I would like to share some thoughts on why I give as we enter a season of giving here at Highland.
For those of you who don’t know me, I started visiting Highland in January of 2020, right after moving to Louisville, and I managed to sneak in a few Sundays just before the world around us changed very quickly because of the pandemic.
As I moved to Louisville, church became a complicated thing for me. I had spent the past 10 years in more conservative evangelical spaces, and after finally being open and honest about my bisexuality, I had some decisions to make.
I was fortunate enough to connect virtually with the Good Time Gospel Hour Bible study throughout the pandemic. During that time, I mostly did a lot of listening and thinking—partly because I was relearning how church could look and sound in progressive spaces. I’ll admit it was also hard to keep up with the many pop-culture references being brought up and how they intersected with the Bible and theology!
But in all seriousness, at that point in my life, I deeply needed to relearn how church looked, sounded, and felt. My past churches were much more focused on providing clear answers to the hard questions that life poses. That time in the virtual Good Time Gospel Hour was all about questions—embracing the gray rather than seeking black and white answers.
So why do I give to Highland? I give for many reasons, but one key reason is the safe space that Highland provides for wanderers and questions.
If you’re just beginning your journey here at Highland and need time and space to listen and think, like I did, come listen and think. If you need to feel and heal, come feel your heart out and heal. But if you are already a part of this community—if you have listened, thought, felt, and healed in this space—I invite you to join us. Not only with your time and efforts but also by supporting Highland with your monetary gifts. Large or small, every gift helps keep Highland a space for wanderers to listen, think, feel, and heal.
As I moved to Louisville, church became a complicated thing for me. I had spent the past 10 years in more conservative evangelical spaces, and after finally being open and honest about my bisexuality, I had some decisions to make.
I was fortunate enough to connect virtually with the Good Time Gospel Hour Bible study throughout the pandemic. During that time, I mostly did a lot of listening and thinking—partly because I was relearning how church could look and sound in progressive spaces. I’ll admit it was also hard to keep up with the many pop-culture references being brought up and how they intersected with the Bible and theology!
But in all seriousness, at that point in my life, I deeply needed to relearn how church looked, sounded, and felt. My past churches were much more focused on providing clear answers to the hard questions that life poses. That time in the virtual Good Time Gospel Hour was all about questions—embracing the gray rather than seeking black and white answers.
So why do I give to Highland? I give for many reasons, but one key reason is the safe space that Highland provides for wanderers and questions.
If you’re just beginning your journey here at Highland and need time and space to listen and think, like I did, come listen and think. If you need to feel and heal, come feel your heart out and heal. But if you are already a part of this community—if you have listened, thought, felt, and healed in this space—I invite you to join us. Not only with your time and efforts but also by supporting Highland with your monetary gifts. Large or small, every gift helps keep Highland a space for wanderers to listen, think, feel, and heal.
~ Matthew Neal
as shared in Sunday, September 22 worship services
as shared in Sunday, September 22 worship services