BRANCHES September 2014

BRANCHES
Commemorative Edition:
LODGE 10 TH ANNIVERSARY
SOUTHWOOD'S
VISION FOR
STUDENTS
what's the lodge
got to do with it?
a place. a people.
a home.
SEPTEMBER 2014 | southwood.org

SOUTHWOOD
contents
ABOUT THIS ISSUE
This is a special edition of BRANCHES celebrating the tenth anniversary of the
Lodge. As we sat down to plan for this issue, the peculiarity of writing about
a building quickly became apparent. This beautiful structure functions well,
attracting and serving... people. If it weren’t for the students that were drawn to
our youth ministry, High-Life, as well as the congregation that was bold enough to
support it, the Lodge probably wouldn’t be worth celebrating.
Whether you are new to Southwood or remember when shovels were put in the
ground, we hope that we are able to paint a picture of why the building was built,
who it has housed, how it has served, and what we hope for in the future. From
all those who have enjoyed its accommodations to those that made it possible,
thank you.
If you haven’t had an opportunity to visit the Lodge, join us for lunch on September
7th. Then consider how you can connect with the ministry of High-Life. You’ll
quickly see that its purpose is to foster relationships with God and others, and why
so many people fondly think of the Lodge as home.
BRANCHES
LODGE EDITION
2 about this issue
3 pastor’s note
4 southwood's vision for students
Where and how it all began
6 perspectives
Reflections on the Lodge's impact
8 a place. a people. a home.
Experiences of two former students
10 many faces of the lodge
Connected to church and community
12 what's in your lodge?
Its use and decor
14 a decade of lodge staff
A look at where they are now
15 more than a building
Anticipating the next decade
Jonathan Barnette, Editor
BRANCHES
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jonathan Barnette
DESIGNER Phillip Lackey
CONTRIBUTORS
Will Spink
Chad Townsley
James Parker
Kim Delchamps
Winnie Winford
PHOTOS
Jonathan Barnette
Kim Delchamps
Winnie Winford
Southwood Staff and Members
FEEDBACK!
We want to hear from you! Please send
your suggestions and comments to
branches@southwood.org
1000 CARL T. JONES DRIVE | HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35802
(256) 882-3085 | WWW.SOUTHWOOD.ORG
JEAN F. LARROUX, III Senior Pastor
MELISSA PATTERSON Executive Assistant
ADULT MINISTRIES
SARAH NIEMITZ Director of Community Development/Assimilation
JAMES PARKER Chief Musician
WILL SPINK Associate Pastor/Shepherding
STUDENT MINISTRIES
KIM DELCHAMPS Administrative Assistant
NIÑA BANTA Director of Children
NANCY McCREIGHT Assistant Director /Children/Nursery
CHAD TOWNSLEY Associate Pastor/High-Life
WINNIE WINFORD Assistant Director/High-Life
MINISTRY SUPPORT
TERRI GOOD Accountant/Bookkeeper
JONATHAN BARNETTE Director of Communication
PHILLIP LACKEY Graphic Designer
JANICE CROWSON Director of Facilities/Finance
LYNDA CLAYDON Facilities
MIKE MARREN Facilities
ELIZABETH BUTZ Receptionist
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Lodge 10-Year Anniversary
September 7
Sr. High-Life Resumes
September 7
Christian Education Classes
September 7
Jr. High-Life Resumes
September 10
2 SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

PASTOR’S NOTE
What's the Lodge got to do with it?
When people from other churches hear that I work
at Southwood, they often say to me, “Aren’t y’all
the church that has that thing for youth?” I say,
“You mean ‘the Lodge’?” And they reply, “Yeah,
like that ski lodge thing!” I proudly respond, “Yep,
that’s us!” At the end of all those conversations,
people always marvel at the vision it took to build
the Lodge and how much they wish their church
would do something like it.
Last week I got a text from a pastor who asked me
to send him some pictures of our "youth room."
He is talking to people at his church about their
commitment to their students and how they need
to be planning for the future. He knows what it
would mean to have a "Lodge" at their church.
As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the
Lodge, I think it is appropriate to ask the question,
"What’s the Lodge got to do with it?" Why is
having something like the Lodge a big deal for
any church, but particularly for Southwood?
First, the Lodge isn’t just a building, it is a
symbol of commitment.
Lots of churches have youth rooms. In many
churches some older house in close proximity to
the church property goes for sale, is purchased
"for the youth" and a key is given to the youth guy
so that the kids can have Wednesday night church
there. Lots of big rooms in big churches have cool
signs and are decorated in cool ways for the kids,
but I am not aware of any church anywhere that
has invested in a building as unique and "cool"
as the Lodge. The Lodge is a really well-designed
and aesthetically pleasing building but it is much
more. It is a monument to a church’s commitment
to students. Southwood is committed to and has
always been a church that believed in reaching
students with the transforming news of the
Gospel. The Lodge’s existence tells the story of a
church that was willing to literally put their money
where their heart was—with students.
Second, the Lodge is not a "church" on purpose.
Our commitment to students is two-fold: we
have covenant kids (those who have grown up at
Southwood or attend church here) and community
kids (those who are connected to the student
ministry at Southwood through peer or leader
relationships). The Lodge provides a place that
does not scream RELIGION at the non-religious
nor does it carry the stigma of being CHURCH for
those children who are regulars in church. Even
the coolest youth rooms in churches are still in
churches. The Lodge is unique. It is onsite, but
offsite. It is Southwood’s but it is also the students'.
It is a place where spiritual formation takes place,
but it is not formally spiritual. Those elements
make it a unique and safe place to allow students
the freedom to consider the claims of the Gospel
in a neutral context.
Third, the Lodge is a perpetual gift to each
generation of students.
The Lodge wasn’t built with one class of students in
mind. In many ways student ministry is like church
planting every 4-6 years. The entire congregation,
community and core group changes. The
perpetual inclusion of the Lodge in our budget
and the student ministry focus reiterates and
underlines our passion for the current generation
of kids. The Lodge has "alumni." The Lodge has
future Freshman classes. The Lodge has former
staff members. The Lodge has former students who
have served her as staff members. The Lodge has
crew members who have graduated, come back
to serve and then dance at their own weddings
under her roof. That is more than a youth room, it
is a place of identity and ministry incubation that
cannot be overestimated.
Finally, the Lodge is a symbol of His Kingdom
far beyond this church.
An RUF campus minister once told me, “You
have the only youth building in the country that
YoungLife is jealous of.” Jealousy is too strong,
but appreciation is certainly true. However without
sister ministries like YoungLife who have camps like
Windy Gap and Wilderness, dreams like the Lodge
would have likely remained dreams. God has used
people who currently attend Southwood, who have
previously attended Southwood and who have
never attended Southwood to inspire, challenge
and walk alongside our people for much longer
than the last decade. One of our former Student
Ministries Directors, Ken Leggett, used to regularly
remind me that Southwood was "in the community,
for the community." The Lodge has always been a
picture of that commitment because the Lodge is
the result of people living out "community" in the
midst of His Kingdom.
For more from Jean, check out
his sermons at southwood.org
jean.larroux@southwood.org
@jflarrouxiii
Jean F. Larroux, III
Senior Pastor
SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 3

SOUTHWOOD
lodge edition
SOUTHWOOD'S
FOR
In 2000-2001 High-Life Ministries consisted of around 20-25 kids who met in different
homes. The youth staff was smaller and less resourced. Beginning in 2001, through the
leadership of the Session and the vision, enthusiasm and faithfulness of Southwood’s
newest Youth Director, Ken Leggett, High-Life experienced a tremendous amount
of growth. Within a very short span of time 20-25 students grew to 100-150 students
& adult volunteers. High-Life quickly began to outgrow the homes it met in. The
desire for a youth facility had been present with Southwood's leadership for
sometime, but now the need for a large enough space was very acute. God was
doing something unique. These kids and leaders all seemed to be speaking
the same language. And there was a gospel-centered transparency among
the students and adults that became attractive to their friends and peers. So
pursuing the construction of the Lodge got pushed to the forefront. High-Life
clearly needed a bigger place to live.
In 2001 a vision for a youth facility was presented to the Southwood Session
by Ken Leggett. A building committee was formed and the Session approved
money for architectural drawings in 2002. In January of 2003, Session approval
was given to build the current structure and groundbreaking occurred in August
2003. By late summer of 2004, the Lodge was completed. It is an incredible
building and the students love it for sure, but more than that, it represents so
many things that make High-Life what it is.
Southwood Presbyterian Church
was formed
Don Admire hired as Southwood's first
youth director
Southwood's main building erected
Jamie Sanders hired as Southwood's
youth director
Youth ministry meetings began in
members' homes
Ken Leggett hired as Southwood's youth
director and visionary for the Lodge
The Southwood Session approved
Lodge construction
Groundbreaking on Lodge Construction
Lodge Grand Opening Weekend
1989
1993
1995
1998
2000
2001
Jan. 14
2003
Aug. 3
2003
Aug. 13-15,
2004
4 SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

lodge edition
SOUTHWOOD
As one considers the philosophy of building the Lodge, a very important caveat needs to be
made. It is common to find evangelical churches that launch building campaigns so that more
new people will then want to come. Sort of like the movie Field of Dreams, when James Earl
Jones delivers the famous line, "If you build it, they will come." What happened in the lives
of the students that led to the construction of the Lodge was exactly the opposite of this
philosophy. Ken Leggett explains, "The Lodge was an outward manifestation of what God
was doing in the lives of students and adults in Huntsville, through Southwood... We did
not build a building [simply] to attract students."
"The Lodge was an outward manifestation
of what God was doing in
the lives of students and adults in
Huntsville, through Southwood."
There are two particular emphases
that High-Life represented in the
construction of the Lodge. The first
is a Ministry of Presence, or, simply
put, relational connectivity. The
painting just inside the front door of
the Lodge was made by Brian Oaks to represent the parable of the mustard
seed. The mustard seed is the smallest seed in the garden that grows into a
large tree, providing shade and rest for the birds of the air and the beasts of
the field. High-Life has always sought to be this. The tiny seed of faith that
God plants in the lives of our students will grow out and become shade and
rest to the students of this city. And the Lodge is a physical representation of
High-Life's outward focused, relational philosophy. It has been an amazing
thing to have kids from all different schools and neighborhoods pass through
the youth ministry. High-Life is common, neutral ground for students, and the
Lodge helps to make this more of a reality. The Ministry of the Word has also
been kept as a priority in the Lodge. High-Life has always held to the centrality
of Christ and sought to be faithful in preaching and teaching the Word to
students. When ground was broken for the building, a Bible was buried in
the ground directly underneath the stage/fireplace area of the family room in
the Lodge. This is the place where the Word is taught. The symbolism of the
building physically being "built on the Word" has served as a strong reminder
that Christ is the center of all that we do. Without Him, the Lodge, High-Life,
Southwood, and all associated programs wouldn't really matter at all.
At Southwood the students are a priority, and that can be seen through the
Lodge. For the congregation and our Session and staff to take such leaps of faith
requires courage and hope in what God will do. Southwood is a place where
our leaders will not be content to simply "go through the motions" but rather
desperately seek to see lives changed from the inside out. The Lodge is a great
place, and the story behind it is an encouraging reminder of how God uses all of us
to orchestrate his plans. The part that we play is small but exciting. Praise God that He
is among us, moving and working in the lives of our students.
August, 2014 Resolution from the Southwood Session:
The Southwood Session praises God for the many ways He has used the Lodge to see students impacted by the gospel over
the past 10 years. We are thankful to serve Christ with a congregation so committed to the youth of Huntsville that they would
invest in such a facility. We want particularly to express our deep gratitude to the many adults—both staff and volunteers—who
have shown the love of Christ to students within those walls. We look forward with great anticipation to the young people of this
church and this city who will be transformed by their experience of God’s grace in the Lodge in the years ahead.
SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 5

In 1995 I began working at Southwood at the front desk doing a variety
of administrative things, including youth administration. Through the years of 1995-2004, the youth
ministry at Southwood began to grow and with that growth came more opportunities for me to assist
the different youth directors that came on staff. My experience with the Lodge started at the very
beginning stages when it was just a dream of a handful of people. I remember coming into work on
Monday and Thursday mornings and seeing pictures taken from the night before at either a Sr. or Jr.
High meeting. Sr. High met in homes of different families and Jr. High met upstairs filling up their
classroom. Both locations were always packed, but this is a good problem to have! Because of continued
growth in attendance, there was a definite need to create a space for the teenagers of Southwood
and their friends. Much thought was put into how this space would look. Southwood went
above and beyond in creating a welcoming building for our teenagers. During the last ten years, I
have seen many students walk through the doors into a comfortable, non-threatening, home-awayfrom-home
to hang out with their friends as well as youth staff and adults who care about them. They
have been nourished through food, song, conversation and the word of God. The goal of building
The Lodge was to reach and teach students of Huntsville. That original goal has been lived out in
the hundreds of kids’ lives who have entered its doors. By God’s grace and blessing, the goal will
continue to be pursued as lives of junior high and high school students will be nourished inside her
doors for many years to come.
I felt God calling me to volunteer in Youth Ministry in 1998, when the youth
group at Southwood included only a handful of students. I was placed with a group of 8th grade girls,
and I had no idea how God was about to change my life. At that time the youth group (which had no
name) met in the Ascent room upstairs during Sunday School. The Sunday night gathering met in
members’ homes. As we slowly outgrew these homes (including mine), God continued to bring more
students into our ministry, which caused us to ask Him where we could possibly put them all! When
we were consistently filling William and Leesa Stroud’s home with over 100 students, we knew God
had something great in store. We all know how God provided for these needs through the Lodge.
The building is still beyond anything I could have personally envisioned or hoped for. That’s how God
does things. He calls believers together for a larger purpose, a Kingdom purpose. When I look at the
Lodge, I see God’s vision for us as His people if we will just trust Him. As a member of the Building
Committee for the Lodge, I was involved in the details of planning and construction. It was difficult
and tiresome at times, but extremely rewarding. When we did the final walk-through, there was a
small detail that I felt was very noticeably unfinished. It really bothered me, and I complained about
it for months after the building was finished, hoping to get it fixed. I now look at that spot and think
that is God reminding me that I too am broken and I can only look to Him for healing. This side of
Heaven, none of us will ever be unbroken.
The Lodge and I have what I would call... a complicated history. In the early
days I was a part of the dreaming and marketing of the youth building and watched it transform
from blueprint into the structure it is today. I marveled as shovel wielding elders, deacons, and families
helped break the red ground. I remember Adam Hess and I weaving through the skeleton framing
one evening while having good conversations. I recall devoting the efforts of project S.W.E.A.T.
that summer to helping move the youth belongings into the building, crafting the signage, and adding
the finishing touches to what would be our first year in the Lodge. And here’s where things got
complicated... Paige and I left for seminary... the week it opened! Little did we know that years later
we would be blessed to come back and enjoy the ministry that took place in such a special place.
As a structure, the building is visually awesome and attractive, but what gratifies us most is what it
houses. Greater than Ken, Bill, Kayla, Chad, Winnie and myself, more antiquated than the chiseled
stone, and more valuable than the forest of trees that had to die to supply wood for the Lodge are
the countless High-Life sermons on Christ, the innumerable Greenhouse lessons on history, culture,
and the disciplines, and immeasurable life-long relationships formed through small groups. To have
played a part, I count myself blessed. May the love of the Father, the work of Jesus Christ, and the
saving power of the Holy Spirit always be the centerpiece of High-Life and the Lodge. May it always
point to the One who is preparing a place for us in His Father’s house... the likes of which we cannot
even fathom.

“I can’t believe you built this for our kids!” said the woman from the
Jones Valley neighborhood, through her tears. This woman's daughters were involved in High-Life,
but as a family they attended a different church. “I can’t believe you let a Methodist kid be on Crew”
was another comment from a mom at our Senior Banquet as the kid's dad stood beside me with
tears in his eyes. The Lodge to me is really almost a metaphor about how a church can affect a community,
not with a building but with a vision and the ability and desire to execute that vision. The
original vision for the building was the same; “build it and they will come” wasn’t really the idea. The
vision, rather, was “build it so we have a place to care for ours and gather others in.” High-Life has
always been about caring for the ones God has given us, but also recognizing there are children in
our community who have yet to experience the love of Christ. Sally Lloyd Jones at a recent conference
said, “Home is not a place to stay, but a place to go out from;” I wholeheartedly agree. The
Lodge for many students, leaders, staff and pastors is that “home” to go out from, to experience
and express grace.
In the early, early years of Southwood, we had a clinical adolescent psychologist
come for a short weekend on "parenting your adolescent." Ken Wilgus, said that if the local
church doesn’t provide a place for adolescents to come and hang out, hear the Truth through song
and teaching, and see Christ lived out in the lives of adults, we will continue to see the culture take over
our adolescents’ hearts and minds. He stressed that after parents, the local church is the next safety
net for teenagers. Then the culture will grab them. Our youth program grew through a variety of youth
staff members, with Ken Leggett, Jake Patton, and energetic youth interns helping to build relationships
with more high school students and their friends. Many were praying for a place to replace a
kid-packed basement at the Strouds each Sunday night. Mike Honeycutt, the senior pastor, along with
the session, Ken and Jake, began to cast the vision for funding a youth space and the dialogue was
vigorous as many members wanted to pay off the main building debt, not add to it. I remember standing
in the field where The Lodge now sits as the first shovels of dirt were turned and thinking that he
had bigger plans for this beyond a building. Years before, we had stood across the road doing the very
same thing for the main building trusting him to provide beyond our imaginations. And he did. I always
smile when I am in The Lodge at how many different ways this space has ministered beyond the bounds
of our youth—women’s bazaars, church dinners, concerts, Christmas programs, community meetings,
missions housing for Lincoln Village workers, session dinners, and so much more. What began with a
desire for our youth has been a bridge to our community. What a privilege.
So much life happened in the Lodge during my high school years—
I see myself sitting in the back of Traci Taylor’s parked Xterra crying after a breakup; curled up in
the Coop reading God’s word and having “ah-ha” moments about the gospel; sitting on the back
porch on Sunday nights, truly understanding the sweetness of the Church body. These snapshots,
and millions more, are a picture-book Ebenezer of the Lord’s goodness to me. When considering
the countless ways God’s sovereignty envelopes my life, in hindsight I’m overwhelmed by his neverceasing
protection and provision. Today I find myself on a grand adventure in Philadelphia, married
to a 2nd year Westminster seminarian, and looking ahead to a future in ministry for our family. Chase
(my husband) and I often laugh and ask ourselves, "how did we end up here?!" By the grace of God,
High-Life was the catalyst that changed the trajectory of my story. There are too many people, too
many sermons, too many retreats and too many memories to name them one-by-one, but God’s
faithfulness to weave them together so intricately and personally for my own salvation makes it feel
like he built High-Life just for me. Of course, I know dozens of other people who share my story,
which is only to say the Lord’s plans are brilliant beyond the scope of human plans or understanding.
What would my life look like if Weston Smith hadn’t invited me to High-Life at the Stroud’s when I
was 14? It’s a question worth considering, if only to point out the intricacies and faithfulness of our
Divine Author. He used High-Life to “lead me to the waters, where I’m free,” and has been leading
me to the waters ever since.

y Chad Townsley
High-Life has seen hundreds of students come through the ministry. Each of these students has
had a unique story and experience in the ministry as well as leaving a unique impression on
the staff, volunteers and fellow students who spent time with them. From this wonderfully
energetic, passionate and fun-loving group of alumni, I recently sat down with two former
students of High-Life Ministries, Nadia Niakossary and Barnes Heyward. The following is
a synopsis of their stories, experiences and impressions. We discussed what the Lodge
represents in their lives and how they have been changed because of their time spent
there.
What made the Lodge so significant to you when you were a student?
Nadia and Barnes, like many other High-Life students, have hundreds of fond
memories from the Lodge including viking feast food fight nights, inspiring
worship, and the starting and ending point for lots of great winter retreats. Nadia
often thinks back on the importance of the invitation she received to attend High-
Life for the first time from the Warner family. That invitation was the introduction to
a very special community of people. People who, in her words were, “obviously
close and always worked to make sure she felt welcomed.” For Barnes, the
sentiment was similar as the Lodge represents family to him. “The Lodge was a
physical representation of the community of Southwood. The Lodge was home
base for me—it was where I had great meals and great laughs, but also where I
had deep conversation and shared tears with others.”
Nadia shared about her experience as a student-leader while in High-Life. This
service/leadership opportunity, called Crew, allowed Nadia the chance to serve
and develop relationships with younger students in the ministry. As an older High-
Life student, she saw the significance of the Lodge being a place not only where
she could learn more about the Bible and grow in her relationship with the Father,
but where she could also help to be a part of that same process for others.
Even while students in the ministry, Nadia and Barnes saw the value of community.
They knew that the Lodge was a place designed with relationships in mind. They
understood that the Lodge was a place to make amazing memories, but that it was
also a place where their relationship with the Father and his people would be fostered.
What biblical principle have you taken away from your time in the Lodge and what
makes it significant to you?
Nadia explained how the Lodge was a place where she learned, “the value of the deep
truths of God the Father and of the Bible.” She also described how as a college student it
is difficult to keep one’s faith. The Lodge reminds Nadia of all of God’s promises, especially
as she faces difficult situations in college and in early adulthood. Being the place where she
engaged more in worship than she had before in her life, Nadia sees the Lodge as the place
where she learned how to sing to the Father. Worship is different for her now, because of all of the
amazing experiences she had at High-Life events. “The Lodge is the place where I came to love and
appreciate worship, and that is really important.”
For Barnes, the Lodge was a place where he experienced, “what it looks like for the gospel to be
lived out and poured out into the lives of others.” For him, the Lodge was the place where he
Nadia Niakossary (Grissom High, ‘12) is a sophomore
at Auburn University where she is studying Public Relations
and Computer Science. She began attending
Jr. High-Life as a seventh grader and was a High-Life
student and leader throughout Jr. and Sr. High.

learned the importance of surrounding yourself with people who love Christ. Additionally, Barnes says that the
Lodge taught him, “the importance of hospitality, giving oneself and the necessity of showing others truck
loads of grace.” Barnes understands now that not only did he need grace from others while in high
school, but that he still needs it greatly today.
The Lodge has been a training ground for many of these types of lessons for our students.
Nadia and Barnes confirm the important work of investing in students as they prepare
themselves for the unique challenges of college and beyond. I am so encouraged by ways
these former students value a community of believers, and that they desire to expose
other students to the gospel. It has been the desire of the ministry of High-Life that
students would learn things about their faith that would stay with them a lifetime. Nadia
and Barnes embody this.
What is your greatest hope for the next 10 years of the Lodge?
As you might imagine, Nadia and Barnes both hope for more of the same for the
Lodge in the next decade as in the previous one. Nadia’s desire is to see student’s lives
impacted in the same way that her life was impacted. For her, the ministry setting of
the Lodge was one where she found a home. It was a place where she found eternal
truth and it was a place where she could think about people other than herself. Not
having grown up in the church, the Lodge was the place where she met Jesus. Plain and
simple, that is what she wants for other people too.
Barnes’ hope is that the expanse of the ministry’s impact would grow further and further.
He has a desire to see the gospel reach beyond school lines, popularity ranks, social/
economic backgrounds, etc. to reach as many lost students as possible. Of striking
importance was Barnes’ hope that ministry in the Lodge would be done with humility and
self-awareness. It is Barnes’ hope, as well as my own, that High-Life would be a ministry
where students learn more about self-sacrifice and submission to the Father and to others.
The ministry of the Lodge should grow in its awareness of self, never lose sight of the
mission of God as well as always see the need to reform.
What would you say to the people who dreamed of, planned for and built the Lodge?
With sweet laughter, Nadia and Barnes, both say, "thank you!" Both also expressed a
sentiment that those who dreamed up the Lodge wouldn’t believe just how many people
have come through the building. “You created a place that felt like home and it has helped
the ministry grow in ways that many never imagined.... Your creativity and big dreams helped
create a place that has been a home for so many students,” shared Barnes. These two students
represent hundreds who would certainly offer their thanks to the people who invested so much
to make the Lodge a reality. For Nadia and Barnes, they both view themselves as small pieces in
the much larger picture of students that have now been changed because of the hard work of so
many ten years ago.
In conclusion, Barnes was also very encouraging in his belief that even if the Lodge wouldn’t
have been here, great things would have still come out of this ministry. This point is one
which cannot be overstated as we celebrate this special marker in Southwood’s history. As
a congregation and ministry, we must remember that no grand scheme, major donor or
architectural creation guarantees God’s blessing and continued provision for His church.
What is sure to solicit God’s care and prosperity is the faithful preaching of His Word and
an active heart for people. This is why and how this ministry has had such an amazing ten
years in the Lodge. It is through these things only that we can expect growth ahead. I
speak for these two students and for all the others when I say thank you most of all
to God our Father who has guided, progressed and kindly preserved messy
people like us as we minister in His name. I cannot wait to witness the
stories of what God does for students in the next ten years.
Barnes Heyward (Huntsville High, ’06) is a graduate
of Ole Miss and lives in Huntsville. Barnes grew
up at Southwood, moved away, then returned his
junior year of high school. Barnes is now married
to Cappy, also a former High-Life student.

SOUTHWOOD
lodge edition
If you walk out of the Southwood church building and head across the street
to the Lodge, you’ll see the sign “Southwood Lodge” out front. Above the
other main entry door to the Lodge, facing the Lodge parking lot, hangs
a sign reading “High-Life Lodge.” This was no construction mistake but
rather an intentional design to communicate something important
about this unique building.
OF THE LODGE
While the intent in building the Lodge was certainly to create a
place for students that was uniquely theirs, the desire has never
been to isolate students from the broader church body. The
door facing the main church building sends students to the
church and welcomes adult volunteers over to the Lodge,
where many of them have found a home as well
So, who lives at the Lodge? Intentionally and undeniably,
it has been the students of Southwood and Huntsville who
have most regularly called the Lodge home. Junior high and
high school students have enjoyed large-group worship and
teaching, small-group fellowship, parties, leadership training,
Sunday School classes, Senior Banquets, photo ops, hang-out
time, and much more. They have built relationships, met Jesus,
played games, and made life-long memories.
But the Lodge has been loved by many beyond the
students who call it home. The Lodge has hosted the
young and the old, the church and the community,
over the last 10 years. The relaxed atmosphere
has made a home for the youngest Southwood
members to watch animated movies
and the oldest Southwood members to
share lunch and prayer. Session meetings,
conferences, churchwide lunches,
small group leader training, and silent auctions
to support missions have all taken place within the walls.
More recently the Lodge has lent its name to a beloved
Christmas program, Fa-La-Lodge, a wonderful night to
celebrate Christmas with friends of all ages.
The Lodge has also been in high demand from many
groups outside Southwood and has become a great open
door to the community. Sports teams have held end-ofyear
banquets, ministry partners have hosted fundraisers,
college students have stayed during spring break while serving
locally, and many groups have even spent the night.
Perhaps a quick overview of the wide range of people in
the Lodge over the last ten years helps make sense of the
dual names for the building. The “Southwood Lodge”
would never have reflected the heart of Southwood without
all the High-Life students who have called it home. The “High-Life
Lodge” would never have reflected the heart of our student ministry without also
being intimately connected to the church and community where God has placed
it. Many people have already found a home at the Lodge in its first ten years, and
both doors remain open for many more.
10 SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

special edition
SOUTHWOOD
SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 11

SOUTHWOOD
WHAT'S IN
YOUR
Wouldn't be home
without great food!
Meetings, classes and
receptions held here.
12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

SOUTHWOOD
Small Groups meet here
throughout the week.
From basketball to
Jr. High Sunday School,
it's multi-purpose.
The main event, the
Word, worship, and
excessive silliness!
SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 13

SOUTHWOOD
lodge edition
Chad Townsley (2010-Present)
Chad is currently an Associate Pastor
and Director of Youth Ministry at Southwood
and lives in Huntsville with his wife
Annaliese and children Lyla and Teller.
Winnie Winford (2007-Present)
Winnie is currently living in Huntsville
where she works as the Assistant Director
of Youth Ministry at Southwood.
Ken Leggett (2001-2012)
Ken is the Pastor of Missional Living at
Christ Presbyterian in Franklin, Tennessee
where he lives with his wife Jeanette
and their three children Ayers,
Addie Grace and Keller.
Jake Patton (2000-2004, 2008-2012)
Jake is now the Assistant Pastor at
Downtown Presbyterian Church in
Greenville, South Carolina where he
lives with his wife Paige and their four
children Lacy, Luke, Aubrey Claire and
Brooke.
Hayden Howell (2010-2012)
After working in youth ministry in Memphis,
Tennessee she now lives in Norfolk,
Virginia as the Director of Youth
Ministry and Director of Mercy and Justice
Ministries.
Emily Purnell Huensch (2004-2006)
After working in youth ministry in Birmingham,
Emily recently graduated
Covenant Seminary in St. Louis where
she lives with her husband and two children
Sam and Rosemary.
Adam Steverson (2006-2008)
After graduating from Fuller Seminary
in California, Adam now lives in Chicago
with his wife Sarah where he is working
in the field of insurance.
Traci Taylor Jones (2002-2005)
Traci now resides in Atlanta with her
husband Judson where she is completing
her education to become a physicians
assistant.
Jeremy McNeill (2009-2011)
After graduating with his Master of Divinity
from Covenant Seminary in St.
Louis, he is now ministering full-time in
New Jersey with his wife Mary.
Aaron Shaffer (2009-2011)
After completing his degree in counseling
from Reformed Seminary in Orlando,
Florida Aaron has moved back to
Huntsville where he is establishing his
counseling practice.
Kayla Stanfield (2007-2012)
Kayla now works as a marketing director
for a local business in Huntsville.
She and her husband Robert continue
to serve High-Life as adult leaders.
Bill Harritt (2005-2009)
After graduating from Covenant Seminary
in St Louis, Bill is now a youth pastor
at Church of the Good Shepherd in Durham,
North Carolina where he lives with
his wife Janet and their daughter Janet.
14 SEPTEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

y Chad Townsley
Receiving the opportunity to do youth ministry in the Lodge has been and will be one of the greatest privileges and blessings of my
ministry. When I consider (as you have read in this issue of BRANCHES) all the ways God has worked in and through this building, I am overwhelmed
by His faithfulness and care of our students and families. It is my great hope that through all the incredible testimonies, endearing
stories and witnesses to God’s orchestration of details which led to the construction of the Lodge, that we as a congregation would stand
back and thank the Lord for all he has provided.
However, as we celebrate ten years of ministry in the Lodge, to focus solely on a what God has done and not look forward to what he
will do is both short-sighted and misses the original purpose of the Lodge. Through artwork, photos and even old nametags from High-Lifes
gone by, memories are left by many of the people who have come through the building. The fingerprints that we anticipate now, however,
are ones from those pictured above. For the Lodge to continue in its original purpose, we cannot look back without also looking forward.
We look with great anticipation to see what other amazing things God might do in the Lodge through the covenant children currently in our
midst. Rising up at Southwood is a large and energetic generation of students who desperately need the gospel. The Lodge must continue
to be a place where students' lives can be changed.
As a church and youth ministry we want the Lodge to continue to be a place where students feel welcome, connected and regularly fed
by the living word of God. The only way this can be done is for you as a church to continue to pour into the ministry as you so faithfully have
the past decade. Here are two ways in which you can primarily contribute to the work of God in the Lodge:
1. Pray for the students of Southwood and Huntsville. Many of my friends and ministry partners marvel at the scope, scale and impression
the Lodge has had in Huntsville. It is their assumption and my tendency that we can lean upon the Lodge to attract and present students
to the church and to Jesus. To state the obvious, if we don’t continue to offer the gospel first and primarily in this building, than
students won’t be attracted to and impacted by what can actually transform their lives. We must never, ever forget that we will create
our own Lodge-shaped white washed tomb unless we all fervently pray for the ministry and prioritize the proclamation of the Jesus in
and through it.
2. Continue to support the work of Southwood in the Lodge. One of the indelible principles of youth ministry is that your impact is normally
only as large as the health and scale of your volunteer base. The adult leaders who have ministered in the Lodge have made a lastly
impact on hundreds of students. We need more and more adults to now step into these influential roles in the lives of students. Whether
it is serving by cleaning the Lodge on a church workday, preparing food for High-Life or committing to be a small group leader for a
bunch of rambunctious 9th graders, there are many opportunities - please consider how you might contribute.
In conclusion, know that your generous giving to Southwood has and will continue to help support a work that exists, “across the street”
and of which many of you see very little. It is my hope that this issue of BRANCHES as well as our 10th Anniversary Celebration will be an
indicator of the steady and heaven-minded work that is being done at High-Life. Thank you, Southwood, for believing in youth ministry—now
join me as we charge on toward ten more amazing years!

THANK YOU
SOUTHWOOD FOR
10 YEARS
IN THE LODGE
From all the students
and adult leaders of High-Life!