Excerpt from Times Dispatch profile:
It was a special Sunday for Smith, who celebrated his 65th anniversary as a preacher. He stood at the front of the church for much of the 100-minute, music-filled service, strumming his Fender Stratocaster and singing with the congregation.
His energy never waned, and rarely did he sit down. He sang a duet with his wife of 44 years, Judy, and also sang solo.
Church member J.D. Burge said it’s important to celebrate “all the years (Smith) has given to the Lord.” Burge travels 24 miles from Hanover County to attend The Full Gospel Tabernacle each week because, he said, “the spirit of God fills the church.”
Much of that can be attributed to Smith, who is the son of a Blackfoot Indian father and an Irish mother. He grew up on Oregon Hill and as a 15-year-old led worship services in Monroe Park and headlined a two-week revival at Calvary Pentecostal Tabernacle on Hull Street that lasted a full year.
“You have to either learn how to preach under those circumstances or forget it,” he said.
Smith’s career in ministry led him to preach in 16 foreign countries, most extensively in the Philippines.
