Answering the Call to Community: Greg Hobby

SMPC Note: As part of our 2026 Operating Fund Campaign, Called to Community, we are highlighting members’ experiences at SMPC as they answer the call to community of God’s mercy and love at SMPC. We’ll share video and the transcripts each week. We hope you enjoy this series, Answering the Call to Community, and consider making a pledge as we are called to be God’s beloved community through worship, connection and service. This week we are highlighting Greg Hobby. The transcript of his message is below. 

Good morning! My name is Greg Hobby, and I serve as chair of the Stewardship Committee.

This year is an important year for our Operating Fund Campaign. We have two big change events that our committee has spent a lot of time thinking about. First, this operating campaign is the first one in a long, long time where it is not running parallel with a set of Capital Campaign obligations for many in the congregation – thank goodness! And then we have the changes in our ministry staff that are coming very soon with Matt’s retirement and the start of our new interim minister in December.

The Stewardship Committee sees the first change as an opportunity to sharpen the focus of our congregation on the ways we can be more impactful in our community. And please do not hear that as a view that our congregation has not already been impactful in our community. We have been involved in important areas like Roof Above, Center of Hope, Nourish Up, CROP Walk, Red Cross, Smithfield Elementary, our Haiti connections, and many other areas. However, as we move past our obligation to pay for this building, congregation members will have a chance to re-direct those funds in a different way.

Our Session, the Missions and Outreach committee and committee chairs have been working on divining where the congregation might want to increase our involvement or engage in new areas. The theme for this Operating Fund campaign, Called to Community, fits with the types of things we have been discussing.

The second change, Matt’s retirement and the start of our new interim minister, also brings a new chapter to our church and congregation. I look forward to our celebration over the next 45 days of Matt and Donna and their ministry with us for the last 23 years. They have been a big part of my family’s spiritual journey and we all will miss them both for sure. The church will embark in December on a new journey as a congregation – and what will not change is that we gather here as a church that worships God together, seeks His guidance and seeks to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community.

Our guiding scripture for the campaign is 1 John 4:7 – Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. We are a loving congregation! We have already been making a difference in the lives of those around us. We are “Called” to do God’s work in our “Community”.

And that is what this Operating Fund Campaign will continue to enable. The operating fund supports our ministers and staff members’ compensation, the ministry work that we all participate in, and the ongoing operations of the church. It also supports our existing Missions and Outreach efforts. The Stewardship Committee is hopeful we can expand some of those Missions and Outreach areas now that the church’s Capital funding needs are retired. SMPC can have an even greater impact on our community through a step change in our congregation’s Operating Fund pledge levels.

Commitment Sunday is October 26^th. We ask that you respond to the campaign any time between now and then. We are the financial stewards for what happens here at SMPC.

Thank you for your time and continued commitment to this church and the people of our community.