Luke 4:17a – 19

The Bible makes mention of the fact that we carry dual citizenship as citizens of the kingdom and citizens of the world. But these identities are not equal. If there is ever a conflict, the values of the kingdom must come first. There is a level of confusion in the minds of many Christians equating being a Christians with being patriotic, but they are not the same. Jesus said that anyone who loves mother or father, brother or sister, “is not worthy of me.” We are a God-first people who put the cares of God before all others. Therefore, we are made better citizens of the state because we are concerned about those who are not deemed worthy of attention. We stand with those the state will not defend or support. We speak truth to those in political power that the real authority belongs to a God who calls us to feed the hungry, welcome the immigrant, care for the sick and rehabilitate the prisoner. Out of our faith commitment to the Kingdom of God, we transform the kingdoms of this world into the Beloved Community.

(Remember to vote - Election Day, Tues., Nov. 6)

Immediate Church Family*:
Betty Bagent; Doris Baugh; Inez Geoghegan; Betty Lancaster; Preston Lancaster; Mary Perry; Deanna Lewis Sklar; Brad Smith.

Extended Church Family*:
Brandon Behrmann (Carol’s nephew); Austin Casey (Jack and Betty Bagent’s grandson); Woody and Susie Chew (friends of Deanna); Steve Dull (husband of Lynn Nichols Dull); Dan Durway (former Pastor of Highland); Eva Fuller (Inez Geoghegan’s niece); Julius Fuller (Inez Geoghe-gan’s brother); Carol Harrison (Rob Stewart’s Mother); Claudia Hill (Connie Leonard’s sister); Phillip Lanier (friend of Rosemary John); the Miller twins (friends of Brad Smith); Aleta Pick-holtz; Earl Rabe (friend of Rick Gurtner); Phillip Walker (nephew of the Pfeifers); Larry Wilcoxson (friend of the Leonards); Barbara Zeagler (friend of the Dyes.)

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

Birthdays
November 4 - 10:  Dudley Payton (4)

 Anniversaries
November 21 – Jack and Betty Bagent

Detail of the Prague Astronomical Clock in thePrague Old Town

This week at HPC:
Monday, November 5:
12:00 p.m. AA
    
Tuesday, November 6: Election Day
10:30 a.m. Tuesday Morning Class
12:00 p.m. AA
7:30 p.m. AA

Wednesday, November 7:  
12:00 p.m. AA
7:00 p.m. Ladies’ AA

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

Friday, November 9:
12:00 p.m. AA

Saturday, November 10:
Yard Crew – Jack Bagent & Bill Pfeifer

Sunday, November 11: Veterans Day  
9:30 a.m. Worship - Dedication Sunday
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
  • Birthday Celebration Today! All are invited to stay following worship to enjoy the refreshments and fellowship celebrating Dudley Payton’s 95th birthday. Happy Birthday Dudley!

  • Raffle to Fight Hunger Now’s your chance to enter into the drawing for a beautiful LSU themed quilt made by the Giving Quilt Quilters and fight hunger. Tickets are $5.00. The drawing will be held on November 18 during Third Sunday Lunch. All proceeds go to Heifer International. For tickets or more information contact Barb Pfeifer.
      
  • Tuesday Morning Study Class continues their study of Christian Doctrine (Chapter 4) by Shirley Guthrie on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 10:30 a.m. in the Adult Sunday School classroom, Sanctuary Building. For more information contact Connie Buck or Louise Dye.
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. 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
and Thurs. 10:00 am – 1:30 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)
blog: http://evenbefore.blog
blog: http://highlandtree.blog


Highland Presbyterian Church (USA)
10024 Highland Road • Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • 225.766.5775 • www.highlandpresbyterian.org