Connecting us with one another, our community, and the world...
Thought for the Week:

“I believe the world is
one big family,
and we need to help each other.”

Unknown



       
 In worship this week:
August 19, 2018

Pastor: Rev. Janie McElwee-Smith

Music Director: Aubrey Nelson

Pianist: Bingyu Peng

Liturgist: Emma Stewart

Usher: Connie and Mike Leonard

Flowers this morning
are presented to the glory of God
and in honor of
Mike and Connie Leonards’
51 st Wedding Anniversary.
Focus on HPC:     
Tradition! Tradition

        Flowering of the cross at Easter. Heifer International fundraiser. Gifts of Literacy. A Christmon-filled tree. Jambalaya for Pentecost. Third Sunday lunch. World Communion Sunday.  Harvesting fruits in the orchard. Planting the garden. Brass quartet during Advent. What do these things have in common? They are all traditions established by the church family of Highland. 
Tradition is defined as a long standing custom or established practice passed down within a group. On a lighter side, it has been said that tradition happens when the church family has done the same thing for three years in a row! But traditions represent our culture and contribute to a sense of comfort and belonging. Traditions offer opportunity for meaningful pause and reflection and help us celebrate those things that really matter. 
As we reflect upon our 35 years of ministry it is good to recall these and other traditions, how each started, and how each tradition became a branch on our vibrant tree in God’s grace-filled orchard.   Perhaps Tevye in that award winning Broadway musical says it best: “Without traditions our lives would be as shaky as … a fiddler on the roof.”



This week in PCUSA Mission:            
    
          Volunteers Stretched Thin After Years of Hurricanes, Wildfires and Flooding

Strong hurricanes, record flooding and massive wildfires have taken their toll on volunteer groups aiding in cleanup and recovery in recent years Presbyterian Disaster Assistance  says groups have been working hard to help communities rebuild, but the number of powerful hurricanes and other natural disasters is making it harder to find enough people to meet the need.
“Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005 really touched people’s hearts, and groups and individuals showed up in masses to help. That was 13 years ago,” said Jim Kirk, PDA’s associate for national disaster response. “Over the years, volunteers went back 10 to 15 times to assist with cleanup and rebuild, and now they’re aging out. Back then, they were in their 60s and had a lot of time and energy, and now they’re in their 70s or 80s.”
Kirk said that between 2013 and 2015, the number of volunteers dropped. But in the last two years, there’s been uptick again. Even with the upswing, though, he said there is still a great need. Just in response to the hurricane season of 2017, PDA opened 10 new volunteer host sites — four in Texas, four in Puerto Rico and two in Florida. “We haven’t seen that many open in a short time since Superstorm Sandy. That’s significant. We are in conversation now to open up an additional half a dozen,” he said.
Keeping the centers full is challenging. In Florida, fewer centers were opened last year because many were still in operation from Hurricane Matthew in 2016. “We are still responding to disasters that occurred in the last two or three years. People are still going to North and South Carolina for Hurricane Matthew/flood recover, Gatlinburg, Tennessee following the wildfires two years ago, Florida with Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew damage, and Louisiana with horrific flooding in 2016,” said Kirk. “When something new is on the radar, people want to go, and it draws volunteers away from established sites.”
Immediate Church Family*:
Betty Bagent; Doris Baugh; Inez Geoghegan; Betty Lancaster; Preston Lancaster; Mary Perry; Bill Pfeifer; Deanna Lewis Sklar; Brad Smith .

Extended Church Family*:
Brandon Behrmann (Carol’s nephew); Austin Casey (Jack and Betty Bagent’s grandson); Woody and Susie Chew (friends of Deanna); Wayne Cline (Sherry Hutchinson’s brother); Steve Dull (husband of Lynn Nichols Dull); Dan Durway (former Pastor of Highland); Eva Fuller (Inez Geoghegan’s niece); Julius Fuller (Inez Geoghegan’s brother); Carol Harrison (Rob Stewart’s Mother); Claudia Hill (Connie Leonard’s sister); Aleta Pickholtz; Earl Rabe (friend of Rick Gurtner); Philip Walker (nephew of the Pfeifers); Larry Wilcoxson (friend of the Leonards); Barbara Zeagler (friend of the Dyes.)

  * New names added to the prayer list this week are in italics.

Birthdays

August 19 - 25: 
Alexandria John & Mary Martin (20),
Dave Adams (22)

Anniversaries
August 19:  Mike and Connie Leonard
August 29:  Dave and Peggy Adams
              

Detail of the Prague Astronomical Clock in thePrague Old Town

This week at HPC:
Monday, August 20:  
    12:00 p.m. AA
    12:00 p.m. Committee on Preparation
           for Ministry, Presbytery Office

Tuesday, August 21:
    10:30 a.m. Tuesday Morning Class
    12:00 p.m. AA
    7:30 p.m. AA

Wednesday, August 22: 
    12:00 p.m. AA
7:00 p.m. Ladies’ AA

Thursday, August 23:      
    12:00 p.m. AA
8:00 p.m. Men’s AA

Friday, August 24:
    12:00 p.m. AA

Saturday, August 25:
     Yard Crew – John Dye & Mike Groves

Sunday, August 26: 
9:30 a.m. Worship
7:00 p.m. AA

coming soon brand new product release next up promotion and announce road sign or announcement billboard
Upcoming Opportunities at HPC
  ·          TODAY is Third Sunday Lunch! We will have a “Burger Bash” with all the trimmings. All are invited to stay for food and fellowship.

·          Tuesday Morning Study continues to meet during the summer months. This Tuesday (August 21) we will study “Judas Iscariot.”

·          Next Sunday (Aug. 26) Rev. Janie will conclude her summer series on The Lord’s Prayer with “For Thine Is” from Psalm 145:8-13a, Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13.

·          35 th Anniversary T-Shirts are available for preorder now. Be sure to secure yours today by emailing the office at highlandpcbr@gmail.com and then submitting your check for $12 per shirt. Shirts will be available in sizes S-3XL and checks can be made out to “Highland Presbyterian Church” with the memo “t-shirt.”
About HPC
Highland Presbyterian Church is a vibrant tree in God's grace-filled orchard. Deeply rooted in God's life-giving presence here on earth, this tree extends its branches to support one another in faith and reach into the world around it to produce fruit. Whether you are seeking God's presence through questions or service, discussion or fellowship, there is a home for you at Highland.
Connecting with Our Pastor
Rev. Janie McElwee-Smith

office hours for Rev. Janie are Mon. 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
and Thurs. 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
by appointment Mon. – Thurs. 9:00 am – 4:30 pm  

cell (call or text): 314.283.7596
office: 766-5775 (please leave a message)
blog: http://evenbefore.blog
blog: http://highlandtree.blog


Highland Presbyterian Church (USA)
10024 Highland Road • Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • 225.766.5775 • www.highlandpresbyterian.org