Highland Presbyterian Church​ seeks to be a diverse and inclusive Christian Community as we embody the love and forgiveness of Jesus by serving the Community and the World, drawing people to Christ.

Highland Happening

August 5th, 2022

Worship this Sunday

Join us for worship this Sunday, August 7 as Pastor Matthew is back from vacation and our scripture focus is Luke 12:32-40. This will also be communion Sunday so if you are worshipping from home, please have common elements ready to partake in the holy meal. 

 

Return to Masks During Worship- Session has been keeping an eye on the CDC Community Levels and voted months ago to return to masking if both Knox and Blount county returned to medium levels of Covid transmission. Unfortunately, both counties are in the High category currently and we will return to masking during worship until the levels go down. We hope this will only be for a short while. We will also bring back a Zoom call during worship time for those who would like to worship that way. The Zoom call link can be found below and will be open from 10:00 am-noon every Sunday so you can have fellowship time before and after with others worshipping from home. 

 

Watch the service live on our Facebook page at 10:30 am or tune in for the Zoom call at this link with passcode 721721 from 10:00 am-noon every Sunday. 

Bulletin for August 7th (word doc)
Bulletin for August 7th  (pdf)

Help with Fellowship Time


The Fellowship Committee is looking for volunteers to provide snacks after the church service the first Sunday of every month. If you can provide snacks for September 4th, October 2nd, November 6th, or December 4th please contact Stacy Nordquist, Kathy White, or Carole Schenk. Thank you!

Composting Program


The Sustainability Committee has put together a composting program in addition to a recycling program. Now, when you sign up for recycling duties, we also ask that you empty the blue compost bins in the bathrooms into our new compost tumbler located outside by the water hose. When using the bathrooms, please be aware that these blue bins are marked for paper towels only -- not trash -- so we can add them to the compost bin and turn them into soil. 

Fall Book Study Wait, Is This Racist?

Sept. 6 to Nov. 16


Join Pastor Matthew this fall as we read through the book Wait, Is this Racist? as we continue our engagement in being a Matthew 25 congregation and working on dismantling structural racism. Whether you have been an ally for years or just recently opened your eyes to racial injustice, guiding your predominantly white church toward anti-racism is a daunting task. Where do you even begin? 

               

Wait—Is This Racist? is here to guide you and your church through this challenging and uncomfortable work. Intentionally interactive, practical, and biblically based, Wait—Is This Racist? guides church leaders and staff through an examination of all aspects of church life, including leadership, preaching and liturgy, music, small groups, buildings and grounds, and more, to help churches create an action plan that will take them toward not only becoming anti-racist but also actually doing anti-racist work.

 

This study will have two meeting times- Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm on Zoom and Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am in the parlor. This study will start the week of September 5. 

 

Read an expert of the book here. (attache Wait, Is this Racist excerpt.)

 

RSVP to Pastor Matthew. Book and the study packet are $20. 

PCUSA Sustainability News


The Sustainability Committee would like to share the good news from the PCUSA's 225th General Assembly that five oil companies — Chevron, ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66 and Valero Energy — have been placed on the General Assembly Divestment/Proscription List “until their actions comply with the General Assembly’s established criteria.”  Read the full story here. 

Presbyterian Women in the

Presbytery of

East Tennessee (PWPET)

 

Did you know that Highland’s Presbyterian Women are partnered with women in many other PC(USA) churches throughout East Tennessee? Together, we have committed ourselves to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study, to support the mission of the church worldwide, to work for justice and peace, and to build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (USA) and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom. This is our purpose!

 

PWPET has a page on our Presbytery’s website. See it here: https://www.presbyteryeasttn.org/shared-ministries/presbyterian-women-of-the-presbytery/

 

We also have a presbytery-wide newsletter, which can be viewed here: https://mailchi.mp/bedb66029350/july-newsletter-whats-on-your-mind-this-summer?e=[UNIQID]

 

Highlights of the newsletter include the Fall Spiritual Retreat, which is planned for Oct. 8 at the John Knox Center, a look at our missions support, and how our individual church groups have been “keeping busy”!


New Presbyterian Women Bible Study

 

Highland’s Presbyterian Women’s Circle will take the summer months of July and August off, and will return on Thursday, September 1, 2022 to meet at 1:30 pm in the church parlor.

 

At that time, we will begin our new PW Bible study for the 2022-2023 year:  “Celebrating Sabbath: Accepting God’s Gift of Rest and Delight” by Carol M. Bechtel and Laura Mariko Cheifetz. The study contains nine lessons, and we will cover one lesson each month, using scripture passages from Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Matthew, Luke and Acts.

Read More Here

UT Campus Ministry Work Day This Saturday

Did you know Pastor Matthew is on the board of the Presbyterian campus ministry (UKirk) at UT? Our presbytery supports, UKirk which supports and reaches many UT students. Mark your calendars for the annual UKirk workday on Saturday, August 6, at 9 a.m at 1831 Melrose Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916.! UKirk needs all hands-on deck to prepare the house for the upcoming school year!


We are looking for help with yard work and indoor cleaning. Whatever cleaning talents you have, we can put them to use! Donuts, coffee and cold refreshments will be provided!

M.A.Y. August Event 

Sunday, August 28 4-8 pm


The youth of Highland will join together with other Knoxville area Presbyterian churches and St. Andrew’s Episcopal to go to the Mountain Challenge ropes course over at Maryville College on Sunday, August 28 from 4-8 pm. We will do the ropes course, play games and eat dinner together. Cost is $10 a person. RSVP to Pastor Matthew

Matthew 25 Spotlight

Being a Matthew 25 Presbytery means we are constantly working toward creating the beloved community. Each week, in this email, we will share resources or stories of ways of engaging the three challenges of Dismantling Structural Racism, Eradicating Systemic Poverty and Building Congregational Vitality.


A story was shared months ago about a Presbyterian church in Cincinnati that recognized the original charter of their church stated it was ‘for the white race only.’ They have committed to undoing this racist past by engaging in racial justice work in their own neighborhood. 

 

Check out the short video here of some of the work they are doing. 

 


Prayers, Concerns and Joys

Please pray for our members, families, and friends.

 

We lift-up prayers for those among our community who are shut in. Be with them as they are separated in body from their loved ones.


Judith Gregory- Judith had successful surgery and is back home resting. Her doctors have high hopes that this surgery will help her progress forward. Please keep her in your prayers.


Pastor Amy-  Continued prayers for Rev. Amy Bradley as she continues her treatment for breast cancer. 


Ruth Law- Ruth had to have her only kidney removed due to cancer and is on a waiting list for a transplant. 

 

Tracey Farr- Tracey is running for public office and the District 2 of Blount County. Keep her in prayer as she undertakes her campaign. 

 

Cindy Benz- Cindy had foot surgery and will have a few months of recovery. Prayers for patience and strength during her healing. 


Keisa Pascalini- Janvier and Mayele’s daughter, Keisa, has been dealing with dizziness and seizures. Prayers for their family as they navigate this difficult medical aliment. 

 

Leonard Blankner- Leonard has successful hip replacement surgery and is home recovering well.


Bob Ambler- Bob is home recovering from surgery for kidney stones. Prayers for quick healing and strength as Susan is with him during recovery. 


Bob and Susan Ambler- Bob and Susan both contracted Covid-19 recently. Please keep them in your prayers. 

 

Janvier Malipo- Janvier was in a car accident driving home from work. He is okay but his car is damaged.


UMC and SBC- Prayers were lifted up on Sunday for both the United Methodist Church and the Southern Baptist Convention who are both going through difficult times in their denominations. 


Senators and leaders- Prayers for guidance as our national and local leaders debate gun legislation and many other laws that impact the day to day life of so many. 


We lift-up especially the following prayer concerns:                                           

All in the world who are suffering from Covid-19, especially for patients, the mourning survivors of those who have perished, and the heroic medical professionals who are fighting the battle for us.


Ukraine- Prayers for the country of Ukraine and the unknown future that is coming upon them. May we all strive for peace and harmony throughout the world. Visit the PCUSA Mission page here to donate to the refugee fund of the mission agency.

August Birthdays

Danny Pierce- Aug. 2

Vandy Kemp- Aug. 3

Jeff Schenk- Aug. 4

Patricia Cox- Aug. 5

Connor White- Aug 14

Teegun Slagle- Aug. 16

Elan Lloyd- Aug. 17 

Wesley Meade- Aug.18

Matthew Baker- Aug.26

Piper Webb- Aug. 26

Jacobi Yerby- Aug. 26


If there are any announcements that you would like to include in the Highland Happening, please email communications@highlandpresby.org by noon the Wednesday prior to the Highland Happening going out.
Click the button above to visit our online giving page. It only take a few minutes to set up an account and you can schedule automatic payments to keep up with your pledge.
Visit the new calendar page on the Highland website to stay up to date with what is happening in the life of the church. A printed version will remain in the Highland Happening every week. 

Visit our church's website
Church Calendar for August
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