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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. |
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Highland Happening
December 2, 2021
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In conversation with the worship committee and the session of Highland, it has been decided we will take a few steps forward in our worship service. Starting this Sunday, we will bring back a 9am worship service that will take place in the sanctuary and this will continue through Advent. This service will be a simple service with no music but the same sermon and liturgy. This service, as it was meant for over the summer, is to provide a smaller worship service for those who still are not comfortable being inside in a larger setting and will generally last around 30 minutes.
Also, starting this Sunday we will bring back congregational singing and the passing of the offering plate. Masks are still going to be required for worship regardless of vaccination status to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. We know that singing with a mask on is not ideal, but we know masks are one of the greatest tools in preventing spread of this virus that is very much still with us. Our choir has been using Choir Masks and if that sounds like something you would like to purchase, here is a link to the ones the choir currently uses.
When the offering plate is being passed around and you do not want it to come down your aisle, you may put your hands up to say ‘no.’
It will be so wonderful to sing together and especially from our new hymnal that you all have been able to follow along with and we will continue to keep an eye on covid numbers in our area, especially during this busy holiday season. We will continue to stream our worship service online and you can always tune in on our Facebook page.
Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions or thoughts about these changes.
Thanks and blessings,
Rev. Matthew Benz-Whittington
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This Sunday we will celebrate the second Sunday of Advent with the scripture passage from Luke 1:57-80. In the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, we see the foundation of what is to come. We see how interwoven his story is with Jesus’ origin story. When Zechariah regains his voice, his imagination is also restored. He offers deep praise for God’s tender mercy, and casts a hopeful vision for his own child He sings blessings into John’s being. This lays the foundation for John’s life. In turn, John will go on to prepare the way for Jesus who will guide us all in the way of peace. In this week, we focus on making space—in our lives and our imaginations—for God’s blessings to break through.
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Check out our many Advent offerings for this season! You can sign up with the sheets in the back of the sanctuary or by emailing William in the office.
Book Study- Wednesdays in Advent in the parlor with masks at 9am and 1pm- Thomas G. Long and Donyelle C. McCray wrote a daily devotional specifically for this pandemic world. A full description can be found here and you can read an excerpt from the book by following this link. Books can be purchased for $10. Email William in the office to sign up.
Devotionals- Sign up to get either a daily advent devotional from A Sanctified Art that will correspond with our Advent theme of Close to Home or a daily Advent Journal that Columbia Theological Seminary has created for churches. Let William in the office know if you would like a copy of either or both.
Advent Bible Study on Zoom- Please join Rev. Bethany Benz-Whittington as she takes us on a journey into the joy, celebration, despair, grief, and rejoicing that is Mary as we begin our Advent Bible study, on Mary: Mother of God. Find the study on Zoom at 7 pm on Tuesdays in Advent.
Bethany BW (she/her) is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
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Womens Circle Bible Study |
The Highland’s Women’s Circle will meet today, December 2 at 1:30 pm in the Parlor to continue their Bible Study “What My Grandmothers Taught Me: Learning from the Women in Matthew’s Genealogy of Jesus”. The study is open to ALL circles, and the entire congregation! For more information, or to sign up, contact Diane Brown: 865-323-7701 or dianebrowntn@gmail.com.
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Highland will participate in the final PCUSA Special Offering, the Christmas Joy Offering. The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. We will collect the offering on Sunday, December 19 but you can send in a gift any time in advance and put Christmas Joy in the memo line. |
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Happy Highlander’s Christmas Lunch December 21st |
When: Tuesday, December 21 @ 11:30
Where:: The Bistro at Asbury
You must check in at the Health Center or Assisted Living upon arriving. This
Ensures the health of all attendees
Linda Furtsch 865-806-2969 by Friday December 17th
COME JOIN THE FUN!
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Heifer International has been transforming lives for 75 years. Happy Highlanders is a leading a campaign for Highland to, once again, donate an Ark to Heifer. Each family that receives livestock from the Ark will pass the gift forward with livestock offspring being given to other families in need.
There will be a table set up in the back of the sanctuary on Sundays throughout the Christmas Season to collect donations, large or small. There are also Honor Cards available so that you may honor loved ones with your gift. Checks should be made out to Highland, with Heifer in the subject line.
Please prayerfully consider helping us to reach our goal of gifting an Ark ($5000) with your donation. Help us bring Joy to the World this Christmas Season.
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Highland Quilters
Fridays from 9am-12pm
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Join Highland Quilters on Friday mornings from 9:00-noon. We meet in the Fellowship Hall. Machines, fabric, threads, scissors, etc. are all there waiting for you! We work together to make quilts for new babies, those who are ill, celebrations, or any need in the community. |
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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.
Two churches in the Philadelphia Presbytery in Pennsylvania who answered the PC(USA) Matthew 25 invitation to focus on racism and poverty, which has increased their congregational vitality. As a result the two congregations — one predominately Black, the other predominately white are doing at Matthew 25 Bible Study together.
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Prayers, Concerns and Joys |
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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 has received the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome and is receiving treatment for it. Let’s surround her with prayer for strength and recovery.
Mike Outler- Stacey Nordquist’s Brother-in-Law will begin cancer treatment at MD Anderson in Houston, TX. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.
Bill- Friend of Jean Wortmann recently had successful surgery for pancreatic cancer and also has the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Please keep Bill and his family in your prayers at this time.
Cathy VanHorn- Our new church friend, Cathy, broke her leg in two places on a hike. Prayers for recovery and gaining strength.
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.
At Asbury Place:
Bruce Watt
Nancy Davis.
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Reese Wills- December 5th
Melody Dees- December 7th
Dwane Bel- December 8th
Liam White- December 8th
Megan Baker- December 10th
Ed Meade- December 14th
David Campbell- December 15th
Jeff Bay- December 16th
Alex Anderson- December 21st
Jan Bell- December 25th
Eleanor Wills- December 27th
Mark Dunn- December 30th
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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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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. |
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Download a copy of the church calendar. |
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