1. Highlands Highlights

From the Pastor:

‘Tis the Season of LUV!

Can you believe that we are already past the first whole month of a new year?! Here we are at February again and the season when LOVE is at the forefront of a lot of minds. (Some guys may be exempt from this statement-or oblivious)

This is the time of year when the greeting card companies and the candy companies can look forward to good income. I must confess that I have contributed to both in the past, especially those chocolates.

With all of that said, let’s consider that the LOVE OF GOD for all mankind supersedes anything man can come up with. Firs of all, He loved us enough that He was willing to send His perfect, sinless Son to die on the cross for our sin. In response to that we are called to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and all others like we love ourselves. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT SEASON OF LOVE IS TO LAST ALL YEAR LONG, NOT FOR ONE DAY, OR ONE WEEK OR SOME OTHER SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

We are called to love with agape love, which is the unconditional love with which the Lord loved us. That means that we are to love the Lord whether we can understand all that He is doing or not. Our love for Him should not be based on how much He has done for us in this world, since He has already paid the entire cost for us to have the security of eternity with Him in heaven. We are to love others regardless of how they treat us. We are to extend the love and compassion of our Father to everyone, so they will experience, in a small measure, what they can expect from the Father, if they will turn to Him.

I challenge you to make the remainder of 2012 THE SEASON OF LOVE! First, if you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, you will find it so much easier to love others, because you will have a much deeper appreciation of what the Lord’s love for you has meant, and means. Second, you will find your joy rich and full in Him, as you love Him and realize how much joy you can give Him by all out obedience to His will.

How are you doing today? Did you get angry with the Lord because something didn’t go the way you thought it should? Did you turn your head and walk by the needy person for fear that you might be asked to give them something? Did you snub a brother or sister in Christ because they said or did something that you didn’t approve of? Take time to allow the Lord to search your heart and show you if there is anywhere that you have not acted with love and seek to correct the situation and then go forward in the days ahead to carry His love to all you meet.

Men’s Fellowship has returned!

Our next Men’s Fellowship will meet on Thursday, February 23rd at 6:30pm.

Call the church office – 694-2121 – before or on Monday, February 20th.

As we have done in the past, a $5 donation will be collected at the door.

Highlands Baptist Church Family:

It has been a year since my son, Greg and his family, lost their home due to a fire.

I would like to take this time to thank you all for showing your love to all of us.

Your thoughts, prayers, love, and gifts, both monetary and otherwise, were a blessing to them.

They were blessed by the fact that some of you were unknown to them, but still you were there for them.

Although they do not attend church anywhere, they knew God had a hand in keeping them safe. He is very real to them.

As for me, I was not surprised that this church family was a caring one.

I have been on the receiving end of this love for years.

They are in a new home now and are doing good.

Thank you all and please keep on loving and praying for us.

Bettye Wiley

Be sure to mark the date now: Sunday, June 3, 2012

Highlands Baptist Church will be celebrating our 55th anniversary

and the Highlands Baptist Daycare & Preschool will be celebrating 40 years of ministry.

Be watching for more details as the date approaches.

Men’s Yard Ministry

      A group of our men are offering free yard work to those who are unable

             to care for their yards, such as the elderly with no one to help and

                       cannot afford to have it done, single moms and Military families with the

      husband overseas and no one to help them.

      If you know of someone who qualifies,

      please call the church office at 694-2121

Also, if you have used lawn tools that you are no longer using, please consider donating to this project. Thank you.

It is time to begin collecting for 2012 Operation Christmas Child.

We will be collecting various items each month.

For the month of February we will be collecting:

Wash Cloths, bars of soap and small stuffed animals.

Please leave items in the box in the piano foyer.

To learn more about things happening in the Marion Baptist Association you can contact the Association office at

622-6245 and request to receive the

MBA Newsletter online.

Plan to attend Sunday evenings as Pastor Jim will be sharing from God's Word.

Please note that Sunday evening service now starts at 6:15pm.

Be sure to join us on Wednesdays for prayer at 6:15pm.

Attention Youth: Be here on Wednesdays at 6:00pm as our

Minister to Youth, Matthew Tripp, has weekly activities planned just for you!

Did you know that every Saturday you are invited to join with others meeting in the sanctuary with Pastor Jim at 6:00 pm for a time of prayer? The focus will be on Sunday's activities here at the church; the Sunday School and teachers, the message to be presented as well as for hearts to receive what the Lord has planned for us all.

This will continue each Saturday evening as the Lord leads.

February Birthdays

Stormi Price (2^nd), Matthew Trammell (10^th), Jennifer Zinn (28^th)

Connect

To God

       Grow

            In the Character of Christ

               Serve

            The Church & Community