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Count the stars, count the days, count the leaves quietly falling. Count the blessings of this day and each precious day of life and love.
Sunday, October 14, 2018
"What does that mean... to count your days?  Better yet, how do you make your days count? 

I'm reading Psalm 90, and remembering a 1977 Jessie Winchester song that begins, "Life is too short for some folks; for other folks it just drags on.  Some folks like the taste of smokin' whiskey, others figure tea is too strong."  ...Makes me think of how we wake up to each precious new day, and what flavors and tastes we expect to find. 

In Psalm 90, I hear an invitation to wake up and take a sip of the morning, enjoy the tastes of life and love that surround us... and consider, how will I make this day count... this day, this one, wild and precious day?    
​Rev. Dr. Billy Newton

from Psalm 90
So teach us to count our days
    that we may gain a wise heart.
Turn, O Lord!  How long?
    Have compassion on your people!
In the morning, fill us up with your love, your steadfast love,
    so we may rejoice and be glad, this day and all the days. 

 ​​HIGHLAND IN THE NEWS - click and read
Faith Without Borders
Quilting ministry pieces lives together.
"Easter invites us into gardening," by Rev. Newton


​
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It's a happy day when Carrie Niceley visits Highland.
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Thank you Rev. Gloria Mencer for a message of peace!
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Studies of world religions, Wednesdays at 5:45.
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Our friends from Cuba visiting this summer!
Every Sunday morning, we worship at 10:30.
On Sunday mornings, worship is about God's good news of love and mercy, and our calling to serve God, to love our neighbors and ourselves, reach out to people in need, and to care for God's good earth.  A nursery is available for our youngest ones. 

​Not just on Sundays, but everyday... we seek to:
Do justice.  Share kindness.  Walk humbly together with God!

What's been happening at Highland in 2018?
  • We have a Wednesday night study on world religions, exploring similarities, differences, and potential common ground.
  • This summer, we hosted friends from our partner church in Taguasco, Cuba. Over 20 Highland  members have visited Cuba to share life, faith and fellowship with our friends.
  • High school youth meet weekly, lead worship, explore faith, do mission trips and attend the Montreat Youth Conference.  
  • Jr. Youth meet for all kinds of creative activities, outdoor events, Bible study, and community service projects.
  • Kids stay for the first half of worship, which is interactive and includes a children's message from the pastor, and then they go enjoy a child-centered Sunday School.  
  • Quilters meet Tuesday mornings, making gifts of love.   
  • We recently celebrated the Blessing of the Quilts with a colorful procession and display of the patch-work love that we share.  
  • Highland goes outdoors, hiking in the Smokies with all ages!  
  • Highland co-sponsors refugees with Bridge Refugee Services. 
  • We host Girl Scouts, youth art classes, a basket-making group, OA, a late-night college group, and a silent meditation meetup.
  • In recent years, we built a new accessibility entrance and a new wheelchair ramp. We welcome people with all kinds of abilities. 
  • We support The Gate - Gateway to Independence, a wonderful daytime program for young adults with disabilities.​
  • Easter was an amazing day of celebration!  There were lots of garden tools on hand to help us understand how God gardens us and grows us into new life! 
  • On Palm Sunday, we walked with llamas, waved palms, and rang bells to welcome the Prince of Peace into our life and faith. 
  • Many of our members are active in multiple forms of civic engagement, including the Women's March, local peace walks, activities for racial unity, voter registration, protecting and preserving our environment, welcoming immigrants, and volunteering with many agencies that serve neighbors in need.
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All God's children are invited to the table.

​Highland Presbyterian Church ~ Sunday worship at 10:30
​Doing justice, loving kindness, walking humbly together with God!
721 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway (Hwy. 321)
Maryville, Tennessee  37804

​Highland in CUBA, every year since 2008:  ​For nine years, Highland members have traveled to Cuba for peacemaking and relational ministries in partnership with friends at Iglesia Presbiteriana-Reformada en Taguasco.   Read more.  
BLESSING OF THE QUILTS
Highland's Care Quilters meet every Tuesday morning to make quilts for members of our community during a time of special need or as thanksgiving for their life and service. Once in a while, we gather the quilts and invite others to brings quilts for a special blessing and celebration.
Highland Presbyterian Church
721 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway (Hwy. 321)
Maryville, Tennessee 37804

Highland is located at the intersection of Hwy. 321 and Washington Street,
​between Maryville College and Blount Memorial Hospital,
on the road to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Office phone M-W-F mornings: (865)  982-9272 
Email: office@highlandpresby.org
Church Secretary:  Ethel White
Pastor: Rev. Dr. Billy Newton