IN HONOR OF REVEREND ELIJAH SMITH, SR.
April 1, 2020
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated
man of God, community servant, Civil Rights Leader, family man and
friend of longstanding, Rev. Elijah Smith, Sr. Sadly, Rev. Smith passed
away on October 2, 2017. His funeral service will be held on Saturday,
October 7, 2017 at 1 p.m. at the St. Peter A.M.E. Church in Fort
Valley, Georgia.
man of God, community servant, Civil Rights Leader, family man and
friend of longstanding, Rev. Elijah Smith, Sr. Sadly, Rev. Smith passed
away on October 2, 2017. His funeral service will be held on Saturday,
October 7, 2017 at 1 p.m. at the St. Peter A.M.E. Church in Fort
Valley, Georgia.
Reverend Elijah Smith, Sr. was born on December 28, 1939, in Fort
Valley, Georgia, to the union of the late Mr. Samuel L. Smith and the
late Mrs. Ola M. Johnson Smith. He was educated in the Peach County
School System.
Valley, Georgia, to the union of the late Mr. Samuel L. Smith and the
late Mrs. Ola M. Johnson Smith. He was educated in the Peach County
School System.
On October 11, 1964, Reverend Smith received a calling that would
change his life forever--he was called to preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. He acknowledged this calling at the Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
in Peach County. His first pastoral appointment occurred in 1967 in the
Eastman Circuit in Eastman, Georgia. He served in Eastman for four
years. He was then assigned to the Allen Chapel and Mountain Creek
A.M.E. Churches in Sumter County where he served for a total of 13
years. In 1984, he was assigned to the St. John A.M.E. Church in
Columbus, Georgia. During this time, the church was destroyed by a
tornado and he was instrumental in the rebuilding of the church at its
current location on Steam Mill Road in Columbus. He served at St. John
for ten years. Because of his legacy of service and his commitment to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was appointed by Bishop Donald George
Kenneth Ming as the Presiding Elder of the Eastern District. He was at
the time one of three presiding Elders in the Southwest Georgia
Conference of thee African-Methodist Episcopal Church. At the time of
his retirement as a Presiding Elder, he was senior Presiding Elder in
charge of thirty-six churches. He also retired as a Civil Service
Employee at Robins Air Force Base, as an electronic technician. He also
was an entrepreneur, as he was the owner of D and S Florist in Fort
Valley, Georgia.
change his life forever--he was called to preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. He acknowledged this calling at the Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
in Peach County. His first pastoral appointment occurred in 1967 in the
Eastman Circuit in Eastman, Georgia. He served in Eastman for four
years. He was then assigned to the Allen Chapel and Mountain Creek
A.M.E. Churches in Sumter County where he served for a total of 13
years. In 1984, he was assigned to the St. John A.M.E. Church in
Columbus, Georgia. During this time, the church was destroyed by a
tornado and he was instrumental in the rebuilding of the church at its
current location on Steam Mill Road in Columbus. He served at St. John
for ten years. Because of his legacy of service and his commitment to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was appointed by Bishop Donald George
Kenneth Ming as the Presiding Elder of the Eastern District. He was at
the time one of three presiding Elders in the Southwest Georgia
Conference of thee African-Methodist Episcopal Church. At the time of
his retirement as a Presiding Elder, he was senior Presiding Elder in
charge of thirty-six churches. He also retired as a Civil Service
Employee at Robins Air Force Base, as an electronic technician. He also
was an entrepreneur, as he was the owner of D and S Florist in Fort
Valley, Georgia.
Shirley Chisholm once said that, ``Service is the rent that we pay
for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Reverend Smith not
only paid his rent, as a minister of the gospel, but he paid his rent
with his many social and civic affiliations. During his lifetime, he
received many awards to include: Joseph Roscoe Campbell Freedom Award
for service to the Concerned Citizens Movement for the Americus-Sumter
County NAACP; Special Recognition Award for outstanding and dedicated
service to the Americus Police Department and the Sumter County
Community for his spiritual guidance as chaplain; The Martin Luther King, Jr.
Minister's Community Service Award in recognition of outstanding and
meritorious service to the church and community from the Columbus;
Georgia Chapter of Push; the Sixth Episcopal District (state of
Georgia) sons of Allen Award of Support; one of the 50 Most influential
African Americans in the Columbus-Ft. Benning and Phenix City Area. He
was also a lifetime member of the NAACP, since March of 1996. Reverend
Smith served as a past President of the Americus-Sumter Branch of the
NAACP. He was always pushing African-Americans to use their political
power at the ballot box to effectuate positive social change.
for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Reverend Smith not
only paid his rent, as a minister of the gospel, but he paid his rent
with his many social and civic affiliations. During his lifetime, he
received many awards to include: Joseph Roscoe Campbell Freedom Award
for service to the Concerned Citizens Movement for the Americus-Sumter
County NAACP; Special Recognition Award for outstanding and dedicated
service to the Americus Police Department and the Sumter County
Community for his spiritual guidance as chaplain; The Martin Luther King, Jr.
Minister's Community Service Award in recognition of outstanding and
meritorious service to the church and community from the Columbus;
Georgia Chapter of Push; the Sixth Episcopal District (state of
Georgia) sons of Allen Award of Support; one of the 50 Most influential
African Americans in the Columbus-Ft. Benning and Phenix City Area. He
was also a lifetime member of the NAACP, since March of 1996. Reverend
Smith served as a past President of the Americus-Sumter Branch of the
NAACP. He was always pushing African-Americans to use their political
power at the ballot box to effectuate positive social change.
Rev. Elijah Smith loved people and he always fought for what was
right. He was guided by his love of God and his love of people. Mother
Teresa once said that, ``At the end of life we will not be judged by
how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how
many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry, and
you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was
homeless, and you took me in.' '' Rev. Elijah Smith used his life for
good and to help others. He always believed that the ``time is always
right to do that which is right.''
right. He was guided by his love of God and his love of people. Mother
Teresa once said that, ``At the end of life we will not be judged by
how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how
many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry, and
you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was
homeless, and you took me in.' '' Rev. Elijah Smith used his life for
good and to help others. He always believed that the ``time is always
right to do that which is right.''
On a personal note, Rev. Smith and his family have been dear friends
to my wife Vivian and me for many years, and I will always value the
support, encouragement and counsel that he imparted to me over the
years.
to my wife Vivian and me for many years, and I will always value the
support, encouragement and counsel that he imparted to me over the
years.
Rev. Elijah Smith was a great man and accomplished many things in his
life, but none of this would have been possible with out the love and
support of his family. His legacy lives on through his wife, Janet, his
children, step children, grandchildren and all of those that he touched
in a special way.
life, but none of this would have been possible with out the love and
support of his family. His legacy lives on through his wife, Janet, his
children, step children, grandchildren and all of those that he touched
in a special way.
Mr. Speaker, my wife Vivian and I, along with the more than 730 000
constituents of the Second Congressional District of Georgia salute and
honor the life of Reverend Elijah Smith, Sr. for his commitment to
spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over five decades and serving
humankind. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join
us in extending our deepest condolences to Reverend Smith's family
during this difficult time. We pray that they will be consoled and
comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks
and months ahead.
constituents of the Second Congressional District of Georgia salute and
honor the life of Reverend Elijah Smith, Sr. for his commitment to
spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over five decades and serving
humankind. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join
us in extending our deepest condolences to Reverend Smith's family
during this difficult time. We pray that they will be consoled and
comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks
and months ahead.