OUR STORY

Our first worship service was held on February 24, 1991 at McAlpine Elementary School on Pineville-Matthews Road in Charlotte, NC. Two years after that first worship service we moved into a new multi-purpose building at our present site, 8601 Bryant Farms Road, in what is now the Ballantyne community.

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We have experienced exponential growth through the years, with current membership reaching more than 1,100 plus 450 children. Our members hail from more than 30 states as well as Finland, Great Britain, Jamaica, and South Africa.

To accommodate our growth, we built constantly: a preschool wing and fellowship hall (2000); classroom cottage (2002); and administrative offices, additional classrooms, a chapel and choir wing (2006). In 2008 we broke ground on a 675-seat permanent sanctuary and held our first worship service in the sanctuary on November 8, 2009.

Our staff has grown as well and includes Dr. Matt Brown, senior pastor; Rev. Whitney Bayer, associate pastor for congregational care; Rev. Diane Giannola, parish associate; Rebecca Guzman, director of spiritual formation; Rev. Jessica Tidwell, director of youth ministry; and Zach Boyer, director of music and organist. Support staff includes Nancy Metzler, director of hospitality and connection; Donna Rogers, director of communications; Freda Smith, property administrator; and Mary Katheryne Zagora, business administrator.

At SMPC we emphasize strong worship services in the Reformed tradition, based upon Scripture and the Sacraments. We provide inspirational preaching and a vibrant music program at two worship services every Sunday morning, at 8:10 a.m. and 10:10 a.m. On the first Sunday of every month at 9 a.m. we also offer Common Ground, a worship service for families with special needs.

We offer a variety of Christian education programs for children, youth and adults on Sunday mornings including Faith Practice, an innovative, interactive and intergenerational approach to the traditional Sunday school hour. The Joy Class offers Bible study, and All Things Considered offers discussion of contemporary Christian issues. Our eighth graders continue their faith journeys in a year-long confirmation class.

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We also offer a variety of Bible studies, book studies, and discussion groups throughout the week, including Monday Morning Bible Study, Pastor Matt Brown’s Wednesday Morning and Evening Bible Studies, an early morning men’s group, women’s circles and our Rain or Shine Moms’ Group.

Our Board of Deacons seeks to bring Christ’s love to those who are homebound, ill, those who are caregivers, and the grieving. Ministry teams include bereavement, transportation, home assistance, food teams, prayer chain, care mail, baby ministry, and more. Our deacons also host a continuing series, Living Well, with speakers on a variety of topics, including most recently on Alzheimer’s disease.

We provide many opportunities to enjoy fellowship together, including Lemonade on the Lawn, Coffee Grounds, Shrove Tuesday pancake supper, lunch on the grounds, golf outings, and special receptions. Small groups include softball teams, supper clubs, a photography group, and a book club.  SMPC Meetups offer ways to make connections based on special interests in an informal setting: International Dining, Hops Around Town, Take a Hike, Ballantyne Business Group, Lunch Bunch, and more.

We support the greater community with our time, talents and financial resources through organizations such as The Salvation Army’s Center of Hope, where we prepare and serve meals, and A Child’s Place, where we are tutors, lunch buddies and snack providers.  Roof Above: Our Shelter Ministry uses discarded prescription bottles to package laundry soap, body wash, and shampoo for Roof Above (formerly The Urban Ministry and Men’s Shelter of Charlotte). We provide conduct food drives for Loaves & Fishes, serve as tutors at area elementary schools, and hold quarterly blood drives for the American Red Cross. We have a long-standing commitment to provide support to a church and school in Bayonnais, Haiti; child sponsorships are available.

Additionally, we open our campus to a number of community groups and organizations, including Boy and Girl Scouts, Alcoholics Anonymous, and various HOA’s and other non-profits. 

As we continue to move forward, our prayer is that we remain a vibrant and growing congregation, welcoming to all, full of energy and eager to serve God faithfully in this corner of God’s kingdom.  It is an exciting journey we are on as we seek to follow Jesus Christ. Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place!

DR. MATT BROWN

Pastor

EMAIL MATT

REV. WHITNEY BAYER

Associate Pastor

EMAIL WHITNEY

REV. DIANE GIANNOLA

REV. JESSICA TIDWELL

Parish Associate

EMAIL DIANE

Director of Youth Ministry

EMAIL JESSICA