Worship this Sunday

Join us for worship this Sunday, December 1^st for the First Sunday of Advent and Communion Sunday. For the Advent Season we are using artwork and liturgy from Sanctified Art and their theme of Words for the Beginning.  This Sunday we will hear from the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel of Luke where Mary is told she will bear the Son of God. Join us this Advent season as we begin a new year in the Church.  

If you have not had a chance to turn in your pledge card for this year, please do so as soon as you can. If you do not think you’ll be at church any time soon, you may email your name and pledge to the church office.

Watch the service live on our Facebook page at 10:30 a.m.

Free Little Neighborhood Item of the Week

Our Free Little Neighborhood Item of the week is canned soup. Next time you’re at the grocery store, please pick up a few cans of soup so we can continue to help our neighbors.

Happy Highlanders in December

In December, we will come together for our annual Christmas luncheon on Tuesday, December 10th, 12:00-2:00 p.m. This year it will be a potluck at the home of Bruce and Pam Clifford, and Pam will be sending out an email with a link to the potluck sign-up sheet. If you do not have email, please let Pam or Bruce know you will plan to attend and what you would like to bring to share. This is always a highlight of the Happy Highlander year, and we look forward to enjoying celebrating together. (Pam, 970-290-4683, Bruce 970-290-3791)

Christmas Joy Offering 

Officially collected on December 22^nd

The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years. 

Highland will officially collect this offering on Sunday, December 22^nd and the Mission Committee will provide Moments for Mission between now and then. You are welcome to give anytime between now and the 22^nd. 

Learn more about this offering by following this link.

Advent Book Study

Tuesday night Zoom and Sunday school 

For the season of Advent we will read through Walter Brueggemann’s book Names for the Messiah on either a Zoom call with Pastor Matthew on Tuesday nights at 6:00 p.m. or in the Adult Sunday school class that meets in the parlor at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Books can be purchased from the sanctuary or the office for $15. A description of the book is provided below. 

In Isaiah 9:6, a divine utterance is given to us using four royal titles- Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Names for the Messiah ponders each royal designation and how the people understood it then, how Jesus did or did not fulfill the title, and how Christians interpret Jesus as representative of that title.

Christians have claimed from the beginning that Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. In this study, best-selling author Walter Brueggemann tackles the questions:

"What were these expectations?" and "Did Jesus fulfill them?"

Advent Candle Lighters 

If you or your family would like to read the liturgy for lighting of the Advent candles for the four Sundays of Advent beginning December 1^st, you can sign up in the back of the sanctuary or let Pastor Matthew know. 

Civil Rights History Trip

February 28th - March 3^rd

Our Presbytery is participating in a Civil Rights History Trip again in 2025 and this year we are going to Washington DC! This will be a three day trip with us leaving on Friday, February 28^th and returning on Monday, March 3^rd. Cost is $400 a person which includes bus, hotel and museum tickets. If you are interested in attending please visit this link to the Presbytery website to register and pay. There are options to pay all at once or in two installments. 

Leading up to this event, there will be two events to form fellowship. There will be the Presbytery Christmas Concert on December 14th at First Presbyterian Church, Knoxville and the Presbytery Black History Month Service on February 2nd at Fourth United Presbyterian Church.

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert

Handel’s Messiah

Church member Martha Vargas is singing in The Knoxville Symphony’s annual holiday tradition of Handel’s glorious Messiah! The event is Sunday, December 1^st at 2:30 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre.  Find more details at tickets at this link.

Maryville College Christmas Concert 

Join our Sunday school teacher, Jenny Ribble, as she and other MC students sing in this year’s Maryville College Christmas Concert.  There’s no better way to usher in the holiday season than by attending the Maryville College Christmas Concert on Tuesday, December 3, at 7:00 p.m. in the Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre. This year’s concert features a remarkable lineup, including the Orchestra at Maryville, conducted by Ace Edewards; the Community Chorus, led by Dwight Dockery; the Maryville College Concert Choir, Off Kilter, and Lassies, conducted by Stacey Murphy Wilner; and the Lads, under the direction of Jenny Anderson.

General admission is $20, seniors (60 and over) and students (18 and under) are $15.00. Don’t miss this enchanting evening that brings together timeless music, community spirit, and holiday cheer!  Find tickets on the Clayton Center website by following this link.

Visit the new calendar page on the Highland website to stay up to date with what is happening in the life of the church.