• Matthew 25 Book Group – Our Matthew 25 Book Group will meet on Monday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the book Braving the Truth. Before her untimely death, Evans was a trusted and beloved voice, especially for those who, like her, discovered faithful life after evangelicalism. Evans was stubborn in her hope, courageous in her questions, and devoted to inclusivity. These essays will inspire you. Come join us as we brave the truth together. Contact Bookmarks or order your copy or click on the “book clubs” section of their webpage and look for Highland’s Matthew 25 Book Group. You will receive 20% off when ordering there. Reach out to Debbie Layman with questions or to sign up.

• Poverty Book Group: Our Poverty Book Group will discuss of Paper Girl, by Beth Macy on September 28. Macy is a journalist who chronicles the forces eroding America’s social fabric by reckoning with the changes that have rocked her own beloved small Ohio hometown. She is the bestselling author of Dopesick. Paper Girl is timely and poignant and will help us engage in often uncomfortable conversations about poverty and American life today. Contact Debbie Layman if you have questions.

• Listening to Black Voices Book Group: While our group is pausing for the summer, participants are encouraged to read Colson Whitehead’s novel Harlem Shuffle in preparation for our first gathering of the Fall. (Many group members are also planning to hear Whitehead speak on Thursday, July 30 at First Baptist on 5th St. for an event coordinated by Bookmarks.) If you are interested, please contact Randy Harris.

• LGBTQ Book Group, Summer Study: Queer Communion: Religion in Appalachia, by Davis Shoulders. Our group will gather on a date to be determined (in September) at 4:00 p.m. in the Ardmore Room to discuss this beautifully written collection of twelve essays, poems, and stories that follows and fractures the expectations surrounding LGBTQIA+ Appalachians and their religious beliefs. Gathered by Davis Shoulders, the pieces delve into themes of chosen family, loss, congregation, and alternative expressions of faith. Set against the backdrop of Christian cultural mores and a region considered to be deeply pious, these writings offer diverse perspectives on religion, queerness, and growth. Queer Communion explores everything from the joy and excitement of worship to the complexities of navigating one’s queerness and spiritual convictions in oppressive environments. Copies are available through Bookmarks. You will receive 20% off when you tell them at the time of your order you are with the Bookmarks’ Book Club program. Contact Debbie Layman with questions or to sign up.

• Intergenerational Book Group: The Global Service Committee is excited to bring our church family together to read and discuss The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, an award-winning, fantastical tale that explores the intersection of nature and technology; bullying; family and friendship; the need for community; and the power of compassion. All ages are welcome to join us for discussion immediately after worship in the Ardmore Room on Sunday, July 12. Refreshments will be provided. Several copies of The Wild Robot are available to borrow in the Gallery Hall; you can return your copy at the book group and it will be donated to Ashley Elementary School. We hope you can join us!

• Highland Pageturners Women’s Book Group: This group meets the 3rd Wednesday every month at 7 p.m. at rotating homes and are having a fabulous time together along with lively discussions. Following a break for the summer, the book for September is How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks. Contact Ednamae Fisher for more information or to sign up!