With open arms and unwavering grace, Cedar Park Church welcomed a broken couple—and from that healing, a movement was born, now championing the voiceless.
🙌 From Broken Beginnings to Bold Convictions: The Journey of Jay and Sandy Smith
Cedar Park Church in Bothell, Washington, might not exist in its current form if not for one couple’s decision to embrace grace instead of despair.
Jay Smith, now senior pastor of CPC, and his wife Sandy, the church’s services and gatherings pastor, nearly let one reckless moment derail God’s call on their lives. “I thought it was over,” says Jay, now 47. “God had called me to pastoral ministry back in middle school—and I thought I’d lost everything.”
Their story began in the church nursery, where childhood friendship matured into high school romance and dreams of college and marriage. Jay was the charming blond boy Sandy remembered fondly, admired for his kindness to everyone—even those others ignored.
With strong church roots—Sandy’s father Joseph Fuiten was CPC’s former lead pastor and Jay’s father served as a deacon—their path felt destined. But everything changed when Sandy became unexpectedly pregnant at 18. Their perfect plans went up in flames.
Still, they chose life for their child. Just three weeks later, Sandy’s father married them on the family porch. Sandy withdrew from college to prepare for motherhood. Jay pressed forward with his biblical literature degree, juggling jobs to support his family.
“I was overwhelmed and ashamed,” Jay recalls. “But we didn’t run. We faced it—and God met us there.”
During a youth trip to Portland, Sandy had an encounter that forever changed her. A powerful moment of prayer lifted the shame she’d carried. “I buried my face in the carpet, sobbing for over an hour,” she remembers. “From that day forward, I truly understood God’s grace.”
For years, the couple kept a low profile, attending church quietly. But CPC’s community showed them unconditional love. Instead of judgment, they received grace, mentorship, and the kind of support that reshaped their lives—and ultimately, the church itself.
Older couples stepped in, saying, “We’ve walked your path—and we’re here for you.”
In 1999, Jay was invited to serve as youth ministry assistant, launching a journey that saw him become lead pastor by 2015. CPC now includes 10 campuses around Seattle and serves over 2,000 members weekly. Its K–12 Christian schools educate roughly 2,400 students.
Jay and Sandy began sharing their testimony, offering hope to others facing unplanned parenthood, failure, or shame. Every January, they speak at CPC’s Sanctity of Human Life Sunday service, where their transparency continues to inspire.
Their lived story formed the backbone of CPC’s pro-life convictions. In 2019, the church challenged a Washington law requiring abortion coverage in employee insurance plans. That legal fight continues today, with support from 18 states and faith-based legal advocates.
“No church should be forced to violate God’s Word,” Jay says. “Standing for life isn’t just a belief—it’s the thread of our story.”
