Lent is the liturgical season of repentance and confession, prayer and fasting, and preparation for the resurrection of Christ. It begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days, culminating in Holy Week and Easter. We hope you will join us in worship, study, and giving this Lenten Season.
Daily Office with the Iona Community
During Lent, you are invited to worship on-line with the Iona Community for their daily office prayer service. Our pastor, Mikah Hudson will be in Iona as a part of his Renewal leave. Iona is a Christian ecumenical community based on the island of Iona in Scotland, known for its commitment to social justice, peace, and spirituality. Founded in 1938, the community brings together people from various denominations and backgrounds who share a vision of living out the teachings of Jesus through worship, service, and activism. The Iona Community emphasizes communal living, prayer, and creative expression, often incorporating music, art, and the beauty of nature into its spiritual practices. Its members and associates engage in a range of social justice initiatives, working to address issues such as poverty, inequality, and environmental sustainability, all while fostering a deep sense of connection to God and one another. The daily service may be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/@IonaCommunityOnline/videos
Sunday Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Join us each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary for worship. Highlands combines sights, sounds, liturgy, and ritual into a meaningful experience for a diverse community who then serve their neighbors in their daily lives. All are welcome!
Can't make it in person? Join us online!
Facebook, Youtube, or our church website.
Lenten Midweek Communion
Join us for a weekly service of Holy Communion for the Lenten season. Each service will feature a guest homilist and the sacrament, followed by lunch in the Fellowship Hall for $10.
March 11
Susan Crow
Highlands United Methodist Church
March 18
Emily Freeman Penfield
Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church
March 25
Dorothy Ann Webster
Retired United Methodist Clergy
April 1
Kathleen Lalor
Highlands United Methodist Church
April 8
Deb Welsh
Cedar Bluff UMC & Weiss Lake Parish
April 15
Warren Nash
Highlands United Methodist Church
Connected in Faith with Our Visiting Supply Pastors
Led by Dr. Bill Morgan and Dr. Rick Owen in Room 204
Sundays at 9:30 a.m. March 9 - April 6
Join us this Lenten season for a special Sunday School class designed to deepen our understanding of this sacred time of Renewal and foster community connections! Each week, we will meet with that week’s supply pastor who will lead us in rich conversation about the themes of Lent and the upcoming sermon. This will be an opportunity to explore the significance of Lent through scripture, reflection, and shared insights. Our visiting pastors will bring fresh perspectives and personal experiences to enrich our conversations. You will have opportunity ask questions, share your thoughts on the Lenten journey, and build relationships with fellow church members.
Lenten Mindfulness
Led by Wilson Nash and George Gaskin in The Chapel
Sundays at 9:30 a.m. March 9 - April 6
Lent is a season of contemplation, and one of the greatest human tools to live a more contemplative life is mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation is shorthand for a series of practices used to observe consciousness and its contents more carefully. Using sessions from the Waking Up app and sections of Richard Rohr’s The Naked Now, this series will introduce the practices of mindfulness meditation and connect those practices to the insights of the Christian mystics and other similar spiritual traditions. Such practices are not just about reducing stress, having greater emotional stability, or enjoying better relationships. Practice can deliver those things at times, but its insights about your mind can be deeper, the sky of your awareness and capacity for presence can become wider, and you may find that you are not quite what you think you are.
Exploring the Iona Community and Celtic Spirituality: A Journey of Renewal and Connection
Led by Warren Laird in Room 209
Sundays at 9:30 a.m. March 9 - April 6
Join us for an enriching exploration of the Iona Community, a significant destination for Rev. Hudson during his renewal leave. This class offers a captivating survey of Iona’s rich history, its foundational principles, and its vibrant practices. Engage with guest speakers who have personally experienced the profound impact of Iona, sharing their insightful stories and reflections. In alignment with the spiritual essence of Iona, participants will embark on a personal journey by creating a prayer journal, which we will thoughtfully maintain throughout Lent. This class promises not only to deepen your understanding of the Iona Community but also to enhance your spiritual practice in a meaningful way. Come and be part of this inspiring experience!
Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People
Led by April Sides, Lauri Soong, and Denise Williams in The Chapel
Sundays at 4:00 p.m. March 9 - April 6
Join us this Lent for a journey through Nadia Bolz-Weber’s Accidental Saints, where we’ll explore the beauty of grace and the messiness of faith together. We’ll delve into Bolz-Weber’s poignant storytelling and candid reflections, discovering how imperfection and flaws can illuminate our path to spiritual growth. Whether you’re seeking deeper understanding, community connection, or simply a space for honest conversation - there’s a place for you! Join in to connect, reflect, and grow as we uncover the unexpected saints in our lives.
Registration is free and open to all! You do not need to be a member of Highlands UMC to attend, but RSVPs are requested.
Click here to register for Accidental Saints.
Hinges of the Biblical Narrative
Led by Reggie Holder in The Fellowship Hall
Tuesdays after Lenten Midday Communion Service & Lunch
Join us for a transformative Lenten study that explores the pivotal moments – the “hinges” – of the Biblical narrative that shape our faith and understanding of God’s redemptive plan throughout history. This six-week journey will invite participants to examine some key events, figures, and teachings that serve as turning points in scripture, revealing how they connect us to the heart of God’s story and our own lives today. This study is open to all, whether you’re new to the faith or a seasoned believer. Come with an open heart and a willingness to explore the transformative power of God’s story in your life. Together, let’s discover how these hinges of the Biblical narrative can inspire us to live more fully in response to God’s love.
Pilgrimage to National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Legacy Museum in Montgomery, AL
Saturday, April 26 - Departs Highlands at 8:00 a.m. | Returns at 4:30 p.m.
Just 90 miles from Highlands in Montgomery is the site of one of our nation’s most important and moving experiences, providing sacred space for truth-telling and reflection about racial terror through lynchings by white mobs in the United Stated between 1877 and 1950. We will make a short stop at the White House of the Confederacy, Alabama State Capitol, and Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church for context before visiting and experiencing the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and then visit the incredible Legacy Museum followed by lunch at the Museum.
Admission is $10 plus lunch on your own. Reservations are required. Contact Reggie Holder.
Special Lenten Offering: Highlands UMC Community Ministries & Grace Klein Community
This year’s Special Lenten Offering will be split 50/50 with our Community Ministries program and Grace Klein Community.
The Community Ministries programs of Highlands United Methodist Church offer morning Hospitality Hours to all who come, many of them homeless. Our guests may receive meals, personal hygiene items, and an opportunity to have clothes laundered, among other offerings. Over 10,000 meals are offered in the course of a year by volunteers who offer dignity, compassion, and the love of Christ.
The Grace Klein Community rescues edible food from local restaurants, grocers, and cafes, seeking to minimize food waste and give that food to the hungry in Birmingham. In 2023 Grace Klein teamed with over 400 food donation partners, 90 churches, and others to distribute to low-income recipients rescued food valued at over five million dollars. Grace Klein is one of the principle sources of food for our Community Ministries program.
Palm Sunday greenery and Easter flower sponsorship is a wonderful way to glorify God, honor or remember a loved one, and bring beauty to our worship space. Sponsorship sign up is available through April 6. Click the link below or call the church office at 205-933-8751.
