Announcements for the Week of November 13, 2011

• This week we focus on interceding for the persecuted church worldwide. Please plan to come this Wednesday evening at 7 pm for a time of focused prayer for specific situations.
• You are also invited to fast this Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening as we seek the Father's heart together concerning our brothers and sisters being persecuted around the world.
• Operation Christmas Child is happening now! The Highlands Youth is collecting packed shoeboxes through this Friday, November 18. See Dan Hudson for details on this great ministry with Samaritan's Purse.
• The annual Jesus' Birthday Party at Linda Summer's home is Saturday evening, December 3rd. Please come, bringing any kids (and grown-up kids) you know for a great evening of fellowship, cookies, and the most fantastic Christmas decorations you've ever seen in one home.

Q&A about the All-Highlands Retreat

When is the Retreat?

• Soon! Friday, November 4th, through Sunday, November 6th.

Where is the Retreat?

• At Camp Vesper Point in Soddy Daisy, TN - just a little over an hour away from Highlands.

Wait - you said Sunday? Are we having church services there?

• Yes! Since we want and expect everyone that can to attend the Retreat, we have our usual Sunday Morning worship service out at the camp. There will be no services held at our LaFayette campus on Sunday, Nov. 6th - but those who aren't able to make it to the rest of the retreat are warmly encouraged to join us on Sunday morning at Camp Vesper Point!

What will the Retreat be like?

• Several sessions of praise & worship and spiritual teaching
• Lots of time to play games, talk over coffee, and relax together with your brothers and sisters
• A couple of fun surprise events

What are the accommodations like?

• Everyone stays in family cabins with individual bunks to hold up to 10-12 people. Most cabins will have two to three families/couples sharing the cabin. There will also be a guys' cabin for some of our single men and a ladies' cabin for some of our single women (although singles may stay with a family if they'd like.) Cabin assignments will be posted the week of the retreat.
• Each cabin has a full bathroom with a door, so sharing a cabin is a lot like staying over at someone's house - the bathroom does have to be shared with the others in your cabin!
• The cabins are weatherized and have heat and are within easy walking distance of the main meeting building where we eat and have our group activities.

What do I need to bring?

• Yourself and your family.
• Your Bible.
• Warm clothes and bedding to use on your bunks.
• Personal toiletries, towels, etc.

How much is the Retreat?

• Cost is on a sliding scale for family size and the price includes accommodations and all meals Friday evening through Sunday lunch.
  
  
  
  All-Highlands Retreat Cost Chart
  
  
  $55 - 1 person
  $100 – 2 people (married couple or parent/child)
  $135 – 3-person family
  $170 – 4-person family
  $195 – 5-person family
  
  
  $25 each additional family member after 5
  
  
  Children 4 and under are free.
  
  
  A “family” must be blood or legally related and operating as one household (and make one payment all together.) Sorry, roommates don’t count.
  
  
  A deposit of at least $10/person must be made to sign up and full amount must be paid by October 16th. If paid after Oct. 16th, add $5/person to your total.
  
  
  If you will need help coming up with the full amount, please call the church during office hours before October 16th.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Any more questions? Call the church office - (706) 638.8940. We hope to see you at the All-Highlands Retreat!

Phones are Back Up

Our phone service is back to full operation and the voice mail system activated. Thank you all for your patience!

Announcements for the Week of October 2, 2011

• Youth - your service project has been rescheduled for Friday, October 7th. Meet at Highlands at 5:30 pm. See Dan for details.
• Mark your calendars and invite your friends! The annual Harvest Party at Linda Summer's is October 29th.
• Ladies - you are invited to a baby shower for Renee Barnett, October 14th, 7:30 pm at the Fenn residence in Chattanooga. See Libby Fenn or Miriam Barnett for details. 

Office Phone Down

Brothers and sisters,

 

Some of you may have noticed that our office response time to incoming phone messages has been drastically lengthened for the past couple of weeks and that it has been impossible to get a live person in the office via phone call. We want to apologize for any unreturned phone calls and assure you it is not because the volunteers filling in during Bekah's vacation were in any way negligent.

 

We switched telephone providers on September 9th and as of yesterday finally discovered that the switch was somehow bungled between the two providers and not completed. We are working to get this fixed sooner-than-possible but are told that it may not happen until sometime next week. We will let you know as soon as the line is functional, and in the meantime, the best way is to contact us by email at pcahighlands@gmail.com . It may or may not be possible for us to check phone messages even if you are able to leave one for us, so please do not assume that we have received your call until we announce that the system is back on.

 

Thank you for your patience!

Announcements for the Week of September 4th, 2011

• The church office is closed tomorrow, Sept. 5th, for Labor Day.
  
• Next Sunday, September 11th, we will pray during our morning service for our police force and firefighters. If you serve in either of these capacities, we would love for you to attend services in uniform that day.
  
• Everyone is invited to the Agape Puppets show, Sept. 17th, 5:00 pm. It'll be a great time and we'll even feed you afterwards!
  
• Signups for the All-Highlands Retreat will begin on Sept. 18th. You'll need a deposit of at least $10/person to sign up. Stay tuned for details...
  
• It's budget request time - Ministry leaders, we need your budget requests for 2012 by September 25 (three weeks from today.) We don't know your needs unless we hear from you! Please email the church office.

Announcements for the Week of August 21st, 2001

• Ladies - don't miss the Bible Study starting up this Wednesday morning, 10 am in the Fellowship Hall. Contact Sarah Rapier for details.
  
• All women - you are invited to meet at Rembrandt's in Chattanooga this Friday, August 26 at 6:30pm for dinner out together. We would love to see you there for a fun time of fellowship! For more information, please contact Mary Anne Bailey.
  
• Next week, we celebrate The Lord's Supper together. Please join us at 5:45 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a main dish and a side or dessert to share.
  
• In preparation for The Lord's Supper, you are invited to join with the Session in a day of prayer and fasting, this Thursday evening through Friday evening. We focus on prayer for our personal and corporate repentance and for the persecuted church around the world.

Announcements for the Week of August 14, 2011

• Parents of youth - please stay after the morning worship service today for a lunch meeting with Dan and Shanna in the youth room. Dan will be giving everyone an overview of the teaching and plans for the year.
  
• There will be an Awana planning meeting on August 17th at 6:30 pm; the Awana program start date is still TBA. We encourage everyone who values our children and Awana to come to the planning meeting to see how you might be involved in this very important ministry!
  
• Don't forget to mark your calendars for the All-Highlands Retreat, November 4-6. It'll be a great time of fellowship, relaxation, and fun as we spend the whole weekend in times of praise, discussion, and play together.
  
• If you need ministry expense reimbursement forms, facility reservation forms, or want to see budget summaries or other info from our congregational meetings, please check out the Forms & Docs tab on our website - www.highlandspca.com . You can also view the church event calendar on the website.

Announcements for the Week of August 7th, 2011

• Youth - your back-to-school pool party is this Wednesday, August 10th. Say goodbye to the departing graduates as you welcome in the new 6th graders. For more information, contact Dan Hudson.
  
• Parents of youth - please stay after the morning worship service next week for a lunch meeting with Dan and Shanna in the youth room. Dan will be giving everyone an overview of the teaching and plans for the year.
  
• We apologize for last week's typo on the Awana start date. There will be an Awana planning meeting on August 17th at 6:30 pm; the Awana program start date is still TBA. We encourage everyone who values our children and Awana to come to the planning meeting to see how you might be involved in this very important ministry!
  
• Don't forget to mark your calendars for the All-Highlands Retreat, November 4-6. It'll be a great time of fellowship, relaxation, and fun as we spend the whole weekend in times of praise, discussion, and play together.
  
• Pastor Travis is on vacation this week. The church office will be open during its normal business hours (1:00pm-5:00pm) Monday through Thursday but will be closed on Friday.

Announcements for the Week of July 31, 2011

• Our Awana and Youth programs will begin again in a few weeks - stay tuned for the exact date.
• Don't forget to mark your calendars for the All-Highlands Retreat, November 4-6. It'll be a great time of fellowship, relaxation, and fun as we spend the whole weekend in times of praise, discussion, and play together.

Announcements for the Week of July 24, 2011

• Youth - come waterskiing this Saturday! Meet at the church at 9:00 a.m. and bring $3. For details, contact Dan Hudson.
• Next week, we observe The Lord's Supper. We meet in the Fellowship Hall at 5:45 pm. Please bring a main dish and a dessert or side to share.
• In preparation for The Lord's Supper, the Session invites you to a day of fasting and prayer for our own repentance and for strength and protection for the persecuted church worldwide. We usually fast from sundown on Wednesday through sundown on Thursday.

Announcements for the Week of July 10, 2011

•  If you missed the Congregational Meeting this past Sunday, please be sure to read the insert in this coming Sunday's bulletin - it will have details about Sunday School promotion guidelines as well as some helpful information regarding the sound levels of the music we use in worship services.

• If you have a baby bottle with change for the North GA Crisis Pregnancy Center, please return it to the foyer this week. Thanks!

Announcements for the Week of July 3

•  Our Congregational Meeting is next Sunday, July 10^th at 6:00 p.m. Members, please plan to attend. The discussion docket is posted on the Highlands website.
• The Youth Group is in need of an SUV with a trailer hitch July 10-15 and a covered trailer to go with it for the annual Gold Rush spiritual leadership camp trip. If you have either of these that you are willing to loan, please call the church office and ask for Dan.

Adult Sunday School Beginning Soon

Our adult Sunday School class will be starting back up again on July 17th. Aaron Ford will be leading the study, using the book Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard. Copies of the book will be available at the class and are $11 each (couples can share - it's not a workbook.) We hope to see you at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall - not this Sunday, but the next!

Announcements for the Week of June 26, 2011

•  Youth – payment for Gold Rush is due in full this Wednesday, June 29^th. Please get your final installment in to Dan ASAP!
• Our Congregational Meeting has been re-rescheduled for Sunday, July 10^th at 6:00 p.m. Members, please plan to attend. The discussion docket is posted on the Highlands website.
• Are you interested in joining Highlands Church? Our next 2-part New Members class takes place Tuesday, July 5^th, and Tuesday, July 12^th, from 6-9 pm each evening. You need to call the office this week if you are planning on attending, so that we can have adequate materials for everyone. Thanks!
• Everyone - join us after church next Sunday, July 3, in the Fellowship Hall for a Welcome Baby shower in honor of Adria & Gama's new baby, Natan. Lunch will be provided and the whole family is welcome to attend.

Docket for July 10 Congregational Meeting

The congregational meeting has had a final reschedule and will be taking place on July 10th, 6 pm in the Sanctuary. Members are expected to attend; attenders and visitors are welcome.

On the docket:

• 2011 1st Quarter Financials and Treasurer's summary (Eric Self)
• Changes to Children's Sunday School class division and promotions (Jenn Fagan)
• Results of All-Highlands ministry vision survey (Steve Corbett)
• Report on sound levels in the Sanctuary during Sunday morning worship (Travis Hutchinson)

We look forward to seeing you all there!

VBS update!

Summer SeaQuest is in full swing and we are having lots of fun! 58 children were present on Monday night and 68 were present on Tuesday night. We are praising the Lord for His work in the lives of these little ones.

Please continue to pray!

We have one final need with regards to VBS. By the end of the week on Friday all the teachers and volunteers are very tired from laboring so faithfully. We need people to come and help with clean up on Friday evening (starting at 8:30pm) and/or Saturday (contact Steve and Mary Corbett for exact time). If we have plenty of volunteers on Friday night then the work should be completed quickly. If you have not been able to help during the week with VBS this would be a perfect opportunity to be involved!

Thank you.

- Sarah Rapier, for the team

Children's Sunday School Info and Needs!

Click the photo for an easy-to-read chart showing the sequence and scope of our Children's Sunday School curriculum.

Praise/Prayer Requests
Please join me in praising God for providing in the following ways for our Children's Sunday School program:
Preschool Class Teacher: Matt Anderson
K5-2nd Grade Class Co-teachers: Dan and Lisa Lewis
3rd-5th Grade Class Co-teachers: Barb Laman, Libby Fenn (Summer/Fall semester), and Joan Blakney

Please pray earnestly about how you can get involved in this ministry of our church:
1) We need a helper or co-teacher for the preschool class in order for these children to even have a Sunday school lesson on July 3rd.  Ideally a helper or co-teacher commits to the position for at least 1 year.

*Teacher's Job Description a) plans and prepares in advance for individual and small group Bible-learning experiences. b) obtains teaching materials and supplies prior to a session-Each teacher/co-teacher and helper is provided with a teacher manual that includes detailed lesson plans.  Each class is provided with each lesson's teaching and learning resources already organized to minimize time spent gathering these items. 

*Helper's Job Description a) plans and prepares in advance to become familiar with the lesson and activities b) provides support for the teacher by being the second person in the classroom and  assisting with individual and small group Bible learning experiences

2) We need at least one (2-3 would be even better!) back-up person for each class so that if a teacher or helper can't make it we don't have to either combine classes which would put kids in a 5-6 year age range in the same class OR send children to sit in the adult Sunday school class with their parents.

3) If you have children who are not involved in Sunday School, get them involved as a way to help you diligently teach your children the Word of God.
  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:4-7
(diligence: constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.)

Please join us for the Sunday School Kickoff Brunch June 26th at 9am!

Contact Information:
Jenn Fagan, Children's Sunday School Coordinator(Call Highlands for Jenn's number/email)

This Week's Quote - Thomas Watson

God is but one, yet are there three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead. This is a sacred mystery, which the light within man could never have discovered. As the two natures in Christ, yet but one person, is a wonder; so three persons, yet but one Godhead. Here is a great deep, the Father God, the Son God, the Holy Ghost God; yet not three Gods, but one God. The three persons in the blessed Trinity are distinguished, but not divided; three substances, but one essence. This is a divine riddle, where one makes three, and three make one. Our narrow thoughts can no more comprehend the Trinity in Unity, than a nut-shell will hold all the water in the sea.

- Thomas Watson (c. 1620-1686)

Announcements for the Week of June 19, 2011

•  Summer Seaquest VBS is this week! Bring as many kids as you can tomorrow evening. Registration is at 5:45 and VBS begins at 6:00.
• Next Sunday we celebrate The Lord’s Supper together, 5:45 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring a main dish and a side or dessert to share.
• In preparation for The Lord’s Supper, the Session invites you to join in a day of prayer and fasting for the repentance of our congregation and in supplication for the persecuted church. This week, we suggest sundown on Tuesday through sundown on Wednesday.
• Our Congregational Meeting has been rescheduled for Sunday, July 3^rd (evening; time TBA). Members, please plan to attend. The discussion docket will be posted on the Highlands website this week.
• Are you interested in joining Highlands Church? Our next 2-part New Members class takes place Tuesday, July 5^th, and Tuesday, July 12^th, from 6-9 pm each evening.