Chad

Reese Family 2002

I remember when I first met Kevin at a restaurant midway between Florence and West Memphis. Allene Wilson had recommended him to the search committee due to a family connection she had at his church. I remember his gentle, humble and thoughtful spirit and personality. The search committee later recommended him to come serve at Woodmont. When Kevin moved to Florence his daughter, Lydia was 13, Gabe was 12, and Suzzanne was 10. He had a tall task ahead of him. Woodmont had never had a full time music minister. In many ways Kevin broke new ground in worship and brought an excellence and quality of work that Woodmont has come to enjoy and appreciate. He transitioned our church to a "blended" worship style.   

We were meeting in the gymnasium back in those days and he helped oversee the transition to the new worship center. Kevin brought an energy and excitement to our church and worship services in many ways. He added the praise team and special events like "Singin' with the Saints", "Café Hosanna", Mini-concerts and "Soul Desire". I have always appreciated the way Kevin shepherded and ministered to the members in his choir and orchestra helping to create a sense of family. Over the years Kevin has been our go to guy to create skits for the church staff for the end of the summer skit nights.  He has been our editor and proofer of newsletters and other publications in the church office.

Woodmont loses a great asset as Kevin transitions to serving as the new C horale Director at Florence High School. However, I can see the Lord using him and his talents and gifts in tremendous ways as he works with students in this new role.

Under His grace,

Steve

Woodmont Family,

How could Corinne and I ever find words sufficient to thank you for the spectacular send-off you gave us last Sunday night? We were blown away, from beginning to end, by the amount of planning, effort, and hard work that clearly had been poured into it.

When the last gracious words had been spoken from the receiving line, and we climbed in our leftover-laden car, I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude mixed with a strong dose of unworthiness. Who am I that you would go to such great lengths to show me love, acceptance, and kindness? (Yes, the subtext here is intentional.)

Last Wednesday night, at our final choir rehearsal, I told my beloved singing buddies that the verse that had set up residence in my mind of late was Philippians 1:3. Totally unaware that they were already planning to give my wife and me a plaque bearing that verse just a few days later, I recited it to them, as paraphrased in The Message: " Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God." Neither the choir nor I knew that our pastor would share the same verse from the pulpit in the morning worship service on the day of the reception. Is this one of those times we should say, "I'm listening, Lord." Yes.

I believe He is telling us not to take one another for granted, to be grateful for the people He has so lovingly placed in our lives. I have been guilty, over and over again, of under-appreciating the people who have graced my life at Woodmont Baptist Church.

Woodmont Choir, you brought me life in the middle of every week, which carried me through to every Sunday. Making His praise glorious with you has been sweeter than candy. YOU were my fabulous prize. Thank you.

Orchestra, your faithfulness and unswerving commitment to excellence is staggering. You are the icing on the cake, and as anyone who knows me can attest, that's my favorite part of the cake. Thank you.

Magnification Team, I commend you for getting up extra early and going the extra mile to ensure that our music would honor and glorify the Lord with extra power and beauty. I was stronger having you by my side. Thank you.

Youth Choir and Soul Desire (past and present), you've always amazed me with your remarkable mental prowess (especially when it comes to memorizing songs), your "ways" in which you are thankfully not yet "set," and your polite laughter at all my lame dad jokes. You increased my appetite to work with more people like you. Thank you.

Audio Visual team, Kids' Choir workers, church staff, tons of others I could go on and on about, thank you.

Chad Hess, of all the pastors I've worked with in my 31 years of full-time ministry, you are the (professional wrestling) champion of them all. You are the Krystal in a world of lesser burgers, and when you stand in the pulpit your feet are shod with the finest Jordans in all the land. Seriously, you have been so much more than a pastor. Thank you. (There is a chair in my office at FHS that is reserved for you.)

Finally, Becky Foster, my compadre, collaborator, mind-reader, and partner in unpardonable musical crime: I'm not even going to be snarky. I'm not going to say that you put the mental in instrumental or anything of that nature. I'm going to be sincere. I was skeptical when everyone told me how great you are (because I have worked with some awesome musicians in my day) and how much I was going to love working with you. But I believe it now. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (And if you think you're going to get sixteen years' worth of revenge through your husband, you should know that he and I have been crying on each other's shoulders for a long time.)

At the beginning of this column, I asked how my wife and I could ever find words to thank you for the love, acceptance, and kindness you showed us last Sunday night. But I know the real question is, "How can we sufficiently thank you for sixteen years of love, acceptance, and kindness?" The only answer I have is that every time you cross my mind, I will break out in those thankful exclamations and that somehow, when I do, you will sense it in your spirit.

Just a short way down from that verse, Philippians 1:7 says this: "It is right that I should feel this way about all of you because I have you in my heart." And that is how we leave you: carrying you with us in our hearts.

Be good to each other; don't take one another for granted; be thankful; and never stop making His praise glorious.

Grace and peace,

Kevin

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Children's Ministry 

Please continue to pray for the students who were invested in last week. Remember our students and teachers as they go back to school in the next few weeks! Pray that they will grow in "wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52)

 

I was recently caught up in a storm while I was driving. The rain got so heavy, I turned my windshield wipers up as high as they would go. They were going so fast I should have been able to see! But the rain was equal in its pursuit of letting loose of all that stored up water.  Despite the hard work of my wiping buddies, I still had to slow down so that I could see the road. It was in that moment that the Lord reminded me of two things.

Teaching theology to children is sometimes a challenge! But our God is so faithful! He has lead us to a few core statements that we will be using in the children's department this fall to teach solid and simple truths. You should come take a look sometime! We'll have them posted in the halls and classrooms. I wanted to share them with you here.

 

These 5 statements about God's character and the gospel lay the framework to be built upon at home and as they grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Word.

-Preschool-

-Elementary-

Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful start to the new month of August!