Training session for Atrium catechists and volunteers.

Join us on Sunday, October 27 to celebrate Halloween Highlands style! Wear your costumes to church and join us following worship for a seasonal fellowship meal and a carnival for the kids. We are in need of baked goods for a cake walk, additional Halloween decorations, and volunteers to help run simple carnival games and distribute prizes during the event. If you are able to help make this day memorable and fun for the children in our church, please contact Mary Elizabeth Neal at maryelizabeth@highlandsumc.net.

Blessing of the Backpacks

Information TBD

Join us on Sunday, October 29 to celebrate Halloween Highlands style! Wear your costumes to church and join us following worship for a seasonal fellowship meal and a carnival for the kids. We are in need of baked goods for a cake walk, additional Halloween decorations, and volunteers to help run simple carnival games and distribute prizes during the event. If you are able to help make this day memorable and fun for the children in our church, please contact Mary Elizabeth Neal at maryelizabeth@highlandsumc.net.

You may have heard of Atrium or even visited the beautiful and unique space set aside for our children, yet still feel like you don’t quiteunderstand the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and how it fits in atHighlands. Join us for Adult Sunday School in the Fellowship Hall to hear more about the goals and structure of Atrium, sample a few lessons, and learn more about the effect of the Atrium on our youth and congregation.

Children (age 3-5th grade) are invited back for another great year in theAtrium, starting at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 10. Parents are invited to meet the catechists and take a tour of their child's level before joining Adult Sunday School in the Fellowship Hall. This is an intentional part of the adult lesson; please feel free to stay and observe in the Atrium for a while.

Summer After-Church Cook Outs

Each month this summer, we’ll have an after-church cook out serving up grilled hamburgers and hot dogs with sides, desserts, and plenty of fellowship. Suggested donation of $10/person or $25/family. Join us in the Fellowship Hall after worship. All are welcome and invited!

August 13 – Back to School

Summer After-Church Cook Outs

Each month this summer, we’ll have an after-church cook out serving up grilled hamburgers and hot dogs with sides, desserts, and plenty of fellowship. Suggested donation of $10/person or $25/family. Join us in the Fellowship Hall after worship. All are welcome and invited!

July 2 – Fourth of July Weekend
August 13 – Back to School

Summer After-Church Cook Outs

Each month this summer, we’ll have an after-church cook out serving up grilled hamburgers and hot dogs with sides, desserts, and plenty of fellowship. Suggested donation of $10/person or $25/family. Join us in the Fellowship Hall after worship. All are welcome and invited!

June 18 - Father’s Day
July 2 – Fourth of July Weekend
August 13 – Back to School

Join us on Sunday, October 30 to celebrate Halloween Highlands style! Wear your costumes to church and join us following worship for a seasonal fellowship meal and a carnival for the kids. We are in need of baked goods for a cake walk, additional Halloween decorations, and volunteers to help run simple carnival games and distribute prizes during the event. If you are able to help make this day memorable and fun for the children in our church, please contact Mary Elizabeth Neal at maryelizabeth@highlandsumc.net.

Join the people and pets of Highlands for the Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 9. Come to the front lawn of the church for a blessing. We will have a photo station available for you to have professional photos taken with your family and pets. Please feel free to come and go as your schedule allows.

Don't have a pet who travels well? Bring a picture for us to bless instead!

On Sunday, May 22, we will celebrate our 5th and 6th grade students who are graduating from Atrium. Join us in the Prayer Garden at 9 am to celebrate them together.

Safe Sanctuaries Training

A central tenet of our Christian faith is the inherent value and worth of all children, youth and vulnerable adults. Because of our commitment to protecting all who participate in the children and youth programming at Highlands, we are asking all members of our congregation to attend one of the Safe Sanctuaries training events we will offer in March. Training will be led by Drake Roberts, our Welcoming Ministries Assistant and a certified Safe Sanctuary trainer for the North Alabama Conference. Each training session will take less than one hour.

Remote training: Monday, March 7 at 6:00 pm on Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83439157223?pwd=bFJJZ0MrK3ExOS90eDlDK01SSTA2dz09

Meeting ID: 834 3915 7223
Passcode: 559998

Safe Sanctuaries Training - March 6 and 7

A central tenet of our Christian faith is the inherent value and worth of all children, youth and vulnerable adults. Because of our commitment to protecting all who participate in the children and youth programming at Highlands, we are asking all members of our congregation to attend one of the Safe Sanctuaries training events we will offer in March. Training will be led by Drake Roberts, our Welcoming Ministries Assistant and a certified Safe Sanctuary trainer for the North Alabama Conference. Each training session will take less than one hour.

In-person training: Sunday, March 6 at 9:30 am in Room E209

Remote training: Monday, March 7 at 6:00 pm on Zoom

Acolyte Training - November 14

On Sunday, November 14, the worship committee will be offering acolyte training to any individuals interested in serving in worship. While we are largely expecting children and youth who are in 4th grade or higher, we welcome anyone, including adults. The plan is to provide lunch to all participants after the 10:30 service and then spend about two hours training acolytes and fitting everyone for robes. If you are looking for a way to be a leader in worship, we would love to have you! We would like for everyone to RSVP so we can plan for lunch and better determine how long we will need to spend with training. Thank you for considering becoming a meaningful participant in worship at Highlands!

Contact: Brian Bellenger – bellengerb@gmail.com | 205-410-6310

Join us on Sunday, October 31 to celebrate Halloween Highlands style! Wear your costumes to church and join us following worship for a seasonal fellowship meal and a carnival for the kids. We are in need of baked goods for a cake walk, additional Halloween decorations, and volunteers to help run simple carnival games and distribute prizes during the event. If you are able to help make this day memorable and fun for the children in our church, please contact Mary Elizabeth Neal at maryelizabeth@highlandsumc.net.

Join the Highlands family for a fun afternoon playing kickball at Avondale Park! More details coming soon. Please save the date!

Join the people and pets of Highlands for the Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 17.

Due to damage from recent storms, we will no longer be meeting at Loch Haven Dog Park. Instead, come to the Highlands UMC parking lot. We will have a photo station available for you to have professional photos taken with your family and pets. Please feel free to come and go as your schedule allows.

Don't have a pet who travels well? Bring a picture for us to bless instead!

Adult volunteers are invited to join us for a lesson workshop to learn more about the work of the Atrium. If you an attend, please let Reggie Holder know at reggie@highlandsumc.net.

Safe Sanctuaries Training

Join us to learn more about the policies and procedures used at Highlands to project our children, youth, and other vulnerable groups. We will cover best practices for children and youth ministries volunteers, as well as specifics for work with Highlands children and youth. Volunteers with our children and youth ministries are required to attend one of the training sessions. For more information, contact Dick L’Eplattenier at dick@highlandsumc.net or 205-933-8751.

Alternate Training Session will be Sunday, August 22 at 9:30 a.m.

Celebrating 10 Years of the Atrium at Highlands - September 12

Ten years ago, Highlands began to explore the possibility of implementing the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for our children’s spiritual formation program. After visiting several local churches’ Atriums and seeing the Montessori-based way of nurturing and growing together, we knew it would be a fit for our church. The work respects all children where they are as individuals and helps lay a firm foundation for a long-term relationship with God. That summer, five members of Highlands – Lauri Soong, Valerie Nash, Sonya Heath, Edna Rush and Reggie Holder – began intensive training in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church with Anna Hurtle and Stephanie Diethelm. By September, a simple Level 1 Atrium for ages three to six was in place, with a bare minimum of lessons and materials. Each year since, our Catechists have studied in weekend and summer trainings to learn more about the work of the child. Members of Highlands quickly helped furnish our Atrium, and a generous anonymous gift helped carpet the room and purchase materials. Over the next ten years, we added Levels 2 and 3, trained additional Catechists, and encouraged a generation of children who have experienced all three levels. On Sunday, September 12, we will celebrate our Atrium’s 10-year anniversary with an Open House at 9:30 am. All are invited to visit the Atrium to see how far we have come in the past decade and look forward to the next one. A light breakfast will be provided in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone encouraged to stop by for a tour. Save the date and be sure to join us!

Adult volunteers are invited to join us for a lesson workshop to learn more about the work of the Atrium. If you an attend, please let Reggie Holder know at reggie@highlandsumc.net.