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History
of Highland Presbyterian
In the late 70s, the Presbytery of South Louisiana made a decision to begin
one new church each year during the decade of the 1980s. Dr. James Monroe
was called as General Presbyter to assist in the accomplishment of that goal.
The care and supervision of that goal would be the task of the New Church
Development Committee. Our own Rita Cochrane has been a member of that committee
since its inception.
After the appropriate demographic and site studies were completed, the Highland
road area of Baton Rouge was given first priority. A search for suitable
property began and ultimately this land on which we now sit and worship was
purchased by the Presbytery and eventually given to Highland Presbyterian.
A task force was formed to begin the organization of the church and Jack
Bagent was one of the members of that task force. In the Spring of 1982,
pursuant to the recommendation of this task force and with the concurrence
of the Presbytery and the New Church Development Committee, a call was issued
to the Reverend Robert Lee Nichols, Jr. to serve as Evangelist and Organizing
Pastor. Dinners were held in various homes where those interested in the
new church met together and shared their dreams. Finally, on the Day of
Pentecost, May 30, 1982 the first worship service was held in the Living
Room (now the library) of the house (now the office building) on this property.
The congregation grew quickly. It was not unusual for those in attendance
to have to sit in the foyer or in the kitchen, unable to see Lee Nichols,
but able to hear the word. In the Spring of 1983, the first remodeling of
the house was completed and the three-car carport became a (six- car) Sanctuary.
On the Day of Pentecost, May 22, 1983, the Highland Presbyterian Church of
Baton Rouge was officially organized by a commission of the Presbytery. Lee
Nichols was installed as Pastor and the first class of elders and deacons
was installed. Those in that first class who still worship with us are: Jack
Bagent, Mary Martin, Pat Miller, Woody Paul, Dale Redman, Bonner Stewart,
John Alwood, Betty Bagent, and Jane Stewart. There were 103 Charter Members
in the congregation. After worship that day, another of our first traditions
was established, a birthday celebration and dinner.
In 1984 a Planning Council, chaired by Linda Alwood, was established to proceed
with a master development plan, including plans for our first new building.
A building campaign began, an architect and contractor were hired and the
much loved Lois Wiley turned the first shovel of dirt for the beginning of
this fellowship hall, which was completed in October 1987 and dedicated on
the afternoon of November 15, 1987.
While this building was being constructed, still another remodeling of the
house was undertaken, under the direction of Ed McKnight. Many men and women
contributed their hard labor to the completion of that task. Similarly, the
landscaping of the property was designed by a professional architect, but
was done by the members of the church, many of whom dedicated trees and flowers
to the plan, some of whom planted those trees and flowers, under the direction
of a committee chaired by Josephine Nixon.
In July of 1989 our first Pastor, Lee Nichols received a call to start another
new church in Ballwin, Missouri, and we met as a congregation to concur with
his decision. Immediately thereafter a Pastor Nominating Committee was elected
to search for a new pastor. After more than a year of searching, that committee
recommended the congregation call our current pastor, Daniel L. Durway. He
was installed in September of 1990.
These are the broad outlines of our history. What of our substance? Who are
we as a people? We take pride in our diversity: theological, ethnic, and
social. We believe in the strength and power of worship. And, we feel our
mission is to serve as a reconciling presence in the world. We believe strongly
in our heritage as a reformed church, just as we believe in what has become
our signature: No matter who you are or who you are not, you are welcome
at Highland. In all of this, we are a people of the covenant.
We glory in its manifestation in the living presence
of Christ. And, at the conclusion of that which we know as scripture,
we hope for and believe in the fulfillment of the covenant expressed in the
voice: "Behold I make all things new."
We are a people of the covenant. In this we believe it is good to heed the
counsel of that venerable Puritan, John Winthrop, who on the good ship Arbella,
bound for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, spoke these words to that small gathering
of believers: "God intended that every man and woman might have need of others,
and from hence they might be all knit more nearly together in the bond of
brotherly and sisterly affection. We are entered into a covenant with God
for this work . . . and we must consider that we shall be as a city upon
a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us." Amen!
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