General Conference
Member Delegate: Rita L. Smith
Members of United Women in Faith put love into action every day to inspire, influence, and impact their churches and communities. Many of our members live out their faith by serving as leaders in The United Methodist Church. Rita L. Smith is our fourth member profile, another United Women in Faith member serving as General Conference delegate.
Rita L. Smith is a certified lay speaker and member of Resurrection United Methodist Church in Chicago, Illinois. She is also the Northern Illinois Conference representative on United Women in Faith’s Program Advisory Group. She’s served as local, conference, and jurisdiction president for United Women in Faith and as a conference social action chair, and she has also served as president of the Chicago Black Methodists for Church Renewal.
How long have you been a member of United Women in Faith?
I’ve been a member for over 40 years.
What called you to be a General Conference delegate?
As a faithful servant, serving from the heart, I heard “the call” to bring light into the rooms of darkness for people who felt they had no voice. As an African American woman who has been United Methodist my whole life, growing up in Harlem, going to college in Tuskegee, Alabama, and living in Chicago, I bring experience and knowledge to the table of diversity. Through the years, I have served on numerous local and conference church committees, other faith-based organizations, community outreach, and sorority service projects.
How has being a part of United Women in Faith helped in your role as delegate?
United Women in Faith has empowered me to advocate for justice and multiculturalism. Listening, hearing, and seeing many different viewpoints and wants of our members, I’m compelled to advocate in this platform as a delegate. Participating in our many outreach initiatives—Assembly being one—afforded me the knowledge and experience to prepare me for this task, by putting faith, hope and love in action!
What are your hopes for the church?
As we grow and build ministries by working with one another and other faith and non-faith organizations by, I hope the church becomes a place that accepts all person where they are, makes disciples of Jesus Christ around the world, and lives the great commandment: “ Love God, and love your neighbors as yourself.”
Watch Rita speak out for climate justice on the affects of transit and health. Learn more about our Just Energy for All campaign on our website.
