How it all started...
Highland Heights Presbyterian Church was organized on December 11, 1921. The 21 charter members met in the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Heaton until a white frame church was erected at the corner of Summer and Holmes in 1922. Supply ministers served the church until Dr. Turney B. Roddy graduated from Seminary. He was ordained on June 8, 1924, and served the church as minister until November 1, 1956.
In 1926 construction began on a Sunday School building. A brick building was erected to replace the original frame building, and the congregation worshipped in the new Sanctuary for the first time in February 1940. A fellowship building with additional educational space was completed in 1955.
The church grew rapidly in those early years, peaking at 300 in worship in 1952. For a number of years, membership leveled out and then decreased gradually. The disappearance of neighborhood schools hastened the decline of the Highland Heights area and the churches in that neighborhood. By 1992, average worship attendance was down to 110.
In 1926 construction began on a Sunday School building. A brick building was erected to replace the original frame building, and the congregation worshipped in the new Sanctuary for the first time in February 1940. A fellowship building with additional educational space was completed in 1955.
The church grew rapidly in those early years, peaking at 300 in worship in 1952. For a number of years, membership leveled out and then decreased gradually. The disappearance of neighborhood schools hastened the decline of the Highland Heights area and the churches in that neighborhood. By 1992, average worship attendance was down to 110.
In 1994 the congregation, under the leadership of the pastor, Dr. James Quillin, voted to move east of Memphis to Cordova but to keep the Highland Heights name. Ground was broken for the new church at the corner of Highway 64 and Morning Sun Road on August 20, 1995. The congregation worshipped at Evergreen Presbyterian Church from December 1994 until the new church was completed. The first service in the new Sanctuary was held on July 21, 1996. The congregation has grown and thrived since moving to Cordova. As of January 1, 2020, the congregation has 260 active members and many children and youth. On January 1, 2001, Rev. Tim Foster came to Highland Heights as Dr. Quillin's Co-Pastor. Dr. Foster is the grandson of the late Rev. L. K. Foster, who was minister at the church from June 1957 through May 1964. Throughout her history, Highland Heights has had strong men's and women's organizations and an active Presbyterian Youth Fellowship. The church has an outstanding music ministry, which includes an adult choir, an ensemble, and an adult hand bell choir. In recent years the church began many new programs: a senior adults ministry, a youth recreation ministry, a chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous, a Parents' Day Out/Pre-K, an adopted class at Berclair Elementary School, a deacons’ fund to assist the needy, and a prison ministry. In 2016 HHPC adopted an orphanage in Kenya. In 2002 the congregation held Sunday School classes for the first time in a new educational building named in honor of Dr. Quillin.
On December 5, 2008, following the unanimous vote of the Session and congregation, Highland Heights Presbyterian Church changed its denominational affiliation to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), leaving the Presbyterian Church (USA) after an association of 25 years. Prior to that, Highland Heights had been associated for 62 years with the former Presbyterian Church in the United States, commonly referred to as the Southern Presbyterian Church, before that denomination had been united with the Northern Church to form the PC(USA). Joining the EPC was in keeping with HHPC’s continued commitment to the Bible as the Word of God and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. On January 1, 2009, after Dr. Quillin retired and was elected Pastor Emeritus, Dr. Foster became Senior Pastor. On December 12, 2021, the Church’s 100th birthday, the mortgage was burned after a 23-month capital campaign. Unless the Lord returns, HHPC looks forward to the next 100 years of worship and work.
On December 5, 2008, following the unanimous vote of the Session and congregation, Highland Heights Presbyterian Church changed its denominational affiliation to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), leaving the Presbyterian Church (USA) after an association of 25 years. Prior to that, Highland Heights had been associated for 62 years with the former Presbyterian Church in the United States, commonly referred to as the Southern Presbyterian Church, before that denomination had been united with the Northern Church to form the PC(USA). Joining the EPC was in keeping with HHPC’s continued commitment to the Bible as the Word of God and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. On January 1, 2009, after Dr. Quillin retired and was elected Pastor Emeritus, Dr. Foster became Senior Pastor. On December 12, 2021, the Church’s 100th birthday, the mortgage was burned after a 23-month capital campaign. Unless the Lord returns, HHPC looks forward to the next 100 years of worship and work.