Integrity In... Start where you are... Use what you have... Do what you can... (paraphrased from a quote by Arthur Ashe)

About Joe E. Smith

Education

• B.A. Pacific Lutheran University, 1961
• M.Div. Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, 1965
• D.Min. Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, 1985

• Ordained, 1965

Calls

• 1965 Assistant Pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Vancouver, Washington
• 1968 Pastor, Saron Lutheran Church, Hoquiam, Washington
• 1972-2002 Pastor, St. James Lutheran Church, Portland, Oregon

Special Service

• Pastor Smith served as a public member of the Oregon State Bar, including service on the Board of Governors.

Awards

Among the awards earned for community service by Pastor Smith are:

• Man of the Year from Grays Harbor JCs,
• Man of the Year from the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
• Outstanding Alumnus by Pacific Lutheran University, and
• Outstanding Parish Pastor by Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary

Legacy

During Pastor Smith's long tenure at St. James Lutheran Church, he helped place the church in good financial condition. He championed a number of downtown building and development projects as a part of the mission of St. James, including:

• St. James Apartments for medium income people,
• the highly rated St. James Child Development Center (Day Care), and
• the St. James Foot Care Clinic.

Under Pastor Smith's leadership, St. James Lutheran Church passed a policy of complete integration of persons of all sexual orientation. And after St. James Lutheran Church completed a restoration of the entire church under the guidance of Pastor Smith, it won recognition as a National Historical Building.