October 2014

www.highlandsucc.com
Highlandsucc@sbcglobal.net
937-399-7493

1910 Saint Paris Pike

Springfield, Ohio 45504-1206

From the Pastor

Its hard to believe, but I have served with you for over a year now. It seems like only a few short weeks
ago that I came to be with you and walk with you. Thank you for all your help and patience as you
taught me the rhythms of Highlands UCC.
Time does have a way of moving along quicklyand when we are busy and engaged with what seems
like exhausting schedules, many responsibilities, and critical decisions, we often long for a place of quiet
restperhaps a worship setting that will refill our spirits and revitalize our souls. Sometimes this
happens during regular worship through joining our voices in song and hearing the Word preached.
Sometimes perhaps we long for a more still and reflective setting.
We offer quarterly Taiz services which is one way to hear Gods voice in our hearts and to connect with
our spiritual center. Contemplation allows us to move into a rhythm of prayer and communion with God
before going out to engage the world in our ministries.
One doesnt need any special skills or knowledge to participate in contemplation. Contemplation
simply implies a desire to seek God and to be open to however God might choose to move within us.
Contemplative worship increases our love and closeness to Godfalling deeply in love with the One
who loves us without condition.
The weekend of October 24th-26th we will partner with other congregations to offer a weekend to explore
differing ways of connecting with God through contemplation. The weekend will offer a chance to
explore contemplative practices with Carl McColman who leads workshops and retreats world-wide.
You will be offered an opportunity to walk a labyrinth and the weekend will conclude with a Taiz
worship service at Highlands. This promises to be an exciting weekend as we join with other Christians
in Springfield in learning and worship. I invite and encourage you to take a break from the busy-ness of
life and attend as much of the contemplative weekend as you can. You will be blessed!

Blessing of the Animals

Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.
Come and join us for the blessing of the animals!
Bring your pet, yourself, your children, and a friend.
In the shelter House at the rear of
Highlands United Church of Christ
1910 St. Paris Pike
Springfield, Ohio 45504
We invite one and all to a service of blessing to all.

Clean-up Time at Highlands

Outside clean-up is scheduled for Saturday, October 11, 2014, from 9:00 a.m.
to 12:00 noon. We will:
Check yard for dead trees, bushes, and plants and remove them.
Check for weeds along the fence rows and remove them.
Clear the fire ring near the shelter house.
Check the play equipment on the playground for safety.
Collect debris near parking lot ready for removal.

Highlands Leadership
Pastors Office Hours

Pastor:

Rev. Avery Sledge

Church Officers:

Pam DixonModerator
Jan KushmaulVice Moderator
Linda OwensTreasurer

Monday and Thursday 9:00 a.m.12:00 noon

Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday
9:00 a.m.12:00 noon

You can reach Pastor Avery in the church office

during those hours or at 937-429-1536.

Office Hours:

Wednesday

12:00 noon3:00 p.m.

Childrens Sabbath
Sunday, October 19, is a Sunday we focus on
children. Jesus had much to say about the
importance of children at a time when children
were not considered of much importance at all.
We now recognize that the way we interact with
our children has a lot to do with the adults they
become. They are not empty slates on which we
write our plan for their lives. They come into the
world with a personality and a temperament that
plays a part in how they learn and respond to the
world around them.
Let the children come unto me, Jesus said. For
theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. WOW! You
cant get any more important than that.

FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL

Highlands Church and KidsWorld
Saturday October 25th
12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Hot Dogs, Chips, Beverages

Cookie Decorating
Picture Taking with Costumes

Pumpkin Painting
Games & Candy
Crafts

Children of all ages from Springfield and Clark County welcome.

Semper Fidelis
Meeting

Date:
Time:
Hostess:
Devotions:
Roll Call:

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

7:00 p.m.
The class
Millie McNeal
Hebrews 13:15

Everyone welcome, come join our group!

Semper Fidelis will serve a meal on Tuesday, Oct. 14,
at 6:00 p.m. The meal served on Sept. 8 brought in
$290 for Highlands ministries.

Fall Sale Aids Missions

Highlands Annual Fall Sale brought
$50.00 into the scholarship fund from
the Book Sale. As noted below,
$130.00 was raised through food sales.
Another $464.00 will go toward the
support of Highlands ministries
including worship opportunities and
community outreach. Total from the
Annual Sale $644.00.

Highlands helps Open Hands Free Store Pantry

Highlands Church gave a big boost to the Open Hands Food
Pantry through food sales at the Annual Fall Sale. $130.00 was
raised through the bake sale and snack bar.
We continue to fill the Food Cart in the narthex at the church with food and nonperishable items such as paper towels and toilet paper. These are taken each month to
the Open Hands Free Store in the Southern Village Shopping Center. You may drop
off items between 6:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
This is one of the ways we meet our mission to feed the hungry.

The September 2014

Childrens Noisy
Collection
totaled $32.50!!
Noisy Collection is the second Sunday of
each month. $100 of the contributions you
have made during these collections this year go to On
The Rise, a ministry that
helps children and youth meet
their potential through work
with animals and plants.
.
Next noisy collection will be October 12.

Kroger Community Rewards

Program
Thank you to each of you who has registered
your Kroger Plus card and named Highlands
as your charitable organization. You have
already begun earning funds for Highlands.
If you have not yet registered your card, and
you are not sure how to do it, please call Jan
Kushmaul at 206-1005. She can walk you
through the process.

SONKA Gathering
November 1, 2014, the churches of
SONKA will gather at First United Church
of Christ, 120 S. Market St., Troy, Ohio
This is a business meeting where we will
vote on a new Constitution & new officers,
celebrate the ministries of SONKA &
ordination anniversaries, and worship with
joy, gratitude, and grace.
Registration can be made on-line. If you are
interested in attending, tell Pastor Avery or
Moderator, Pam Dixon.

Highlands Hires Musician

Highlands is pleased to announce the employment of a new organist/pianist beginning
October 1st.
Alan Gagnon is a graduate of the University
of Kansas in organ performance.. He also
plays the viola and has led choral groups.
Alan has played for us several times prior to
his hiring, so he is not a stranger to us.
Please welcome Alan to the staff at Highlands
with your attendance at our worship services.

Registration is paid by the church.

Are you looking for quality child care?

Check out Kids World located at Highlands Church, 1910 St. Paris Pike. Krista or
Kelly will be happy to answer all your questions. Kids World
provides a warm, caring environment that helps children grow
physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

937-399-2444

Equality Springfield Continues Film Series

The third of the three events in the 2014 LGBT Documentary film
series will take place Thursday, October 23, at 7:00 p.m. in the Cinema
5 theater at the Upper Valley Mall.
Highlands United Church of Christ is a co-sponsor of the series and has
5 tickets to give free to anyone who wishes to attend. Tickets can also
be purchased at the door for $5.00.

People For Safe Water

Highlands supports efforts to keep our water supply safe. People For Safe Water are community leaders
working to have the hazardous waste now stored in the Tremont City Barrel Fill removed from the area
close to the Springfield wells and taken elsewhere. Highlands assists this effort by providing a meeting
place for the Planning Committee. The third Thursday of each month, this group gathers to plan the
strategy to press the United States Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the hazardous waste so
it will not jeopardize the water supply in the southwest section of Ohio. Lets all work together to keep
our water clean.

9:30 am
10:30 am
10:45 am
11:30 am
12:00 pm
8:00 pm

26
9:30 am
Adult Class
10:30 am
Worship
10:45 am
Children
11:30 am
Fellowship
3:00 pm
All Souls
Taize worship 5:00 pm
8:00 pm
AA

19 Adult Class 9:30 am

10:30 am
Worship
10:45 am
Children
11:30 am
Fellowship
8:00:pm
AA

12 Adult Class 9:30 am

10:30 am
Worship
10:45 am
Children
11:30 am
Fellowship
8:00 pm
AA

5 Adult Class
Worship
Children
Fellowship
Diaconate
AA

Sun

28
Meal served by
Semper Fidelis
7:00 pm

27
Springfield Zen
Group 7:00 pm

Springfield Zen
Group 7:00 pm

21

Relay for Life

Meeting

Springfield Zen
Group 7:00 pm
20

14

13

16

29

22

30

23 Facing Fear &

Invisible Light
Films at Cinema
10 at Upper Valley
Mall

Trustees 6:00 pm People For Safe

7:00 pm
Water
Council 7:30 pm

15

Semper Fidelis
7:00 pm

Christian
Education
7:00 pm

Springfield Zen
Group 7:00 pm

Thu

Wed

Tue

Mon

October 2014

31

Retreat for All

Souls 6:30 pm
First Baptist

24

17

10

Fri

Nov 1
SONKA Fal
Gathering
8:30 am to
1:00 pm

25
Retreat for All
Souls 8:30 am
Harvest Festival
12:302:30

18

11
Clean-up Day
912

4
Blessing of the
Animals
10:30 a.m.

Sat

A Retreat for All Souls

An invitation to deepen your spiritual life
Friday, Oct. 24Hallowed Eve.
An Introduction to Christian Contemplative Practice.
(5:30 Labyrinth open) 6:30-9:00 p.m. First Baptist Church (FBC), 638 South Fountain Ave.

Saturday, Oct. 25Sacred Morning Praying with the Saints

Learning to sit with God and Deepening our Spiritual Practice.
8:30 a.m. 12 Noon First Baptist Church (FBC), 638 South Fountain Ave.

Sunday, Oct. 26Gathering All Souls

Learning from the Celts, Praying in Nature, Taize Worship for
Christian Unity and Fellowship Meal. Bring food to share.
3:00-6:30 p.m. Highlands United Church of Christ (HUCC), 1910 St. Paris Pike.

Other optional events.

Saturday - 12:30-2:30 p.m. Harvest Festival, includes lunch at HUCC
4:00-6:00 p.m. South Fountain Preservation Association Festival at FBC
Sunday -10:00 a.m. Contemplative Worship at FBC with Carl McColman
& Pastor Ken Whitt
11:00 a.m. Adult Forum with Carl McColman at FBC
Sponsors/Promoters: Christ Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church & Highlands United Church of Christ
Promoters: Champion City Vineyard, High Street United Methodist Church, St. Raphael Catholic Church,
St. Teresa Catholic Church, Wittenberg Lutheran Campus Ministry
Carl McColman is the author of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Answering the Contemplative Call, as well as a
popular website and blog. He lives in Atlanta, GA and is the member of the Lay Cistercians of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit
a contemplative community under the spiritual guidance of Trappist monks. Carl frequently leads workshops and retreats on
contemplative spirituality at churches, seminaries, monasteries and retreat centers.
As a speaker, he is noted for his warm, down-to-earth style; his sense of humor and conviction that so-called serious topics
like mysticism and meditation can be fun and whimsical; and his ability to make complex topics accessible to everyone.
Read more about him at www.carlmccolman.com. and www.patheos.com/blogs/carlmccolman
Registration Fee: $25. Scholarships available if you need financial assistance to attend.
Registration Deadline: Monday, October 21.
Name __________________________________ Address: ________________________ City/State/Zip ____________________
Phone __________________________________ Email __________________________ Church __________________________
___ Enclosed is $25 for my registration fee. (Make check payable to: Highlands United Church of Christ).
___ I would like to apply for a scholarship of _____ (amount) because: ________________________________________.
Please mail in your application to: Carl McColman Retreat, c/o Highlands United Church of Christ, 1910 St. Paris Pike, Springfield,
Ohio 45504 or give it to Jan Kushmaul, Debbie Copeland or Nancy Flinchbaugh. For more information : Email: Jan Kushmaul
(jkushmaul@woh.rr.com) or Phone: Nancy Flinchbaugh (937.206.0265).

Highlands United Church of Christ

1910 Saint Paris Pike
Springfield, Ohio 45504
www.highlandsucc.com

Return Service Requested

Highlands Open and Affirming Statement

The worshipping family within the faith community of Highlands United Church of Christ believes in
Christ's gospel of unconditional love. We joyfully welcome into full participation, membership, and
leadership of this congregation persons of every race, language, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, economic or marital status, and faith background. We affirm
and celebrate all loving, committed relationships affirming that all families defined by love are blessed."
Adopted by the congregation January 13, 2013

Mission Statement
Our Mission is to be the loving heart and healing hands of God in the world;
we are a welcoming community of faith, seeking to accompany and support all
on their journey to Christ, and bearing authentic witness of Gods inclusive love
as proclaimed through Jesus.

Highlands United Church of Christ, is called by God

To open doors for all who seek a safe place for their spiritual journey
To extend extravagant hospitality
To set an open table for all who hunger
To provide sanctuary for all who seek forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing
To do justice and pursue peace