Congratulations to Reverend Wesley Rule on his ordination and installation Sunday, March 2, as a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. We are grateful for Wesley and welcome him as Highlands' Assistant Pastor.

From February 16-23, Highlands hosted the 2025 Missions Festival, “Shine The Light.”

The Festival began on Wednesday, February 19, with our church-wide Missions Festival dinner. Everyone gathered to enjoy a delicious Filipino meal and to take part in a panel discussion with our missionaries. Meanwhile, the children had their own missions celebration upstairs, featuring a pizza party, international costumes, music, crafts, and a chance to learn about our short-term missions.

On Thursday, February 20, the Highlands Sunday School Communities met both in the Atrium and in homes to fellowship and hear from our supported missionaries: Teresa Wilson, Bob & Andrea Burnham, Jonah, Franklin and Beth Beaver, and Jim and Bubbles Delfin. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with them personally and learn more about their ministries.

On Friday evening, February 21, our Missions Committee members shared a meal with the missionaries in the home of Craig and Julie Crosland. Our current Missions Commitee members are Joseph Wheat, Craig Crosland, Brad Tisdale, Chip Johnson, David Harbaugh, Lynn Johnson, Terry Sensing, and Clay Quarterman( ex officio).

Saturday, February 22, was filled with food and fellowship! The men began the day with a hearty breakfast in the Fellowship Hall, where Jonah, their guest speaker, delivered a powerful message. Later that day, the women gathered in the Atrium for a luncheon featuring taco salads, where they heard from Teresa Wilson, Beth Beaver, and Bubbles Delfin. Overall, it was an enriching day of fellowship and learning, as Highlands had the chance to hear firsthand from missionaries and gain a deeper understanding of the impact their work has in advancing God's Kingdom worldwide.

On Sunday, February 23rd, the Highlands Missions Festival continued with our Worship Service. The children of Highlands sang "Send the Light!" and Mike Hillerman shared an update on the recent short-term mission trip to San Salvador. Mr. Jim Delfin preached a sermon from Third John titled "Shine the Light, Together!" He reminded us that those serving on the mission field are "in the well," while those of us at home are "holding the rope," highlighting that both roles are essential in advancing God's kingdom abroad.

Following the service, the Youth and Adult Communities gathered in the Fellowship Hall to hear from missionaries Franklin Beaver and Teresa Wilson. A heartfelt thank you to our missionaries, the Missions Committee, and everyone who cooked, served, and volunteered throughout the week. It was an insightful time of getting to know our missionaries personally, learning about their experiences on the mission field, and discovering ways to better support and pray for them. If you'd like to make a one-time gift or a Faith Promise pledge, please click HERE.

Please join us on Sunday, March 9, as we conclude our Missions Festival with a final sermon from Joseph Wheat. This will also be the opportunity to make your Faith Promise Commitment pledge.

This past weekend, on February 7th and 8th, Highlands hosted a wonderful women's gathering with the theme “Grace Revealed.” Several women from our church shared teachings on the means of grace and how we can access it. The weekend kicked off on Friday night in the beautifully decorated Atrium, where the ladies enjoyed a delicious meal of pork tenderloin, catered by Rosemary & Thyme. Afterward, they gathered in the sanctuary for hymn singing and the first session, taught by Terry Sensing, which focused on The Word. The evening concluded with hot cocoa and a time of fellowship.

Saturday morning began bright and early at 8:30 with hot cocoa, freshly baked muffins, and coffee. The women spent time chatting and fellowshipping before heading back to the sanctuary for more singing. The morning included teachings from three different speakers: Cindy Mercer shared insights on the sacrament of communion, Anna Shinnick spoke on prayer, and Susan Graves focused on fellowship. After each session, the ladies broke into small groups for a rich time of reflection and further discussion. A delicious brunch, including quiches, oatmeal, and fruit, was served, also catered by Rosemary & Thyme. Fun door prizes were awarded throughout the weekend.

In addition, the ladies partnered with Canton Kids Club to provide a special luncheon for the mothers of children in their program. Donations were taken during the event and over $300 was collected to support this initiative.

A huge thank you to everyone who led, taught, served, prepared meals, set up, cleaned up, and contributed to making this gathering such a beautiful and enriching experience!

On the evening of Sunday, January 26, Highlands hosted a Men’s BBQ dinner in the fellowship hall, where fathers, sons, neighbors, and friends of all ages gathered together. A delicious meal was catered by Cey Let's Eat Catering. The men enjoyed savory BBQ sandwiches, baked beans, cole slaw, and a homemade banana pudding .

After dinner, Thomas Gandy led an entertaining and lively game of “Friendly Feud,” which sparked friendly competition and plenty of laughs. The two teams—playfully named Team Brad and Team Joseph—battled it out in good spirit, with Team Joseph ultimately emerging as the victors.

After the game , Mike Murphy led the men in singing several hymns.  Then, Samuel Bolen, the Executive Director of the Jackson Leadership Foundation, took the podium to speak to the group. Samuel challenged everyone to actively love and serve their city, state, and Lord, encouraging them to make a difference through tangible actions.

Despite the rainy and cold weather outside, the evening was filled with warmth, connection, and community. Many thanks are extended to those who worked diligently behind the scenes to make the night such a success. It was an evening of fellowship, fun, and enjoyment with brothers in Christ.

Highlands Family Christmas was held on Sunday evening, December 8, 2024 and it was a great success. Over three hundred people attended and enjoyed a meal of delicious homemade chili, hotdogs, and desserts. A chili contest was held, and after the challenging task of selecting from many tasty pots of chili, the winners were announced. Congratulations to our top three chili winners: Taylor Wilson for first place, Cristy Hillerman for second place, and Sean Neely for third place. 

After the hearty meal, everyone moved to the sanctuary to enjoy the children's program. We loved seeing the children's costumes made by the talented ladies from Highlands’ Sew & Sew group. The children worked hard to present a beautiful program of the Christmas story, which included scripture readings and singing Christmas hymns. We ended the night with the congregation singing Christmas carols together.

Many thanks to the organizers, chili cooks and judges, directors, band members, singers, seamstresses, and dedicated parents who worked tirelessly to make the evening so special. What a delightful way to bring in the Christmas season!

On Sunday, December 1, Highland’s Student Ministry had the honor of hosting a  multi-church Hymn Sing event for all PCA youth groups in the area! 85 students from Highlands, First Presbyterian Church, Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church, Providence Presbyterian Church, and others gathered together in the fellowship hall for a time of worship, consisting of singing Christmas Advent Hymns and scripture readings throughout. BBQ was provided by First Presbyterian Church in Jackson and Providence Presbyterian Church’s Praise Team led them in song. Students also enjoyed Christmas cookies & hot cocoa!

What a great opportunity for the students to see and be a part of something bigger than Highlands as they gathered to worship our Lord and Savior!

On Sunday night, November 17, Highlands proudly hosted a special Songwriter’s Evening! This event showcased the musical talents of our own Mike and Allie Murphy, along with their talented friends Matthew Clark, Trailand Eltzroth, and Jennifer Adams. All ages gathered together in an intimate setting to enjoy music and heartfelt stories. Each artist took turns sharing their original compositions and providing insights into the inspiration behind their work. The music was not only beautiful but also deeply meaningful, as each performance aimed to glorify God through their unique gifts. Light refreshments were served, and everyone enjoyed fellowship together as well. It was a wonderful time of bringing glory to God through the shared experience of music and storytelling.

On Saturday, November 2, our Student Ministry held a guys-only Duck Camp Event in Greenwood, MS, for sons and their fathers or father figures. The day was filled with fun activities including target shooting, skeet shooting, kayaking, and more. Deacon Andy Sensing prepared a delicious lunch featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, and smoked bologna. Steve Weeks also led a devotion for the group. It was a wonderful opportunity to get away, appreciate God’s creation, and spend quality time together as men, both young and seasoned. Our guys had a blast!

On Sunday, October 27, our Highlands family and friends came together for a spectacular Harvest Festival!

We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon with live bluegrass music by the Accumulators, children’s games, Space Jumps,  face painting and delicious hamburgers, hotdogs and brats served by Cey Let’s Eat Catering. Our talented bakers shared 46 scrumptious pies, making the Harvest Festival a sweet success. The kids (and some adults) stole the show in their creative costumes during our Harvest Festival contest.  Our winners were :

Best Overall  ~ Shrek ~ Maddux Madden

Most Adorable  ~ Pumpkin ~ Sam Wilson

Most Creative/Artistic ~ Volcano ~ Ayres Tisdale

Best Family ~ Murphy family as Harry Potter cast

Best Youth ~ The Lorax ~ Hartley Strain

Most Clever ~ The Candy Girls ~ Molly Murphy, Alice Jernigan, Addison Combest and Sadie Harbaugh

A huge thank you to all volunteers who contributed to the festival's setup, cleanup, pie baking and serving, and games. We welcomed many visitors and shared a picturesque afternoon together of fellowship and joy!

A lovely time was had at our Women’s Fall Event “Created to Create” on Sunday, September 29th. We had delicious appetizers together and desserts were served by the girls from our student ministry. Ladies of all ages listened as Marilyn Tinnin led us in focusing on how we mirror our creative God when we create. We walked through exhibits of various Highlands’ artists who displayed their talents and creations for all to enjoy. Many thanks to Laurie Nordan, Marilyn Tinnin ,Vicki Overstreet, and all who worked to put this night together. It was a delightful time of fellowship and artistry. Many thanks to our talented artists: Barb and Hal Martin ~pottery, Skip Holmes ~ iron sculpture, Rebecca Holmes ~ photography, Gina Wheat ~ container gardening , Cindy Mercer ~ mixed media, Kaitlyn Harbaugh ~ painting,  Vicki Overstreet ~ acrylics, Anna Shinnick ~ Jewelry, David Segrest ~ Legos, Gary Brewer ~ watercolors, Mary Ann Simpkins ~ thrifting, Charles Tinnin ~ oils, Marilyn Tinnin ~ author, Chuck McBride ~ painter, Abby Pierce ~ jewelry

“...and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.”

Exodus 35:31-33 NKJV

What a fantastic turnout at our Men's Steak Supper September 15th! It was a wonderful evening of fun, fellowship, and delicious food. Men of all ages gathered together for a night of steak, trivia, singing, and listening to an inspiring testimony. A huge thank you to Brad Mercer, Thomas Gandy, Andrew Wilson, Mike Murphy and everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event a success. Your efforts are truly appreciated!