LILLIAN C. SMITH
Born in Sumter Carolina, the Reverend Lillian C. Smith is a product of the Prince George’s County Maryland public school system. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University, Hampton Virginia, May 1987. In May 1994, Rev. Smith graduated, cum laude, with a Master of Divinity Degree with an emphasis in Systematic Theology from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.
A member of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, she was ordained a deacon on June 12,
1994. She was ordained an elder on June 22, 1997.
On July 1, 1994, she began serving as an Associate Minister at the church of her childhood, Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., with primary responsibilities for Youth and Young Adult Ministries. She also served as Chaplain-Director of the Wesley Foundation – The United Methodist Ministry at Howard University.
Rev. Smith served in the Campus Ministry Section staff of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Nashville, Tennessee from September 2, 1997 – October 18, 2004. As the Director of Ministries with Women and Persons of Color, her responsibilities included program development and administration of the Campus Ministry Section’s work with campus ministers and college chaplains who are women and persons of color. On October 18, 2004, she began a new ministry as Associate General Secretary, Division on Ministries with Young People, of the General Board of Discipleship. There she is charged with the responsibility of guiding the newly created Division on Ministries with Young People as it partners with United Methodist congregations and campus
ministries to “empower youth and young adults as world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ”.
On September 1, 2006, Rev. Smith began serving in ministry as the Executive Director, Congregational Transformation/Director of Connectional Ministries, for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. July of 2011, she began serving as Sr. Pastor,Tindley Temple
United Methodist Church, in Philadelphia, PA
Rev. Smith’s membership and activities, to list a few, include:
Black Methodists for Church Renewal Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated NEJ Multi-Ethnic Center for Ministry, 2008- Urban Theological Institute Advisory Committee, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century Resource Person, 1997 – 2006
Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, Board Member, 2001 – 2006
Working to empower God’s people, Rev. Smith has a deep commitment to doing what God has called her to do, “work for justice, love
kindness, and walk humbly with God”.
An avid reader, writer of numerous articles and publications, Rev. Smith resides, with her husband, the Rev. David Cassidy, and their
sons, David Charles Jasper and Hayward Felton Earl, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.