Church Family Moment for Sunday, October 4, 2026
September 28, 2026SMPC Members, Preschool Staff and Families Beautify Playground
On Saturday morning, SMPC members Jim Hardy and Joel Winchip cleared and prepared the two playground sandboxes. Then, that afternoon, teachers and preschool families came to help spread the new sand.
Photo credit: Tammy Winchip
Middle Schoolers Enjoy Time Together in Small Group Dinner
Our middle schoolers enjoyed food, fellowship, faith and fun on Sunday evening at their small group dinner! A huge thank you to the Woodard family for hosting and providing the delicious Italian meal, and thank you to the Rose family for partnering with them to make the evening extra special! The youth also enjoyed a new game, 9 square, which is now located behind Mecklenburg Hall. Thank you to our awesome installers!
Photo credit: The Woodards and Roses
High Schoolers Spend a Beautiful Weekend at the Lake
The SMPC Youth High School Fall Retreat at Lake Tillery centered around the theme “Recognize,” with an emphasis on identity, belonging, and discerning how God calls us to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Through the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32), Psalm 139:7–10, and Isaiah 43:1, the group explored three essential questions of the Christian life: Who is God? Who am I? How should I live?
Through Bible study, small-group discussion and activities, personal reflection time, prayer and worship, our high schoolers reflected on God’s gracious and steadfast love, what it means to be known and claimed as God’s beloved children, and how our identity is rooted in God’s grace rather than our accomplishments, failures or the expectations of others. We also considered how God’s grace calls us to respond through lives of faithful discipleship, trusting that our purpose is found in relationship with God and in loving and serving others.
Beyond their time of faith formation, the high schoolers enjoyed a wonderful weekend of boating, swimming, lake activities, shared meals, games and lots of fellowship! It was such a meaningful opportunity for our high schoolers to deepen their faith, strengthen friendships, and have time for fun and relaxation! Thank you to Rev. Lindsey Odom and Belinda Hull for the awesome photos you’ll see in the video below!
SMPC Celebrates Scout Sunday
We are so proud of Scout Troops 119 and 219 and the impact they make in our community far and wide. It was a joy to honor and celebrate them in worship on Sunday. If your child is interested in Scouts or Cubs, or if you would like to volunteer with the organization, please contact Roy Bivens for more information.
Photo credit: Terry Gaines
It Takes Two!
One of the sweetest things about SMPC is that we often see multiple generations of families on any given Sunday, but we don’t always see family members dressing alike! We can see that style and heart don't skip a generation in the Sandeen/Colson family!
Photo credit: Terry Gaines
Sundays in the Sun
We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful Sunday morning than the one we got last Sunday! After a summer of record-breaking temps, the cooler morning was just what we needed.
Photo credit: Terry Gaines
Scouts Give Thanks to Local First Responders
The Scout Troops 119 and 219 annual BBQ and veggie chili sale was a hit (as always!). After the troops spent the weekend smoking the BBQ and cooking the chili, they treated two fire departments and one police station nearby to coolers full of BBQ and chili as appreciation for their service.
Pictured below, left to right: Charlotte Fire Department Station 32, Carolina Volunteer Fire Department and Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department
Photo credit: Roy Bivens
