Highland Happening

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

January 27th, 2023

Worship this Sunday

Join us for worship this Sunday, January 29^th where the scripture focus will be on 1^st Corinthians 1 where Paul writes about human foolishness and God’s wisdom. We will also install our elders, Jeff Bay for class of 2023, and Tracey Farr, Eleanor Wills, and Charles Wortman for the class of 2025. Please keep all these church members in your prayers as they work to lead Highland well and faithfully.

We are currently in the low risk category for covid transmission in Blount County and we will have no mask requirements this Sunday, January 29^th.

Watch the service live on our Facebook page at 10:30 am.

Bulletin (word document)

Bulletin (PDF)

Free Little Neighborhood

Item of the Week

The item of the week is books. We talk often about the pantry and the food and other items that can go in there, but let’s not forget about the Free Little Library that was first put there years ago. Bring any books that you have so we can keep our library full as well. Kids’ books are especially appreciated.

Presbytery Newsletter

Being Presbyterian means we are part of a connectional church. Our local governing body is the Presbytery of East Tennessee and at the link below you can read the weekly newsletter that provides updates to events and ministries that are happening all around us. You can also sign up to get the newsletter by going to the Presbytery’s website and going to the bottom of the homepage.

Newsletter link for week of January 23 ^rd .

Warming Shelter

Highland is again participating in The Warming Shelter at First Baptist Church. We will be on call for Thursdays in December, January and February. Any Thursday that the temperature is forecast to go below 25 degrees overnight, we are on. Volunteers will be needed to be there from 4:00 or 5:00pm until 9:00 at the latest. We will help set up cots, heat up and serve meals, and interact with guests.

In addition to in person volunteers, we will be needing casserole makers (dinner or breakfast). If you would rather, gift cards are also needed for fast food breakfast or pizza. They prefer generic cards (Visa, MC, etc).

If you would like to help in anyway, please let Sandy Miller know. We hope to have a pool of volunteers to pull from, as everyone is not available every time the temps drop. We will usually have 48 hours notice when we are on. Contact Sandy at sandymiller2013@hotmail.com or cell- 865-223-8278

Thank you for your continued support of this program that is so needed in our community. Help us continue to live out the Matthew 25 Initiative.

Presbyterian Women Circle

Highland’s Presbyterian Women’s Circle will gather on Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 1:30 pm in the church parlor to discuss our next lesson in the 2022-2023 PW Bible study “Celebrating Sabbath”. Guests are always welcome!

Lesson 6 is titled “Sabbath and Hospitality” and we will refer to Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15 to explore the idea that “the very nature of Sabbath demands that it be shared. Accepting the gift of the Sabbath…involves a commitment to hospitality”.

More about the upcoming Lesson:

You can read the author’s blog of Lesson 6 online at the following link. Click here.

A commentary of Lesson 6 by Pastor Rosalind Banbury can be viewed online at the following link. Click here.

Questions? Contact Diane Brown, Circle Moderator, at dianebrowntn@gmail.com

“…Sabbath reminds us to honor God who honors us by giving us a day each week to reset our pace, our priorities, and our lives.”

NAACP Annual Gala

February 21

Church member Martha Vargas invites you to the NAACP annual Freedom Fund Gala on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. After two years of Virtual Gala events, this year’s Gala will be in person again at the Airport Hilton!!

Tickets are $50 apiece, which includes your meal (vegan & gluten-free available on request), wonderful music & entertainment, and inspiring key note speaker: Mayor Tanya Martin of the City of Alcoa. You’ll also get to meet our outstanding scholarship winners for 2023.

SAVE THE DATE

ALCOA BLOUNT COUNTY NAACP AND THE DOROTHY MITCHELL KINCAID FREEDOM FUND GALA

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023

6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.

AIRPORT HILTON

THEME: MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER

Lenten Study and Dinner

Wednesdays March 1-April 5

Join us this Lent for a book study and dinner as we read through the devotional Meeting Jesus at the Table that reflects on Jesus meeting with people around meals and enjoy a meal together. We will gather in the fellowship hall on Wednesdays from 5:30-6:00pm for appetizers and fellowship and 6:00-7:00 pm to discuss that week’s reading and eat dinner together. We will ask for separate volunteers to sign up to provide appetizers, a simple dinner, and dessert so that no one person is tasked with providing everything on a Wednesday. Books will be available soon for $20 and you can read an excerpt below.

Read an excerpt from Meeting Jesus at the Table

Concert at Highland

On Sunday, March 5^th at 6:00 pm Drew Wilmesherr will play a free concert at Highland with original songs. Drew and Pastor Matthew went to seminary together and have remained close friends over the years. Drew is a Christian musician who writes music with good theology and tunes. Hear one of his songs, You Get Me, by following this link. Drew is a candidate for ministry in the Presbytery of Atlanta and is doing a short tour with Highland being his first stop. Come out for great music and fun!

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.

Jack Tymon - Jack had surgery for a torn ACL and is recovering well. Prayers for a speedy recovery

Judith Gregory - Continued prayers for Judith as she continues to heal and recover her strength.

Gail Sims - Darrin Devault’s friend, Gail, is in the ICU in Jackson, TN and needs prayers for recovery and strength.

Caitlyn - Pam and Bruce Clifford’s daughter has been dealing with long covid symptoms.

Durand and Green family - Mark Durand, Beverly Green and Beverly’s mother, Barbara, are all doing well after a short bout with covid.

Millie Sieber - Millie had a successful eye surgery and is recovering well.

Covid-19 - 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.

Mental Illness - Prayers for those suffering from mental illness and those who help to treat them.

Homelessness - Prayers for those who struggle to find a place to live.

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.

January & February Birthdays

Christina Cash - Jan. 2

Hannah Bay - Jan. 4

Jennifer Slagle - Jan. 4

Bruce Watt - Jan. 8

Corita Swanson - Jan. 10

Mark Webb - Jan. 10

Al Hill - Jan. 11

Ione McCarthy - Jan. 11

Jennifer Miles - Jan. 16

Heidi Schrock - Jan. 16

Isaac Shelby - Jan. 16

Marilyn Massey - Jan. 24

Gavin Morris - Jan. 24

Herman Long - Jan. 28

Millie Sieber- Feb. 05

Beverly Green- Feb. 05

Martin Walker- Feb. 07

Sandy Miller- Feb. 09

Natalie Meade- Feb. 11

Brandon Burgess- Feb. 12

Willie Tymon- Feb. 12

Ella White- Feb. 21

Matt Brunger- Feb. 26

Katie Burgess- Feb. 28

John Meade- Feb. 29

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.

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