Updates

(Updates are posted by date)

Sunday, April 26

Upper Room is making it’s semi-monthly devotional for May & June available for free in this pandemic. You can click here to download your copy. If you would like a paper copy, you can come by the church this Wednesday and Thursday, April 29-30, and you’ll find them on the bench outside the narthex doors.

Wednesday, April 22

Highland is organizing a food drive to support Interfaith Food Shuttle on Sunday, May 3, 12 – 4 PM. Click here for details on how to participate.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Highland received word today that the church and Highland Children’s Center have been approved for a Paycheck Protection Program loan under the CARES Act. This loan/grant will help to cover payroll expenses during this time of quarantine and closure. We are thankful to the folks who put in a lot of hours to see the church’s application completed.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

The details of how we will observe Holy Week are now available on this page. We recognize that this Holy Week will be unlike any we have previously observed and there will be a lot of traditions and observances that we miss. However, our worship is not about us; it’s about the God we worship and how we recall together the saving acts of Jesus Christ. We pray that all will worship this coming week and encounter anew the saving grace of God.

Friday, March 29, 2020

With Wake County’s Proclamation of Emergency Restrictions, known as the “stay at home order,” Highland is making a few adjustments to how we are doing business at this time. The church office will be closed for typical business through (at least) April 17.

Church staff will be in the building on a limited basis to perform essential functions for the facilities and business office. They will try to check voicemail regularly, but e-mail will be received much more quickly. If you need to get in touch with someone more promptly, texts and direct calls may be more effective.

Tuesday, March 25, 2020

In keeping with Bishop Hope Morgan Ward and our conference leadership’s recommendations, Highland will be cancelling the majority of on-campus activities through mid-May. We are committed to continuing life together as a community of faith and will continue to explore online resources for connecting and growing together.

Sunday, March 23, 2020

Sermon.net is struggling to keep up with the demands of so many churches live-streaming during this season of pandemic social distancing. Even if you can’t access Highland’s service during the 11:00 hour, feel free to watch the record at your convenience; simply click the link for “Connection Service – 3/22/220” on our streaming site.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Highland’s Community Victory Garden is still growing! Our gardeners are being careful to work in small, spread out groups for everyone’s health and safety. Rather than a single, big work session on Saturday morning (which looks rainy this week anyway), they are organizing smaller work sessions in the days ahead, weather permitting. Interested in helping out sometime? Contact Donna Wolcott for details.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

As we commit to being a people of prayer this Lenten season, Pastor Amanda will be leading Morning Prayer on Facebook Live Monday – Thursday at 9 AM beginning March 23. Go to Highland’s Facebook page (@HUMCRaleigh) at that time and you’ll be able to join her for this brief prayer service. Or you can follow this link at the appropriate time: facebook.com/HUMCRaleigh

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Highland’s Library will be open during office hours (Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 12 PM) for anyone who needs a book or two to read at home.

Highland’s use of the prayer labyrinth has been extended to March 31 (maybe longer). For the time being, we’re planning to keep in the conference room and it will be available during modified office hours, Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 12 PM. Wear or bring a pair of socks if you plan to walk the labyrinth; it helps to protect the fabric. Instructions are available for you in the conference room.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Additional guidelines from the federal government and by North Carolina’s state leadership has made clear that we will not be gathering at Highland in groups of any significant size for a while yet. Most on-campus activities are suspended until at least March 27. Highland’s staff continues to work together to plan how we will continue to function as a community of faith in the midst of such uncertainty. Your pastors and staff continue to check their e-mail and voice mail, so do not hesitate to reach out to them.

Live-Streaming Worship

We will again be offering a single service this Sunday at 11 AM, live-streamed from Bradley Hall at our streaming site. Click on the “Connection Service” for that day. The service will include many things that are familiar to our congregation, including hymns and praise songs, prayers and children’s time, scriptures and a sermon. We’re all still learning how to make this the best experience for everyone and the staff appreciates everyone’s patience in this process. Click here to go to our streaming site.

Couldn’t Find Last Sunday’s Service?
Even though the service is at 11 AM, it is listed as “Connection Service,” simply because we are leading from Bradley Hall. The countdown timer wasn’t accurate; hopefully we can address that as well. If you were unable to join us, you can still watch the recording of Sunday’s service. Look for “Connection Service – 3/15/2020” and click “video” to watch the service. (There’s several minutes of the welcome screen before the service starts.)

Why Bradley? The new and improved audio and visual equipment installed in our recent renovations of Bradley Hall have made that the ideal space for these exclusively live-streamed services.

Church Office Hours
The church office will be open modified hours as we navigate this period of isolation: Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 12 PM. The narthex doors will be open; if you have business with the staff, please call ahead (919-787-4240), as the church staff and pastors will be splitting their time between the office and working from home.

Walk the Prayer Labyrinth

A portable prayer labyrinth will be at Highland in the Conference Room (note change in location) from March 18—March 24, 9 AM – 12 PM (when the office is open). There are instructions sheets in the conference room to help guide you.  To protect the fabric labyrinth, please only walk on in socks. Individuals are welcome to come take advantage of this prayer tool during this Lenten season. Questions? Contact Rev. Amanda Bunce.

Thursday, March 12, 2020
Bishop Ward and our NC Conference leadership met with state health officials today to discuss proactive measures to help our communities in the face of increasing COVID-19 cases. State officials believe social isolation will be the most effective way to slow the spread of disease. Bishop Ward has asked churches to make the difficult decision to cancel worship services for the next two weeks. Click here to read the bishop’s statement.

How will Highland respond?
Therefore, Highland is cancelling all Sunday morning activities on March 15 and 22. At this time, we are also cancelling all church ministry activities scheduled for Sunday, March 15 – Wednesday, March 18.

Highland cares deeply about the safety and well-being both of our church family and our larger community. If our church can help be part of the solution for the larger community in a time of crisis, then that’s what we’ll do.

Highland’s continuing response
We are carefully evaluating all aspects of church life, keeping in mind the vulnerability of our older population, but also all the ways that church life is critical to our spiritual health and well-being. We will cancel what we feel we must. We will seek out different and creative ways to continue our life in community. Beginning early next week, we will evaluate small group gatherings scheduled after Wednesday.