Yesterday was a great day of worship! It is always amazing to me to watch and see how God puts together a worship service. The way He uses each of us to accomplish getting His message across. The Communion, songs, special music, prayers and message all came together with the incredible spirit of a group of very loving and caring people to give us an amazing opportunity to proclaim to God how great and awesome He is in our lives! I really believe that we brought a smile to His face! I am excited about the things that He is teaching us and I am enjoying the personal spiritual growth that I am experiencing in my own life!
Yesterday was also bitter/sweet in that a very good friend and spiritual brother went to be with our Lord. Arlen Coggins was a very special person to every person that knew him and to many that had never met him. He continually reached out of his life and into the lives of others to be a help and a blessing. I don’t think that his influence can be measured, only appreciated. I thank God for allowing me to be his Pastor and for giving us all the opportunity to minister to and with Arlen and for the blessing of receiving ministry from Him! My hope, comfort and healing come from the promise that because of Arlen’s relationship with Christ, He has experienced perfect and complete healing and is living in the presence of the One that he loved to serve!
I am so thankful for each of you and I am so glad that God has brought us together to minister and make a difference for His Kingdom! I hope you are living a blessed day!
Michael Joe Harvell 
My mind and memory traveled a bit today as I read your report of Arlen’s departure, to a picture from Northwood’s Directory of 1995, Lucille, Linda, Jesse, Arlen, Paul..and what were they doing? Serving food of course. All but Lucille gone now and I am sad, oh, not for them..but me. Can’t you just see Paul, Mildred, Jesse, Linda, Mattie, Freddie Mae, Ken, to name a few gathering “The Northwoodies” for a celebration in Arlen’s honor. All we need to do is stop and think about those already “home” and that should be encouragement enough to make sure we are ready for our call. And my dear Brother Pastor, Preacher, Light Bearer, Friend..May He who Called you and Ordained You continue to Bless and keep you close to His heart.
I am sad at the loss of a frien like Arlen. The time we were at Northwood he was a blessing to me and my wife. The smile that he always had and the handshake he always shared brought you into his area of hope. I pray that as I Grow in Grace that I can Touch lives like he touched mine. I am sad that as a family my wife and I are not able to be part of the Northwood Family on a regular basics, but we are there with you in prayer and support. You are my friend, but, even more you are my Pastor, not a term I give freely. Bless You and Keep You Close to the Arms of Christ.