Highland Presbyterian Church

Transcription

1 q Highland Presbyterian Church Phone Cloverdale Avenue Fax Winston Salem, NC Volume 53, Issue 3 February 10, 2019 Scout Sunday, February 10 We will celebrate Scouting at Highland on Sunday, February 10 at both services. Members of Boy Scout Troop 722 and Cub Pack 722 will be joined by the members of our Girl Scout Troop All Scouts attending are asked to wear their uniforms and sit with their troops. How grateful we are for participants and leaders in our Scout Troops! Highland Men s Retreat March 22 24, 2019 Soul Work Highland s Men s Retreat will take place once again at Reynolds Lodge in Montreat, NC, and we are looking forward to a great time together on this early spring weekend! This year s retreat, with the theme Soul Work, will be filled with fellowship and learning, great meals, music, study and conversation, informal fellowship, and more. Registration forms are available at the church, or you may sign up online through Highland s website. The cost is $100 for the weekend. Contact Jim Swing at jimswing1@gmail.com if you have questions. Highland Women s Retreat March 29 31, 2019 Register Online NOW! Imagining God in an Ordinary Day Join us for this time to get to know other women in the church and to reconnect with friends. Using the book Living Before God by Ben Campbell Johnson, we will explore ways of being with God, listening to God and attending the divine presence. The cost is $ for a shared room or $ for a single room. This includes two nights lodging, meals, and linens. You will be asked to bring a salad, appetizer or food item for our shared meals. Contact Darryl Ray for more information at dray@highlandpres.org.

2 Nursery Workers Sunday, February 10 8:15 Room 112 Toddler & 2 s: Volunteer Needed 10:45 Room 112 Toddler & 2 s: Volunteer Needed 11:00 Room 306 Children & Worship: Wendy Hoge Sunday, February 17 8:15 Room 112 Toddler & 2 s: Betty Balser 10:45 Room 112 Toddler & 2 s: Peggy Tyson 11:00 Room 301: Storytime: Nicole Gottfried Elder of the Month: February: Elizabeth Gee Greeting Elder: February: Grover Gore Visitor Greeter: February: Carol Healy Acolytes: February 10: Anna Grace Yurkutat February 17: Andrew Riley Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Sermon Series: The Great Ends of the Church January 27 March 3 February 10 The Maintenance of Divine Worship Psalm 148 Acts 17:16 34 Sermon: Randy Harris O Worship the King, All Glorious Above When in Our Music God Is Glorified Be Thou My Vision Chancel Choir The Sacrament of Baptism February 17 The Preservation of the Truth Deuteronomy 6:4 9 John 14:1 6 Sermon: Randy Harris Sing Glory to the Name of God Born in the Night, Mary s Child Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud Chancel Choir Inclement Weather Winter is here! Please remember that announcements of cancellations of worship or other programs will be made through , WXII (both on TV and and through a link on Highland s website. Fling Fellowship Meal 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall Please join us for this time of good food and even better fellowship! Reservations are encouraged, and can be made by contacting Gidget at gpayne@highlandpres.org or Randy Harris, Pastor, Ext. 210, rharris@highlandpres.org Debbie Layman, Associate Pastor, Ext. 212, dlayman@highlandpres.org Courtney Stevens, Associate Pastor for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Ext. 218, cstevens@highlandpres.org Darryl Ray, Director of Christian Education, Ext. 204, dray@highlandpres.org Joy Hamilton, Business Manager, Ext. 205, jhamilton@highlandpres.org Gidget Payne, Administrative Assistant, Ext. 201, gpayne@highlandpres.org Page 2

3 Special K9 Guest at XYZers in February Tuesday, February 19, the XYZers (those with Xtra Years of Zest) will welcome an unusual guest, a canine member of the K9 unit of the Winston- Salem Police Department (along with a police officer!). We will gather for our catered meal (please bring $6) at noon in the Fellowship Hall. Our program will begin at 1:00 p.m. Please let Gidget ( ) in the church office know by Friday, February 15 at 9:00 a.m. if you will be joining us. Feel free to invite a friend! Faith & Film: BlacKkKlansman February 11, 7:00 p.m., Sherwood Restaurant Join us for this monthly gathering for adults as we reflect on the visual parables of movies. Our movie for February is BlackkKlansman. If you are interested in taking part, please Randy Harris to receive additional details, rharris@highlandpres.org. You can find a copy to borrow of each month s movie in the church office. Men s Breakfast 2nd Wednesday On February 13, the Men of the Church will meet for breakfast beginning at 7:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. All men are welcome for this time of food, fellowship and study. Men, come join us! Director of Music Search Update At the end of January, the Director of Music Search Committee concluded our second round of accepting applications for our national job posting. We are in the process of reviewing submissions, and will soon begin the initial stages of interviews. Please continue to keep the Committee in your prayers! Thank you! ~Christina Heidtmann Book Club with Community Service Join Us for a Three-Month Study of $2 a Day The Community Service Committee is hosting another book club! We will be reading the powerful book $2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin and H. Luke Shaefer, both of whom have researched extensively on poverty. We will meet on fourth Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. beginning on February 25, reading two chapters for each month. Contact Debbie Layman with questions or to sign up. We hope to see you! Page 3

4 News and Notes Known Sick: Mike Burke, Forsyth; Lottie Kay, Home; Jane Watkins, daughter s home in Cornelius; Jean Thatcher, Home; Heather Greene, Homestead Hills; Peggy Chapman, Arbor Acres; Buddy Robinson, Trinity Elms. In Memoriam: Margery McCoy, January 19, mother of Michael McCoy Ann Murry, January 25, sister of Susie York Jeannette Sevin, February 2, mother of Philippe Sevin Dear Highland Friends, Thank you all very much for your love and kindness after the death of my daughter, Jade. Jan and I are so blessed to be in such a loving church family. We continue to feel your love and support while I battle cancer. Thank you for caring for us. ~ John Penick Bless You! ~ Our prayers for one another. Each week we invite you to pray for members of our Highland family. We will pray not because anything is wrong, but because we care about each other. FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 10, Parks and Mary Berryhill; David Christenbury; Ross, Mary Anna and Robert Davis; Anna and Brian Huneycutt; John and Katie Paterson; Sue, Philippe, Olivier and Carol Sevin; Susan Toner; Peter and Caryle Wilkie. FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 17, please pray for Craig, Martha, Noah and Hannah Ruth Bethel; Jean Clemmer; Jim, Lisa and Lisette Gallaher; Joe Holbrook; John, Pam, Alexia and Jay Hunt; James and Ann McInnes; Curtis and Elaine Patterson; Natalie Sevin; Ruffin Sykes; Jim and Pat Toole. The Lord bless you and keep you. Numbers 6:24) Sign Up for a Shift at the Shelter Thank you for your great support for the overflow homeless shelter in December and January! We hope to fill up the rest of February and March just as easily. Highland is responsible for the shelter every Monday night. All other nights are open for sign-ups too! We will serve as greeters, check-in volunteers, dinner providers, snack bag providers, and overnight volunteers. We especially are looking for overnight volunteers. More information and an easy sign-up link can be found in the green box on Highland s website, If you have questions or need help signing up, Kat Campbell, kaelle78@yahoo.com or Debbie at dlayman@highlandpres.org. Thank you for in serving with our sisters in need. Page 4

5 It Is Cookie Time! Highland's Girl Scouts are excited to be selling Girl Scout cookies again! The proceeds from cookie sales help fund service projects, provide financial aid to girls in need, and cover troop expenses (including camping and badges). Cookies cost $4/box and will be available outside both church entrances on Scout Sunday, February 10. You can also make a tax-deductible donation to provide cookies to our military troops. Cookie varieties include Thin Mints, Caramel delites, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Thanks-A-Lots, Lemonades, Shortbreads, and S'mores. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Bryant at or girlscouts02665@gmail.com. Thanks so much for your support! Interfaith Winston-Salem Update This year, Interfaith WS is going to have a focus on Anti-Semitism throughout the year, especially in light of the murders at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Our first event will be on Tuesday, March 19, from 7:00 9:00 p.m. at Highland Presbyterian Activity Building. We are limiting the event to 20 Jews and 20 non-jews in order to make the table discussions and large group time manageable. We are asking each participant to read Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, by Yossi Klein Halevi. Rabbi Mark Cohn will begin the evening with a brief history of Anti-Semitism and also some reflections on the book. We will then break into small group table discussions, then come back together for sharing small group highlights. If you are a non-jew and would like to register, please Truman Dunn at tldunn104@gmail.com. (Rabbi Mark will be registering Jews) We will close registration after the first 15 registrants. (the other 5 are group facilitators). Those registered will then be given information about how to pick up your free book at Highland Presbyterian on Cloverdale Avenue. For those who are too late to register, Interfaith Book Club will also be reading and discussing the same book on Tuesday, April 9 th, and this is open to all, though you will need to get your own book. More information about this event will be sent soon. Young Adults Thursday Night Study Group We gather weekly on Thursday nights welcoming anyone in their twenties and thirties looking for connection and discipleship. Join us at Five Points Restaurant in the bar area at 8:00 p.m. most weeks. Page 5

6 An Update on Highland s Membership Clerk of Session s Report on 2018 To begin our 2018 Membership Statistical Report, I would like to share the opening words of Highland s Mission Statement. Highland Presbyterian Loving God and Serving our Neighbors as A Grateful Vibrant Connected Responsive people Through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, The love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit Our report for 2018 is outstanding because of our gifted and dedicated church staff as well as because of each of you in the congregation as you share your individual gifts so willingly. We began the year with 768 members. We received 14 new members by Profession of Faith and 6 by Reaffirmation of Faith. We received 24 new members by Transfer of Certificate giving us a total of 44 wonderful new members! Our losses included 6 by transfer of certificate mostly due to out-of-town moves. 8 were placed on the Inactive Roll and 1 was dropped from the roll. Thirteen of our faithful members died during the year. And, as is our Highland s custom, during Session meetings, these members were transferred to the Church Triumphant. Our total losses were 28 persons. Thus we ended 2018 with a membership of 784 members. We have 114 on our Baptized Roll (infants, children, and youth who have not been confirmed), 8 on our Inactive Roll, and 5 on our Affiliate Roll. We are extremely blessed to have 10 ordained ministers, who are members of a presbytery, but a part of Highland s life and ministry. We are therefore responsible for 921 souls. We participated in the baptisms of 5 infants. About 275 persons of all ages participated in our Christian Education offerings. Our combined average Sunday morning worship attendance at both services has been 325. It is exciting to begin 2019 together as we continue to be a grateful people of God, a vibrant community of faith, a connected fellowship of believers, and a responsive household of faith as we are sent forth to bear witness to God s reconciling reign in our community and our world. We are indeed very blessed and grateful. Esther K. Preston, Clerk of Session Page 6

7 2018 Treasurer s Report Good News for Operating Budget, Capital Campaign! Good news in December about my two favorite houses. For the House of Abernethy, I was able to pay off my mortgage. It s like a weight off my shoulders because I m not indebted to the bank anymore. Regarding my other favorite house, the House of the Lord (or Highland Presbyterian Church ), I have even more exciting news to share! Due to your extraordinary generosity in 2018 and especially in December, we were able to pay off our loan, well ahead of schedule! In the case of this house, I would argue that we are still gratefully and eternally indebted to the one who made it possible our Heavenly Father. We can never fully repay our debt to him, but at least when it comes to our loan to the bank, we no longer have to channel any more funds to paying interest expense, but rather all capital campaign dollars going forward can fully go towards all the needed projects contemplated in our capital campaign. You may remember that the initial goal of our three-year campaign was to raise $650,000 to first and foremost to pay off our existing $450,000 bank loan. This loan resulted from covering the remaining costs of our Activity Building renovation and the purchase of the Wilson-Covington land behind our Activity Building. Our stretch goal was $1,000,000, but we achieved $1.1 million in pledges. God has blessed us richly, and combined with your generosity, we collected $656,000 by the end of our first year of the three-year campaign! Your generosity was not limited to just the capital campaign witnessed the highest level of giving in Highland s history toward our operating budget. We collected $1,072,000, which was $62,000 more than the previous year and $24,000 over our budget. Considering the tremendous momentum in giving and the increased needs of the church, we have increased our 2019 budget by 3.9%. This increase will allow us to address more needs of our physical plant which is fully leveraged by both Highland members and countless community groups, to better fund programs and church activities such as retreats, and to achieve the goals of our Personnel Committee to compensate our staff commensurate with their performance levels, tenure, and peer comparisons. I realize that the health of a congregation cannot be judged by its financial wellness alone, because what it funds is even a bigger litmus test. However, in Highland s case, we have both the financial strength and the powerful complement of rich programming, worship, music, adult and youth education, outreach, and staff, combined with the partnership of the Holy Spirit. God s hands are indeed actively at work at Highland. Praise be to God! Miles Abernethy, Treasurer Page 7

8 Notes from Our Congregational Nurse Dear Friends, Do you find yourself feeling down during the winter months? The days are shorter, the weather is gloomy, and we don t get outside as much as in other times of the year. If this feeling is persistent and accompanied by other symptoms of depression, you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. SAD is not considered a separate disorder but is a type of depression displaying a recurring seasonal pattern. With fewer daylight hours, there can be an over production of melatonin causing lethargy. Difficulty regulating serotonin, the neurotransmitter associated with mood, is thought to be part of SAD as well. Feeling depressed most of the day, losing interest in activities you usually enjoy, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating and feeling hopeless or worthless are symptoms of depression. With SAD, overeating, carbohydrate craving and weight gain may also be present. The risks factors for SAD include being female, living far from the equator, having a family history of depression and having a diagnosis of depression or bipolar disorder. If your symptoms last for 2 weeks or more, I encourage you to speak with your medical professional. SAD is a true diagnosis and as with other types of depression, there are interventions that can help you feel much better. Light therapy is a mainstay for treatment of SAD; the addition of cognitive behavioral therapy and medications such as Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are also options. Light therapy boxes are readily available, but consult a professional for specific requirements. Light therapy may improve sleep patterns, elevate mood and increase energy levels. If winter months bring on symptoms of depression, seek advice from your health care provider about Seasonal Affective Disorder. For more information feel free to contact me or read more at The National Institute of Mental Health at Search for Seasonal Affective Disorder. ~ Blessings, Susan Doughton Each month our Congregational Nurse shares a health column in Highlights. She also has a bulletin board in the Gallery Hall with additional health information. Susan is available for conversation most Sunday mornings. You may also reach her at sdoughton@highlandpres.org. Highland s Food Pantry Needs For the month of February we are in need of pasta and pasta sauce for our food pantry that supports Moore Elementary School families. You may place your donations in the box provided in the Gallery Hall. Thank you for your support! Page 8

9 faith.net Children Getting All Caught Up in God s Story Church School for Elementary Age Children Sundays 9:30 10:30 a.m. THE LORD S PRAYER Term Three 2/10 2/17 How Great Thy Art (purple room 302) Mary Anna Davis) faith.net Cinema (green room 308) Carrie Scott Grades 3 5 Grades K 2 Grades K 2 Grades 3 5 DID YOU KNOW? Jesus taught only one prayer to his disciples, at least, only one that was written down. That prayer is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew (in the Sermon on the Mount) and Luke (in the Sermon on the Plain). There are three main parts of this prayer, which we know as the Lord s Prayer. Jesus instructs us first to praise God and secondly to look forward to the presence of God s kingdom among us. Finally, we are to petition God for the bread we need for today, forgiveness, strength to forgive others, and deliverance from temptation. Join your faith.net friends for the next six weeks as we study the Lord s Prayer in many ways. Save the Date Vacation Church School July :00 a.m. 12:00 noon Page 9

10 ADULT CHURCH SCHOOL Sundays 9:30 10:30 All adult classes are meeting in the Activity Building The Present Word: Our Love for God Activity Building AB5 Christ poured out divine love into the world and showed us what divine power is really like. God s power is not used to destroy or coerce; it is used for the sake of the world. The good news is that we can never be too bad to be loved by God. We are loved with an infinite love and are given hope for a new future. Led by various teachers The Lectionary Café Activity Building Salem Room AB2 As the name suggests, we'll be discussing the selected scriptures for each Sunday's service, putting them in context, and relating them to our own lives. We'll do these things with plenty of social time and enough Fair Trade coffee to wake you up on a Sunday morning. Led by Grady Elliott Agape Class: Unafraid Activity Building Ardmore Room AB1 We know Jesus tells us, Do not be afraid, but with everything going on in the world, how is it possible not to be anxious? Learn how people and communities can flourish as beacons of hope and serenity in an anxious age. For anyone struggling with fear, worry, or anxiety, or who wonders how families and communities can live as peacemakers in troubled times, Unafraid offers an informed and inspiring message full of practical solutions. This video series by Adam Hamilton draws on the latest research, therapeutic insights, biblical principles, and personal experience to untangle the knots of fear and truly embrace Jesus's recurring counsel to his followers: "Do not be afraid." Led by Roberts Bass Page 10

11 Youth e-411 s go out each Wednesday with detailed information for the week. To be added to the list, contact Courtney at Youth Fellowship February 10 and 17 4:00 5:30 p.m. Youth News The Bible. We all know reading it is important (or at least that's what we've been told), but if we're being honest, we probably don't give it the time or attention we know we should. Sometimes we avoid scripture because it seems boring or irrelevant or inconvenient. So how do we change that? In these weeks we are going to enter into the greatest story every told in new ways and not just read it, but live it. Souper Bowl of Caring Gratitude Thanks for your generosity with the Souper Bowl of Caring. Our youth collected a record $1,063 for Samaritan Ministries and 50 food items for Second Harvest Food Bank! We are grateful for another year of your support in helping tackle hunger in our community. Page 11

12 Calendar Sunday February 10 8:30 a.m. Worship Service (nursery provided), Sanctuary 9:30 a.m. Education for All Ages 11:00 a.m. Worship Service (nursery provided), Sanctuary 4:00 p.m. Youth Fellowship, Fellowship Hall 4:00 p.m. Waking Up White Book Study, Salem Room Monday February 11 11:00 a.m. Staff Meeting, Parlor 5:00 p.m. Stewardship Committee, Salem Room 7:00 p.m. Faith & Film, Sherwood Restaurant 7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Meeting, Fellowship Hall Tuesday February 12 6:00 p.m. Diaconate Meeting, AB 4 6:00 p.m. Youth Committee, Salem Room 6:30 p.m. Christian Education Committee, AB 5 7:00 p.m. Session Meeting, Ardmore Room Wednesday February 13 7:00 a.m. Men s Breakfast, Fellowship Hall 5:00 p.m. Gloria Choir, Room 101 5:00 p.m. Small Study Group, Salem Room 5:30 p.m. Chime Choir, Room 100 6:00 p.m. Fling Fellowship Meal, Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m. Youth Choir, Room 101 7:00 p.m. Disciple Bible Study, Ardmore Room 7:15 p.m. Chancel Choir, Room 101 Thursday February 14 10:00 a.m. Women s Bible Study, Ardmore Room 8:00 p.m. Young Adults Study Group, Five Points Please check the website, for changes or cancellations. Sunday February 17 8:30 a.m. Worship Service (nursery provided), Sanctuary 9:30 a.m. Education for All Ages 11:00 a.m. Worship Service (nursery provided), Sanctuary 2:30 p.m. Girl Scouts, Education Building 4:00 p.m. Youth Fellowship, Fellowship Hall Monday February 18 11:00 a.m. Staff Meeting, Library 6:00 p.m. Nominating Committee, Ardmore Room 7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Meeting, Fellowship Hall Tuesday February 19 12:00 p.m. XYZers, Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m. Listening to Black Voices Book Study, Salem Room Wednesday February 20 5:00 p.m. Gloria Choir, Room 101 5:00 p.m. Small Study Group, Salem Room 5:30 p.m. Chime Choir, Room 100 6:00 p.m. Fling Fellowship Meal, Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m. Youth Choir, Room 101 7:00 p.m. Disciple Bible Study, Ardmore Room 7:15 p.m. Chancel Choir, Room 101 Thursday February 21 10:00 a.m. Women s Bible Study, Ardmore Room 6:00 p.m. Finance Committee, Ardmore Room 6:00 p.m. Global Service Committee, Salem Room 7:00 p.m. Community Service Committee, AB 4 8:00 p.m. Young Adult Study Group, Five Points