Southwood Lutheran Church

Advent Gift of “Presence”

Perhaps it was because the Advent Festival was still on my mind, but as I was listening to Pastor Greg’s  sermon last Sunday on the gift of your “presence” for Christmas, I couldn’t help but think how we give that gift of our “presence” every time we serve. There are many examples of this at Southwood, but I’d like to use the Advent Festival as an example of the amazing difference 75 people can make by . . .

• creating 20+ imaginative and fun crafts
• organizing spaces, tables, chairs and crafts
• cutting, gluing, folding, punching, tying, counting – again and again to prepare enough materials to make at least 200 of each craft
• guiding the children as they made the crafts and acted out the nativity story
• preparing food to provide energy for the adults so they could keep up with the children!
• just showing up to help out any way they could 

Because they gave the gift of their “presence”, over 300 children (500 + with adults) began to prepare not just for Christmas, but for the birth of Jesus. It was one of the best “presents” I will receive this Christmas. Click here for photos.

Walk Like Jesus

Here's a little story I told our Day Campers yesterday (click here for some pictures of Day Camp). Their theme for the week is Walk Like Jesus, and I had the privilege of sharing a story with them about someone whose walk with Jesus helped me in my own faith life. It's not a very flattering depiction of me....but the unflinching truth of what I did makes the response to it all the more remarkable. So here it is....

On an overnight bus ride home from a high school track meet, my friend (who will remain nameless and blameless) and I decided to put Melody, a sophomore who seemed to us a bit of an upstart, in her place. I'm not going to sugarcoat it....the plot we hatched was just plain mean. It was intended to humiliate her....it was despicable.

We looked through our own bags and talked to some of the girls around us to assemble a goopy, sticky, messy concoction...a combination of mousse, gel, shampoo, shaving cream, Cheez Wiz, and more. Under the cover of darkness (mean, cowardly acts often require some such protection) we walked to the back of the bus and smeared the whole nasty mess into Melody's hair. We were hours from home, and she had no way to clean it out.

I told our campers this story yesterday, complete with a demonstration of the goop in the hair (on my son, a willing participant). The kids erupted in laughter at the smearing of the goop in the hair, and I pointed out that laughter was the exact response of a lot of the kids on the bus....except for Melody. I asked the kids, "How would you feel if you were Melody?" and "What would you do?" I heard lots of real answers, "I'd be mad. I'd be sad. I'd cry. I'd want to get you back."

Melody probably felt a lot of those things too....but her response to my bullying marked her as a disciple of Christ. Jesus said,

Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap you best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff....Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! (Luke 6: 27-31)

Melody was never anything but kind to me after the goop in the hair incident. She made an effort to talk to me, to build a relationship with me, to be my friend. She invited me to her house, and over time I learned that her family did devotions together and prayed together regularly...something that was foreign to me. Looking back now, I suspect that the night she got home from that long bus ride, her parents prayed with her and for her....and maybe even for me....they were that kind of people. I’m sure they guided Melody and called her to love her enemies…even to make them her friends. Melody became one of my best friends. We talked about faith, and she helped me study the Bible. But more than anything else, she gave me a living breathing picture of what it looks like to be a follower of Christ. Her walk with Jesus changed mine, and that's what being a disciple is all about.

Kim

Growing in Our Love @ VBS

Southwood is rocking this week with the energy and enthusiasm of 350+ kids having fun and growing in their faith at VBS! Every day we're playing games outside, doing cool crafts, singing songs, having a special snack, learning a Bible verse, and learning how we can grow in our love for God and others. Click here to see more pictures of what's happening.

Welcome Our Newest Partners in Ministry!

Meet our newest partners in ministry on Sunday, as they make the commitment to grow with us in our love for God and others at Southwood. See their names and faces here, and be sure to give them a warm Southwood welcome this Sunday at the 9:45 & 11:00 a.m. services.

Kim

God Does Not Call the Qualified....

He qualifies the called!

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

In these verses we understand how it is possible that a variety of people with vastly different gifts and talents can come together to do God's work. A group of people just like that will be traveling to Honduras in August of 2008. See their pictures and learn more about them here.

This mission team will give dental and medical assistance to small villages in Honduras. An exciting part of this trip is that it will include several people from another church in Lincoln, First Plymouth, who are interested in getting global missions started at their own church! This group also includes a number of youth traveling with family members -- what an incredible experience these families will share!

Just like every other mission team from Southwood, the August team will focus on continuing Christ's ministry through bible school, professing our faith, teaching, serving people's needs and encouraging people of all ages during the clinics. God does not call the qualified He qualifies the called! If you feel called to serve (or just called to learn more), please contact Chuck Wall.

School's Out For Summer...

....Sunday School, that is. Our 3 year olds - 5th graders celebrated with music, drama, crafts, and games. See photos of their activities here.

The weather was beautiful for Middle Schoolers, who played games on the back lawn and ended their time together by encircling their adult leaders and praying together. See photos of the middle schoolers here.

Sunday School is over, but we have lots of options for children and families to grow in faith together this summer. Check out all the ways you can get involved this summer.

Welcome!

Welcome Our Newest Partners in Ministry

This Sunday, 64 people will join Southwood as new partners in our mission to Grow in Love for God and Others.

Click here to get a head start on learning names and faces, and be sure to give them a warm Southwood welcome on Sunday!

Luther Teaches The Lord's Prayer

Luther taught the Lord's Prayer on Sunday (with a little help from Pastor Michael).

If kindergarten parents get “tired” of teaching the Lord’s prayer, their kids can just sleep on it! Even with the change to daylight savings time, kindergarteners were wide awake as they drew pictures for each petition of the Lord’s prayer and translated them into a word and picture representation of the Lord’s prayer on a pillow case.

Luther was impressed that so many parents made their child’s faith formation a priority. He said his parents wanted him to learn the Lord’s prayer too. They went ape if he wouldn’t quit monkeying around about learning how to pray. Click on SNOOOZE to see kids and parents making the pillow cases.

Faye

Milestones at Faith Stepping Stones

The Minchow family has been through several ups and downs in life, but one thing is for sure; life is rewarding when you least expect it. Matt and Heather Minchow have 4 1/2 year old twins. Melanie, a very sweet and sometimes shy little girl enjoys going places but is the more hesitant of the two children. Logan, a very eager learner and outgoing little boy isn't afraid to be around people and enjoys any interaction he can get. Melanie was given the blessings to be a child who will grow to develop normally, whereas her brother Logan, has cerebral palsy with a seizure disorder and is severely delayed. His cognitive skills are up to par and he lets his family know by being able to respond to questions. Here is a little sample of what it is like when goals are met for the Minchow twins. This is an email Heather sent to family and friends after attending a Faith Stepping Stones Class at Southwood.

You know how each family has a proud moment in church or out in public when their children do something for the first time; well we had one of those moments this past Sunday.

Maybe your child is the loudest singer in church and everyone can tell, but you just beam.
Maybe your child holds a door open for someone, and totally catches you off guard.

WELL...............

The twins had Faith Stepping Stones Class at church Sunday. Total family class once a year at church involving a lesson and usually a craft. Pastor Michael Ryan, one of our great pastors was leading the class. Each family was sitting at a round table in the fellowship hall. He invited the 4&5 year olds to come to the front of the room for a story. Well, this is what happened.

Melanie: jumps up,,,,,takes off down the center of the room and heads to the front.....alone......alone......alone......never looked back......... her milestone.

Logan: Mommy pushes him forward and places him up front with the others and sits behinds him at a table with another family. So far so good. (I didn't want to HAVE to sit right by his wheels. I wanted to see what would happen). Pastor Ryan sets the lesson in motion then asks the kids, " OK so are you ready for me to read the story?" MY BOY!!!!! MY BOY!!!!! My boy was the only kid to answer him. "Yeah". Logan gave such and instant response that Pastor Ryan was a little shocked, as well as the other parents. Pastor Ryan's face was priceless. Then the Pastor looked at Logan and said, "Ok then. Let's get started". Nobody laughed. I think they were "afraid" to, but Mommy and Daddy were giggling and beaming with pride. HUGE MILESTONE. And many others were there to share it.

It's those little things that each family goes through that are a HUGE deal to us. We will never forget that morning. IT WAS GREAT!

See more photos of the 4/5 year old Faith Stepping Stones class here.

Luther Impersonates a SHEEP!

Pastor Michael and Luther were telling stories again last Sunday.  This time it was the 4/5 year olds and their parents that learned about a monkey I mean SHEEP, that was lost and Jesus left the other 99 sheep to find it.  Luther dressed for the story by wearing a sheep costume so you can understand my confusion.

The 4/5 year olds made sheep puppets out of socks and cotton balls, played a matching animal card game with JESUS as one of the cards (which animal do you think Jesus was matched with?  A SHEEP, of course), and alternated with their parents in gluing cotton balls onto a sheep picture as they told each other . . . I love you because . . .   I  learned that dads are loved for some odd characteristics –being silly, stinky and sleepy.  How many of you dads (or moms?) can identify with that?

If you’d like to see pictures of Luther’s great sheep costume, socks turning into sheep, and dads being silly (I didn’t get any proof of their being stinky or sleepy), just click on the word of the day -- SHEEP!

Faith Stepping Stone classes for families happen once a year for each age child. Together, parents and their child learn a Bible story and create something that will help them talk about faith in their home, every night. For a schedule of Faith Stepping Stones classes from now until May, 2008, click on the word JESUS!

May God richly bless the 4/5 year olds and their families as they continue to learn and grow in their faith.

Faye