Our Staff

Charles A. Swanson, pastor of Melville Avenue Baptist Church in Danville, VA, for 29 years, is a writer whose work is frequently published in the Appalachian region and elsewhere. With graduate degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Radford University, and Queens University, Charlotte, he has long worked as both a preacher and a teacher.  A poet of many years, he has two books of poems: After the Garden, published by MotesBooks, and Farm Life and Legend, from Finishing Line Press. In addition, Swanson has well over 100 poems published in various journals, magazines, and ezines. Swanson is a former Co-Editor-in-Chief of the online poetry magazine Songs of Eretz Poetry Review, www.songsoferetz.com. Swanson calls Callands, Virginia, his home.

Jason Austin is a builder who brings ideas to life. With a background in both business and construction, he especially enjoys integrating principles from each to turn vision into reality. Whether volunteering his skills to build websites, leading a small church, or serving as an elected member of the School Board for River Mill Academy in Graham, North Carolina, Jason brings heart, craftsmanship, and faith to work that strengthens communities and draws people together. In addition to serving in an advisory administrative role for Flowers‑of‑the‑Field, he recently served as the local construction coordinator for Impact Mission Camps in Danville, helping build access ramps for elderly residents. He is currently working to establish a partnership between the Pittsylvania Baptist Association and Habitat for Humanity to launch a new Danville‑area initiative to help struggling homeowners revitalize and maintain their homes.