Church Family Moment for Sunday, August 30, 2026
August 25, 2026SMPC Members Heat Up Finish Line in Iceland
SMPC members Valerie Glover and Heather Carpenter just completed epic road races in Reykjavík, Iceland on Saturday, August 22! Valerie completed the full marathon (26.2 miles) - her first ever AND she qualified for the Boston Marathon, a huge accomplishment! Way to go, Val! Heather, a seasoned marathoner, coached Val over the last several months and also went to Iceland to not only support Val but also to cross a finish line herself. Heather ran the half marathon. Despite cold and windy conditions (it was Iceland after all!), the two had a blast and were so happy with their races. Congratulations to these rock stars!
Photo credit: Heather Carpenter
Local Students Receive Backpacks with Supplies from SMPC
On Sunday, August 23, nearly 100 SMPC members and friends came together to sort school supplies and pack backpacks for students at Smithfield and Sterling Elementary School! Mecklenburg Hall was BUZZING with positive energy. It was just an incredible way to start the day and a new school year!
Thank you to everyone who donated school supplies and backpacks and everyone who served with us on Sunday morning. A special thank you also goes to Kathy Galati, Carla Jaynes and Rev. Lindsey Odom for keeping count of the donated school supplies throughout the month so we knew where we stood!
On Monday, we delivered 100 backpacks full of supplies for students (50 to each school) so that every student can start the year off strong! We continue to keep all students, teachers, administrators, staff and parents in our prayers this school year!
Photo credit: Rev. Lindsey Odom and Rebecca Guzman
SMPC Staff Work Hard, Celebrate Hard
Here’s a little behind the scenes at the church’s weekly staff meeting! Sandy has been leading the staff in devotion by diving deeper into the Biblical scenes depicted in the sanctuary's stained glass. We also had a special guest, Skipper, Rebecca’s parents’ pup (or, as we like to say, Rebecca’s little brother!), AND we celebrated Tammy and Adrienne’s birthdays (August 20 and August 25, respectively!). Oh, and we also got loads of work done and are so looking forward to fall programming, worship and service with YOU!
SMPC Preschool Hosts Open Houses
SMPC Preschool hosted Open Houses this week to get students, families and teachers ready for the new school year! We are looking forward to welcoming children back on campus next week. There are still a few spots open in the 3s class. Contact SMPC Preschool Director Tammy Winchip for more information.
