You  know what’s cuter than pictures of adorable children? Pictures of adorable children who need you. On Sunday, Heart Gallery will be on display at Highland Park United Methodist Church. The exhibit features photos of children in North Texas foster care who are looking for “a forever family.”

I happened to drive by Highland Park United Methodist Church at noon on Sunday, just as services were ending. The state trooper stopping traffic on Hillcrest so parishioners could cross the street did not strike me as out of the ordinary. What did strike me as odd was the guy in a non-descript uniform (HP DPS? Private security? I can’t say) who was standing on the corner of Mockingbird and Abbott. He looked odd because there was a curly cord running from his jacket to an electrical box on the light pole. My wife theorized that he was controlling the traffic lights, making the Mockingbird drivers stop whenever a gaggle of churchgoers needed to cross. What power!

Got big plans for Thanksgiving? You can do more with your friends and family besides eat and watch football, you know. You could go to church. Highland Park Presbyterian is offering a special Thanksgiving worship service at 10 a.m. tomorrow. It will feature traditional seasonal hymns, a brass quintet, and a canned food drive benefiting the Salvation Army.

Shana Tova!

Though I was raised Methodist, biologically I’m a quarter Jewish. So, from Dan Koller and me (the paper’s two somewhat Jewish representatives): Happy New Year. Let’s get some apple cake and watch robots celebrate.

First up, at 6 p.m. Sunday, Highland Park Presbyterian Church will host a Sept. 11 memorial service, complete with the University Park Police and Fire Department Color Guard. All are welcome.

Secondly, next Sunday, Sept. 18, the church will honor global evangelical leader John Stott, who died July 27 at 90 years old. Stott was, to many, the British version of Billy Graham: a prolific author, Biblical scholar, and mentor to many. The service will also be held at 6 p.m.

“Whether in good times or bad, we want HPPC to be the place where the whole community feels welcome to worship and pray,” said Rev. Ron Scates, senior pastor.

For more information, visit the church’s website.

(L to R) Alexis Wagoner, University Park Preschool Association President, Paul Littlejohn of Wells Fargo, Lynda Carter, Principal, University Park Elementary School, Tammy Vargas of Wells Fargo, Jennifer Sauls of Wells Fargo, Jodi Perdue, Spring Market Chair and Diane Swartzendruber, Spring Market Chair

As the school district takes the summer to look in the faculty lounge couch cushions for some spare change, the University Park Preschool Association is softening the blow.

The group recently donated $70,000 to the school, raised from the 11th-annual Spring Market Charity. The money will be placed in the PTA General Fund, which in turn will help fund classroom resources.

The $70,000 was a $16,000 bump from the 2010 event, said co-chair Jodi  Perdue.

How many police officers does it take to protect the Dalai Lama during his visit to SMU? A whole bunch. The Dallas, University Park and SMU police departments are out in full force this afternoon. Here’s just one tiny stretch of road on Hillcrest behind McFarlin but the same tight security is visible for blocks around. Welcome Dalai, take a moment to swing by Peggy Sue’s if you can.

Are you a little too holy to exercise with sinners? Or are you sick of that goody-goody draggin’ your hot moves down? Either way you can find a class that meets your moral standards at Plaza Health Foods in Snider Plaza.

Choose from Holy Yoga with Danette or burlesque with Vickie.

If traffic around the Hillcrest-Mockingbird intersection seems heavier than normal this morning, it’s probably because Highland Park United Methodist Church is marking the National Day of Prayer at noon.

The Park Cities Planner calendar in today’s edition of the paper includes a mistake. The Spring Fling at Christ Lutheran Church is a week from Saturday, not a week from Sunday. Sorry about that.