May 2018 Branches_web

BRANCHES
JESUS'S SENIOR QUOTE:
How His Last Words Impact All of Life
Why Short-term Missions?
Ask a Pastor:
When Church is Boring
Meet Our Newest Members
MAY 2018 | southwood.org

SOUTHWOOD
overview
CONTENTS
BRANCHES
DESIGNER Eli Maples
CONTRIBUTORS
Will Spink
Ron Clegg
Derrick Harris
Christine Betts
PHOTOS
Southwood Members
Eli Maples
Robert Blevins
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
COVER PHOTO
Long Branch, Cherokee NF
CHURCH STAFF
CHRISTINE BETTS Assistant Director, Youth/Families
NIÑA CASH Director of Children's Ministry
RITA CLARDY Executive Assistant
SHANNON CLARK Administrative Assistant
RON CLEGG Assistant Pastor, Discipleship
TY COMMONS Youth and Family Intern
JANICE CROWSON Director of Facilities/Finance
KIM DELCHAMPS Administrative Assistant
TERRI GOOD Accountant/Bookkeeper
DERRICK HARRIS Asst. Pastor, Shepherding & Young Families
ELI MAPLES Graphic Designer
ROBERT BLEVINS Director of Community Development
JAMES PARKER Chief Musician
PETER RENDER Assistant Pastor, Youth/Families
ANGELA SIERK Assistant Director/Children's Ministry
WILL SPINK Senior Pastor
3 pastor's note
4 why short-term missions
5 ask a pastor
when church is boring
6 jesus's senior quote
how his last words impact all of life
8 welcome to the southwood family
getting to know our newest members
10 april lookback
11 the heart of vbs
UPCOMING EVENTS
Senior Sunday
May 6
The Living Room Show
May 11
No Sunday School
May 27
Churchwide BBQ
June 10
MAY 11
Contact concert@southwood.org
$10
Doors open at 6:30PM
2 MAY 2018 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

PASTOR’S NOTE
The Church has left the building:
Being "in the Community for the Community"
I love Sunday mornings at Southwood. I think
of them as family dinners where we all gather
around one big table, invite our friends to join
us, and celebrate together. We laugh, we cry,
we even bring our problems and struggles, but
we talk together about what matters most.
Monday mornings feel a bit different. Only
about 15 of us show back up at the church
building. But thankfully we are not the only
family members our Father cares about on
Mondays. Like a family who wakes up on
Monday and heads to schools, jobs, errands,
trips, and projects, Southwood scatters across
Huntsville for the sake of the kingdom.
We talk often about being “in the community,
for the community,” and that certainly includes
our facilities, our worship services, and other
large events. But primarily that means that
the church moves into the community in
hundreds of different ways. If you’re looking
for Southwood on a Monday morning, don’t
put 1000 Carl T. Jones Drive in your GPS. The
Church has left the building.
The Southwood Staff got a glimpse of this
reality recently as we spent part of a day on
a staff retreat competing in a Southwood
Scavenger HUNTsville (hey, it wouldn’t be a
staff retreat without a corny name!). We split
up into teams and drove all over town to find
Southwood members, friends, and partners in
their Monday morning environments.
We met new Southwood members, prayed for
Huntsville in the City Council chambers, donned
surgical gear in an unoccupied operating room,
engaged construction workers on site, prayed
with homebound widows on their front porch,
and even interrupted students and teachers in
the middle of class. We saw Southwood at the
hospital, on the Arsenal, in white-collar offices,
in poverty-stricken neighborhoods, at home,
and on the go. What a beautiful picture we got
to see!
We tasted only a small sample of all the ways
God sends Southwood into the community
for the sake of our city each day, and it still
overwhelmed me. I praise God for all the
organizations, systems, families, and teams
you impact day in and day out – all the places
of current or potential darkness where you get
to carry the light of the Gospel of grace. And
perhaps even more overwhelming, I began to
consider the countless precious imagebearers
of God you work with, lead, and serve each day
– all the people whose eternal souls encounter
Jesus, their eternal hope, when they engage
with you on Monday morning.
This reality is one reason why we are so eager
to “give you Jesus” every Sunday (and many
times in between). The redemptive work of
Jesus is what these dear people need in every
heart and life, and you carry the presence of
Jesus in you to them. The restorative work of
Jesus is what our wonderful city needs in every
neighborhood and office, and you carry the
presence of Jesus in you to it.
I don’t know what Monday mornings feel like to
you, but I hope you see yourself – or will begin
to see yourself – as an ambassador for King
Jesus sent out into the community wherever
He has called you for the sake of the people
and places you encounter. It’s why the 15 of us
in the church building pray for Southwood on
Monday mornings to be an expression of the
grace of God all across Huntsville and beyond.
I think our Heavenly Father loves “family
dinners” on Sundays as much as we do, since
He delights to feed, comfort, and equip his
children. But I think He smiles at least as big on
Monday mornings as He watches his children
walk out the door and go where He has sent
them. Perhaps the best part in his family,
though? Wherever they go in the community,
He always goes with them!
Will Spink
Senior Pastor
If you would like to contact
Will, use the following:
will.spink@southwood.org
@WillSpink
MAY 2018 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 3

SOUTHWOOD
branches
Why Short-term Missions?
by Ron Clegg
The answer to this question depends on whether you want to
remain as you are, or be forever different. Back in the early 90’s, a
semi-retired missionary became a part of my church. He regularly
traveled to Russia to supervise a team of missionaries there. One
day, I had the audacity to ask if I could join him on his next trip. He
happily said yes, and I have not been the same since.
What happened on that trip? There were too many things to
mention in this short piece, but I’ll give you a few of the most
impactful. First, Russia was so different from any place I had ever
been. The language was so foreign that I could not even pronounce
the letters in their alphabet. It was a country that possessed rich
natural beauty contrasted with a very broken society. Life was
hard there, much more than what I had ever known.
Second, though life was hard, new life was growing. I preached at
the worship service of a new church plant. That service lasted for
about two and a half hours, had two sermons, poetry, and songs
that musically I recognized. These believers were worshipping the
same God, dependent on the same Bible, and trusting the same
Savior that I was, but also worshipping in different forms than what
I commonly practiced. It was a remarkable experience. My vision
of the Christ’s church grew exponentially that day.
Thirdly, I saw cities with half a million people that had fewer than
a dozen evangelical churches, and many of those churches were
badly dysfunctional. In this spiritually dark place, the options for
people to hear the Gospel were terribly few. At that time, I lived in
a small county in south Georgia with a population of about 35,000
that had over 65 churches. And I was planting a new church. I
had access to endless resources and support, while these Russian
pastors knew so little of the Gospel they were attempting to
proclaim and were fighting battles for which I had no boxes. After
this experience I had a hard time justifying the course I had set
for my life.
Maybe the biggest impact came from the fact that I was totally out
of control. I was traveling through a very “foreign” country with
a traveling companion who was naively fearless, taking me places
that neither of us knew anything about. My itinerary continued to
change from day to day. I traveled with one carry-on bag with the
essentials for almost three weeks. I could not leave the building
where I stayed in fear of getting forever lost, because I could not
pronounce even the street name, and all the buildings looked
exactly alike. But I lived to tell about it. I saw the Spirit work in my
fearful heart showing me He was more than enough. Even there
in Russia, God was at work.
I did little actual ministry, but the Spirit did much in me. On that
trip, a barb got under my skin that would not come out. My heart
was hooked with the fresh first-hand knowledge of these dear
people, because I was willing to venture out into and experience
the unknown and witness the work of God. My heart ached to see
the Gospel come to this needy place.
This is what can happen on a short-term trip. So, be careful. If you
go, you might not ever be the same.
4 MAY 2018 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

SOUTHWOOD
ASK A PASTOR
Q
When
Church
is
Boring
by Derrick Harris
So, I know that God is
overwhelming, but does that mean
if I don't feel overwhelmed in church
that his presence isn't really there,
or that I'm just not feeling him?
A
Great question. I've definitely asked myself
this question before. You have reason to be
encouraged because hiding underneath your
question is the desire to experience God and the
desire to be near him. Both desires are very good
things. I also realize that every situation is unique and that this
response may need to be more complex but in short, my response
to your question is NO.
Why? It’s important to remember that God IS love and also that
God is not a feeling, much like love in marriage is a commitment.
The “feeling” of love is not a constant feeling but rather a
constant commitment to another person. Feelings are a part
of love but they are not the whole. Sometimes true love means
that we must do things that don’t “feel” so great. One example
is holding our loved ones in the hospital while they hurt. It’s
still love (commitment), but it doesn't necessarily "feel" like an
overwhelming happiness.
Many times, we tend to view our relationship with God through
the lens of feeling as opposed to commitment. Let’s be honest,
church services can be downright boring sometimes, but that
doesn't mean that God isn't real, present, or at work. How do I
know this? The Bible tells me so.
1Cor. 6:19: Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your
own
Matt 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there
am I among them.”
When the "temples" gather together, God is there! Feelings or
not.
Pop quiz: Can you think of a time in history when God was present
and active but it didn’t “feel” that way? Answer: When Christ died
on the cross! Everyone thought that everything had gone wrong.
They asked, “Where is God? He can’t even save his own son?”
Even his disciples scattered and hid. But God was very present.
On the cross, God the Father was at work reconciling all believers
to himself through the death of God the Son, Jesus Christ, and
it was proven when Jesus rose from the dead three days later.
Now, Jesus has given us God the Holy Spirit who knits our souls
together to him forever as we receive the gift of salvation through
faith alone. Nothing can separate us from his love and presence,
for he now lives inside us; we are his temples. One of my favorite
songs by Steven Curtis Chapman helps me rehearse this truth to
my forgetful self when he sings, “We are your sons, we are your
daughters, Hallelujah we are who you say we are!”
Some practical encouragements in light of God’s strength:
1. Ask God to provide you with a new perspective when you
attend church. Try to find a place to serve within your church
outside of the worship service. See if it makes a difference.
2. Go do something outside of your comfort zone regarding
service with family or friends. For example, spend time serving
someone together or helping out your neighbor in a way that
requires you to sacrifice some of your schedule. Together, try to
find a way to bless someone else and commit to pray for them the
entire time that you're serving them. See if it helps.
3. Remember that you're normal and not alone. If you're in
Christ, you can call God your Father and talk to him about anything.
You can certainly talk to him about your feeling that church is
becoming boring to you. Try talking to him about it and then share
your thoughts with someone that you trust as well. What God is
teaching you just might be a gift and blessing to someone else.
MAY 2018 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 5

JESUS'S
SENIOR
QUOTE
How His Last Words Impact All of Life
by Christine Betts
The conclusion of one’s high school career is often
commemorated by one phrase typed up, placed, and printed
under a picture for the school yearbook. One’s senior quote can
be of the utmost importance; after all, it may be how one will be
remembered. Senior Caroline Jewell, who has been working as
an intern for the youth staff at Southwood, willingly answered my
questions about senior quotes and the end of her high school
experience. Some seniors use a phrase that defines what their
friends have said, others use a line from a book or movie, others
choose jokes, but Caroline knew she would choose lyrics. Lyrics
are like poetry, she expressed; they are profound and beautiful
at the same time. These last words seniors share with their
classmates help fix them in people’s memories, allow them to
express who they know themselves to be, and share what they
think is important to know as truth. While senior quotes are
often profound and beautiful, the final statement I want every
believer to hear and remember is “It is finished.”
Not only does a senior quote help people remember you, it
also serves as a tool for self-reflection. Caroline explained that
while there’s no wrong choice, “you have to be concise.” One
earnestly needs to see the world around them and their place in
it in order to share the truth about themselves. Miss Jewell is a
kind, patient, fun, intelligent young woman on her road to selfdiscovery.
Using Taylor Bennett’s lyrics, “We only know what we
know until someone knows better” for her senior quote shows
that she recognizes herself and her culture to be impressionable.
Caroline also expressed that her senior year has been full of
choices: “The thing that has gone through my thoughts the most
is choosing between decisions: making big or small decisions to
go to friends’ houses or home, Auburn or Arizona, do a funny
dance in a crowd or not.” She continued, “I’m discovering myself
and what I like.” Like many other seniors, Caroline is trying to
know herself and find the truth before she goes to college and
has everyone telling her what they think is true. A senior quote
helps people know the senior and helps the senior know what
they believe.
It is almost impossible for Seniors leaving high school to prepare
for the major life changes they are about to experience. These
young adults are impressionable. They are looking for truth,
and the people they meet in college will have many opinions
about what is true. We live in a society of finding one’s own truth,
that focuses on individuality and being remembered for being
different. This is why it is vital that all believers, whether they are
parent, child, friend, boss, or student, are able to point to God
as the Truth. There will be professors and sorority sisters who will
tell Caroline that they “know better,” and what she knows will
be influenced by their claims. There is nothing better than the
gospel of Jesus Christ, and that is the truth we want our seniors
going to college to know. If you still have students living at home,
share that with them right now. Tell them the truth of Jesus Christ
in a loving and patient way, and then prove it with the way you
treat them. It is more than words; it is actions that tell the truth!
Caroline answered the question “Do you want to be
remembered?” without mentioning her senior quote. While she
recognizes that the few defining words she chose for herself
were important, she understands that her actions throughout
high school have said much more about her to the world. “There
are very few things I have done that I regret,” Caroline stated
and continued by expressing that those who do remember
6 MAY 2018 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

anches
SOUTHWOOD
her will hopefully remember her for the good things. Caroline
will doubtlessly will be remembered by the people to whom
she would give this advice: “Know how much it means to say
hello to someone. One of my friendships started over a dumb
conversation on color. People miss out on knowing other people
by not saying hello. It’s so easy to say hello, and it only takes
two seconds.” Caroline’s “hello” to everyone she sees speaks
volumes. She welcomes people into the Lodge with a smile
and dives into hearing about their lives. Miss Jewell knows that
saying hello to a freshman girl who is uncertain of being at High-
Life could change both of their lives for the better and that they
can encourage one another in truth.
Share this truth with your senior: Jesus lived, died, and lives
again for them. Jesus had so many one-liner, mic-drop phrases,
but there’s one in particular our kids going into college should
remember. Jesus’ “senior quote” should be known by his
people. On the cross as Jesus gave up His spirit he proclaimed
“Tetelestai”- at least that is what is written in Greek. In English
we read “tetelestai” as “It is finished." This is the truth: Jesus
died on the cross to save repentant sinners from death and to
give them eternal life with Him. He did not just tell them the
truth, He lived and died and was resurrected so that it would be
truth. This is what you should know about Jesus’ profound and
beautiful senior quote: the word was a verb that was indicative,
meaning that it was factual; it was a perfect verb, which means
it has ongoing results: and it was either middle/passive, which
means that more than likely it was finished by one person on
behalf of another. Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection
are facts. It is truth that should be remembered and held onto
and those who hold it will never meet anyone who knows better
than them. There are ongoing results from Jesus’ life, death,
and resurrection, which means whenever someone repents and
believes in Him, they are saved into eternity with Him. Jesus
lived, died, and rose again on behalf of all who will believe.
All believers live in the already/not yet of the gospel. They are
saved, but they are still sinners on earth while they will be saints
in heaven. Believers should take every opportunity to stop and
reflect on what Jesus has done for them. Christians go on a
journey of self-discovery to realize who they are in God’s eyes
just by seeking Christ. The Good News of Jesus Christ is lifechanging
truth that needs to be shared with the world! It cannot
just be shared through words, but through the way one lives life!
Christians are like seniors about to go to college. They must
make decisions daily to seek Jesus above all else, they must
know themselves, they must know the truth, and they must be
prepared for Jesus’ return and be prepared for the goodbyes
and the good times ahead. Remember Jesus and what He said
in John 19:30: “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is
finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

WELCOME TO THE SOUTHWOOD FAMILY
Getting to Know Our Newest Members
Sarah and Luke
Allen moved to
Huntsville from
Houston in 2017
into a home right
near Southwood
that Luke contracted as they remodeled.
Sarah is a civil engineer. They love Owen
(7) and Beck (3), ’Bama sports, and everything
about living in Huntsville.
John and Katie
Andress are Auburn
grads with
a one-year-old
daughter, Caroline.
They are
native Huntsvillians and were married
at Southwood in 2011. John is an engineer
who loves woodworking, and Katie
enjoys Crossfit and fajitas (not at the
same time!).
Andrew and
Christine Betts
met at Bryan
College, where
they both played
soccer. Andrew
is now a grad student in mathematics
at UAH, and Christine is on staff with
Southwood’s student ministry. Andrew
grew up in Thailand, and they both love
cooking and eating Thai food.
Garland and
Geneva Cooper
are natives of
Mississippi who
now live in southeast
Huntsville
near two sons and five grandchildren.
Since they are retired, they have plenty
of time for their favorite hobby – being
with their grandkids!
Stacy and Lee
Cox have one
daughter, Olivia
(11). Stacy is an
Admissions Associate
who loves
all of the outdoor activities available in
Huntsville. Lee is a 3D artist who enjoys
woodworking and will be able to answer
all your questions about 80s pop music.
Thomas and
Laura Davison
have two sons,
Henry (8), and
Emmett (6).
Thomas is a web
designer/developer, and Laura works as
a patent examiner focusing on children’s
toys. If you have them over for dinner,
they would love to have jerk chicken.
Emmett Davison
attends Jones
Valley Elementary
where he
enjoys studying
math. He loves to
play with Lego, eat Spaghetti and take
Taekwondo.
Henry Davison
attends Jones Valley
Elementary.
He enjoys playing
soccer and his favorite
past times
are folding origami and reading. His favorite
Bible verse is 1 John 3:23.
Taylor Douglas
attends Blossomwood
Elementary
where he
enjoys studying
science. He enjoys
basketball, wrestling and running.
His favorite verse is Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.
Kevin and Leslie
Ellis are natives
of Albertville who
now live in Hampton
Cove. They
enjoy traveling
with their children Kaitlyn (14) and Jonathan
(10). Kevin is a pediatrician who
enjoys the guitar, and Leslie loves crafts
and cooking (try her cinnamon rolls!).
Jonathan Ellis
is a fourth grader
at Westminster
Christian Academy
and enjoys
track, photography,
programming, and reading. His
favorite Bible verse is Luke 2:10, and his
favorite food is pizza.
Kaitlyn Ellis is a
freshman at Westminster
Christian
Academy and
enjoys sewing,
knitting, crocheting,
drawing, and volleyball. Her favorite
verses are Romans 1:16 and I Timothy
4:12-13, and she loves steak and shrimp.
Spencer Griffin
attends UAH and
is from Chattanooga.
He loves
to attend hockey
games in Huntsville
but still also supports the Tennessee
Volunteers. He also enjoys reading
The Wheel of Time series by Robert
Jordan.
Grace and Will
Guin are both
engineers who
attended the
University of Alabama
and now
live in Blossomwood. Will loves the Atlanta
Braves and woodworking, while
Grace cheers for the Dallas Cowboys
and enjoys biking and piano.
Emily Howard is
the wife of Charlie
Howard (life-long
Southwood member)
and the mom
of Jackson (1).
She is from nearby Priceville and attended
UAH. She spends most of her time taking
care of Jackson but also enjoys reading
(whenever she gets a chance!).

Jonathan Lee is
a UAH student
from Decatur,
who is finishing
his sophomore
year as a biochemistry
major. He enjoys playing soccer
and ultimate frisbee. The Lord of the
Rings books and movies are also on his
list of favorite things.
Chloe McFadden
works as a materials
and processes
engineer at Jacobs.
She is originally
from Nashville
but has moved to the right town,
since she loves space history. This Harry
Potter fan also enjoys hiking all the great
trails in the Huntsville area.
Padyn Pearson
is homeschooled
where she enjoys
studying history.
She also enjoys
playing soccer
and playing with her 2 dogs, Izzy and
Gus. Her favorite past time is dancing.
Benjamin Pittard
attends Weatherly
Heights Elementary
where
he enjoys studying
math. He enjoys
playing basketball and is in training
to be a competitive eater with cheeseburgers
and hot dogs.
Charlie Pope
attends Whitesburg
Christian
Academy where
he enjoys studying
Bible. He
enjoys playing football and is a pretty
good ping pong player. His favorite
verse is Psalm 4:7.
Ellie Porter attends
Whitesburg
Middle
where she enjoys
playing soccer.
She loves photography
and eating home made mac
n’ cheese. Her favorite Bible verse is
Jeremiah 29:11.
Hannah Simmons
attends Whitesburg
Middle
where she enjoys
cheerleading and
tumbling. Her favorite
food is a baked potato.
cheering for Auburn.
Mary Skidmore
is a seventh grader
at Randolph
School who enjoys
pizza, listening
to music, and
David and Janet
Skidmore have
one daughter at
home, Mary (13).
They live on a
farm, and David
enjoys taking Janet with him when he
appraises properties. Some dinner favorites
are steak and potatoes and pizza.
Allison Stanfield
attends Whitesburg
Middle
where she enjoys
studying science.
She also enjoys
playing volleyball and tumbling. Her favorite
Bible verse is Proverbs 4:18.
Angela and
Michael Thoms
are parents to
Benjamin (almost
2) and new baby
Lydia. They are
an active couple, enjoying tennis, hiking,
and riding mountain bikes. They
recently moved from Birmingham and
both have a heart for global missions.
Laynie Varner
enjoys studying
math. She also
enjoys eating a
good steak while
reading her favorite
book “Junie B. Jones and the
Yucky Blucky Fruitcake”
Kevin and Claire
Waldrop have
three children:
Mary Catherine
(11), Andrew (8)
and Joseph (5).
Kevin is a radiologist who attended Samford,
while Claire is a dyslexia therapist
who went to Belhaven. Ask Claire about
her time living in England and Africa.
Mary Catherine
Waldrop attends
Jones Valley Middle
where she
enjoys studying
english. Her favorite
past time is reading and drawing.
Her favorite Bible verse is Psalm 118:24.
Mae Watkins attends
Mountain
Gap Elementary
where she enjoys
studying math.
She enjoys acting
in local theater and loves animals. Her
favorite Bible verse is Zephaniah 3:17.
Walker Welch attends
Whitesburg
Middle where he
enjoys studying
reading. He enjoys
a hot bowl of
dirty rice after playing a game of basketball.
His favorite verse is Luke 1:68.

The Heart
of VBS
Volunteering at VBS is one of the most
fun serving opportunities at Southwood.
Read what last year’s volunteers had to
say about their experience!
Brad Woods
said...
When I was asked to be a
recreation volunteer for VBS,
I was excited to take off work
and spend time having fun with
kids in the community (not to
mention, my own kids). If you ask
me, I had the best role - I got to run
around outside like I was a kid again
(proving I'm still a kid at heart). It was
very rewarding to be able to show these
kids that they are valuable and loved - simply
running around playing games.
Anna Grace Calhoun said...
Adam and Lisa Elmore said...
“It’s simple, we are called to serve. We take vows at baptism to serve each others’ children, to
help in their upbringing.” - Adam
“It’s important for our children to see us serving others and also for them to see us participating
as a couple in events that are tailored to them. This gives us an opportunity to talk about Jesus
and catch a glimpse of what they see Him doing in our lives. VBS is fun and celebratory so why
would we not be a part of something that will draw our children to a greater knowledge of our
Savior?” - Lisa
Joyful laughs and smiling faces make VBS one of the best weeks of the summer! I can remember
growing up attending VBS and seeing all the leaders that were so excited to see me. I knew
when I got older, I would help lead, too. Over the last couple of summers, I’ve served as a crew
leader to a group of kids leading them to different activities and praying with them. It was an easy
and fun opportunity to share Christ with them. The kids had an amazing amount endless energy
and were such a joy to be around!
Pat six said...
Why do I volunteer at VBS at age 72 with two bionic knees? Because I get so much from it!
I get the joy of spending four days with kids while remembering the simplicity of God’s love
for me. If you want the gift of a life time, sit with those children who God created to carry on
His work, curled up in your lap. Hear those adorable voices singing, clapping and dancing
in the aisles praising our Father as David did in the streets. I can never express to you the joy
of hearing them as they learn and repeat God’s Word…no sound compares! So, throw on
your VBS T-shirt and come get blessed! You don’t want to miss what He has waiting for you!
Cathy Mayer said...
I remember the first time I volunteered at VBS in 1993. I was pregnant with Brennan, my eldest
daughter now a Senior in college. Since then, I have headed up crafts, recreation, even directed
VBS one year. The past several years, I’ve had fun being the Master of Ceremonies for VBS.
The most memorable year was when my 6yr old, Brennan, prayed to begin her relationship with
Jesus at VBS! It is a joy and privilege to witness our children experience Jesus in this exciting
and electric atmosphere! There is truly nothing else like it and I'm forever thankful it changed my
daughters' heart, and still encourages mine! LONG LIVE VBS!

VBS
June 18-21
Please register and
review the requested
donations list at
southwood.org/vbs
CLIMB
June 18-21
Please register and
review the requested
donations list at
southwood.org/vbs