THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2025 | | |
We hope you'll join us for the first Sunday of Advent worship at 10:10 a.m. in the sanctuary or via livestream. All are welcome!
First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
Second Reading: Romans 13:8-14
Sermon: Love Is Our Calling: The Time Is Now
Pastor: Rev. Lindsey Odom
Listening devices are available during worship. Please stop by the Connection Center for more information. We encourage you to wear your name tag to worship. If you do not have a name tag or have misplaced yours, please contact Adrienne Jaquith, Office and Database Manager.
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- The church office is closed today for the Thanksgiving holiday.
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If you missed signing Donna and Matt's commemorative book, it will be in the narthex this Sunday, November 30. It's also in the church office during the week! If you are unable to sign the book in person, please email Office and Database Manager Adrienne Jaquith with your message, and she will write it in the book for you (her handwriting is A++!).
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Transitional Pastor Dr. Sandy Hull will start on Monday, December 1. His first Sunday at SMPC will be Sunday, December 7. Click here to learn more about Sandy.
| | SEEN AROUND CHURCH & FEATURED EVENTS | | | | |
Seen Around Church
There are so many things to be thankful for within our SMPC community! Read about all the light and love in this week's Seen Around Church!
| | Advent Devotionals - Written by SMPC members and illustrated by our youth and children, receive these daily in your inbox beginning this Sunday, November 30. If you received Advent Devotionals last year, you do not need to subscribe this year. | Subscribe | Contact: Terry Gaines | | | | More Slots Open! Bell Ringing for Salvation Army, Saturdays, November 29, December 6, December 13, December 20, Two-Hour Slots from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Belk SouthPark Mall - More slots are open! Sign up as a group or solo! | Sign up here | Contact: Terry Gaines | | | | Angel Tree Tags Available Online Now and In Person this Sunday, November 30 - Angel Tree tags are available on the tree in the narthex and Chapel building or online. Donations are due to the church by Sunday, December 14. | Online Angel Tags | Contact: Kristin Colson | | | | Advent Adult Study: Calling All Angels - Sundays, Beginning November 30, 9:00-10:00 a.m., OR Mondays, Beginning December 1, 10:00-11:00 a.m., McQueen Room or Zoom - Join this four-week study as we reflect on the surprising ways angels appear in Scripture and what their presence reveals about God’s message of hope, peace, joy, and love. | Register | Contact: Rebecca Guzman | | | | Women's Advent Tea - Saturday, December 6, 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., Mecklenburg Hall - This cherished annual gathering brings together women of all ages for music, meditation, food and fellowship time. Catered by the Community Culinary School of Charlotte. | Cost - Adults: $15; Children 11 and under: $8 | Register | Contact: Melissa White | | | | Alternative Gift Market (In Person), Sunday, December 7, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Narthex - Agencies will be at the church to share more information on how your donation can help those in need. Shop in person on Sunday, December 7 or online anytime between now and December 25. | Shop Online | Contact: Heather Carpenter or Leanne Royster | | | | Festival of Carols, Sunday, December 14, 6:00 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary and Livestream - A special worship service led by SMPC's Music Ministry. Music enhanced with scripture. Childcare provided. | Contact: Zach Bowyer | | | | The Longest Night, Tuesday, December 16, 5:30 p.m., Chapel - A special worship service that offers hope and consolation for those experiencing any type of loss. | | | | SMPC Youth Gift Wrapping Fundraiser - Sunday, December 21, 12:00-3:00 pm, Mecklenburg Hall - Bring your Christmas gifts and gift wrapping paper or choose from some of the gift wrapping paper we have and let SMPC Youth wrap them for you! Proceeds offset costs and provide scholarships so all can join our summer youth trips. $5 per gift. | Contact: Rebecca Guzman | | | | |
Volunteers Needed for Bread Delivery!
Fridays, 9:00 a.m. - Volunteers are needed to deliver the Panera bread "dough-nation" on Friday mornings to the Dilworth Soup Kitchen! Spread joy, not just butter! | Contact: Lisa Gilleland
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Serve or Donate in the New Year with Room in the Inn
We partner with two other churches to help with dinner, overnight stays, breakfast, and cleanup. Room in the Inn is an initiative led by Roof Above. Upcoming dates to serve or donate in 2026 are January 7, February 15 and March 1. | Sign Up | Contact: Amy Matthews
| | Handiworkers' Group, Tuesday, December 2, 10:00 a.m., Palmer Building, Room 104 - All levels of knitters, needlepointers, quilters, cross-stitchers and crocheters are invited. This group meets weekly to work on projects. | Contact: Judy Jameson | | SMPC Lunch Bunch, Tuesday, December 2, 11:45 a.m., Burton’s Grill, Blakeney 9816 Rea Rd, Charlotte, 28277 - SMPC Lunch Bunch is an informal group that meets four times a year for lunch and fellowship. All are welcome—invite a friend. RSVP by Sunday, November 30 via Realm or by emailing Anita Schult. | | Pastor’s Wednesday Morning Bible Study, Wednesday, December 3, 9:30 a.m., McQueen Room or Zoom - Transitional Pastor Dr. Sandy Hull will lead this study that meets weekly to discuss the Scripture for the coming Sunday. All are welcome! If you would like to join by Zoom, please contact Adrienne Jaquith | | Making Space Mom's Group, Thursday, December 4, 7:30 p.m., Chapel 206 - Moms of all ages are invited to join us on the first and third Thursdays of every month for study, service and fellowship. | Contact: Allison Reeves | | Friday Morning Men's Group, Friday, December 5, 7:30-8:30 a.m., Chapel 206 - This group meets on the first and third Fridays of every month. They are beginning the book Imagine Heaven by John Burke. | Contact: Curt Ireland | | A Caregiver's Journey, Tuesday, December 9, 1:00-2:30 p.m., McQueen Room - Finding meaning and purpose as you care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. | Contact: Kathy Garner | | Men’s Evening Study Group, Tuesday, December 9, 7:30 p.m., Chapel 206 - This group meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. New faces are always welcome! | Contact: Jon Myers | | Shelter Ministry, Thursday, December 11, 9:00 a.m., Mecklenburg Hall - This group meets on the second Thursday of every month to fill empty medicine bottles with body wash for Roof Above. They are always in need of body wash and Rx vials (please, no shampoo or conditioner!) | Contact: Carol Morgan | | Men's Breakfast Group, Thursday, December 11, 9:30 a.m., Big View Diner, 6637 Lancaster Hwy - This group meets on the second and fourth Thursdays each month to enjoy breakfast and conversation. | Contact: Bob Tyler | | Food for Thought Book Group, Thursday, December 18, 12:30 p.m., McQueen Room - The group is reading Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin. All book lovers are welcome! | Contact: Kathy Paquette | | American Red Cross Blood Drive, Saturday, January 3, 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Commons - Please bring your American Red Cross Donor Card or photo I.D. | Sign up | Volunteer at the Drive | Contact: Bill Ramsey | | Bread Donation and Delivery - Volunteers are needed every Friday morning to deliver bread donated by Panera to the Dilworth Soup Kitchen. | Sign up | | Bag Lunches for Roof Above - Roof Above provides 300 bag lunches each day to help feed those in need. SMPC is committed to providing 100 bag lunches each month. Our next collection is Saturday, December 20 at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Palmer Building. | Sign up | Contact: Julie Durham | | Center of Hope Desserts - On the second Sunday of every month we provide sweet treats for the women and children that temporarily call Center of Hope home. Our next dessert collection is Sunday, December 13. | Sign up | Contact: Terry Gaines | | Friends Empowering Haiti (formerly Friends of OFCB) is raising money to purchase food for the school in Bayonnais, Haiti. The school provides lunch each day for the 2,500 students who are enrolled in the four campuses, and it is often the only food the students receive that day. They have received a gift from a generous donor, which will match any individual donation up to a total of $83,333 between now and December 31, 2025. Donations can be made by check, mailed to Friends Empowering Haiti, P.O. Box 34563, Charlotte, NC 28234 or online. | Read more about the impact of sponsoring a student | More Info | Donate | Contact: Judy Nichols | | Nourish Up’s St. Giles Food Pantry, Fridays, 1:00-2:00 p.m. or 2:00-4:00 p.m., 2027 Emerywood Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 – Lift and deliver boxes of food from Nourish Up’s St. Giles Food Pantry to cars every Friday from 1-2 p.m. They are also looking for help with client services every Friday from 2-4 p.m. The minimum age to volunteer is 14, and closed toed shoes are required. | Contact: Jane Royther | | Tutoring at Smithfield Elementary – If you are interested in learning more about this awesome service opportunity, please complete this form so that we can connect with you! Tutoring at Smithfield Elementary is a rewarding way to share your time and talents. | Contact: Lindsey Odom | | SMPC Ushers - We are looking for new members to join our Usher Team! Usher responsibilities include arriving 30 minutes prior to worship, handing out bulletins before worship, collecting the offering, guiding church members up to communion and cleaning up after worship. Ushers typically work one time a month or every other month. This is a great way for all generations to serve. | Contact: Nancy Parrish | | BAM! (Bible and Music) Kickoff, Sunday, December 7, 5:00-6:30 p.m., Meet in the Narthex, Kindergarten-5th Grade - We only have two more rehearsals before Festival of Carols! Hope you can join us. Please register on Realm so we order enough pizza! | Register | Contact: Rebecca Guzman | | Adults Needed in Children's Worship, During 10:10 a.m. Worship, Sundays - Help as we welcome visitors and assist our youngest members! Just sign up and plan to meet us at the back of the sanctuary as we exit. You do not need to prepare anything. We love adults of all ages. Younger youth are always welcome to help, but we need additional adults to sign up each week. | Sign Up | Contact: Rebecca Guzman | | Youth Volunteers in Children's Worship - To ensure everyone has a chance to serve, please sign up in advance. Limit: 4 youth volunteers per week (unless there’s a special project). | Sign Up | Contact: Rebecca Guzman | | SMPC Youth Christmas Party, Sunday, December 7, 5:00-6:30 p.m., Mecklenburg Hall, Middle and High Schoolers - We'll have an Advent devotion and will decorate gingerbread houses and Christmas cookies! | Register | Contact: Lindsey Odom | | | | |
Be a Trinity Bell Toller!
Sundays before 10:10 a.m. Worship - NEW from our Music Ministry! Each Sunday, a Trinity Bell Toller rings the bell three times before the prelude—a simple yet powerful reminder of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, calling us to center ourselves as worship begins. No experience necessary. More information and sign up below. Contact: Zach Bowyer
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Come Make a Joyful Noise! Join SMPC's Music Ministry
SMPC offers dynamic music programming for all ages focused on praising God through joyous song, musical instruments and engaging fellowship. We are always striving for musical excellence, but we have a ton of fun along the way! | Contact: Zach Bowyer
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Support SMPC Preschool by Linking Harris Teeter VIC Card - Relink for this school year! Simply visit the Harris Teeter Together in Education website and follow the instructions. The preschool's number is 4902. If you've linked your card in the past, please re-link for this school year! Contact: Tammy Winchip
| | Gifts to the Operating Fund support the day to day ministries, programs, and operations of the church. Gifts to the Strength to Strength Fund support our sanctuary mortgage. Gifts to the School Lunches for Haiti Fund support students at the OFCB school in Bayonnais, Haiti. For other gift designations, select the Other Fund, and note the gift's intent in the box provided. | Contact: Mary Katheryne Zagora | | | | |
