Seen Around Church: Week of December 22, 2024

Missions and Outreach Committee Helps Get New Shoes to Smithfield Students Just in Time for the Holidays

Christmas is near, indeed! The Missions and Outreach Committee was able to facilitate getting 46 pairs of new shoes to Smithfield Elementary School on Thursday, December 19. The shoes came to Crisis Assistance via an anonymous donor who purchases a large quantity of shoes each year for distribution.  Pictured here are SMPC member Donna Brown and a teacher from Smithfield with the shoes. Donna said the students and teachers were THRILLED! 

We are so thankful for such a generous community and are so happy to help spread JOY (and new kicks!) this Christmas season!

Photo credit: Donna Brown

This Circle Gives us Life!

Friends! We have a traffic circle!! As volunteers gathered at o’dark-thirty on Saturday to volunteer at Center of Hope, they were pleasantly surprised to find a completed traffic circle! We are so grateful to the City of Charlotte for opening this before Christmas Eve worship!! Please note, the traffic pattern has changed at the upper entrance. The upper entrance is right-turn-only. If you are taking a left out of the church, you will need to use the lower entrance.

SMPC Serves Breakfast and Christmas Cheer at Center of Hope

SMPC served up a hot breakfast and Christmas cheer at Center of Hope on Saturday, December 21. Center of Hope is a women’s and children’s shelter located near Uptown Charlotte. We are blessed to be able to provide freshmade eggs, pancakes, bacon, grits and fruit to residents each month. If you are interested in serving in this very important ministry, please contact Bob Williamson! Yes, it’s an early wakeup call, but we promise you will be so happy you did it! Next serving date is Saturday, January 18. Sign up to serve or donate food here. 

Thank you to Donna Podgorny for sending some of these photos!

Home for the Holidays: SMPC College Students Reunite 

It was so wonderful to see our SMPC college students at the SMPC College Christmas Party! We have missed them so much! It felt so good to be back together celebrating the holidays together with good food, fellowship, and fun!! We missed those who couldn’t join us.

Thank you to Debi and Reyn Wheeler and Leanne Royster for hosting! Y’all are the best!!

Photo credit: Lindsey Odom

Children Bring Christ’s Birth to Life!

O, Holy Night! We celebrated the birth of Christ with three beautiful services at South Mecklenburg Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve! Photos are from our Family Worship with Children’s Nativity – thank you to all of our children who made the birth of our Savior come to life! You can listen to Dr. Matt Brown’s sermon from the 8:00 p.m Candlelight Communion service via our podcast (link here) and watch any of our services via our homepage, smpchome.org > Sermons.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, whether in person or via livestream, as we came together in the light and hope of the season. 🌟

Photo Credit: Mac Perry 

Congratulations to Troop 219’s Second Eagle Scout Ever!

Last night, the second Scout in the girls Troop 219 earned the Eagle rank! Vaishnavi K.’s Eagle project was planting various trees around the SMPC campus, gathering starter trees and education of scouts about the importance of conservation. Thank you, Vaishnavi!

Photo credit: Dean Elledge

Scout’s Eagle Project a Big Help for Music Ministry

George E. wrapped up his Eagle project this week! It included a movable stand for the handbell cases, racks on the wall for the music stands and a base for speakers. All of these are in the pipe well (behind the choir), so we can’t see them, but they are SO needed!! Thank you, George!!!

Photo credit: Dean Elledge