The Reverend Mark A. Smith Sr. is the product of the A.M.E.
Church. His father (Reverend Marshall Smith
is a retired A.M.E. pastor and lives in Kansas City, Missouri, and his
mother Sylvia Sharp lives in Des Moines, Iowa.
He was born in Des Moines, Iowa.
Reverend Smith is the oldest of five children. Reverend Smith attended
public schools in Hannibal,
Missouri,
Davenport, Iowa
and Des Moines, Iowa. Reverend Mark A Smith Sr. received his
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from
Lincoln
University in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Reverend Smith received his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry
degrees from Trinity Theological Seminary.
Reverend Smith has been active in the
communities he has had the privilege to serve. Currently he is involved
in the East Bay Lenten Caravan and OCO and a member of the Oakland
Ministerial Association. Pastor Smith has served as Membership Committee
Chair and Vice President on the Executive Committee of Interfaith
Ministries, Secretary of the W.G. Williams Community Foundation Inc.,
member of the Wichita Ministerial League, and a member of the Wichita
NAACP. Reverend Smith has also served on the Federal Bureau of Prisons
Community Relations Board and the Bureau of Prisons Mentoring Program.
Reverend Smith began his ministry out
of high school but did not begin active pastoral ministry until 1987 as
an associate minister of St. Paul A.M.E.
Church, Olathe, Kansas
under the supervision of the late Rev. Dr. Jethro Syrus. Reverend Smith
has served as pastor at Wayman Chapel A.M.E Church Fort Scott, Kansas,
Ebenezer A.M.E. Church St. Joseph, Missouri, St.
Paul A.M.E. Church,
Kansas City, Kansas, Bethel
A.M.E. Church
Leavenworth, Kansas,
St. Paul AME. Wichita,
Kansas
and is now the proud pastor of Brookins
A.M.E Church,
Oakland,
California.
Reverend Smith sees his present
assignment at Brookins AME Church as a holistic ministry – one focusing
on the physical, spiritual being as well as the empowerment of all
people in housing, economic development and education.
Reverend Smith’s favorite scripture is
found in Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the
plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to
harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
(NIV)
Reverend Smith is married to Jan L.
Overton Smith; they have three children, Shawn Overton, Josine Guest and
Mark Smith jr. two grandsons Vaughn Daniel Overton and Jeihlon.
