Welcome to Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, a place to deepen faith, proclaim peace, embrace community, welcome others, and serve our neighbor, in the compassionate spirit of Jesus!
Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.
—Matthew 5:9
Highland Avenue is part of the denomination of the Church of the Brethren, an historic peace church conscientiously opposed to all war and intentional about peacemaking and reconciliation. Please join us as we praise and worship God and strive to continue the work of Jesus. We welcome and affirm diversity and celebrate the unity that comes in Jesus Christ.
Junior Highs Go to Conference in Virginia
Back row (left to right): Monica McFadden, Amanda Gibble, Nora Davies, Pastor Audrey deCoursey. Front row (left to right): Doug Gibble, Amber White, Natalie White, Joseph Beaty, Everett Teetor, Ben Shively, Peggy Gibble.
Seven junior highs and four adults were filled with excitement and anticipation as they left Elgin in a van on Thursday afternoon, June 18, on a two-day drive to Harrisonburg, VA, where they attended the Church of the Brethren National Junior High Conference.
They joined more than 600 other junior highs and adult advisors on the campus of James Madison University under the theme, “Transformed: Inside Out.” The conference ran from Friday evening to Sunday morning and challenged the youth to grow in faith through music, humor, inspired Biblical presentations, and engaging workshops, not to mention plenty of fun and fellowship.
The travelers from our congregation were joined by two people from the Freeport Church of the Brethren.
The group stopped to sleep in a church in Ohio Thursday night and arrived in Harrisonburg Friday. They made the return trip in one long trek, leaving after worship on Sunday, June 21, and arriving back in Elgin around midnight.
Outreach Postcards Still Available
Tell friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens about Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren with outreach postcards. See the church office for details.
Weekly Meditation
Every act of gratitude is incomplete unless it issues in a sending forth to do works that will make for justice.
—Maria Harris
Looking Ahead: Sunday, June 7, 2009
- 9:30–10:30am: Worship
- Scripture: James 2:1-7
- Focus: First Sunday after Pentecost
- Sermon: "Just Jeans"; Pastor Audrey preaching
- 10:30 am: Fellowship Time
- 10:50 am: Sunday School for all ages
Announcements & Events
The 2¢ a Meal Offering for the Global Food Crisis Fund will be collected Sunday, 6/7. Please bring up your spare change during the designated time in the worship service for this worthy ministry.
Fellowship Hour Sunday after the worship service, the Congregational Nurture Ministry Group will be holding a special gathering (with cake!) to recognize Barbara Velazquez, Agi Bouwmeester, and others who have helped arrange our fellowship hour throughout the year. We will be giving them a break over the summer, and so we solicit volunteers to help arrange the fellowship hour drinks for select Sundays in June, July, and August. To volunteer, please see LeAnn Wine or Pastor Audrey.
Summer Gather ’Round Starting today, children's worship will be expanded to "Gather 'Round Time."During Gather 'Round Time, children in grades K-5 are invited to join leaders for a kid-friendly time of fun and learning duringthe worship service, using the Brethren Press "Gather 'Round" curriculum (younger children can go to the nursery as usual.) Please see Donna Lengle to volunteer to lead a session of Gather 'Round Time this summer.
National Junior High Conference Meeting All youth attending the National Junior High Conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and their parents are requested to attendan informational meeting in the fellowship hall after the worship service Sunday.
Resource Sharing Bulletin Boards Visit the church library to check out the new Work Opportunities and Stuff/Services Swap bulletin boards. The Acts 2:44 Circle has created these boards as a way to facilitate the sharing of resources among our church members. Please have a peek and add a note about what work, job openings, or goods you have to share!
Annual Conference delegates and other interested persons are invited to a briefing about this year's Conference business. The briefing will be heldnext Sunday, June 14,2:00 p.m. at the Mount Morris Church of the Brethren, and will be led by our district's Standing Committee delegate, Ed Garrison.
Deacons for June are Bettina Perillo and Pat Owen. (Note to deacons: your new ‘business cards’ as a Highland Avenue deacon are now available. Check your mailbox for a starter stack, then see the church office’s southern shelf wall for more as needed.)