By: Jim Pyatt, WNCC Archivist & Historian

Rev. Donna Strickland Smith

The Rev. Donna Strickland Smith is the first woman Native American to be a clergy member in Full Connection in the WNC Conference. A member of the Lumbee tribe, Donna was born in Lumberton and grew up in Greensboro. She received her B. Mus. from UNC-Greensboro and her M. Div. from Duke Divinity School, was ordained Deacon and received as a Probationary Member in the WNC Conference in 1999, and was ordained Elder and received in Full Connection in 2002.

Donna describes her call to ministry by saying, “My journey toward ordained ministry was preceded by exploring diaconal ministry. Then, one and a half years into seminary, I switched to the ordained ministry track. I have been in music ministry since a child. I officially worked in music ministry as a music director at Immanuel Baptist Church in Greensboro after graduating from college.”

“I was called to lead the music program at the new Triad Native American UMC starting in Greensboro. While there, the minister asked me to preach one Sunday. I said, ‘You are kidding,’ and he said, ‘No, I am not.’ I preached the first sermon, and I was amazed that God could use me to preach. I gave an altar call and, to my amazement, several people responded. Somehow the Holy Spirit had used me to touch them. Each time I preached, something happened that affirmed me. I finally went to seminary, spending 1996 to 1999 at Duke Divinity School.”

“I had thought about going into the ministry, but having grown up Baptist, I did not even think of being an ordained minister—maybe a music director or a youth director, but never a pastor. People expect men to be pastors. More than once I heard comments to the effect that women did not need to be pastors, nor were they supposed to be. That held me back a long time.

When I got into The UMC I learned things were looked at differently. It was great. I have loved going into the ministry. My gifts are in compassion and healing.” (Patricia J. Thompson, Courageous Past--Bold Future (Nashville: The General Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry, 2006), 125)

As a clergy member of the WNC Conference, Donna has served the following appointments: 1999-2003 Fair View Associate (Mount Mourne), 2003-08 Grace (Salisbury), 2008-2014 Hinshaw (Greensboro), 2015-20 Medical Leave, 2020-22 Burnett’s Chapel (Greensboro), 2022-present Mount Olivet (Lexington). Donna has served as a member of WNC Commission on Native American Ministries 1999-2008, Commission on Religion and Race 2011-12, and Justice and Reconciliation Team 2012-15, chairing Native American Ministries 2012-14. In addition, she has served on the Board for the United Methodist Publishing House 2000-08.

The Rev. Smith has also preached at United Methodist Native American Family Camp, served as a vocalist/pianist for various Native American events, and preached at conferences of SEJANAM.

As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the ministry of the Rev. Donna Strickland Smith.

Be sure to read the other biographies written by WNCC Archivist & Historian Jim Pyatt:

Daphine Strickland, part of the Task Force that led to the organization of Triad Native American Church, the first Native American congregation in our Conference outside of Cherokee.

Thomas Queen, the Director of the Cherokee Mission from 1973 until his death in 1992.

Jeremiah Wolfe, the first Native American to be elected a delegate to General Conference from the WNCC in 1976.