Seen Around Church: Week of March 9, 2025

Now Low Notes Here! Basses Enjoy Dinner Together

The Chancel Choir basses enjoyed dinner together last week at The Office in Stonecrest!

Photo credit: Zach Bowyer

SMPC Hosts American Red Cross Blood Drive

SMPC hosted an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Saturday, March 8 – our third blood drive since November! We had 23 successful whole blood donations and 3 power red donations, a total of 29  units collected.  We had 8 volunteers who welcomed and checked in donors and assisted the Red Cross staff!

We are so grateful for all of the church members, friends, visitors and volunteers who came out to donate blood to help those in need. Thank you to this ministry’s leader, Bill Ramsey, for his continued dedication to promoting and working the blood drives! Our next blood drive is Saturday, May 3. Sign up to donate hereor volunteer here!

Photo credits: Terry Gaines and Bill Ramsey

Suns Out, We’re Out!

Yay for Parents’ Morning Out fun! We talked about the story of Easter, watched the Veggie Tales Easter special, hunted for empty eggs (like the empty tomb), had snack mix, played some games, made some crafts, and played outside on a perfectly lovely day!

Parents’ Morning Out happens twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall. Keep an eye out for the fall date! 

Photo credit: Rebecca Guzman

SMPC Youth Learn about Worship and Come Together in Service

During March BYG, SMPC Youth learned about worship and how worship is not just something we do together; rather, it becomes our way of life as faithful disciples of Christ. From worship comes opportunities to live like Christ would and witness to God’s love.

As an extension of our lesson on worship, our high schoolers received the opportunity to restock the food pantry at Community House Middle School for Ballantyne Families Helping Neighbors in Need, which provides food assistance to students in need within the public school system of Ballantyne.

Thank you to all the youth and parent volunteers who attended and made this BYG happen!

Photo credit: Lindsey Odom

Traditional Meal Brings Faith and Friends Together 

On Sunday, Pastor Matt Brown and his wife, Donna, were invited to the home of the Dogan family an Iftar dinner (the daily meal during Ramadan when Islamic families break the day’s fast). Matt said the food was only outmatched by the hospitality. Such a beautiful photo!

SMPC Celebrates its 100th Eagle Scout – SMPC Member George Elledge

It was a huge day for our Scout Troops 119 and 219 on Tuesday night, March 11. SMPC welcomed its 99th and 100th Eagle Scout, and what a story it is!

First of all, congratulations to Troop 119’s Harish Ravichandran, who became the Troop’s 97th Eagle Scout and the church’s 99th Eagle (two Scouts from Troop 219 recently became Eagles!).

And a HUGE round of applause for SMPC member and Troop 119’s George Elledge who became Troop 119’s 98th Eagle and SMPC’s 100th Eagle Scout!!

George, 18 and a senior at Ardrey Kell High School, is the son of Mary and Dean Elledge. Dean is also the Scoutmaster for the Troop. George joined the Cub Scouts in the Fall of 2012 and joined Troop 119 in the Spring of 2017. Both groups are sponsored by SMPC. George is the latest in a long line of young SMPC men who have followed their fathers’ guidance in achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. Many of those dads are still volunteering with the Troop today, even after their sons have aged out of the program! What a testament this is to the love, vitality and commitment of family, church and community.

“Mary and I celebrate this achievement of George and recognize that he could not have accomplished this Rank without the significant involvement of so many in the Troop, the congregation and the greater community,” said Dean. “We are grateful for the many SMPC members as they inquired about his progress over the years and offered encouragement to him and the family along the way. One of our primary reasons for choosing Troop 119 was due to its sponsorship by SMPC. We recognize the impact that Scouting has had on George’s development as a young man. And thus, we are aware that SMPC’s sponsorship of the Scouting program has the same influence on the many other youth that have participated in the program over the years, including a significant number that are not SMPC members.”

Pictured below left to right: Steve Stevenson (son Robbie earned Eagle in April 2002), Mary Elledge, George, Dean Elledge, Dave Gaines (son Eric earned Eagle in June 2016), and Tim Morgan (son Taylor earned Eagle in April 2010).

Photo credit: Terry Gaines

Big congratulations to both new Eagle Scouts and both Troops. And, thank you to the SMPC members for supporting the Scouts for over 30 years! Enjoy these photos – some are blasts from the past!!

Photo credits: Dean Elledge, Terry Gaines and Melissa White