Lifelines

Dear Friends,

As I write this letter, news has come from the Washington, D.C. area that the suspected sniper or snipers have been captured. If this reign of terror is indeed over, people in that area will be trying to get back to as normal a life as possible. But chances are, life will not be the same for them for some time. People will be more cautious, occasionally looking over their shoulders, and holding on to their spouses or children a little tighter.

When we are faced with circumstances beyond our control, we are challenged to examine our lives from a new perspective. At times such as this, we need to recognize how truly blessed we are. I want to share with you a poem that was sent to me recently. I hope it causes you to pause and consider how richly blessed we are and what we have to be thankful for.

You are Blessed!

If you woke up this morning

with more health than illness,

you are more blessed than the million people

who will not survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle,

the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture

or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of

500 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear

of harassment, arrest, torture, or death,

you are more blessed than

almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,

clothes on your back,

a roof over your head and a place to sleep,

you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet,

and spare change in a dish some place, you are

among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive,

you are very rare, even in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face

and are truly thankful, you are blessed because

the majority of us can, but most do not.

If you can read this message,

you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world

that cannot read anything at all.

When you compare our day to day problems

with bigger problems around the world,

our troubles may not seem so large.

We are all truly blessed!

As we draw near to our national day of Thanksgiving and then the celebration of God’s revelation to us in Jesus Christ, let us take time to consider how blessed we are. Let us also recognize that with such blessing comes great responsibility. “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded” (Luke 12:48b).

We are all truly blessed! Let us give thanks to God for the blessings we have received, and ask for the courage and strength to use what we have been given wisely, all to the glory of God.

Grace and Peace,

Jim

Christian Education

Arab-Israeli Conflict Study

On November 10, the Church School will begin a study the Arab-Israeli conflict. Margo Brault and Ed Shihadeh, will be our guest teachers for the first two weeks of the study. Margo will bring four muslim women to present an overview of the Islam religion on November 10, and Ed Shihadeh will make a presentation on "Life in Palestine" with slides on November 17. Mary Martin will follow with a study, and she shares the following:

The Wrath of Jonah - what an interesting title for a book on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict! The authors chose this title because "the story of Jonah in Hebrew Scriptures is about two themes that are also central to this book: repentance and mutual acceptance between nations, as peoples equally created and loved by God." Jonah's reluctance, anger, and resentment are directed at God because Jonah wants Israel's enemies to be punished instead of receiving God's mercy. What kind of repentance seems to be called for in order for Israelis and Palestinians to live together in justice and peace today?

The emphasis of the study will be to try to understand the background and history that brought the Jews and Arabs to this impasse today. How did we (yes, we in the U.S.) get in this mess? We will not come up with the perfect solution, but we can hope for a little understanding of some of the problems.

As for the question: "Mary, how did you get into this, so far over your head?" Questions came up frequently in recent Bible studies that said clearly that the class was interested in the topic. After all, the newspapers and TV news are filled with it. This particular book was reviewed in "The Presbyterian Outlook" by Dan Durway and caught my attention. The Christian Education Committee gave its approval, so preparing for the class has been my challenge for the fall.

The book The Wrath of Jonah was written by a theologian from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and her political scientist husband, Herman J. Ruether. They have come out with a second edition with a 2002 postscript, so the book is quite current. It is not an easy read, and it cost $18, but copies can be obtained by calling the Outlook Book Service at 1-800-446-6008. We'll dig in together!

New Additions for the Library

The library has recently purchased several of the Interpretation series of Bible commentaries with the hope that the set can be completed later. The series of 17 volumes is published by the Westminster/John Knox Press. Each volume is written by individuals known for his/her scholarship in that particular book, and most were written in the last 10-12 years. Ready to be checked out for study are the following volumes:

Genesis Walter Brueggemann

Exodus Terence Fretheim

1^st and 2^nd Samuel Walter Brueggemann

Matthew Douglas A.R. Hare

Mark Lamar Williamson

Luke Fred Craddock

John Geraldy Sloyah

Acts William Willimon

It is our hope that these commentaries will be a valuable aid for group study as well as for the serious individual who is seeking answers to critical questions in contemporary life and faith.

Other recent additions to the library are: The Soul of Tomorrow's Church by Kent Ira Groff, Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life by Miroslav Volf and Dorothy Bass (editors), and Out of the Depths: Voices of the Presbyterian Faith Community at Work after September 11 prepared by the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance office.

Stewardship

From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.

Luke 12:48

Each time we move the clocks forward or backward as the season dictates, we are reminded to check the batteries in the fire alarm. Checking the batteries is important to the personal safety of our families.

It’s also at this time of the year that we begin to talk about stewardship and to prepare the church budget. Being wise stewards of our resources is important for the security of our church family.

So, why not take this time to check your church contributions for the year. Are you up to date with your commitments? Have you received extra blessings that you wish to share? Keep in mind that December 31 is the last day to make contributions that can be counted in the 2002 tax year. (C. Buck)

Elder Election

The Session has called a congregational meeting for November 10 for the purpose of electing elders for the class of 2005 and to fill a vacancy in the class of 2004. Nominations can be made from the floor provided that the nominee has agreed to serve. Every effort should be made to participate in the election. The session is responsible for the work of the church and, as the governing body, is charged with leading our efforts to carry out the mission of this part of the body of Christ. This election is important!!!

Maintenance Crews Cookout

The crews who help with the regular maintenance of the church grounds and buildings are invited to a cookout at the home of Jim and Mary Martin, 18272 Jefferson Highway, on Saturday, November 9, at 6:00 o'clock. There will be hamburgers with all the trimmings! It will be a chance for the congregation to say "thank you" for the hard work that goes into keeping the grounds neat. Don't agonize over who's included--if you help, you and your spouse are invited! Just call Mary or Jim (753-0431) to let them know you are planning to come.

Prayer Concerns

Please remember in your prayers and with cards:

Miguel Perez Coca Connie Leonard

Kimberly Orr Alvin Taylor

Sympathy

We extend our Christian sympathy to Dale, Kathleen, Doug, Scott and Greg Redman in the death of Dale's father, Horace "Red" Redman, on October 11, 2002. A memorial service will be held at University Presbyterian Church on Sunday, November 10, at 3:30 p.m. Visitation will precede the service at 2:30 p.m.

Missions

October Cuba Mission Trip

The October Cuba Mission Trip was postponed due to our not being able to get Cuba Religious Visas in time. This is a new requirement which is very strict. Our partner pastor, Miguel, was working on our visas when he suffered a detached retina. He is now recovering from surgery. As soon as we have a confirmed new date, we will let you know. Meanwhile, we will continue to collect letters for pen pals. (J. Kelly)

Uniforms for Kids

The Highland congregation received a letter of thanks and a plaque from the St. Vincent dePaul Society's Uniforms for Kids Project, thanking us for our help and involvement in recycling the used school uniforms. A copy of the letter is on the Mission bulletin board in the narthex, and the plaque is in the church office; please take a minute to see the plaque, read the letter next time you pass by the bulletin board, and see how our efforts are appreciated!

We will hold a planning meeting at Highland on Saturday, November 16^th at 10:00 a.m. to discuss our involvement in the project for next year. Gerry Malone, the coordinator of Uniforms for Kids will be present to give a brief presentation and answer any questions, after which we will discuss Highland's future activity in this project. Everyone is invited to attend. (R. John)

Presbytery Men's Breakfast Rally

Mark your calendars for the Breakfast Rally for the men of the Presbytery of South Louisiana on Saturday, December 14, 2002, at the Broadmoor Presbyterian Church. The event will start with breakfast at 9:00 a.m. and will feature Ray Moorhouse of the U.S. Custom Services as its speaker. Also on the program will be Tom Ed McHugh speaking on the importance of character building. Call the church office for further details.

Church Directory

A new church directory is available on the table in the rear of the sanctuary. If you are out-of-town and would like a copy, please call Jamie in the church office or send her an email at hpchurch@bellsouth.net.

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Joe Skillen, Church Musician

Pat Huffman, Clerk of Session