A Word from Pastor Greg
As we reflect upon the past year, perhaps the best way to sum it up is this: Southwood has continued to be God’s church in ministry and mission. It hasn’t always looked the same as it did in the years prior to COVID-19. There have been many changes, adaptations, alterations, challenges, and then even more changes and adaptations, etc. Yet, despite it all, Southwood is still God’s church worshipping, growing, serving, giving and inviting others to grow in love for God and others.
As I take a look into the future, I see more change and transition coming at Southwood. The most obvious is my retirement. I will certainly be transitioning in my own life and you will as a congregation. There will be much more said about these changes in the weeks to come. But one thing will remain the same. Southwood will continue to be God’s church in ministry and mission.
Keep Southwood in your prayers. Be open to how God will work during these changing and challenging times. Continue to serve and give and care for the sake of others. And above all, continue to grow in your love for God and others in all that you say and do. May God bless Southwood in 2022!
—Pastor Greg Olson, Senior Pastor
Sunday, January 23, 2022, 12PM in the Sanctuary
All confirmed, communing, and contributing members of the congregation are urged to join together for a celebration of God’s blessings upon Southwood, and to conduct the annual congregational meeting. At this meeting, we’ll be making decisions about Southwood’s future, including our 2022 budget and election of our Church Council members.
Worship & Music
Worship with Southwood
Worship
Choirs
Ministries
58 New Members Received
Welcomed through Discover Southwood classes offered in April and October
Life Events:
- 72 Baptisms
- 12 Weddings (Includes off-site ceremonies)
Adult Ministries:
Fellowship
242 participants for the Women's Spring Retreat and the Seniors' Picnic with the Pastors
Group Finder
This new online tool made it easy to find a group 20 groups were open for people to join that included every stage of life, in addition to the long-term established groups
Groups
400 participants in pastor-led classes and Small Groups Faith growth thrives when done in community
Sunday Volunteers
359 volunteers welcomed attendees on Sunday mornings
Children's Ministries
Sunday School
441 children registered for Sunday School
Check-In
New check-in system used for Sunday School to create a secured pick-up procedure for 3 to 7-year-olds
Children's Ministries Volunteers
288 people made a difference in children's lives:
- 70 Advent Festival Volunteers
- 90 Sunday School Volunteers
- 128 Vacation Bible School Volunteers
Offering Outreach
$5,000 to support Lincoln Public Schools in need
Advent Festival
200+ children and family members attended
Youth Ministries
Middle School DELVE
250 middle school students and 32 volunteers participated
DELVE Programming Change
DELVE, Southwood’s middle school confirmation program, moved to Wednesday nights for all
students
Allowed for greater pastor involvement and resulted in over 80% regular attendance (an improvement over Sunday morning attendance results)
High School Youth Group
70 students participated in gatherings and/or retreats and mission trips
32 students served in Sunday School
10 students led DELVE groups and as an entire group, served for over 2000
hours in our community and elsewhere
Young Adult Ministry
Launched a new ministry for young adults that began meeting regularly
Participants range in age from twenties to mid-thirties
2021 Missions
Mission Sunday:
- 504 Southwood Serves Volunteers
- 746 Blessing Bags made
- Pastor Manolo visited worship
- 300 Backpacks packed
Giving Trees:
- 1,100 Gifts donated for Community Organizations, Global Mission Partners and Southwood Families
- 195 Christmas in July Gift Cards totaling $5,515 donated to Community Mission Partners and Southwood Good Samaritan Fund & Care Ministries
New Mission Newsletter:
- 228 Subscribers
Community Missions
Southwood served our neighbors in a variety of ways in 2021:
- $55,000 donated to Food Bank of Lincoln Raising Our Response to Hunger Campaign
- 11,389 family members served through Food Bank Distributions, Food Markets, LPS Pantry and Backpacks
- 48 students received a school physical at Clinic with a Heart
Global Missions
Southwood supported our global partners' work in 2021:
- 132 quilts made by the Piecemakers
- 5 homes and 4 pilas built by our sister church in La Ceibita, Honduras
- Completed medical clinic in Uswaa, Tanzania that has seen 230 patients since November 2021
- 84 students supported by Tanzania Education Scholarship Program for secondary schools and university programs
Care Ministry
- Prayer requests shared daily with our Prayer Team
- Healing Prayer services reintroduced and offered twice in the fall
- Grief support offered through calls, cards and brochures to over 75 families this year
- Care Team worship services reintroduced at 5 assisted living/memory care facilities in Lincoln
17 Funerals
Held at Southwood
Care Gifts Created
252 prayer shawls
46 baby blankets
Good Samaritan Fund
55 requests received
Supported 11 families
during Thanksgiving and Christmas (consistent with 2019 and 2020)
Giving to Southwood
Make a donation to Southwood through a one-time gift or as a recurring gift.
2021 Budget
98% of budgeted income received totaling $3.18 million
Lent & Easter Offerings
Over $22,000 received
100% dedicated to our global mission partners
Thanksgiving Offerings
$6,000 dedicated to our hunger mission partners
Christmas Offerings
$27,000 received and dedicated to our community mission partners
Good Samaritan Fund
$32,000 donated by Southwood members to this fund
Used
to help people in financial need in our community
What's New
50th Anniversary
Southwood celebrated 50 years with over 1,000 attendees at a church-wide celebration.
As a church, two gifts were presented celebrating our past ($50,000 gift to the Tanzania Medical Clinic) and future ($50,000 gift to establish a Disaster Fund)
Branded apparel and merchandise offered at Southwood's Pop-Up Store
A congregation-wide "Do 50" campaign encouraged families to:
- Pay $50 forward to an organization of their choice
- Spend 50 minutes weekly growing their faith
- Volunteer 50 minutes in the community