Monthly Newsletter of Highland Presbyterian Church (225) 766-5775                  October 2005

 

Dear Friends,

I have a habit of reading several books at the same time. It’s not that my attention span is so short that I easily lose interest (I hope), but I like to digest and ponder what I have read, especially if it is a particularly challenging read. One might think that the more interesting the book, the more I would want to delve into it and devour it in one sitting. I do that with a good mystery novel, but not with books about church leadership, spirituality, Bible commentaries, etc.

 

This summer I read a review of a book that was later recommended by a colleague. The book is Becoming a Blessed Church: Forming a Church of Spiritual Purpose, Presence and Power. The author, N. Graham Standish, is pastor of Calvin Presbyterian Church in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. The back cover has several endorsements from people I know or admire, including Kent Groff who led Highland Church in wonderful spiritual retreat several years ago.

 

In this book Standish describes his journey of leading a congregation to become a blessed community, a church with a clear identity as the Body of Christ in the world and a church that draws its strength, courage and convictions from the Spirit of Living God. As I read his story my heart rate increased as I could see my vision for Highland also portrayed in those pages.

 

Before I came to Highland I was asked to give my vision for this congregation, sight unseen. I offered my vision for the church in the first months and began to work with the session and committees to become that church. Changes in the congregation through retirements and company transfers meant adjusting goals based on the people available and the gifts they brought to our ministry.

I truly believe that God sends those people with the necessary gifts to accomplish God’s work through our congregation at whatever stage we are in. That is why every member’s contribution is vital to the success of our fulfilling God’s mission to the community in which we live.

 

On the first Sunday in October we will celebrate World Communion Sunday, recognizing the universal nature of the church that spans time, language and nationality. The last Sunday in October is Reformation Sunday, and we will focus on the hallmarks of the Reformation: Scripture alone, Grace alone, Faith alone, Christ alone, all to the glory of God alone.

 

For the three Sundays in between these two celebrations I will preach on the vision I believe God is offering to us at this point in time. A vision toward Becoming a Blessed Community: Grounded in God’s Purpose (Oct. 9), Alive to God’s Presence (Oct. 16), and Open to God’s Power (Oct. 23).

 

With the sale of the vacant lot adjacent to the driveway/parking area, we will have the financial resources to step out in faith and begin a new chapter in the story of Highland Presbyterian Church. As we seek to be good stewards of God’s resources entrusted into our care, we must be clear about God’s purpose, presence and power in our ministry and mission to this community.

 

 

Grace and peace,

 

Jim

 

 

What’s Ahead at Highland?

 

Congregation Needs Congregational Input

 

The Congregational Committee to develop a master plan for Highland’s facilities has begun discussions.  Those members want to hear from all members – a survey is coming to you by U. S. mail. 

 

Several possibilities (options) are described in the survey, together with some advantages and disadvantages,  as discussed by the committee.  There is room for you to respond freely, both with your option preferences and with your ideas and further contributions to the discussion.

 

Please return your response soon – no later than Sunday, October 30.  Even if you don’t have a firm opinion, that is also helpful for the Committee to know.  (Mary Martin chairs the Committee, and others are listed on page 3 of the survey.)  Thanks for your participation.

 

 

Congregation Meets Oct 16

 

Session calls a meeting of the Congregation on October 16 for the purpose of  1) electing 3 members to the Session Class of 2008, 2) electing 3 congregation members to next year’s Church-wide Nominating Committee and 3) any other business pertaining thereto.  Note that Session will select 2 session members to the Nominating Committee to complete its complement of 5. 

This year’s Nominating Committee will make a report of its nominees.  If you wish, you may nominate someone from the floor, provided that a) you have that person’s permission, and b) that person is eligible for office (active member and will serve no longer than 6 years (session) or 3 years (nominating committee) consecutively).

Elders will have an opportunity for Orientation and Training (see calendar).

 

 

Sunday Dinner October 16

 

All are invited to Sunday Dinner at Highland on October 16 after church school.: Brisket is the feature, prepared by Jack Bagent.  Other menu items:  rice-and-gravy, mixed vegetables, salad, rolls, and dessert.  Cost is $4.50 for adults.  Please sign the list on the bulletin board in the narthex if you can attend.

 

 

5th Sunday Lunch October 30

 

Our Fifth-Sunday Lunch is coming again, after church school on October 30.  Soup is the feature, plus other trimmin’s.  Watch the bulletin board for further details and the sign-up sheet.

 

 

Highland Prayer Breakfast Is Saturday, October 22

 

Make a note to come for breakfast at 8:30 Saturday morning, October 22.  The Worship Committee plans a full breakfast, fellowship, and prayers together within a fairly short time frame. 

 

 

Directory Update Is Coming

 

Is your current directory information correct?  Do you want to add a cell phone number, a work phone, or a new e-mail address? 

Please tell Sherry in the Church Office by Sunday, October 16 of any changes she should make in your information.

 

Mission

“The Church exists by mission as a fire exists by burning.”

 

The Katrina Fund

 

After worship on September 4, the Highland congregation was invited to talk about Hurricane Katrina and what we as a church could do to help those affected.  The Mission Committee and all interested members then met again on September 6 to continue the discussion.  We decided that we could be most effective by focusing on one need rather than diluting our efforts and trying to help in many smaller ways. Since in the past Highland has done a number of projects in the area of education, we decided that our Katrina focus should also be education, and that we could accomplish this by helping those children who are now in Baton Rouge area schools because they have been displaced from their home schools and who now need school supplies as well as other items.  Session approved asking the congregation for both school supply donations and financial donations for this purpose.

 

We have at this time received over $14,000 in funds and a number of donations of school supplies, much of it from our own congregation, but also from other congregations throughout the nation, such as Hope Presbyterian Church of Winter Haven, Florida, University Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, Texas, New Wilmington Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania,

 

Not only are we continuing our help to those students affected, but we are also looking into all possible ways to help children who have been hurt by this tragedy.  We have donated a portion of the funds to the Uniforms for Kids program because we know from our work with them over several years that they are an excellent and well run organization and they are able to make bulk purchases of the required uniforms.  Another way to help displaced students is to help displaced teachers with their school supplies.  Mayfair Elementary and Scotlandville Middle Schools each have re-opened as schools for displaced students and are using many displaced teachers.  Many of these have lost their homes and belongings, including any personal teaching supplies. 

 

Please continue to pray for the Highland Mission Committee as we seek God’s guidance and wisdom in the use of these funds which have been entrusted to us.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Rosemary John or Gary Kelly and join the Katrina Fund committee.

                                                              Rosemary John

 

 

Uniforms for Kids –

        They’re Back Again!

 

After Baton Rouge began to realize the extent of the need, and began to make plans for schooling for hurricane-displaced children, WAFB and Kean’s the Cleaner made new appeals for donations of used school uniforms (and for funds for bulk purchase of new ones) to the St. Vincent de Paul program.  Because of Highland’s role in past years (evaluating, sorting, sizing, and labeling the uniforms, with some other area churches), Gerry Malone of the program came to us for our help again.  We have just received a large number of boxes and large plastic bags of uniforms. They are awaiting our attention in the Great Hall staging area so that they can be distributed to the new kids in school.

 

Come on down and give a hand!

 

 

We’re Still Gardening!

 

 . . .and still taking the produce to the St Agnes Soup Kitchen.  Currently it’s okra and citrus (mostly satsuma now – other citrus will be ready later).

 

Recently Chacko John brought two of the Sisters of St Agnes to see our garden where some of their produce has been coming from.  One of the Sisters is from the same town in India where Chacko’s parents now live.  He also took the Sisters to the Indian Food Store in the Kenilworth Shopping Center.

 

 

We Can Buy 4 Goats!

 

Heifer International will receive enough money from Highland to buy four goats (and a chicken, maybe?), thanks to all who attended the Mission Dinner and Silent Auction (see the Treasurer’s Report, elsewhere).  When a family anywhere in the world receives an animal gift from Heifer International, they agree to give the first female offspring to someone else – the gift that keeps on . . .

 

 

Our Congregation

 

 

Wanted: 

     Skilled Equipment Operators

 

The yard crew at Highland Presbyterian has dwindled to less than five.  Yes, month after month four or five of HPC’s finest share the responsibility of maintaining the acreage surrounding the Sanctuary and Great Hall. 

 

Recently, your generosity enabled the property committee to purchase a new riding mower and a commercial-quality weed eater.  The property committee put together a fund of $6,982.66 from $2062.66 in the existing lawn equipment (repair!) fund; $1800 from the sale of the old tractor, and $3120 in special giving by church members.  The new lawn mower was purchased for $6,534.55 and most of the remaining $448.11 was used to purchase the weed eater.

 

Now, in addition to new equipment, new-equipment operators for the yard crew are being sought.  The property committee chair, John Kleinpeter, is willing to provide instruction in using the new equipment.  Since John also has the responsibility of scheduling the yard work, he would also be happy to add newly trained volunteers to the yard crew roster.  The hot weather is nearing an end for this year, so new volunteers could actually enjoy being out in pleasant fall weather while providing a needed service to HPC and using NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART equipment!   John needs you!!!  We ALL need you!!!

 

                                                                                 Connie Buck

 

 

 

HPC Hosts Presbytery Council

 

On Tuesday, October 11, the Council of the Presbytery of South Louisiana will meet at Highland.  We will serve lunch.  Call Mary Martin if you would like to help.

 

 

Stewardship Commitment

     Sunday Is November 6

 

Dave Adams has prepared an asking budget for 2006 that is essentially flat, except for 3% raises for the staff.  Next year’s budget proposal is $186,437, which compares to the 2005 budget of $182,592.  There is no extra allowance for gas, electricity, and other expenses which are expected to increase next year.

 

Please consider prayerfully what you can commit to our mission as we look for God’s will for Highland.  On the last two Sundays of October, there will be a Minute for Stewardship before worship, leading up to Dedication Sunday on November 6.

 

 

Highland Treasurer’s Report

 

General income for the first 8 months totaled $120,649 while general expenses totaled $119,864.83, which is $784.17 more of income over expenses for the first 8 months.  Pledged giving for the year stands at $98,928.31.  Giving statements for the first three quarters will be available soon. 

 

The August loan balance was $139,074.84.

 

Recent special collections have included:

 

Heifer International – A total of $533 has been collected with $383 being raised at mission dinner and auction and $150 received in church collections.

 

Lawn Equipment – The property committee put together new and existing funds of $6,982.66 (see details in accompanying article).

 

Katrina Fund – As of October 2, $14,151.40 has been received.  HPC members have contributed $5,995 while out of state churches and other friends of Highland have donated $8,156.40.  

                                                                Connie Buck, Treasurer

 

Highland People

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October Birthdays

 

6        Laurelie Gheesling

7        Greg Snow

9        J. Adam Howe

10      Anne Abhari

11      Debbie Gurtner

11      Hank McKenney

16      Wyona Evans

16      Christi Shelton

23      Haleigh Thompson

26      Todd Stewart

28      Shelby Brown

28      Julia Stewart

31      Cecil L. Eubanks

 

 

October Wedding Anniversaries

 

 

7        Chacko and Rosemary John

21      Steve and Lorrie Irwin

23      Jim and Chris Rollins

29      Hans and Rosmarie Dunner

 

 

New Arrivals

 

Congratulations to . . .

Tiffiney and Manuel DeJesus on the birth of their daughter Cheyenne Jordyn “CJ” De Jesus, born September 16 at 4:38 a.m., 7 lb 14 oz and 18 ¾“.  Proud Grandparents are Tom and Betty Shelton.

 

The Sheltons want to thank everyone for their prayers for Cheyenne – she was rushed to the hospital only a few days old because of a breathing problem.  The bacterial infection is now under control and everyone is resting much easier.

 

 

Congratulations to . . .

Rachel and Nathan Knuth on the birth of their son Jonah Karl Knuth, born September 29 at 7:00 a.m. (California time),  8 lb 4 oz and 20¾”.  Proud Grandparents are Hugh and Pat Huffman.

 

New Address (New Arrival of a sort)

 

It’s not often that anyone gets a new grandson and a new house all on the same day, but Hugh and Pat did.  First came grandson Jonah in California; later in the day they signed closing papers on their new house in Lexington, Kentucky.  Cable, internet, and phone are not in the subdivision yet, so they have a local Baton Rouge cell phone number:  (225)-802-7995

 

            Hugh and Pat Huffman

            180 Somersly Place

            Lexington, KY  40515

 

 

Please remember in prayer for health and wholeness:

 

 

The Presbyterian Congregations and their pastors and staff who have been affected by the hurricanes. 

 

 

Harriet Adams                         Neil Barnes

Richard Brownlee                   Emily Clien

Mary Cunning                          T.A. DeBose

Billie Dean                              Kathy Durnin

Edward Gheesling                   Hattie Dotson-Handy

Connie Howe                          Jane LeBlanc  

Kimberly Orr                          Hulen and Jean Nasse

Jerome Orr                              Katherine Reed

Jocelyn Rollins                       Tom Snyder

Sandy Speck                           Alvin & Rickie Taylor

 

 

Your own prayer concerns:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God of compassion, you have given us Jesus Christ, the great physician, who made the broken whole and healed the sick.  Touch our wounds, relieve our hurts, and restore us to wholeness of life, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

 

 

 

We extend our sympathy to John Kleinpeter and family and offer our prayers for them in the death of John’s sister-in-law, Elizabeth Steib Kleinpeter, on Sunday, October 2. Please remember John’s brother, William, in your prayers as he mourns the death of his wife.