Each quarter, CrossTie will feature stories that introduce us more personally to members of the Smoke Rise community—people whose lives of faith, service, resilience and compassion quietly shape the spirit of our church family. In this inaugural series, we meet three individuals who embody the values we hold dear: courage in leadership, dedication to others, and grace in both triumph and hardship.
You’ll read about Colonel Paul Valvo, whose decades of military service and steady faith have inspired those around him; Gwyned Bius, a trailblazer in women’s athletics and a neighbor whose warmth brings joy to all who know her; and Sylvia Dodson, whose caregiving journey through her husband’s dementia became a mission of advocacy and love.
These are more than biographies—they are glimpses into the lives of people who sit beside us in worship, serve alongside us in ministry, and remind us what it means to live with purpose. We hope their stories will encourage, uplift, and help us know each other just a little bit better.
– Mitzi Ethridge-Cantrell, Pastoral Care Associate