MEET OUR LEADERSHIP
MEET OUR PASTOR
REV. LISA M. MERRITT-SMITH, OVERSEER ELECT
ABOUT REV. LISA M. MERRITT-SMITH, OVERSEER ELECT
Pastor Lisa M. Merritt-Smith born November 1971, in Los Angeles, California to Evangelist Dixie Campbell and Ariece Arther.
Pastor Merritt-Smith has an A.A.S. degree in Business Management and a B.S. degree in Business Management, Business Administration and Religion.
In 1981, at the tender age of 10, Pastor Merritt-Smith accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and was baptized at the Green Memorial Church of God in Christ in Sikeston, Missouri by the renowned Bishop Charles Green.
In 1985, Pastor Merritt-Smith joined the St. John A.M.E. Zion Church in Middletown, New York where she would further her knowledge of the word of God and develop a deeper relationship with the Lord under the leadership of both her Uncle and Pastor; Reverend Dr. Jesse D. Merritt. While she continued to play the alto saxophone, she began serving in the local youth department. Pastor Merritt-Smith became very active singing in the choir then assuming the role/ responsibility of Choir Director.
In 1986, Pastor Merritt-Smith became active on the District level, within the Christian Education Department, attending District Meetings, Quarterly Sessions and Annual Conferences. At the age of 15, in 1987 Pastor Merritt-Smith was elected as President of the Hudson River District Youth Council, where she would serve for 3 consecutive years, traveling nationwide, speaking, teaching, learning, and being trained as a believer, a follower and devoted servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In 2000, Pastor Merritt-Smith became active on the National Level, serving as a member-at-large on the A.M.E. Zion National Christian Education Youth Council. During this year, she would also Develop and Implement a “Children’s Church” at her home church.
After her Pastor retired and relocated to Buffalo, New York, in September 2006, Pastor Merritt-Smith would join the St. Paul Baptist Church in Middletown, New York under the leadership of Senior Pastor Bishop Ray A. King. In the years to follow, Pastor Merritt-Smith became active in the Sunday School Ministry where she would serve as faithful student, secretary, teacher and superintendent. In 2007, Pastor Merritt-Smith was appointed as Pastor’s Administrator, Church Clerk and joined the Pastor’s Aid and Intercessory Prayer Team ministries. She has also served as a teacher for the Central Hudson Baptist Association Congress of Christian Education and would later teach Mid-Week Bible study at her home church and other churches abroad.
In 2008, she finally answered her calling in the ministry to preach the “gospel” and on December 17, 2008, preached her trial sermon where later on January 2011 she would be licensed as a Minister by her Senior Pastor Bishop Ray A. King. December 2015, she would then be ordained as Elder. April 2016, Pastor Lisa was asked and accepted to be the Pastor of Full Gospel Tabernacle, Ossining, NY. Pastor Merritt-Smith is married to Minister Rodney Smith II, and has 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Pastor Merritt-Smith pursues the “work” of the Lord, by living according to the word of God, faithful to the will of God, committed as a servant of Jesus Christ and inspired by Psalm 18:2; “the Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge”.
MEET OUR ELDER
ELDER RODNEY A. SMITH II
ABOUT ELDER RODNEY A. SMITH II
Elder Rodney A. Smith II was born February, 1977 in the Bronx, NY, to the parents of Rodney Smith I & Roxie Higdon. At the age of 17 God revealed the calling on his life and the need for God in his life. By the age of 20, he was an active member of the First Bible Church of The Lords Mission, Bronx, NY and two years into his membership there he was baptized. During that time God changed Minister Smith’s employment and placed Minister James K. McQueen of Open Bible Church, Jersey City, NJ and now founder and Pastor of the Spirit of Liberty Ministries International Inc. in Daytona Beach, Florida, in his life.
For the next 5 years of Minister Smith's life under direct tutelage and mentoring of Pastor McQueen; he extensively learned about the Word of God, how to equip himself and how to line his life up to the calling of God to preach the Gospel. Also during the same period of time he served as Pastor McQueen’s dedicated armor bearer. For the first time in Minister Smith's life with the Lord, he would begin to experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit and he witnessed the move and power of God by signs and wonders and also through the deliverance of His people from demonic and oppressing spirits.
In September of 2007 God would bring Minister Smith and his brother Rev. Nicholas Soto together for ministry. Minister Smith also served his brother as an armor bearer and eventually he recommitted his life back to God and finally answered his calling. In January of 2012 Minister Smith was licensed as a Minister. Minister Smith is now a member and Associate Minister of the St. Paul Baptist Church in Middletown NY, where Bishop Ray A. King, is the Senior Pastor.
In November of 2013, Minister Smith joined Minister Lisa Merritt-Smith in Holy Matrimony; where together they are proud parents of three children and 2 grandchildren. Minister Rodney Smith serves at the Associate Minister of Full Gospel Tabernacle, Inc. Minister Smith's favorite scripture is Proverbs 2:1-9 and his passion is to Inform, Equip and Edify God's people with the Word of God so that they may be able to apply it to their life for a stronger walk with Christ in their life.