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December 2018 · southwood.org
Watching and Waiting for
the Light
Advent Meditations from Isaiah

Contents
1000 Carl T. Jones Drive | Huntsville, Alabama 35802
(256) 882-3085 | www.southwood.org
Christine Betts Assistant Director, Youth/Families
Robert Blevins Director, Community Development
Daniel Brown Print & Digital Media Specialist
Niña Cash Director, Children's Ministry
Rita Clardy Executive Assistant
Shannon Clark Administrative Assistant
Ron Clegg Associate Pastor, Discipleship
Ty Commons Youth & Family Intern
Janice Crowson Director, Facilities/Finance
Kim Delchamps Administrative Assistant
Terri Good Accountant/Bookkeeper
Derrick Harris Assistant Pastor, Shepherding & Young Families
James Parker Chief Musician
Peter Render Assistant Pastor, Youth/Families
Angela Sierk Assistant Director, Children's Ministry
Will Spink Senior Pastor
Contributors
Ron Clegg
Derrick Harris
James Parker
Photos
Daniel Brown
Pete Meenen
Southwood Members
3
4
6
7
Pastor's Note
Watching and Waiting for the Light
Advent Meditation from Isaiah
Welcome to the Southwood Family
Getting to Know Our Newest Members
Fa La Lodge
Filling the Lodge with Fa La Las since 2012
Upcoming Events
Fa La Lodge
Christmas Eve Service
Church Office Closed
No K1 Worship / Connect Hour
No Connect Hour
Dec. 22 & 23
Dec. 24
Dec. 24 - Jan. 1
Dec. 23
Dec. 30
Feedback!
We want to hear from you! Please send
your suggestions and comments to
branches@southwood.org
Cover Photo
5 Candles for 5
Sundays of Advent
30th
ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION

Pastor's Note
Unfiltered Truth
3
Today the television and movie
industries seem to be obsessed with
rewriting stories. It’s as if writers
have run out of ideas so they’ve
settled for rewriting what’s already
been done. Currently in television
production are the reboots of
Magnum PI, Miami Vice, Murphy
Brown, Duck Tales, Battle of the
Network Stars, Dynasty, the Jetsons,
the Magic School Bus, and the
X-Files to name a few. In Hollywood
the Neverending Story, Aladdin,
Peter Pan, Little Shop of Horrors,
Top Gun, Creature from the Black
Lagoon, Scarface, and Sister Act are
all slated for re-writes. But of all the
reboots and re-writes, the ones that
seem to be the most unnecessary to
me are the Christmas classics. Please
Hollywood, quit messing with the
originals! Did we really need another
remake of the Grinch? Hey studio
executives, why did the Nutcracker
need to be turned into a fantasy
adventure? To be fair though, I’m
obsessed with re-writing stories too.
Every time I put up a post on
Facebook or Instagram, I can put
it through a filter. If Idon’t like how
an image looks, I can manipulate
it. The holidays provide the perfect
opportunity for prime-time image
manipulation, don’t they? What will
I manipulate this holiday season
to make others think that I’ve got
it all together? Perhaps I’ll only
post pictures of my family where
they are smiling. Maybe I’ll ‘humble
brag’ through postslike, “I’m so very
blessed to have this ___” or “I’m
so thankful that God allowed us to
travel to ___.” Hopefully, I won’t be
so busy taking pictures of my time
with family that I miss it altogether.
When I share my life through a filter,
I’m re-writing my story. Am I sobored
with who I am that I need to hide
behind false narratives created for
others digital consumption? Even
worse, if I’m willing to re-write my
own story what else am I willing to
re-write? God’s story of redemption
in my life?
One of my mentors once taught me
that we have a tendency to “sanitize
the saints.” What he meant was that
we like to read Scripture in a way
that makes us feel better about
ourselves rather than confronting its
truths, especially the tough truths.
The reality is that everyone in the
Bible didn’t really look like they do
in the movies where they speak
English, have nice white teeth, and
look clean all the time. Rather, the
Bible is full of messy people who
are saved by the Messiah. In his
book, The Imperfect Pastor, Zack
Eswine writes, “We know about
Noah’s drunken debacle as well as
his courage and faith… We sing the
Psalms of a man after God’s own
heart. But this manalso did terrible
deeds and at times made tragic
choices far beneath his calling and
the grace given him. Paul teaches
us. But God made sure that we
receive Paul’s teaching and integrity
while knowing Saul of Tarsus’s bitter
story.” People in the Bible are broken
and they are beautiful. Thanks be to
God that we serve an Author who
does not use a filter or re-write the
broken parts.
And here’s the unfiltered truth that
he wrote for us, “Behold, the virgin
shall conceive and bear a son, and
they shall call his name Immanuel.”
(Matthew 1:23). Immanuel has come
and he is mighty to save. This real
event happened in real time on
this real planet. Make note of the
shepherds’ response after they
worshiped him. “And the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen, as
it had been told them” (Luke 2:20).
The shepherds didn’t put it through
a filter on social media, they didn’t
sell the rights to the story, and they
definitely didn’t try to re-write it.
The shepherds simply glorified God
and returned to their flock because
that’s what shepherds do. And when
you hear this true story again this
Christmas season, remember that
our Good Shepherd will return for us.
Until then, let us glorify and praise
God for all that he has done and told
us. Let’s praise him for the beautiful
and the brokenness in us all.
Merry Christmas
Derrick Harris
Assistant Pastor
If you would like to contact
Derrick, use the following:
derrick.harris@southwood.org

Watching and Wai
THE PROMISE
OF DEFENSE
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and
shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
Ahaz was an evil king of Judah, one of the worst. He was
being threatened by two neighboring nations who sought
to bring Judah under their control and remove Ahaz from
the throne. To protect himself against that threat, Ahaz
made an alliance with Assyria, the very nation who would
come against Ahaz and his allies in a few short years. As
bad as Ahaz was in regard to his gross idolatry, his biggest
problem was that he sought protection from almost
anyone except the God of Israel. Now, he was alone against
formidable enemies.
At this time Isaiah comes with a promise that is humanly
impossible to fulfill. Isaiah says that a virgin will conceive
a child, and by the time he grows to maturity, the two
belligerent enemies will be no more. God Himself will
defend His people, and the birth of a child from a virgin will
be definitive proof. God is that committed to His covenant
promises and His people.
Isaiah prophesied that the coming child would be
“Immanuel,” God Himself. He would be the ultimate
defender of His covenant people. He would destroy not
only their visible enemies, but also the greatest enemy of
them all—death. In this season, we remember the coming
of the One who is our great defense. In this child born of a
virgin, we are protected from all of our enemies.
THE PROMISE
OF A KING
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and
the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his
name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
In 1 Samuel 8, Israel asked Samuel to give them a king like
the nations around them. They were tired of life without a
strong savior king. Samuel warned that what they wanted
was going to present serious problems, but they insisted.
Instead of resting in the rule of the LORD, they put their
hope in a man they thought would provide the “good life.”
What they got instead was a line of broken men serving
as king; some were better than others, but most were
disappointing at best. Because those kings were corrupted
with sin and inadequate for the task, the “shalom” Israel
sought was far from a reality. Things have not changed
much since then.
Isaiah promised another kind of King. He would be wise in
executing His reign. He would be powerful, able to defeat
all enemies. He would be gentle and kind, as a Father to His
children. He would also make things right—he would bring
shalom. This King would come with the humility of a child,
but a child who held the worlds in His hands and before
whom all earthly kings would eventually bow. The Israelites
of Isaiah’s time desperately longed for the day that King
would come. We look back with worshipful delight on the
day He arrived, and we look forward to the day when the
true King will rule over all things.

iting for the Light
by Ron Clegg
THE PROMISE
OF GLORY
THE PROMISE
OF JUSTICE
"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of
Jesse…And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon
him…with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and
decide with equity for the meek of the earth...
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and
faithfulness the belt of his loins.” Isaiah 11:1-5
It is hard being poor. Yes, it is tough not being able to
buy things, especially basic essentials. Even worse is that
the poor are without power or influence and are therefore
easily taken advantage of. They have no voice, no one with
“cred” to plead their cause. Therefore, the “have not’s”
suffer at the hands of the “have’s” who use their power and
position to their own advantage. Things are the same now
as then. Money talks, in Hebrew and in English.
Into this darkness of injustice Isaiah promised that the family
of Jesse, King David’s father, would put forth another King
who would govern differently. Instead of being powerless,
the poor would have an advocate at the highest level of
government. This seed of Jesse would bring righteousness,
or “right-ness,” which would reach far beyond the realm of
human relations. Even the wolf and the lamb would be
reconciled and dwell together in peace. All this would
come through a child born in the lineage of Jesse. We
know Him as Jesus. Now reigning in Heaven, Jesus has
promised that “I am making all things new!” With the birth
of Jesus, a new day arrived for the poor and helpless. In this
season, we celebrate the dawning of a new and just world.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory
of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold,
darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness
the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and
his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall
come to your light, and kings to the brightness of
your rising.” Isaiah 60:1–3
When I look into the mirror, I don’t often see glory. Modern
psychology tells me I am special, and that I need to
accentuate the positive. At the same time, I cannot help
but see the ugliness, not just the sagging and wrinkles,
but something worse—the defensive self-righteousness,
the self-gratifying pursuit of pleasure, and the self-exalting
pride. The enemy regularly accuses me, saying that I am
a hopeless wreck, and I have to agree, if all I see is the
image in the mirror. That is a terribly dark place to dwell.
I painfully long to be different. I want to hold my head up
high with dignity and beauty. I hunger for glory.
Glory is coming, not the imaginary glory I try to create,
but the light of the glory of God. That glory came in an
extravagant display to some simple shepherds on a cold
December night celebrating the birth of the True Light.
Hebrews says Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God.”
That glory will also overwhelm me. It is not mine, but I will
reflect it. I will be beautified by the glory of the King of
Glory who was born of the virgin. That is the glory I was
made for. I was created to be like Him and to enjoy Him,
never to be the source of light, but to reflect it in every
aspect of my being. For that to be possible, the Glorious
One had to come into the darkness of human sin and bear
that sin as His own, so that I could join Him in His glory.
Christmas is all about the coming of the Hope of Glory.
“Glory to the new born King!”

WELCOME TO THE SOUTHWOOD FAMILY
GETTING TO KNOW OUR NEWEST MEMBERS
Molly Athey and her husband, Vinnie, have
a son, Rhys (11 months). Molly was born
in Hattiesburg, MS, and is a graduate of
Southern Mississippi. She loves watching
Harry Potter and enjoying a good bowl
of ice cream! Vinnie is a member of
Providence Presbytery as the campus minister (pastor) for
RUF on the campus of UAH.
Will and Riley Bagley are both Auburn
grads and have one daughter, MJ. Will
works at SES, Inc. and Riley is an Office
Manager at Wallace Construction. They
both love reading (Tolkien and Lewis
especially!), going to the gym (Will can
throw heavy things a long way!), and spending time with
people.
Michael and Julia Bradshaw both grew up
in Memphis, TN. They also both attended
The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
They enjoy living in south Huntsville, and
both would choose Taco Bell as one of their
favorite places to eat. They have a oneyear-old
baby girl, Eliza.
Annika Clayton is a student at UAH and
is originally from Moody, AL. She is the
youngest of 7 children and loves to work
with the Children’s Ministry. One of her
favorite pastimes is volleyball.
tambourine.
Michael Brandes is in the 8th grade
as a homeschool student in Classical
Conversation. He has a love for history and
politics and is learning to play the banjo
(already plays the piano!).
Ruben and Lillian Cruz are both retired
and enjoy reading and taking walks on
Monte Sano where they live. Lillian is
originally from Brooklyn, NY, and Ruben is a
Huntsville native. Ruben’s passion is history,
and Lillian enjoys music and playing the
Pete and Rahonda Everett have several
hobbies they enjoy which includes hunting
for Pete and pottery and playing the
ukulele for Rahonda. Rahonda attended the
University of Montevallo and has a love of
reading. Pete can be found cheering on his
favorite team, the Atlanta Braves… while enjoying some
hickory smoked ribs!
Callie Lee is a student at UAH and is
originally from Decatur. Callie enjoys
playing the piano and reading, and her
favorite meal of the day is breakfast
She also loves children and welcomes
babysitting opportunities!
Joseph Newlin is in the fourth grade at
Whitesburg Christian Academy. He enjoys
reading, flag football, and basketball.
Nick and Ellie Reynolds both attended
Vanderbilt University and have 2 children,
Rhett (2) and Wade (1). Nick’s hometown
is Las Vegas, NV, and Ellie is from Jackson,
MS. Nick is an engineer at NASA, and they
both enjoy hiking.
John and Lisa Henson both really enjoy
people and especially living in Huntsville
because of its wide diversity of cultures.
John is originally from Gadsden and works
as a realtor. and Lisa is from Mobile and is
a counselor therapist. You might find them
reading Pilgrim’s Progress (John) or Jane Austen (Lisa).
Cameron and Kelly Lewis are both
graduates of Covenant College. Cameron
works at Gleason Research, and Kelly is a
Nanny. They both have a wide variety of
hobbies they enjoy. Cameron enjoys golf
and pick-up basketball, while Kelly enjoys
cooking, dancing, and reading.
Eddie and Ann Phillips are happily retired
and live on Green Mountain. They are both
natives of Greenville, SC. They are big
hockey fans (UAH Chargers & Nashville
Predators), and Ann enjoys hiking and the
beauty of nature, while some of Eddie’s
hobbies are clowning (yes, you should ask him!) and
photography.
Matt and Kari Rigney both attended Texas
A & M University. Matt is a physicist and a
native of Picayune, MS. Kari homeschools
their 3 children, and her home town is
Franklin, TX. Favorite foods include brisket,
seafood, and of course dessert!

y James Parker
Well... we took a year off. So, many of you may not have
experienced the Christmas miracle that is, Fa La Lodge. It's
a miracle because we literally came up with it out of necessity
and were certain that it wouldn't last past the first
year. This year will be the SIXTH installment!! For those of
you who've never been, primarily, it's about the music. We
have access to some incredible players and singers through
Southwood. And at Fa La Lodge we pull out as many of
the stops as we can manage. You can expect that the music
will be on point.
Also, it will be silly. Anyone who knows me understands
that taking things seriously does not come naturally to me.
Fa La Lodge reflects my "inner meta-variety show"... It's
lighthearted, but it can also give you some warmth. Juxtaposing
Joy to the World with Grandma Got Run Over by
a Reindeer may sound like an odd combo but it wouldn't
be the first time. We are Christians, so we have freedom...
freedom to take the right things seriously and to look on
everything else with an easy disposition, full of joy and
gratitude and charity.
You'll also get the Christmas feels. This is a good thing because
it's REALLY close to Christmas this year! And Christmas
feels are feels that come but once a year so, why not
enjoy them? You'll be glad you did! ALL the Christmas
feels. Tell your friends. We'll make space for them! It'll be
so great!
THREE SHOWINGS AT SOUTHWOOD'S LODGE
DEC. 22 · 6:30pm DEC. 23 · 5:30 & 7:30pm
$10 per person or $30 per family · no cost for kids under 8
Tickets can be purchased at southwood.org/falalodge
Ginny & Erin Rogers are sisters who share
a love of reading. Ginny is in the 9th grade
at Huntsville High and also enjoys writing.
One of Erin’s favorite things to do is
gymnastics, and she is in the 7th grade at
Huntsville Junior High.
Terry Rogers is a retired CPA and has
moved back to Huntsville after being away
for 39 years. He attended the University
of Alabama and of course loves Alabama
football. His favorite thing about living in
Huntsville is the convenience of everything!
He has two daughters, Ginny and Erin.
Drew and Jessica Smith grew up 20
minutes apart (Jessica in Pell City and
Drew in Trussville) from each other and
had many mutual friends, but never met
until they both moved to Huntsville after
college. Drew enjoys working on and racing
cars, and Jessica is passionate about her job as a child
therapist where she is blessed to come alongside families
and children during difficult times.
Pam Rogers is originally from Siloam
Springs, AR, and Chattanooga, TN, and
is currently transitioning from Fort Payne
to Huntsville. She works in publishing and
printing and attended the University of
Arkansas. She loves being a Girl Scout
leader, and her favorite book series is “Mark of the Lion”
by Francine Rivers. She has two daughters, Ginny and
Erin.
Don Sanders is a native of Huntsville and is
married to longtime Southwood member,
Melissa Sanders. He attended UAB and
UAH and is an Auburn fan. His favorite
pastime is flying, and his favorite food is
chicken fingers.
Cole and Jared Wasdin currently live in
north Huntsville and have one daughter,
Felicity (3). Cole is the CEO of Verity
Consulting, and Jared is a technologist at
Curse. They share a love of reading, and
Cole enjoys West Coast Swing dancing
while Jared enjoys rock climbing. Interesting fact: Jared
lived in India for a season.

Christmas Eve
SERVICES AT SOUTHWOOD
5:30 pm & 7:00 pm
Candlelight
Communion
Service