JANUARY 2016

www.highlandsucc.org 1910 Saint Paris Pike

highlandsucc@sbcglobal.net Springfield, Ohio 45504-1206

937-399-7493

From the Pastor…

We welcome another new year in Highlands’ ministry to Springfield and Clark County. This will be a year to consider change—change which we have been discussing informally and which I write about from time to time. One change with which we begin the year, is soliciting articles from members to publish in the newsletter each month. The articles need not be long and can address any number of subjects from your own faith journey, to how Highlands has impacted your journey, to the hopes and dreams of the role you see Highlands playing in the community and the world. This month, we are publishing an article written by Flo Keaton, which she posted on our Facebook page. It was one of the most read articles this year, so I thought it worth sharing here for those without Facebook. Her key observation is we can focus on what we have lost or we can chose to embrace and live fully in the present—choosing not to merely “get through” but to celebrate! We are offered that opportunity in our relationship with the God we profess to follow. When things don’t go the way we hope, sometimes we ask God “why are you doing this to us?” Perhaps to paraphrase a long dead president, “ask not what God can do for you, ask what you can do to share God’s love in the world”. During the course of this year, we will be building on the legacy of Highlands’ which began in 1883 in a house church on Lagonda Avenue, by Mr. and Mrs. Flavious Danforth. We will honor the long legacy of Highlands and predecessor congregations, but we will not dwell on that which can’t be changed. We will continue faithfully celebrate God’s love in Springfield, in Clark County, in Southwest Ohio, in places such as the Shema Church in Havana, Cuba, which like Highlands, reaches out to folks excluded due to prejudice. I ask you to pray during this year as we have discussions, as we brainstorm, as we seek guidance as to our direction. During Advent, the Adult Discussion group watched the 1947 film “The Bishop’s Wife” in which the Lutheran Bishop played by David Niven, lost focus on God’s call. He wanted to build a magnificent cathedral. He lost touch with his congregation, with his family, with himself. He prayed for guidance (which he hoped would result in his cathedral), but he got something more valuable…reconnection with God, with the community, with his faith as they took the money that was to be used for the cathedral and gave it to the poor, the homeless, the hungry. We too, must listen for the voice that may come from

unexpected places that challenges us to leave behind our own desires, but to follow God. Have a blessed New Year!

Highlands Looks to the Future! A Team has been formed to address the future needs of Highlands United Church of Christ. It seeks ways that Highlands can continue to fulfill its mission to be God’s loving heart and healing hands in the world. The purpose of the Team is two-fold; how to meet the needs of those who choose Highlands as their church home and how to step into the community with the message of God’s love for all. The team has been chartered to look at all the possible options for the future.

Members of this team include Linda Owens, Jan Kushmaul, Kathy Howard, Flo Keaton, Cindy Bowen, Millie McNeal, and Sandy Ryon. They are ready to listen to your concerns and suggestions.

Here are a few of the ideas/comments that have already been received:

Improve our music ministry – We have begun to address this through the recent addition of Wittenberg University music students who will play for us through mid-May.

Provide extravagant hospitality to newcomers – Greet them when they enter the church. Invite them to stay for fellowship time. Be sure there is someone sitting with them for fellowship.

Make worship more relevant – Change aspects that newcomers find uncomfortable; -Passing the Peace to everyone in the sanctuary, -Holding hands to sing “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”

Meet children’s needs – Pray for children and for individuals with the energy to work with them.

We will be updating the congregation from time-to-time as to possibilities and we invite your comments, concerns, hopes and dreams about the future ministries of Highlands UCC.

Be on the lookout for changes as we explore ways to be open to God’s call to Love, Peace, and Justice.

Interfaith Hospitality Network Item Donations Some of the members of Highlands Church are collecting items for

Interfaith Hospitality Network. We have a box in the narthex if you wish to join us in this effort. Once we have several items,

we will take them to IHN. Here are a few things needed: Hygiene products, household & healthcare products, such as band-aids, OTC pain relievers etc. A complete list is on the Community News bulletin board.

Why Do We Have the Plastic Container for Box Tops?

Oesterlen participates in the Campbell’s Labels for Education and General Mills Box Tops for Education Programs which earns funds for over 80,000 schools and organizations. Each Box Top is worth 10¢. America’s schools and organizations have earned over $114 mil-lion in merchandise over the Labels for Education program’s 42 year history. These little box tops mean a lot to organizations like the Oesterlen Center.

Don’t Forget the Food Cart!

We collect food and non-perishable items year round for

Open Hands Free Store’s food pantry.

For December’s in-gathering for Christmas 80 items including paper products, fresh fruit and vegetables, baking items, canned fruits and vegetables, boxed

meals and candy!

You can help feed the hungry by dropping off items to Highlands Church, 1910 St. Paris Pike, 6:00 am to 5:30 pm.

Annual Congregational Meeting

On January 10, 2016 Highlands will hold its annual Congregational Meeting. After worship services there will be a light lunch served and the Annual Meeting will follow immediately after. We are at a critical juncture in our life as a church. Your participation is vital as we seek to address the challenges we face as a congregation in the coming year. Please plan to attend this important meeting.

How Do I Know If Church is Canceled? Is it snowing really hard? Is inclement weather forecast? Are schools, churches, and other places closing due to

weather? If so... Tune into these TV stations and watch for a notice if Highlands is also closing.

WDTN, Channel 2 WKEF, Channel 22 WHIO, Channel 7

Kroger Community Rewards Program Sign up at: www.krogercommunityrewards.com. Complete instructions are on the table in

the narthex. Highlands NPO number is 82186

Meijer’s Community Rewards Program

If you shop at Meijer’s you can help Highlands by enrolling in the

Meijer’s Community Rewards Program. Applications are available at the church or at the Meijer’s store or

complete an application on line at Meijer.com/rewards.

Make regular purchases using cash, a PIN debit card or a linked Meijer credit

card and you contribute to the donation Meijer’s makes to Highlands! Highlands is a registered organization with the designation code 210405.

Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) If you wish to donate to this program, there is a box in the narthex for donations.

Items always in demand at IHN include: HYGIENE PRODUCTS—bath soap, body wash, combs, conditioner, denture adhesive & cleans-er, deodorant, feminine hygiene, hair brushes, hair gel/hairspray, hand/body lotion, mouth wash, razors, shaving cream, tooth brushes & paste, towels, wash cloths. HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS—all purpose cleaners, aluminum foil, bleach, brooms/mops, buck-ets, dish detergent & cloths & towels, fabric softener sheets, food freezer/storage bags, insect spray, tissues, laundry detergent, toilet tissue, trash bags. HEALTH CARE—antibacterial ointment, baby aspirin, diapers, diaper cream, baby lotion/shampoo/wipes/powder, band-aids, cold medicine, cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, pain re-lievers, rubbing alcohol, sinus medicine, throat lozenges, toothache medicine.

Losing Christmas By: Flo Keaton This article, written by Flo, was posted to the Highlands Facebook page in December. We reprint it here with Flo’s permission.

My second husband had died in March and now Christmas was approaching. For the very first time I was completely alone for Christmas (except for my dog, Josie, but she didn’t seem to have the Christmas spirit, either.) I was drawn to my memories, memories of those Christmases lost. My earliest memories of Christmases with my parents, older brother and younger sister. My father was an alcoholic, who didn’t drink at home, but he loved Christmas so it was the one day of the year that we had peace. I dearly loved it. In the evening we would all load into the car, me carrying my newest baby doll, and drive around Wheeling looking at the lights. Oh, how I savored that peace. My mother came up with the idea of “funny gift”. On Thanksgiving we each drew a name of one of the others and were to come up with a funny gift for that person on Christmas. One year my mother got my name, and she got me a “rose and a Baby Ruth” the name of one of my favorite songs at the time. The first year of my marriage to Ron we were so poor, we waited until the day before Christmas to go to the S&H Green Stamp store (remember them?), where we redeemed the stamps for all our gifts. Then there was an ice storm so that no one who was planning to join us for Christmas could make it. It was a lonely day! Very quickly, it seemed, we had four children. Those were joyous Christmas times. The kids always wanted to open something the night before Christmas, but our tradition was to open everything the next morning. So Ron came up with the idea of “homemade” Christmas, to be opened on Christmas Eve. Everyone had to make a gift for each other family member. You could make six gifts alike, or six different gifts. Ron often made small wooden toys for each kid. One year I made each family member their own personalized pillowcase. Another year I made each child his or her own toy bag to carry with us on trips. My older daughter made me a nativity scene out of clay in art class. My older son one year had heard me say that my index finger, which was broken and in a splint, was cold because it was sticking out. He cut and sewed me a finger cover out of felt. Sometimes someone made candy or cookies. It was creative and fun. Anonymous gifts were always fun to give, and so I encouraged my kids to give an anonymous gift to someone at school or church. After my girls were too old for dolls, I anonymously gave a doll to a child at school. I still love buying dolls. In 2009 Ron died, but I was not alone since I was still raising my grandson, a senior in high school. We didn’t want to be at home on Christmas morning, missing Ron, so we arranged to visit my son in Columbus, with his wife and three-year-old son. We got to share in their joy. A few years later I married Gus. We celebrated four Christmases together, the last one very quiet with just the two of us at home together. My son, who had been going to host us at his house, came down with the flu, so we all stayed away. Between sickness and bad weather, we didn’t get to celebrate until February! And now we come to Christmas present—2015. Many people talk about just “getting through” the Christmas season. I choose to celebrate, not simply getting through. I may be alone, but I don’t have to stay alone. My husbands may be gone, but I can celebrate by remembering them and our Christmas traditions. I will not allow their deaths to steal my joy at celebrating the BIRTH of baby Jesus. A few years ago I found a little book to give to a friend who had trouble feeling the Christmas joy. She enjoyed it so much that I got one for myself. It is “The Little Book of Christmas Joys”, 432 things to do for yourself and others that just might make this the best Christmas ever. It is now out of print, but still available at used book stores. I have ordered a couple to give to those who might appreciate them now. This may not be my best Christmas ever, but I won’t let it be my worst. At least for that one day and one season, I will celebrate. Christmas past but still in memories, not lost. And Christmas present—I don’t know what it might hold, but I will make it joyful.

Dear Highlands Congregation:

Thank you so much for your generous Christmas Gift. I consider myself truly blessed to be in

ministry with you as we strive to share God’s love, joy, peace and hope in the

world...beginning right here in Springfield. May God bless each of you throughout the

coming year!

Blessings and Peace,

Wittenberg University Music Students Providing Worship Service Music Thanks to the music students of Wittenberg University,

Highlands will have live musicians providing music for worship services! There are a variety of instruments such as flute, clarinet, saxophone, and piano to accompany

our hymns and provide special music and occasionally a vocal soloist with special music.. Come to church on Sunday mornings to experience good music

and to support these fine young men and women. Your presence in worship is one way to say ‘Thank you’ to these generous musicians.

Semper Fidelis Women’s Group Will not meet again until March

If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, call 937-399-7493 to have your name removed from the Outreach newsletter mailing list.

LGBTQ Youth Information An LGBTQ youth group has been formed which meets at First UCC

Springfield. This group provides a safe place for LGBTQ youth. Contact Sheryl Witt at 937.926.6826 for meeting times or to volunteer.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians, Gays, and Transgender, questioning, and allies, meet the 4th Tuesday of every month at 7pm at

Messiah Lutheran Church, 1013 E. Lawn Avenue, Urbana. The Dayton PFLAG Chapter meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month at

7:00 p.m. at Harmony Creek Church, 5280 Bigger Road, Kettering.

Lower Level Restroom Updated Thank you to all who have contributed to the cost, but help Is still needed. Contributions and money from the grant has almost covered this expense

However, we have a little further to go to cover the cost! Please mark your donation envelope with “Restroom” and place in the offering plate!

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Highlands United Church of Christ 1910 Saint Paris Pike Springfield, Ohio 45504

www.highlandsucc.org

Mission Statement

Our Mission is to be the loving heart and healing hands of God in the world; we are a welcoming community of faith, seeking to accompany and support all

on their journey to Christ, and bearing authentic witness of God’s inclusive love as proclaimed through Jesus.

Highlands United Church of Christ, is called by God

To open doors for all who seek a safe place for their spiritual journey To extend extravagant hospitality To set an open table for all who hunger To provide sanctuary for all who seek forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing To do justice and pursue peace

Highlands Open and Affirming Statement

The worshipping family within the faith community of Highlands United Church of Christ believes in Christ's gospel of unconditional love. We joyfully welcome into full participation, membership, and leadership of this congregation persons of every race, language, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, economic or marital status, and faith background. We affirm and celebrate all loving, committed relationships affirming that all families defined by love are blessed." Adopted by the congregation January 13, 2013

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