In trying to follow Jesus’ way of humility and service, within our congregation we do not have positions of prestige and power, or titles that distinguish us from one another. We do recognize, as Paul loves to describe it, that we are like parts of a body with different roles of service that we offer to one another.
Each person is a valuable part of a spiritual community. Those who teach and serve in particular ways are not more important or spiritual than anyone else, but because you might like to know a little about the families who serve the community in this way, here’s a brief introduction to their stories.
Wesley Hargon
Wesley was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and grew up in a military family, living in several states across the country.
He holds degrees in Bible & Ministry and Christian Ministry and is a certified spiritual director. He currently serves as a Resident Chaplain at UAB Hospital.
Wesley and his wife met while he was serving as a youth minister in Memphis. They married eight months later and eventually moved to Houston, where Wesley continued serving in youth ministry.
Together, they enjoy trying new foods, reading, writing, and spending time in local coffee shops. Wesley also creates online content exploring Christian spirituality.
Greg & Marsha Newton
Marsha and Greg grew up very differently. Greg was born in New Jersey and moved every few years because his father was a preacher. Marsha was born and grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, raised by her mother and grandmother.
They met at a Christian college through a shared interest in foreign missions, in serving those on the margins, and by working together in inner-city St. Louis, Missouri.
They married, finished undergraduate degrees, and moved to Abilene, Texas for graduate studies. They were blessed to adopt their son, Aaron, in Texas while making plans to work in Africa.
They moved to Birmingham to be with their supporting church with plans to leave for Africa in six months. However, two months later Marsha was diagnosed with cancer and plans were put on hold. After six months of chemotherapy and radiation, and another six months of recovery, they moved to Mwanza, Tanzania in 1991. The next year their daughter, Adrienne, was born in Africa.
The Newtons returned to Birmingham in 1999 and ministered for four years with a local congregation. In 2003, together with others, they formed DF, a less institutionally-driven and more relationally-based community of faith that would welcome especially those who find themselves on the margins of society.
The Newtons live in Pelham. Marsha works as a social worker serving oncology patients at a hospital cancer center, and Greg teaches and serves a mission church.
Serving Others
In the conviction that we only believe what we do, the expression of our faith daily in the world is vital. The imitation of Christ is our calling in everything we do. While this is not limited what we our activities together as a faith community, here are some of our ways we are serving.
