Make a Faith Promise 2025 Pledge HERE
We would like to see every family at Highlands involved in giving through Faith Promise. To continue supporting our current missionaries, we need $150,000 in Faith Promise giving.
Make A One Time Faith Promise Gift HERE
If you would like to make a Faith Promise gift now, please provide the information at the link above.
Highlands has a heart for missions, starting in our own community and extending to the countries of the world.
SHINE THE LIGHT!
The theme verse for the 2025 Highlands Missions Festival is from John 1:4-5 "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." We believe that Christ's light is more powerful than darkness. It may seem like darkness might be prevailing, but it isn't. Christ gave us his Great Commission because it is his command for us to go and make disciples of all the nations, to baptize them and teach them. And we will see His church spread and grow wider and deeper. In John 8:12, Jesus shares these inspiring words: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are children of the light, who get to share the light of the world! Our journey starts here in the Greater Jackson area, but it reaches far beyond, crossing oceans and continents to bring light to those who are walking in darkness without the gospel of grace. Our Missions Festival theme is "Shine the Light. Let it shine from shore to shore!” The symbol is a lighthouse casting light across an entire ocean. This represents our sending missionaries into all the world. Will we be a tall, strong, and bright sender of the Light in 2025? Yes! Come and experience the Great Commission by meeting our missionaries, hearing their stories, and being transformed by worship and the preaching of the Word in our shared mission.
Missions Festival Schedule
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
5:00pm Church-wide Dinner in the Fellowship Hall
(nursery provided)
Kids in Pre-K 4 through 5th grade will meet in the 3rd floor lobby for pizza and their own Missions Fest.
Kids are encouraged to wear international costumes and bring an offering for our missionaries.
6:15pm Panel Discussion with Missionaries in the
Fellowship Hall
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20
In-Home Food & Fellowship opportunity with Missionaries
11:30am: Crossroads in the Atrium
6:00pm: Seekers, Refuge, Lighthouse
meet at the home of Mary Ann and Monty Simpkins
6:00pm: Covenant, Young Adults, College
meet at the home of Christie and Thomas Gandy
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Mission Committee Dinner with Missionaries
6:00pm Home of Julie and Craig Crosland
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22
8:30am Men’s Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall
11:30am Ladies’ Luncheon in the Atrium
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23
9:00am Worship Service (children singing)
10:30am Adult Sunday School Communities and Youth grades 6-12 featuring our Missionaries in the Fellowship Hall
SUNDAY, MARCH 9
9:00am Worship Service & Faith Promise Commitment (nursery provided)
10:30am Sunday School Communities
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Mission to the World - see our supported missionaries below.
World Missions is a vital part of the vision and core values of Highlands Presbyterian Church. Worship, Teaching, Nurture...REACHING! “Reaching” means to take our place as partners in ministry together, seeking to be faithful to do our part in fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission to strengthen His church and extend His Kingdom through the proclamation of the Gospel at home and abroad. Highlands “reaches” out in three areas of ministry: Home Missions, World Missions, and Mercy Ministry. For World Missions, we will seek to do this by praying for our missionaries, keeping in touch with our missionaries, providing monetary support to individual missionaries and agencies through Faith Promise, and organizing and supporting Highlands’ short-term mission teams. We would love to raise up and support people within our congregation to consider long-term service on the mission field if the Lord is calling them there. We seek to offer warm, loving hospitality to missionaries that visit our church, giving them the opportunity to share with us God’s work through them in their particular place of service. We also try to send our people “there” from time to time to be an encouragement and help to our missionaries on the field. The biggest World Missions event of the year is our annual Missions Festival. Missionary guests, a challenging speaker, and multiple opportunities for growth and fellowship make this a special time in the life of our church.
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Mission to North America (Home Missions)
The Home Missions Ministry of Highlands reaches out through church planting, campus ministries, and the support of other ministries and institutions we believe in within North America.
Ministries We Support :
Church Planting
Campus Ministries
Other Ministries and Institutions -
Short-Term Mission Opportunities
Bahamas, anyone? A team of singles, couples, and families with older children is needed to serve at a summer day camp for children in Nassau, Bahamas, July 27 through August 2. They will serve alongside our missionaries, Tim and Beverly Hart. More information and a signup for those interested will be available at the Missions Festival.
Our Supported Missionaries
Teresa Wilson, USA, with Japanese Team
Craig and Stacy Pohl, Japan
Trey and Kiki Adams, Thailand
Brent Kooi, Australia
Tim and Bev Hart, Bahamas
Lenden and Gemma Fleeman, Spain
Derek and Shannon Ebbers, Romania
Scott and Christine Devries, Turkey
Bob and Andrea Burnham, Ukraine
Jon and Tracy Eide, Ukraine
Clarke and Krystya Norton, Ukraine
Doug and Masha Shepherd, Ukraine
Andrew Sheppard, Ukraine
Jonathan and Olya Powell, Ukraine
Daniel and Katie Brink, Belgium
Nate and Nikki Bonham, Columbia
Manny and Terri Bersach, Columbia
Rick and Betty Aschmann, Ecuador
Rodney and Janna Davila, El Salvador
Abigail Conroy, El Salvador
Libby Sciano, El Salvador
Josh and Liz Johnson, Honduras
Franklin and Beth Beaver, USA
Mike and Robin McMahan, USA
Glenn and Sharlene Grubb, International (USA)
Alex and Irena Ponomarev, USA Slavic Tribes (USA)
Richard Pratt, Third Millennium Ministries (USA)
Jonah, Muslim Ministries (USA)
Deddy Simanjuntak, Indonesia
Jim and Bubbles Delfin, Philippines
Faith Promise Goals
Below are our goals for 2025 Faith Promise Giving.
BASE – $150,000
Support our current missionaries
STRETCH – $151,250
Add a missionary
Add funding for short-term, support, trips
HALLELUJAH! – $166,650
Add special projects funding
Increase funding for current missionaries
Goal to increase the number of participants to 150.
Highlands Missions Team Returns from El Salvador
Our Highlands missions team ( David Harbaugh, Karen Thomas, Mike & Cristy Hillerman, and Chip, Cindy & Miles Johnson) returned safely from their trip to El Salvador on October 5th. They served alongside Missions To the World missionaries in church planting work. This was accomplished through conversational English classes and mercy ministry to the homeless and those struggling with addiction. It was an eye opening trip as they got a glimpse of understanding just how much goes into starting a church plant in a different culture. Much of what the group did involved helping the missionary team make connections and contacts with people. This was done with the goal of creating relationships possibly for the future church plant. They did a lot of interacting with university students who are learning English. Most had never spoken to native English speakers before. Our team worked with an established mercy ministry group that works with the homeless and other marginalized populations. They spent an afternoon passing out meals to the homeless. Highlands missions team also traveled around the city and surrounding areas alongside the MTW team to become a little more familiar with the country, the culture, and the history of El Salvador.
Praise God for health and safety for our team and that they made it back home safely. Pray for encouragement for the MTW team in El Salvador, continued growth and transformation in the region, and that lives would be changed through this mission. Thank you to our team for serving and representing Highlands! See full photos gallery HERE.