Meet the Petchers
Sunday mornings are Dee Petcher’s busiest hours. Her mornings run the gamut whether it is figuring out why a child is upset, scrambling to find a volunteer when someone failed to arrive for their duty, or working with a parent who has a concern. She oversees our nursery filled with infants and children through three years old.
Her passion for our small ones becomes apparent when you ask about the nursery, our workers and the importance of volunteers in this area. You may know her if you have served or have had a child in this area. Dee’s quiet heart and spirit is what her nursery workers enjoy as she leads them each week. Dee was ministered to through the nursery when her girls were little and believes the nursery’s purpose is to enable parents to worship and learn together as this may be the only hour or two they sit side by side during the week. She wants parents to know their child/children are well-cared for. Her desire is that all Southwood adults experience the joy of rocking a baby or playing with a two or three year old. Dee also appreciates the many ways our church family ministers to our nursery workers, many who are students and far away from their families.
Randy Petcher is a deacon whose service to Southwood in the early years of the church helped develop and maintain her physical space. His wood craftsmanship created a dolly to move the pulpit each Sunday when we were in the shopping center and aerobics room. His landscaping skills worked with others to assemble the children’s playground and put in all the sod and shrubs when the building was first built. And then Randy’s lightning speed has responded to the fire alarms and security alarms during the night or in the worship service.
Serving the church is what they do naturally. The Petchers have quietly served the church through the years. Their lives stay full whether on the soccer field with Casey, their 12 year old daughter or working on high school projects with Haley, their 16 year old daughter. Sunday mornings are important to this family as you will find them worshiping in early service and in Sunday school or serving in the later service. Both Dee and Randy enjoy meeting our visitors and helping them become familiar with our church. Dee’s goal for a visitor with small children is to immediately put them at ease so they can experience worship to its fullest. She knows first impressions and experiences in her area for visitors may be what brings them back the next Sunday. And when they return, she knows the kingdom has been advanced through our care of little ones.