FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
OF HIGHLANDS
FROM THE PASTORS
SEPTEMBER 2015
SONSHINE SCHOOL..................2
AUGUST HAPPENINGS……..3
KIRKIN’ O’ THE TARTANS.......4
HCCDC....................................5
BOLIVIAN MISSION REPORT...6
OUTREACH TO UKRAIN……...8
BIRTHDAYS &
ANNIVERSARIES.....................10
LECTIONARIES…............……12
“Why Church?” That question formed
a series of recent sermons at First
Presbyterian. Why does church matter? Why
attend, participate, share in faith, and give of
your time, treasure, and talents to a church?
One brief answer is clearly: the benefits of a
worshipping community involving fellowship
and mission are essential for our lives.
Imagine if we had to close the doors to First
Presbyterian Church of Highlands. What
would you miss? How would it affect your
life? Countless profound responses could
answer those questions.
Another way to consider, “Why
church?” is to think in positive terms about
the benefits our church provides to you and
our community. We came up with a list of
some benefits; we wonder what you would
add!
–Our church’s music ministry inspires us both
in worship and at special events; it is an
opportunity for people to share their many
musical gifts.
–At church we hear stories that inspire and
challenge us to live better and deeper lives in
the love and grace of God.
–It’s good to belong to this community of
fellow believers who accept us and support us
as we are, people created and loved by God.
-Our church provides for rites of passage such
as in birth, marriage, or death; life with God
and others is a sacred journey.
–Our church offers services for those who
have need of child support, food, and shelter.
– Our church offers opportunities for
reflection, learning, and renewal regarding the
life we live. “We live, not by bread alone, but
by the Word.”
-We are a church that celebrates a rich history,
and dreams of what possibilities God might
work through us as we move into the future.
-Our church makes a commitment, unique to
most churches, to spend 30% of our annual
budget serving others through mission.
–Our church reminds us that at the core of life
is the mystery of God’s love and grace,
steadfast and sure.
“Why church?” Because it keeps us
grounded to the sacredness of life we have
received in Jesus Christ.
Yet, though our church has profound
spiritual benefits, we are still an earthly
creation. We do need physical bread to live.
Likewise, we do need physical benefits as
well. We do need money given freely and
generously by all who benefit from the
spiritual blessings we have from our church.
First Presbyterian is filled with amazingly
faithful people who give their financial
support, not merely to support a budget, but to
share what God has given us with one
another.
Sunday, September 6th is Dedication
Sunday. We ask you to consider what your
commitment to the church’s profound, lifegiving ministry will be. If you have never
given, we ask you to give. If you give
regularly, we ask you to consider growing
your pledge this year. Whatever you give,
know that your offering contributes to God’s
work done on earth, God’s kingdom growing
here in our midst. We are grateful beyond
words.
Emily & Curtis
PAGE 2
SONSHINE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
September brings us the sound of young voices, laughter and energetic children. It’s Sonshine School time!
We are grateful to Mountain Findings who has given us a $2,000 grant to be used as scholarships for students who need
help with tuition. Our thanks go to Mountain Findings for this gift. We are grateful for their generosity.
It is such a joy to be a part of watching our kids grow and to be a part of their lives as we offer to our community this
much needed service.
Remember that we always appreciate your gifts of healthy snacks so please remember us when you are shopping. Stop
by and visit with the kids or help with their homework. You are always welcome.
Appliance Room and Warehouse which holds all types of
household items: beds, tables, chairs, pictures, sofas, large
appliances, and the utilities help fund which was started in
2013 at the request of local area churches; The Episcopal
Church of the Incarnation, Our Lady of the Mountains
Catholic Church, Holy Family Lutheran Church, The United
Methodist Church of Highlands and The First Presbyterian
Church of Highlands to help those with past due electric
Did you know that the Highlands Emergency
Council (HEC) has been run completely by volunteers of the balances with the Town of Highlands during the winter.
Come visit us at 71 Poplar Street from 10:00 am to
Highlands Community since 1985? That is what HEC’s
mission is all about, people in this community helping those 2:00 pm Monday-Friday. There is a real need for volunteers
to prepare food boxes, unload the Manna food truck, sort
in need. With all volunteers and no paid staff, HEC is able
to provide help to the low income residents of Highlands as and organize the linen room, clothes closet and the
well as to those who have suffered a disaster and those who warehouse. If you can give us even an hour or two—please
call Mary Anne Creswell at 526-2635 or HEC at 526-4357.
have lost or have been unable to find work with almost all
We need your help!
of the donations it receives.
How does HEC help? HEC has several different
programs to help those in need. Help comes from HEC to its
clients in many forms; food, fuel, clothing, household
goods, appliances and utilities. HEC provides assistance to
all who apply and meet its qualifications. No one should go
cold or hungry.
How can you help? No one would argue that food
and fuel are basic needs. To that end First Presbyterian
Church of Highlands is hosting the fifth annual communitywide Food for Fuel luncheon on September 6th. This
luncheon gives the community the opportunity to meet
HEC’s board of directors and learn more about HEC and the
services it provides to the community. The free lunch is
provided by the church, all we ask of you is to make a
donation. Any proceeds collected will go to the HEC’s fuel
fund. Last year $4,869.00 was collected at the luncheon and
was used to help provide heating assistance to 58 families
(with the majority of them elderly) in the Highlands
community. During the winter of 2014-2015 HEC spent
over $19,000 on providing help to these families with oil,
propane and wood. This luncheon is a fun and painless way
to support the mission of the Highlands Emergency Council.
The luncheon is from 11:45 to 1:45 pm.
In addition to providing food and fuel, HEC also
has other important community-oriented offerings. They
include a Christmas Program for children 12 years and
younger, a Clothes Closet, Dish and Linen Room, Small
PAGE 3
AUGUST CHURCH SERVICES
W
e were honored to have Brigadier General USAF (Ret) Charlie Duke, Apollo 16 Lunar Module Pilot, as the Mullen
Lecture Series speaker for 2015. General Duke preached the sermon on Sunday, August 2nd, and gave a more
extensive lecture on Monday morning. It was a delight to hear and meet in person this renowned astronaut, spiritual seeker
and outstanding speaker, and to hear the fascinating accounts of his experiences first-hand.
Elliana Amanda
Strunk, daughter of
Emily & Josh, and
granddaughter
of Bill and Carol
Strunk, received the
sacrament of baptism
on August 9th.
Emily Scheider, oboe
and Lillian Pearson,
piano were featured
guest musicians on
August 9th.
The August 12
Interlude featured
local bluegrass band
Wellstrung. The
crowd-pleasing
foursome had the
congregation toetapping and singing
along with the
traditional gospel
tunes.
Garrett Whipkey,
WCU student intern
with our chancel
choir, sang "Let Us
Break Bread
Together" during the
sacrament of
Communion on
Sunday, August 2nd.
Western Carolina
University
Professor of Voice
and Tenor soloist
Bill Martin, sang
"The Lord Is My
Light" as the
Offertory on
August 2nd.
PAGE 4
KIRKIN' O' THE TARTANS
The annual Kirkin' o' the Tartans, celebrating our Scottish Presbyterian heritage, was held on
Sunday, August 16th. Piper David Landis led the standard-bearers' processional, and harpist
Valerie Whitcup played a medley of Scottish tunes that she had arranged for the service. Kevin
Gates was the Beadle this year, carrying the historic Bible.
HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
PAGE 5
GRADUATION DAY AT HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Thursday, July 30 was an exciting day for children, families, board
members and employees of the Child Development Center.
Twenty-five students, along with their siblings, parents,
grandparents, friends and Center employees and board members waited in
eager anticipation for the annual Center graduation, held in the First
Presbyterian Church sanctuary.
Graduating that day were Brayden Baty, Rowen Carnes, Mims
Henderson, Jesus Lopez, Felix Reyes, and Dale West. Franciso Gooch also
graduated, but was not available for the photo.
Thanks to the diligence and patience of the Center staff, the
graduating students are well prepared for their first year of elementary
school.
The students, ranging from three years to kindergarten age, sang from memory more than two dozen songs
that Ms. Angie Jenkins taught them throughout the year.
The Highlands Community Child Development Center is a 501 (c)(3) corporation whose mission is to
provide affordable, high-quality preschool child care and early childhood education to promote optimal cognitive,
physical, emotional, and social development in a safe and loving environment to young children and their families
regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, religion, or financial status.
The Center, which is open year-round, is licensed by the State of North Carolina to serve 66 preschool
children, ages 3 months to 5 years, whose parents work or attend school in Macon and Jackson Counties.
For more information, contact Pat Hedden, Executive Director, at (828) 526-8905 or visit the Center at 89
Church Street, Highlands.
FAREWELL FROM OUR INTERN
W
hen I stood before the congregation at the Kirkin’ o’
the Tartan luncheon on August 16th and received
those gifts from Pastors Emily and Curtis, I wish I would
have taken the chance to express my appreciation to those in
attendance for the loving kindness this congregation has
shown me, both for the gifts I received and your
encouragement and wisdom. However, at the time I was
taken aback at your generosity and at a loss for words.
Instead I will use this last newsletter post to share my
gratitude.
At the luncheon, Curtis and Emily gave me two gifts: a set of
books, all with different theological or pastoral themes, and a
monetary gift from the church body. As to the first gift, I
cannot thank Curtis and Emily enough for their ongoing
support of my spiritual and pastoral education. Among some
of the materials they gave me were Ken Boa’s Conformed in
His Image, Herbert Anderson and Edward Foley’s Mighty
Stories, Dangerous Rituals, Nicholas Wolterstorff’s Lament
for a Son, and others. I am excited to explore this diverse set
of books and further discover God’s will and character
through them. They will be of great use as I continue to
discern my call to ministry.
As for the second gift, I was brought to tears when I opened
that envelope to see the generous financial contribution that
this church made to my education. Unlike undergraduate
education, there are far less scholarship opportunities
available to Seminarians; many students, like myself, are
often confronted with a large financial burden during and
after their Seminary education. Yet, this whole time I have
been praying and trusting that God would provide. He
undoubtedly answered my prayers. I cannot begin to tell you
how much of a blessing this was to me and my parents.
When I receive gifts like this, it humbles me, for amidst all
the toils of life, you all thought about me. And to think that I
could be a part of such a great church family is truly amazing.
But it is not just tangible blessings which you have given me.
Your kindness, your hospitality, your heart for mission and
service, your gifts and talents; you have left me with a hunger
for community and involvement, a wealth of knowledge and
experience, and a heart for church ministry. I have been a
part of many church families in my Christian life, and I can
honestly say that you are a special group of people. The
church family at First Presbyterian Church of Highlands will
always hold a special place in my heart, and I will return to
visit as much as I can. Again, thank you so much for your
ministry.
Brice Jenkins
PAGE 6
BOLIVIAN MISSION REPORT
A
fter nearly six years of efforts to bring clean water to the
people of rural Bolivia, much has been achieved. Several
thousand people in five communities in southern rural Bolivia
now have access to clean drinking water, thanks to the efforts
of our church. We have learned many lessons over those years,
and by God’s grace we continue to learn.
In fact, during the past year or so our team has been intensely
engaged in reevaluating our efforts to provide clean water to
our neighbors in the southern hemisphere. We began this
process last January, when four team members visited our five
project sites and conducted surveys of both community leaders
and, where possible, village residents. The surveys addressed
how the water purification systems that we have installed over
the years are working, the degree to which residents are
utilizing the clean water, the financial sustainability of these
projects, the amount of formal and informal education on sanitation and water usage available in each community,
and what we can do now to improve both utilization and education. This was also an important opportunity for us
to renew old acquaintances and for Pastor Emily to meet our Bolivian friends and see firsthand what the mission
has accomplished.
The results of those surveys and interviews were compiled and circulated among the entire mission team. We
then held a retreat this past spring, professionally facilitated by Bill Mauldin, to process that wealth of information.
That information and the subsequent discussions led to several important conclusions. First, our partner
communities need more in-country support between visits by our mission team. This involves mainly technical
support to maintain the systems. However, we also need better in-county staff support to more thoroughly vet
potential new communities to make sure our technology and expertise matches their actual needs.
Secondly, we have come to realize that clean water is only one factor in addressing the health of a community.
Basic sanitation, proper food preparation, personal hygiene and other issues are also essential parts of the equation.
And the key to improving all of those things is more and continuous health education, ideally from trained
Bolivians.
However, perhaps the biggest conclusion reached during the reevaluation process was that we need to explore
other technical solutions to the issue of providing clean water. Since the inception of the mission, we have focused
almost entirely on the purification system developed by Living Waters of the World, part of the Presbyterian
Church USA. That cookie-cutter design has been very effective in a number of the communities, but has proven to
have limitations in others – often due to the size of the communities, or their access to basic services such as
electricity, or the lack of economic resources to make the systems financially sustainable. Other technologies, such
as automatic chlorination systems, might allow us to serve far greater numbers of people for a much smaller
investment, thereby making the resources so generously donated by all of you go much, much further.
As a result of our discussion and after much prayerful consideration, we have decided to scale back taking on
new communities for the moment, and focus instead on developing more efficient ways of serving our existing
partners and exploring other technologies that might better fit the needs of several prospective new communities.
This January, a small team will journey again to Montero, Bolivia: not to install systems but to explore possible
partnerships with non-profit agencies already working in country. We will also look into expanding the part-time
staffing we have had for the last several years.
During last year’s visit, we met with Dr. Dardo Chavez, director of CSRA, which operates health clinics and
health education programs over a wide area, including offering technical advice and water testing for a number of
communities utilizing chlorination systems. Dr. Chavez has a wealth of experience in bringing clean water to
surrounding communities and we quickly realized that we all share many things in common. Much more
discussion is needed before we know if CRSA might be the right in-county partner for us.
As the same time, our team will be visiting communities where we already have systems in operation, doing
some troubleshooting, providing system parts, and taking educational materials.
We also intend to meet with two prospective communities to further explore how we might be able to help
them obtain clean water next year.
Please keep our team in your hearts and prayers as God leads us in directions both new and old.
Skip Taylor
PAGE 7
WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT YOU?
What a wonderful August it has been! It has been so much fun to gather together for worship,
fellowship, and learning. We are especially grateful to all who made this year’s second Mullen Lecture Series
possible. We thank the committee that worked so hard to make it happen– Sally Copeland, Chad Lucas, Claude
Sullivan, Jim Philips, and Don Mullen. We especially thank the Copeland family for hosting Charlie & Dottie
Duke, and thank Kitty Moore and her team for the lovely reception on Sunday. Not two weeks after the visit
from Charlie Duke, the annual Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans filled our hearts and spirits yet again. We thank Skip
Taylor and all who participated from our congregation and beyond. The Congregational Care Ministry Team,
along with Joel & Anne Porter fed us so well. Thank you to all!
THE MULLEN LECTURE SERIES 2015
The Mullen Lecture Series took us literally to the moon and back on August 2nd and 3rd. Astronaut
Charlie Duke's first-hand account of walking on the moon and his fascinating career in America's space
program drew over 300 congregants to our Sunday worship service and filled Coleman Hall for Monday's
lecture.
We heard in Astronaut Duke’s lecture how he enjoyed tremendous career success, but also his deeply
personal faith journey. Charlie Duke lived the life of what would well appear as the “All-American Family;”
however, he revealed to us the real life struggles of a broken marriage, a distant relationship with his children,
and a façade of faith reserved for Sunday mornings only. Charlie's testimony of finding God's grace and his
story of becoming a follower of Christ was profoundly moving and it will linger as a tremendous gift to all
who attended. It is our commitment to you and those beyond our walls to continue offering special guest
speakers and learning events. To insure these special guests will continue in the future, please consider making
a donation to the Mullen Lecture Series.
Chad Lucas
SAVE THE DATE, EMPTY BOWLS
The fifth annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Food Pantry will be held in Coleman Hall Sunday,
October 4th from 11:45 to 1:45. Potters at the Bascom donate hand thrown bowls and local chefs donate
soups, bread, and cookies. Tickets are $20 and include a bowl of your choice and the soup luncheon.
The bowls are to be kept as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. Please join us on October 4th
for this wonderful community event.
PAGE 8
OUTREACH TO UKRAINE
Late this spring, the Mission Ministry Team responded to a request to send desperately needed food and
hygiene items to a Ukrainian war zone. We sent roughly 520 pounds via volunteers who have access to
some of the most desperate places in Ukraine, including a nursing home and a refugee camp. Those
volunteers reported back to us with stories and pictures of their experience delivering the relief items.
The story is painful; people suffer because their homes and towns have been destroyed by bombings,
they hunger for access to water and food, and many, many elderly experience abandonment.
One volunteer writes, “Never before had I heard these words repeated over and over by so many elderly
people,
‘I don’t want to live! I want to die. I want God to take me! I want a bullet or explosion to take my life.’
It sounded like a theme of this trip, a very sad theme. I have been thinking that during long hours on the
way home. What makes people give up on life? Sure, life in a war zone is very hard. Life for the elderly
in our country has always been very difficult. Living with some daily pain is extremely tiring. Some of
these people live with their children, but many are lonely. I would imagine being abandoned at that stage
in life can make one beg for death. There is a helplessness and hopelessness, loneliness and pain that
permeates the air of these homes.”
PAGE 9
After visiting the refugee camp, the volunteer explains, “Time was frustratingly short as always. When
leaving each one of us, regardless of how generous we are with our hugs, we felt that this was the best
gift we could give. Refugees seem to keep physical distance, as if believing to be sick with some
contagious disease. But when you hug someone, they start weeping, clinging to you like you are an
embodiment of hope! One of those hugs cured me of doubt, uncertainty, and weariness. We will
definitely keep helping because it makes a difference to someone.”
For more photos of the delivery, please see the poster in Ravenel Room.
PAGE 10
WOMEN’S STUDIES
JULY 2015 TREASURER’S REPORT
Budget
Actual
463,878.00
525,149.00
(61,270.00)
380,589.00
516,790.00
(136,201.00)
Operating Income and Expenses
YTD Income
YTD Expenses
Net Income
2014
2015
YTD ACTUAL VS. YTD LAST YEAR
368,146.00
311,936.00
(56,210.00)
PLEASE KEEP YOUR PLEDGES CURRENT!
The Morning Study will be Wednesday, September 2 at 10:15
in the library. We will study the third lesson 'Listening to the
Young" from the book Growing Old and Wiser. Bring a
sandwich and something to share for lunch. All ladies and
friends of the church are welcome.
The Evening Circle of Friends The first Thursday Circle of
Friends will meet on September 3 to preview the Introduction
and Lesson 1 of the new Horizons Bible Study. Beginning at
7:00 P.M. in the church parlor, all ladies of the church are
invited to reflect on the emphasis of water as we take a fresh
look at “Birthing Waters—Creation” from Come to the Waters
by Judy Record Fletcher.
September Birthdays
Sept. 1
Sept. 3
Sept. 5
Sept. 6
Sept. 11
Sept. 12
Sept. 15
Sept. 16
Sept. 17
Sept. 18
Sept. 20
Sept. 21
Sept. 22
Sept. 30
Don Fisher
Dick Hills
Phil Leabo
Dick Grier
Sandi Shipp
Bill Strunk
Bill Cochran
Janey Swift
Kitty Moore
Ron Bobo
Jo Ann Lacy
Alan Lewis
Jane Lewis
Hillrie Quin
Mike Glenn
Nan Hunter
Emily Wilmarth
Kaye Cole
Steve Mehder
Ginny Wright
Katherine Kaiser
Pat Moore
Mary Jellison
Jack Kuhne
Willis Willey
October Birthdays
Oct. 1
Oct. 3
Oct. 5
Oct. 6
Oct. 7
Oct. 8
Oct. 9
Oct. 10
Oct. 13
Oct. 15
Oct. 16
September Anniversaries
Sept. 1
Sept. 2
Sept. 6
Sept. 7
Sept. 8
Sept. 10
Sept. 10
Sept 12
Sept. 13
Sept 14
Sept. 16
Sept. 24
Jo Ann & David Lacy
Julia & William Grumbles
Gena & Bob Smith
Mary Anne & William
Creswell
Sandy & John Barrow
Ina & Richard Rodgers
Avary & Gerry Doubleday
Fran & Bill Matthews
Helen & David Rozendale
Doris & Ed Dietrich
Jane & Jim Johnson
Sheryl & Craig James
Nancy & Rock Curlee
Oct. 17
Oct. 19
Oct. 20
Oct. 23
Oct. 26
Oct. 29
Oct. 31
Tom Joyner
Judy Tindel
Bill Gahagan
Carol Strunk
Betty Fugate
Sue Ann Glenn
Chad Lucas
Jackie Hughes
Kathryn Holland
Mary Anna McClendon
Martha Spruill
Tom Graves
John Greene
Julia Grumbles
Jimmy Sherard
Hines Brannan
Scott McDuff
Bev Quin
Don Mullen
Lyda White
Donna Laird
William Creswell
Ann Greenlee
Karin Potts
October Anniversaries
Oct. 9
Oct. 18
Oct. 23
Kitty & Pat Moore
Gay Graves & Boyd Letcher
Mary & David Jellison
Judy & Terry Tindel
Nell & George Oliver
Tom & Dottie Wise
celebrated their 55th
wedding anniversary, with
flowers in the sanctuary on
August 9th given in their
honor; Congratulations,
Tom & Dottie!
To provide flowers for a
loved one, please fill out a
flower leaflet
located upstairs next to the
flower calendar or
downstairs located at the
Receptionist’s desk.
Church School 9:30
Worship 11:00 am
Sacred Sounds Bell Choir
27
5:00 Rogers/Duncan Wedding
Church School 9:30
Worship 11:00 am
Bluegrass Sunday
Guest Musicians:
Charlie Wood & Friends
2 0
3:00 Summer Ring Coleman Hall
Church School 9:30
Worship 11:00 am
Guest Musician:
Stella Zambalis, soprano
1 3
FOOD for FUEL Luncheon
Last Sunday for the
8:30 Communion Service
Church School 9:30
Worship 11:00 am
Communion Sunday &
Ministry of the Farthest Pew
Guest Musicians:
Pebblebrook School
Youth Choir
Stewardship & Dedication
Sunday
Minute for Mission:
Highlands Emergency Council
6
SUN
8:00 Men’s Prayer
Breakfast
3:00 Sonshine School
5:30 AA
28
8:00 Men’s Prayer
Breakfast
3:00 Sonshine School
5:30 AA
4:30 Session Meeting
2 1
8:00 Men’s Prayer
Breakfast
3:00 Sonshine School
5:30 AA
1 4
Office Closed
Sonshine School Closed
Labor Day
8:00 Men’s Prayer
Breakfast
5:30 AA
7
MON
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Book Club
5:30 AA
29
2:30 Handbell Rehearsal
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Book Club
5:30 AA
2 2
10:00 Personnel
Ministry Team
Meeting—Library
2:30 Handbell Rehearsal
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Book Club
5:30 AA
5:30 Relay Meeting
1 5
10:00 Land Stewards
Mtg
2:30 Handbell Rehearsal
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Book Club
5:30 AA
8
2:30 Handbell Rehearsal
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Book Club
5:30 AA
TUE
1
11:30 Children’s Church
11:40-12:00 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Staff - Library
5:30 Choir Rehearsal
30
11:30 Children’s Church
11:40-12:00 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Staff - Library
5:30 Choir Rehearsal
2 3
11:30 Children’s Church
11:40-12:00 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Staff - Library
5:30 Choir Rehearsal
5:30 Literacy Council Meeting
1 6
11:30 Children’s Church
11:40-12:00 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Staff - Library
5:30 Choir Rehearsal
9
10:15 Women’s Studies
11:30 Children’s Church
11:40-12:00 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
4:00 Staff - Library
5:30 Choir Rehearsal
WED
2
SEPTEMBER 2015
25
ELDER OF THE
MONTH:
11:15-11:45 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
DELAINE MEHDER
3:00 Sonshine School
24
1 8
11:15-11:45 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
1 7
Session Reports Due
for Session Packet
11:15-11:45 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
1 1
11:15-11:45 HCCDC Music
12:00 AA
3:00 Sonshine School
FRI
4
9:00 HCCDC Finance Mtg.
10:00 Finance meeting
3:00 Sonshine School
3:00 Sonshine School
1 0
3:00 Sonshine School
7:00 Circle of Friends
THU
3
2 6
5:00 Wedding Rehearsal
1 9
10:00—12:00
Summer Ring Setup
Coleman Hall
1 2
SAT
5
PAGE 11
PAGE 12
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
OF
HIGHLANDS
471 MAIN STREET
P. O. BOX 548
HIGHLANDS, NC 28741
828-526-3175
FAX: 828-526-0784
E-MAIL: FPCH@FRONTIER.COM
WEB PAGE: FPCHIGHLANDS.ORG
Sanctuary hours for meditation are
9:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Office hours are 9:00 to 4:30
Monday—Friday
Church Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
8:30 a.m. Church Services
June through Labor Day weekend
Communion served every Sunday
11:00 a.m. Communion served the first
Sunday of every month
Session
Class of 2015
Congregational Care, Sally Copeland
Worship, Kathy Evans
Finance, Stewart Manning
Personnel, Obie Oakley
Membership/Outreach, Donna Woods
Class of 2016
Children’s Ministry, Delaine Mehder
Mission, Ann Greenlee
Clerk of Session, Claude Sullivan
Class of 2017
Vision 20/20, Tom Joyner
Adult Education, Chad Lucas
Property, Bob Tietze
Elder of the Month
Delaine Mehder
Ministers
The Congregation
Staff
Jennifer Creswell, Administrative Manager
Raychael Evans, Administrative Assistant
Steve Mehder, Church Treasurer
Michael Lancaster, Director of Worship/
Music
Angie Jenkins, Organist/
Music Coordinator
Joel Porter, Food Coordinator
Kyle Clark, Property Manager
Janice Mathis & Keri Raby,
Nursery Assistants
Mozelle Edwards and
Rita Paoletti,
Sonshine School Directors
Briana Jenkins, Sonshine Assistant
Pastors
Curtis Fussell
Emily Wilmarth
Please keep in your prayers
these members and friends of the congregation:
Julie Berryhill, Emily Reid Brigman (Janice & Dan Topping’s granddaughter),
Kitty Byers, Annette & Wayne Coleman, Trudie Coleman,
Ed Dietrich, George M. Dowdle (Nancy Lowe’s brother), Katie Earp,
Cary Fondren, Beverly & Harry Howell, Madaline Huie, Bob Kerry (Pud Brogan’s
brother-in-law), Brian Knox (Mindy Cook’s brother), Sudie Manning, Don Paulk,
Jenny Robinson, Martha Spruill, Kevin Tietze, Margaret Winkler, Veronica Vogt,
the Hughes family upon the death of Carol Hughes’ mother, Betty Daniel, and the
Rymer family upon the death of Beverly Rymer.
Please keep in your prayers
these members in the community and beyond:
Yancy Bartlett, Hugh Clark, Pete Farrer, Frank Jemison, Cherry Martin,
Jim Shearon, Sandra Simmons and Ben Straughn (Greta & Dick Decourcy’s
grandson).
Lectionary Texts for September
As you prepare to come to worship, here are the scripture texts
that will make up the services during the month of September:
September 6
September 13
September 20
September 27
Prov. 22:1-2,8-9,22-23
Ps. 125
James 2:1-10 (11-13)14-17
Mark 7:24-37
Prov. 1:20-33
Ps. 19
James 3:1-12
Mark 8:27-38
Prov. 31:10-31
Ps. 1
James 3:13-4:3,7-8a
Mark 9:30-37
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22
Ps. 124
James 5:13-20
Mark 9:38-50
15th Sunday after Pentecost
16th Sunday after Pentecost
17th Sunday after Pentecost
18th Sunday after Pentecost