HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY MINISTRIES - God and people working ecumenically together for the good of people in the Highlands

A Brief History by Stan Esterle, Executive Director

In 1966, the seeds were first sown for what is today known as Hiqhlands Community Ministries, Inc. A group of lay people at Bardstown Road Presbyterian Church became concerned about the changing community around their church.

They interested their pastor and pastors of five other congregations within the immediate area in seeing what the churches together could do to serve the needs of this changing community.

The Christian Action Committee of Bardstown Road Presbyterian Church made a survey of the Longfellow School and found, that out of 300 children, 100 went home to no adult. Many people in the community were concerned that there was no safe place to play, and that the young people roamed the streets with "nothing to do." 

And so in January, 1967, this group of six churches began a cooperative ministry entitled Neighborhood Play and Study Club. The six churches involved at the time were: Bardstown Road Fresbyterian, Deer Park Baptist, Edenside Christian, Douglass Blvd. Christian, Calvary Lutheran, and St. Paul United Methodist. The organization continued in this format until May,1970.

In the early months of 1970, the group of six congregations received an affirmative response from the Presbytery of Louisville, for some money to develop some more comprehensive services within the community.

$15,000 was awarded over a 2 1/2 year period so that a fulltime director could be hired and a comprehensive experimental ministry begun. In May, 1970, the body of churches became incorporated as Highlands Community Ministries, Inc. On July 1, 1970, Stan Esterle began working wi.th.in the community as the full-time executive director of HCM.

During the years of 1970 and 1971, ministries were developed to serve each age group -- child care, recreational programs, classes, singles clubs, senior citizen activities, and welfare assistance. The Highlands Bulletin was developed as a means of communication three times yearly with the 17,500 households in the Highlands - with an additional 6,500 copies made available at the churches. Between 1972 and 1976, a lot of effort was given to involving residents in long term community efforts -- survey of 5% of households, development of ten neighborhood associations and involvement in a variety of issues affecting livelihood of persons in the Highlands.

In 1975, H.C.M. expanded its services for older persons through the development of the Adult Day Center and the Outreach for Older Persons. In 1979, a full time counseling program with youth and families was established. In September of 1977, HUD granted a $4,008,600 loan for building apartments for the elderly and handicapped - at 1720 Richmond Drive and occupancy began at Highlands Court in July, 1984.

In January, 1983, a coordinator was hired to expand the work with low income persons - The Individual and Family Assistance Program. In February, 1994 the Highlands Youth Recreation became a program of H.C.M. In June, 1994 H.C.M. closed its elementary age child care center.

Presently, 26 congregations are members of Highlands Communities Ministries,  pooling resources of person power, facilities and finances to serve people in the Highlands.

The goal of H.C.M. is to minister to the needs of people in the Highlands -- because our Lord calls on us to love our neighbor as ourselves. If our efforts contribute to the healthy growth and environment of the people of our community, we are succeeding in our task.  We leave to the local church the task of providing a communal faith and fellowship - experience that the people want and need. As the people experience the source of our unselfish ministry, hopefully still more will be inspired to seek for themselves that faith that gives us strength.