“The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford – she gave her all.” (Mark 12:43-44, MSG)

Let’s begin with a great big thank you to everyone who participated in this weekend’s Stewardship Dedication Sunday! It was extraordinary to see your dedication to Highland made tangible by the stack of blue pledge cards in our tree offering plate. These pledges assist your leaders in making important decisions on how to proceed with our budget for 2019 and we are most grateful for your help.

As I said in my sermon on Sunday, we know that Highland’s future is uncertain. And yet we also know who we are and from where we have come.

The legacy we have inherited from our Highland family is twofold: to be the body of Christ for one another and to be the body of Christ for the world. We are quite excellent at surrounding one another with support, through thick and thin, and walking with one another through life’s many joys and challenges. We are also quite excellent in using the gifts that we do have to serve others. This includes everything from our beautiful orchard to books for school children to opening our extensive campus to community groups every week – and so much more.

What will be essential as we find our path forward is that we not lose sight of either part of our calling. It is easy to circle the wagons and turn our focus inward, thinking only of our immediate family of faith. But to do so is to forget our calling.

As his followers, if we give up on our mission work – those things that serve our community – we give up our status as a living church.

This is something we must never do.

Whatever the path ahead may hold, my prayer for Highland is that we will seek to remain faithful to our full calling as long as we draw breath. And this is a prayer filled with hope – for you have and continue to display your dedication and love for Christ and for God’s church at Highland.

My friends, always remember that God goes with us and nothing that God does will ever return empty.

Blessings,     Janie