Highlands United Presbyterian Church sits in Jacksonville's East Arlington neighborhood along McCormick Road, a multi-generational congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) that describes itself as a "caring congregation of very active people seeking to live their call to be disciples of Jesus Christ in the world today." Sunday mornings follow a familiar rhythm of formation and worship, with Sunday School for every age at 9 a.m. and a 10 a.m. service in the Sanctuary, all of it offered under a single wooded campus marked by a welcoming sign and a cross on a hill at the front of the property.
From Holly Oaks to Harris Hall: A Church Rooted in 1964
The congregation traces its beginnings to July 5, 1964, when the first worship service was held at the Holly Oaks Community Club. Rev. Robert "Bob" Purrington had been sent to Jacksonville by the United Presbyterian Church to start a new work in response to so many of their northern members relocating south. The church was chartered on April 11, 1965, with 64 charter members. The Sanctuary was dedicated on October 1, 1967, and the campus grew in stages: a second building completed in May 1982 was later named Harris Hall in honor of the Rev. Dr. Donald Harris, who had followed Rev. Donald Roy Jones as pastor. In 1992 the church office was extended and the Family Life Center was built, opening room for educational ministries; the next year the long-running midweek LOGOS program began and the existing Mother's Morning Out expanded into Highlands Precious Gifts Preschool.
Dr. David Lee was called to Highlands in November 1996 and served for 24 years until his death from cancer on January 22, 2021. The Rev. Beverly Dempsey served as Interim/Transitional Pastor from November 2021 to November 2023. On December 3, 2023, the Rev. Dr. Olive Mahabir began her call as pastor and head of staff.
Worship: Liturgical, Blended, and Grounded in the Lectionary
The chief aim of worship at Highlands is to glorify God. Each Sunday at 10 a.m. the congregation gathers in the Sanctuary, the building with the high peak at the front of campus, for a service that combines the reading and preaching of the Word, hymns of praise, the prayers of the people, the sacraments, and the stewardship of the congregation. Members describe the style as casual, moderately traditional, blended, liturgical, and inclusive, a worship life that intentionally weaves together new and old, modern and classic.
Highlands follows the liturgical calendar, observing Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Worship uses the lectionary, a three-year cycle of Scripture readings, so the whole Bible is heard over time. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month and at other special occasions; Baptism is celebrated as needed. The church year brings additional services as well, with multiple services on Christmas Eve and Holy Week observances of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and an Easter Sunrise service. On the fourth Sunday of each month, students lead worship as part of J.O.Y. Sunday, a long-standing tradition of "Jubilant Offerings of Youth" that gives young people a chance to serve as liturgists and to share their praises in song.
Worship is livestreamed each Sunday on the church's YouTube channel, with recordings available to watch later. Children are welcome in the service: Worship Bags hang in the back of the Sanctuary along with Children's Bulletins and liturgical coloring sheets, while a staffed nursery is available for children from 8 weeks through 3 years in the Family Life Center.
Music Program: Choirs, Handbells, and the Highlands Ringers
Music is a major part of worship at Highlands. The Adult Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings and leads worship during regular and special services. The Highlands Ringers, a five-octave handbell ensemble, rehearse in the Sanctuary and ring to God's glory on various occasions throughout the church year. Younger musicians have historically been part of the LOGOS choirs, which have been a central piece of the church's ministry to children for decades.
Children: LOGOS, Sunday School, L.I.F.T., and Vacation Bible School
Children's ministry begins with nursery care in the Family Life Center, where Eileen Blackmon, who has cared for Highlands children for more than twenty years, looks after little ones from 8 weeks through age 3 during Sunday School and worship, and during most special services and church events. Preschool through first-grade children gather in the nursery area for play-based learning that builds biblical literacy, while older elementary, middle school, and high school youth use the Follow Me curriculum.
LOGOS, the midweek program that has been part of Highlands since 1993, brings children and youth together for Bible study, music, recreation, and fellowship. L.I.F.T., Living in Faith Together, is an intergenerational ministry that meets for dinner and programming on the second Wednesday of each month from September through May. Each summer, Vacation Bible School returns to the campus with a week of Bible stories, games, music, and adventure open to children entering Kindergarten through fifth grade.
Youth: PYC, J.O.Y. Sundays, and Montreat
The Presbyterian Youth Connection, PYC, is the heartbeat of youth ministry at Highlands. While youth are encouraged to fully take part in every aspect of church life, the same-age peer group has a place of its own. Sunday School meets at 9 a.m. in Harris Hall; L.I.F.T. meets on the third Wednesday of the month from September through May; and PYC gathers on the first Sunday evening of the month during the school year for Bible study, mission, and fellowship.
Youth at Highlands run several annual mission projects of their own, including Trick-or-Treating for Canned Goods, Souper Bowl of Caring, and Thanksgiving Food Baskets. They also enjoy outings to Summer Waves water park, sporting events, and game nights. Each summer the high school group travels "up the mountain" to Montreat, North Carolina, joining more than a thousand other Presbyterian youth for a week of worship, keynote sessions, recreation, music, and small groups at the Montreat Youth Conference.
Adults: Sunday Morning Class and Seasonal Studies
Adult education at Highlands is rooted in the Reformed conviction that education is a hallmark of the tradition. One adult Sunday School class meets at 9 a.m. each Sunday, with a Zoom option for those joining from home. The class uses the quarterly Bible study The Present Word, working through Old and New Testament passages and discussing how Scripture speaks to lived experience. During Advent and Lent the pastor hosts a weekly Bible study that goes deeper into the theme of the season. Fellowship follows close behind worship: the Fellowship Committee hosts church-wide dinners, and the Member Care Committee oversees a Shepherd Program that connects leaders with families and a Supper Club that links similarly aged groups for social gatherings.
Highlands Precious Gifts Preschool
Sharing the campus with the congregation is Highlands Precious Gifts Preschool, a developmentally based, literacy-focused early learning program for children ages 12 months through five years. The preschool grew out of the church's Mother's Morning Out program in 1993 and has been part of the church's ministry to young families ever since. Under the direction of Anna Serrano, the preschool offers a fun and exciting early learning experience designed to foster healthy curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. The Preschool Advisory Committee, made up of church elders, works to maintain a strong relationship between HUPC and HPGP.
Community Outreach: Micah's Backpack, Family Promise, and More
Putting God's love into action is central to life at Highlands. The congregation supports Micah's Backpack, a Jacksonville program that feeds food-insecure children on the weekend; for many of the children served, lunch on Friday is the last meal until school breakfast on Monday. Volunteers pack bags on Thursday afternoons during the school year in Harris Hall, and the annual cost of feeding one child through the school year is just $240.
Highlands also partners with Family Promise of Jacksonville, an interfaith hospitality network that provides temporary shelter, meals, hospitality, and case management for families experiencing homelessness. Highlands was for years a host congregation, and continues to provide meals, groceries, and supplies during its host weeks.
Other community ministries include the Two Cents a Meal offering taken on the fourth Sunday of each month, supporting the Presbytery of St. Augustine's Mutual Mission ministries in Jamaica and Cuba; Meals-on-Wheels, with drivers picking up warm meals from the church office each morning to deliver to seniors; the Advent White Gifts program, which collects and wraps gifts for mission partners to distribute as birthday gifts throughout the year; Arlington Community Services, the local food bank supported through regular donations, special collections, and financial giving; blood drives hosted on the Big Red Bus for more than twenty years; and the November CROP Walk with the Arlington community to raise awareness about food insecurity and worldwide hunger.
Governed by Elders and Committees
As a Presbyterian church, Highlands is governed by a Session of ruling elders elected by the congregation. The current elders serve three-year terms across classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028, and each elder also serves on a working committee. The committees include Church Growth, Worship, Mission, Fellowship, Christian Nurture, Preschool Advisory, Resources and Management, Member Care, and Building and Grounds. The church's stated core beliefs center on the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the priesthood of all believers, and Highlands is a member of the St. Augustine Presbytery within the Presbyterian Church (USA).
What to Expect on Sunday Morning
Visitors driving onto the campus are directed toward the back of the property, with handicap parking places on the side of the church buildings. Sunday School for all ages PreK and up meets at 9 a.m. in Harris Hall, the brown building on the east side of the courtyard, and the nursery is open in the Family Life Center, the building with colorful doors on the west side of the courtyard. Worship follows at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary, and people come as they are comfortable. After the service, the congregation gathers in the Family Life Center for coffee, punch, and a treat, a good chance to meet a few of the friendly faces who call Highlands home.