Reflections of Hope: Michael Choren

SMPC Note: As part of our 2025 Operating Fund Campaign, Live Into Hope, we are highlighting four members’ experiences at SMPC as they live into the hope of God’s mercy and love at SMPC. We’ll share video and the transcripts each week. We hope you enjoy this series, Reflections of Hope, and consider making a pledge as we embrace the hope that flows from God’s grace, inspiring our collective efforts as a faith community.

Reflections of Hope, Sunday, October 27, 2024 (Commitment Sunday): Michael Choren

Good Morning , my name is Michael Choren and I serve on the stewardship committee. I have also had the opportunity to serve as a Deacon over the last 2 years, but most of you may know me  as the self-proclaimed 2024 SMPC softball MVP.

Over the last few weeks you have heard from other committee members, Greg Hobby ,Lisa Kuszmar, and David Wooley. talk to you about what it means to them to live into hope. We have focused our message from Bible verse Ephesians 1:17-19 and I would like to read a snippet of that verse “ Utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him – endless energy , boundless strength.”

When I first read this verse I thought to myself, Wow endless energy and boundless strength! I have been with this church since the early 90s as a kid with my parents, Chuck and Lina Griffiths, and now I am bringing both my daughters (Brooke and Blair) and wife ( Marla) to SMPC …so  where can I get this endless energy and boundless strength as both of my girls run me ragged throughout the week !…. its here, every Sunday when I come to SMPC through God that I am able to energize my life with the church and scripture.

SMPC is not just a place of worship , it’s a place of community , fellowship , friendships and so much more. This congregation has been able to lean on each other over so many years and build up our community through :

• Blood drives
• Room at the Inn
• BAM! – my daughter loves this
• Youth group
• Smithfield Elementary School
• Center of Hope
• The work our deacons do

We always have each others back no matter what and that is what I love about this church. Webster’s Dictionary defines hope as “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.”  When I live into hope for this church, it’s a desire to continue to build and grow our community into a place where “Love God and Love neighbor” is at the center of everything we do.

Today is Commitment Sunday , I would like to challenge everyone as they fill out there donation cards to think about what it means to you to live into hope and to invest in our church and community with not just a monetary donation but also a donation of time. See where you can join one of these many opportunities to give back to the community that has done so much for us.

Thank you.