Seen Around Church: Week of August 25, 2024

Not All Superheroes Wear Capes…They Also Drive Fire Trucks!

Last Thursday afternoon the church office had a bit of a natural gas leak scare, but thankfully all was OK! The scare was due to some construction work from the traffic circle. We are so thankful for the Charlotte Fire Department who came out quickly to test gas levels and make sure we were safe (we were!). We love our community superheroes!

Campus Sparkles Thanks to our Volunteers

Thank you to all who volunteered, including many Scouts from Troops 119 and 219, during our fall SMPC Campus Cleanup day. The church grounds look incredible! Bring on those cooler temps!!

Photo credit: Donna Podgorny and Dean Elledge

Hops and Vine Around Town Meet on Glorious Saturday

The weather couldn’t have been finer in Carolina for Hops and Vine Around Town on Saturday, August 24. Church members and friends enjoyed some cool drinks and fellowship at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in the Bowl at Ballantyne. Be on the lookout for the next Hops and Vine Around Town. You don’t have to love hops or vines to “fill your cup” with friendship and connection – ALL are welcome!

Photo credit: Zach Bowyer and Terry Gaines

SMPC Middle and High Schoolers Say Goodbye to Summer

Our youth celebrated the end of summer with fun and games at the Bartholomew’s farm on Saturday, August 24. Thank you to the Bartholomews for hosting, and thank you to our volunteers! It was a wonderful summer, and we are ready to be back at it with our youth programming!

Photos: Lindsey Odom

SMPC Fills 72 Backpacks with Fresh School Supplies for Smithfield Elementary School Students

We were blessed to have so many church members and friends join us for the All Church Serves on Sunday, August 25! We filled 72 backpacks with new school supplies and made Back to School “best wishes” cards for students at Smithfield Elementary School. The backpacks were blessed during worship and delivered by our volunteers on Monday! We pray that students at Smithfield and students across our community feel the love and presence of God by their sides at they begin a new school year. Thank you to all who donated, coordinated and served – it would be impossible without your generosity!

‘Bring a Friend’ Sunday Marked by Warmth, Hospitality

What a beautiful and BUSY “Bring a Friend” Sunday we had in worship! We had a wonderful time celebrating the start of a school year with our annual Blessing of the Backpacks and were overjoyed to have Director of Spiritual Formation Rebecca Guzman and her family back with us after her three-month sabbatical. AND, to top it off, our choir was back in worship after summer break and we commissioned the Confirmation class of 2024-2025. After worship, we re-fueled with extra special sweet treats under the sunshine and Caroline blue skies thanks to our Hospitality Committee!

There is so much to look forward to this fall at SMPC as we worship, connect and serve with each other!

: Director of Music and Organist Zach Bowyer had some special guests on Bring a Friend Sunday! His colleagues from the church where he previously served, First United Methodist Church in Lenior, NC, joined us for worship. We hope they come back soon!

Hooray! Rebecca is Back!

We are so happy to have Director of Spiritual Formation Rebecca Guzman back in the church office and in church with her family on Sundays!! Rebecca enjoyed her three-month sabbatical and feels rested and ready for the busyness of fall at SMPC! We are so glad she’s back!!

Confirmands Celebrated in Luncheon

After being commissioned in worship, the Confirmation Class of 2024-25, their families and mentors enjoyed lunch together. We look forward to supporting these youth in this special time in their faith journeys.

Photo Credits: Lindsey Odom

Cooking Up Something New: Church Kitchen Gets a Major Upgrade

Thanks to the generosity of Scout Troops 119 and 219 we have a new oven in the church kitchen! The old oven was taken away (to be recycled or refurbished) and this beautiful new oven was installed in its place. We are most excited about the number of burners – what a difference those will make come Shrove Tuesday Pancake time!

We are so thankful for the generosity of the Scouts – they donated this oven with funds they received from last year’s BBQ/veggie chili sales…which segues beautifully to this reminder! Troop 119 and 219 BBQ/Veggie Chili sales are in full swing! Scouts will be at the church Sunday, September 8 and September 15 taking orders. Additionally, you can click here to order online. Pickups will be Saturday, September 21, 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 22, 8:30am – 12:00 p.m.

: Members of our Hospitality Committee give the new oven two thumbs up!

SMPC Preschool Holds Open House for New School Year

SMPC Preschool held an Open House for students and parents on Wednesday, August 28. We look forward to having the students back on campus beginning Tuesday, September 3. It’s going to be a great school year.

Cheryl Perry