Smith is the son of the late Mc Kennon Howard Smith and the late Willie Atkins Tomlinson Smith. He was born in Nashville, TN., and was reared in Columbia, TN.  He is a graduate of Columbia Central High School, Columbia State Community College and Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN. On May 9, 1981, he received the Master of Arts Degree in Evangelism from Scarritt College for Christian Workers, Nashville, TN.

   

     ORDINATIONS 1977 Itinerant Deacon and 1979, Itinerant Elder. His ministry began in 1974 at Wrigley, TN and he has served congregations in Charlotte, TN., Clarksville, TN., Springfield, TN., Pegram, TN, Brown’s Temple and Mary’s Chapel  A.M.E. Churches, Fayetteville, TN.,Taylor Chapel A.M.E. Church, Bowling Green, Ky., Two years later, he was reassigned to the churches he once pastored in Fayetteville, TN.  and supplied as pastor at Solomon Chapel, Lucy Memorial Kelso, Sugg’s Chapel-Dellrose, and at Round Hill AME Church, Lynville,TN.

 

In 1985, he was appointed to serve at Campbell Chapel A.M.E. Church, Pulaski, TN., where he served for seven years. He has served on the Board of Examiners and as the Annual Conference Secretary in The West Kentucky and The East Tennessee Conferences

 

For two years, he worked as a Church Planter on the staff of the New Hope Church of GOD, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  Upon completion of his two-year leave of absence, he was a Minister of Music at St. Paul  A.M.E. Church, Chattanooga, TN., under the pastorate of the late Rev. Willie Silas Love.  At the funeral service for Rev. Love, held on January 19, 1996, he was assigned to Mt. Juliet A.M.E. Church, Mt. Juliet, TN.

 

At the death of the Rev. George Douglas, the Rev. David H. Strong, pastor at Ebenezer Church-Nashville, TN. was reassigned to pastor St. Matthew.  Pastor Smith was assigned to Ebenezer Church, Nashville, TN.

 

Realizing that his mission at Ebenezer was completed, In February of 1997, Smith faxed a communication to Presiding Elder Charles E. Jenkins requesting that he be transferred to give service at a charge closer to his domicile in Pulaski, TN.  Since, October 24, 1997, he serves at Jones Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mt. Pleasant, TN.

 

Smith is a product of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Columbia, TN, where he was active in all facets of the local church.  Additionally, he served at every level in the Young People’s Division of the Women’s Missionary Society. 

 

At the age of 6, his parents saw to it that he received piano lessons, then at age 9, under the leadership of the late Rev. James Madison Grandberry, Jr., he began taking organ lessons in Nashville, TN., each Saturday.  St. Paul Church-Columbia, TN., allowed him the opportunity to begin his music ministry.  He played for the Sunday School, the Senior Choir and the Youth Choir.

 

He has conducted various workshops, training seminars, and has traveled and preached at varied communions of faith throughout the United States.

 

He worked as an on the air announcer and news person at Radio Stations WKRM/WKOM, Columbia, TN., and WGNS Radio Murfreesboro, TN.  In the mid-1970’s he owned an interest in a weekly Newspaper in Columbia, TN and later entered the Rent To Own Business in Columbia, TN and later owned Bargain Rentals, Fayetteville, TN.

 

He is married to the former Willa Rose, and resides in Giles County. The Smiths are licensed Funeral Directors in the State of Tennessee and operate the Rose of Sharon Funeral Service, Pulaski, TN.

 

 

His step-daughter Lynn Sherrell is a college graduate and works in the engineering department of Denzo, Inc., Maryville, TN and his step-son, Marcus Sherrell is an Associate Professor at Bowling Green University, Bowling Green, Ohio.