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The mission of the Community Outreach committee is to joyfully respond with love and grace to God's call to serve those in need in our community. Community Outreach is divided into the following areas of ministry: Hunger Ministries, Adult Ministies, Youth Ministries, & Construction Ministries. The committee meets monthly to seek ways that SMPC can impact the lives of people in need and become more involved in our local community (Mecklenburg and Union counties). We strive to provide opportunities to SMPC members to grow in their faith by making use of their individual time, talents & treasure. We welcome your questions, comments & Ideas, please contact any committee member. Committee Members:
Current Outreach Opportunities (click links for more information): Alternative Christmas Gift Fair SMPC's annual Alternative Gift Fair will be held on Sunday, November 23 from 9 am to 1 pm! The fair creatively showcases several local and global charities. Throughout the holiday season, monetary donations can be made to these charities in the name of a friend, teacher, client or family member. These donations make unique and meaningful gifts. In 2007, we donated over $12,000 to local and foreign projects! Donna Brown 704.759.1939 American Red Cross Blood Drives Give the "gift of life" at our quarterly blood drives! At our most recent blood drive, July 12, 2008 at SMPC we had 39 donors and we collected 36 pints of blood. Thank you for your support! Gayle Ireland 704.846.7923
Center of Hope (Salvation Army Women & Children's Shelter) On the first Saturday of every month we prepare and serve an evening meal to the residents of the Center of Hope, and we need your help! There are three ways you can help.
We are always looking for folks who want to become an active part of this much needed ministry. Please watch the SMPC weekly for updates and details on menus and delivery times. Charles Casey 704.844.8075
More about dinners at the Center of Hope and SMPC
The Center of Hope offers real hope and help to homeless women and children. Located at 534 Spratt Street near Uptown Charlotte, the facility has 202 beds, but is frequently "home" to 230 women and children - making it the largest women and children's homeless shelter in the Southeast. Many services are provided to the residents, including case management, medical care, Boys & Girls club, childcare, transportation, computer lab and children's library. The Ladies Morning Circle coordinates a collection of supplies for the residents at the shelter. The following items are always needed and can be placed in the bin located outside the fellowship hall near the Community Outreach bulletin board:
On the last Sunday of each month, we collect a special offering that goes to the Charlotte Presbytery to distribute to local agencies that provide hunger relief. We ask individuals to donate 5 cents per meal each month to help fight hunger. Donna Brown 704.759.1939 SMPC provides resources for those "in transition" looking for new employment opportunities. Gwen Ferguson 704.543.0560 Love INC seeks to reach out in the love and name of Christ by having church volunteers reach out to those living with severe needs in Charlottein their time of need. Currently, SMPC supports the work of Love INC by building wheelchair ramps. On Saturday, April 26, 2008, a group of volunteers from SMPC built a wheelchair ramp for a Charlotte resident who is very weak as a result of cancer. Her new ramp gives her the freedom to go outside on her own. A big thank you to behind the scenes volunteers, Bill Bishop, Royce Harmon and Nancy Metzler; and to the volunteer work crew, Terri Clark, Bob Hawks, Pat McDonnell, Curtis Ireland, Brad Alford, Ed Cho, Tom McElhaney, Rick Lee and Mark Ramsey. This gift of time and talents by SMPC members is an outward sign of love for those in need in our community. Putting in the time to build ramps provides great opportunity for camaraderie, friendships and kidding. We welcome new volunteers to share in the work, fun and satisfaction. Please contact Mark Ramsey to help! Click here to see the work and the workers!
A long time ministry of SMPC, the Monday Menders provide a valuable service to residents of Sharon Towers continuing care retirement community in Charlotte. Volunteers lovingly mend clothing for residents to allow them to continue using their favorite items. The Monday Menders meet each Monday from 9:30 till 11:30 at Sharon Towers to mend. We continually have a need for novice and veteran "menders" to help with this special ministry. Carolyn Harmon 704.366.2290 Lindalee Macauley 704.579.1705 Return to Top of PageSalvation Army Christmas Stockings The JOY Group coordinates this annual project for SMPC. The Salvation Army distributes Christmas stockings to needy children in Mecklenburg and Union counties. The Salvation Army served 4,300 families including 10,000 children in 2007. Jean Carney 704.752.1836
SMPC sponsors seven different scouting units for boys and girls. Is your child interested in scouting? Click here for more information. Mary Lynn Rawls 704.544.1570
Sponsored by the youth at SMPC, this event highlights the problems of hunger and poverty in our area. The special offering collected on Super Bowl Sunday is given to a charity designated by the group; since 2005 SMPC's donations have benefitted Second Harvest Food Bank. Since 2006, SMPC's high school youth have participated in the Souper Bowl of Caring Service Blitz at Second Harvest Food Bank on the Saturday leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. In 2008, collectively the youth (16 churches total) who volunteered during the blitz raised almost $5,000 to help the Food Bank end child hunger. They serve as an inspiration to all of us! Katie Harrington 704.544.0404 "Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat"
Special Offerings benefitting local Community Outreach organizations: Pentecost SMPC designates its Pentecost Offering to:
Peacemaking "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God," said Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Matthew 5:9). SMPC designates its Peacemaking Offering on the first Sunday in October to: Click here to see a recent load of donations for the shelter
Christmas Eve SMPC designated its Christmas Eve Offering in 2007 to: Locally, A Child's Place Internationally, OFCB Ministries in Bayonnais, Haiti
Looking for other opportunities? This is a partial listing of organizations that need help: Classroom Central A free store for teachers working in low income schools in the Charlotte region. SMPC collected a mountain of school supplies for Classroom Central and Center of Hope at Rally Day, September 9, 2008! Click here for a complete list of items! A big thanks to Marion Kay for coordinating. Click here for pictures at Classroom Central. CUP Ministry (Christians United for People) Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith Network) The Shepherd's Center of Charlotte Thompson Child and Family Focus Uptown Shelter (Men's Emergency Shelter) Return to Top of Page |
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