STEPHEN MINISTRY
Highland is a Stephen Ministry congregation. Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.
A Stephen Minister is a congregation member with gifts for caregiving who was carefully selected to serve in this role. He or she must complete 50 hours of training in providing emotional and spiritual care as well as commit to supervision and continuing education throughout the term of his or her ministry. A Stephen Minister is a caring, Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages. A Stephen Minister will "be there" for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully for about an hour each week, as long as there is a need.
If you know of someone (even yourself) who might benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, please contact the Pastor.
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HIGHER GROUND PARTNERS
Addiction and abuse not only affect the lives of individuals but also the lives of their families, friends, and acquaintances. Higher Ground Partners can help start the process that restores control in those lives affected.
Higher Ground Partners is a local affiliation of the nationwide ministry called Faith Partners which ministers to those affected by addiction and abuse. Higher Ground Partners serves individuals and families of Harford County by providing addiction and recovery information, making referrals to appropriate community resources, assisting with early intervention, offering free, confidential, and caring support, and focusing on the full spectrum of issues from initial awareness to recovery celebration. For more information about Highland's Higher Ground Partners, please call the church at 410-452-9394.
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NURSING HOME MINISTRY AT FOREST HILL
In September, 2009, Highland launched a new outreach into the community by offering a worship service once a month for the residents and staff of Forest Hill Health and Rehabilitation Center. Working under the guidance of Elizabeth Arter, Pastoral Intern at Highland, we use the Service of Midday Prayer from the Book of Common Worship to plan the service each month. The congregation at Highland has responded enthusiastically to a call for volunteers for this ministry, and each month we use different worship leaders. Following is the message given by Maria Whyte who was one of the worship leaders for January:
Again I remind you that the Prophet Micah had written in Micah 5:2 “But you Bethlehem in the land of Judah are not the least among the rulers of Judah for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.” and in Numbers 24:17 we read “I see Him, but not now, I behold Him, but not near, A Star shall come out of Jacob, A Scepter shall rise out of Israel.”
As we see in these two passages along with what we have already heard from the book of Isaiah and Matthew, these wise men listened, believed, and followed what God had told many years before our Lord was born. They followed that Star which led them to Our Lord Jesus Christ. They worshiped Him and brought Him gifts. Who knows if they heard God’s voice or just saw the sign of the Star. The point is - they listened.
I encourage all of us this year of 2010 and beyond to wake up each morning and ask God “what is it that You want me to do for You today?”
Is there someone I need to visit?
Is there someone I need to pray for?
Is there someone I need to run an errand for?
Is there someone who needs a shoulder to cry on?
The wise men listened, believed, and followed God’s voice which led them to Our Savior. I pray that we too can learn to listen, believe, and follow God’s voice wherever He may lead us. He sent His Son here to save us from our sins. The wise men saw Him in the beginning of His young years. Praise God that we have the opportunity to be with Him for all eternity.
John 3:16 tells us “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall never perish but have everlasting life.” Amen
Thank you for taking time to visit our Web Site. If you are new to Highland Church, I hope the material we have provided here proves to be useful, and may result in a visit to our congregation to worship with us on a Sunday morning. If you are a member trying to catch up with happenings in church life, I hope you have found the information you needed. If not, please call our church’s administrative assistant, Liz Hoffman, or me, at 410-452-9394. Or drop by the church office anytime during office hours. We’d be glad to see you, and very open to suggestions you may have concerning our Web Site.
Minister's Message and latest eBible Study...