Donny — thanks for helping to keep Highland lookin’ good!
Listening Sessions Update from Billy
Friends!
In April, we started something new at Highland. We gathered the church to get feedback on our current state so we could plan for the future. We decided to host these "Listening Sessions" to document your feedback on the church's current state and identify opportunities for growth. We started each session with Scripture, shared ideas in small groups, and prayed for each other. That's a productive hour from 9-10 each week!
Many of you were part of this amazing group that not only encouraged me with your perspectives, but also inspired me to dream with you about the future opportunities for our church.The Lord has called you here to Highland, and I'm so grateful He did. Thank you for contributing to this effort!
I wanted to send a quick update to keep you in the loop on where we are in this process:
The church leadership (Pastor Rob and the Team Leader Board) is meeting on September 9 to begin strategic planning. We will meet over several Wednesday nights to finalize the plan.
We will use the Bible, our by-laws, and the results from the Listening Sessions to determine the strategic priorities.
We will send the plan to members and welcome your feedback.
The members will vote on the plan, and if approved, it will go into effect on January 1.
This is the first time we have done this, and it is very exciting. I ask you to pray for Highland as this plan unfolds. There were themes that emerged from the Listening Sessions that will require us all to roll up our sleeves a little more, and lean into the flourishing of our church body. It will take all of us for this to go well. Some ideas that came up won't make the cut. And that's okay! Our prayer is to focus on a few imperative things for the coming year, and most of all, to continue serving Christ unified with one another.
I'm grateful to each of you, and always available if you have any questions.
Billy
Sunday School, 9 a.m.
Sunday’s Schedule
8am: Doors open
8am–9am: Coffee & Conversation in our Dining Facility
9am-10am: Sunday School (see classes below)
9:15am: Coffee & Convo Devotion in our Dining Facility
10am: Sunday Morning Service in our Sanctuary (which is our gym).
Sunday School Classes & Their Location
To those leading and serving, thank you!
Classes run August 9th-October 4th and will begin at 9a.m.
Classroom 1: 0-2 year olds: Church Nursery
Classroom 2: 3 & 4 year olds
Classroom 3: Kindergarten-Second Grade Class
Classroom 4: Third-Fifth Grade Class
Classroom 5: Tweens & Teen Boys
Red-Brick Sanctuary: “Gospel in Life” — Co-ed Class
Classroom 7: Theology Class, led by Mike Hare
Classroom 8: Tweens & Teen Girls
Dining Facility: Life Class Devotion (Ongoing throughout the year)
chapter 19
continuing our series through Matthew
I have been riding on top of a wave of joy from Sunday’s Service all week. How I enjoy gathering in the Name of Christ! Lifting up the Name of Jesus with you higher than our circumstances is such a privilege. May we carry the name of Christ with honor.
Let’s continue to lift up our eyes, setting our eyes upon the Lord – for He is our help, Highland. You’re not alone. The Lord is with you. You are loved. Know that I love you and I remain available to you.
As promised, here’s the recap on forgiveness (Matthew 18):
The good news of Jesus:
Our hearts are sick with sin.
Jesus diagnoses our heart-sickness; He is the remedy.
When we encounter the majesty of Christ Jesus, we find no other response than to submit to His Lordship.
The Holy Spirit indwells and transforms our hearts, granting us a new nature.
In agreement with God, we learn to hate what He calls sinful.
Instead, we passionately pursue what He deems right.
The Lord deems forgiveness as right.
Understanding Our Sin Nature
Apart from Christ, we are performance-driven.
We strive for personal worth and acceptance.
Being performance-driven produces self-righteousness.
What I am and my degree-of-importance in the eyes of others makes up my self-worth.
How Our Nature is Renewed, Becoming Forgiving
To repent is confessing our sinfulness before the Lord.
In submitting to Jesus as Lord, our sins are forgiven.
His nature is forgiving; our nature becomes forgiving.
In Christ, we foster and even promote forgiveness.
Restoration
Restoration is to be offended, forgive the offense and to return to the relationship as it was before
Celebrating forgiveness, every relationship has its own details.
Therefore, forgiveness does not always result in restoration.
Reconciliation
What forgiveness does always entail is reconciliation.
To reconcile is to account for and settle differences.
After settling the differences, we do not continue to count the offenders’ trespasses against them – we bless them instead.
Recap of Sunday’s Sermon on Marriage (Matthew 19:1-12)
Marriage is a covenant.
A covenant is the giving of ourselves to another.
Unlike a contract that’s based on conditional terms, in a covenant, we do not demand our terms to be satisfied. We give more of ourselves.
Aligning with Jesus, we must understand marriage is a covenant.
Its function of expressing God’s covenant-love is central to its meaning.
We cannot veer into a contractual understanding of marriage. We must promote oneness by giving of ourselves.
As one with Christ, so one in marriage.
See our Prayer Guide for more insight as to how to pray for marriages (it’s below).
Sermon audio is available.
Prayer Guide
2nd Strand of Stewardship — Home
A covenant is the giving of ourselves to another. Unlike a contract that’s based on conditional terms, in a covenant, we do not demand terms. In Matthew 19:3-7, the root issue is that the Pharisees are stringently defining terms for permitting divorce, instead of nourishing the covenant-meanings of marriage. It appears that marriage is more like a contract in the Pharisees’ view, not a covenant.
Jesus responds to their questions about divorce by giving answers that highlight the foundational truths that define the marital covenant. Instead of discussing allowable ways out of a marriage, Jesus defines why to stay in! As we pray this week, let’s align our hearts with Jesus. Here are practical ways to strengthen our marriages — ‘to stick and stay’:
Humility: The ability to be attuned and aware of what is happening in myself and the other; to disrupt the triggering of trauma, past and present
Honesty: The resolve to own what is mine and to engage without blaming the other for what I feel. To address the log in my own eye first.
Kindness: A fierce commitment to enter the heartache and fear of the other with compassion and care.
Curiosity: The intentional entering into the story and experience of the other, which will develop a desire to know and understand what the other feels, desires and fears.
Defiance: A refusal to let hurt, anger and past failures to determine the future of what we are able to create together. A stance against death in all its forms.
Intention to Bless: Holding the other in and with wonder and awe, delight and gratitude; a stance of “heaven, yes” to the beauty we can create together.
Excerpt from: “The Deep-Rooted Marriage” — By: Dan Allender; Steve Call
Highland Cafe’ is open next week. Summer hours: Tuesday—Thursday, 8:30a.m.-11:30a.m.
Highland Cafe’
The Highland Cafe’ is open. If you want to serve, please contact us. Doors will be open Tuesday through Thursday, 8:30a.m.—11:30a.m throughout the summer.
Next Session — October 14th
Men’s Bible Study
Men, let’s get together. Let’s spend some time studying God’s Word and doing life together. We will have a meal, spend time together, then study God’s Word together. We will begin at 6pm. Register below. Please note — no childcare will be provided. If you are reading this in our weekly email, see the original post to access the form to register.
I love you, Highland.
See you Sunday,
Rob