Meet the Dentons
Keith Denton’s job takes him all over the world. He has traveled to twenty-six countries on five continents. He counts Russian and Kuala Lampur, Malaysia as his most unusual places to have visited. Traveling is part of his family’s life, too. Keith, Michele, and their boys Philip (15), Stephen (17) and Matthew (19) have covered fifteen states and have spent this summer vacation traveling with the Southwood team to work in Peru.
Keith is a new elder at Southwood and says his greatest joy and desire is to be a good shepherd for our members. The Dentons came to Southwood in 2004 and found a joyful group of people to worship with and a church with an outward focus that brings awareness of the world outside our doors and the need to reach that world. They were also drawn to the youth program and have become part of the Junior High ministry working alongside Bill Harritt. As Michele says, the Lodge is a second home to their entire family! Keith also serves on the Missions committee.
Their day jobs are at Intergraph. Michele is an attorney and Keith is a global business development manager in the software division. Their children are their hobbies! When they are not working, the Dentons may be traveling in the car to Philip’s band events or karate events; to Stephen’s Bob Jones’ baseball games or travel team games or waiting for Matthew to come home for a weekend from college. Participation in High Life keeps them traveling to the Lodge. Keith and Michele are quick to tell you that their free time has been spent in their boys’ activities whether coaching a ball team, attending karate events or bringing music into their home through an array of guitars, bongos, keyboards and more. Boating has become a newer family interest. Being part of their children’s lives is what they find most enjoyable.
Why would Keith, who travels all the time, spend a vacation week laboring in Peru? As he says, “I went basically as a response to the witness that Matthew and Stephen brought back after their first trip there. Seeing how it touched them compelled me to learn more, to be open to a call to missions, and especially to pray about it. Once I got there and saw how much just simply showing the love of Christ to abandoned boys can make a difference in their lives, it really confirmed it for me - this is a part of our lives now. How great is it to find yourself following the lead of your kids into an overseas mission?” So as Keith packs another bag, boards another plane for a long flight, and works in another part of the world, he brings the the hope of our risen Savior with him extending it to those he interfaces with.