Reverend Lawrence Leroy Smith

By Eleanor Hubbard

On Sunday, April 24, 2016 Reverend Lawrence Leroy Smith (Pastor Larry) was installed as the twelfth Pastor of Woodlawn Baptist Church, Pawtucket, Rhode Island.  Pastor Smith comes to Woodlawn Baptist Church with ten years experience in the pastoral ministry as the Associate Pastor at Brookville Baptist Church, Holbrook, Massachusetts where he oversaw Community Relations, Evangelism, Outreach, and Missions.  Pastor Smith has twenty-five years in Management with a number of national retailers in the country.

Pastor Smith graduated from Stoughton High School, Stoughton, Massachusetts in 1978.  He continued his education graduating in 1982 from Boston State College (now University of Massachusetts Boston) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.  He holds a Master of Arts in Religion with a concentration on Church Ministry from Liberty Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Pastor Smith and his wife, Michele have been married 28 years, have five grown children, and eight grandchildren.  Pastor Larry’s life Bible verse is John 3:16 ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The Installation Service will began at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 24, 2016, Woodlawn Baptist Church, 337 Lonsdale Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Rev. Dennis Bauder, retired Senior Pastor of Brookville Baptist Church, Holbrook, MA gave the invocation. Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien offered a welcome and greetings from the City of Pawtucket.  Rev. Robert Baffour Nkrumah-Appiah, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church Randolph, MA read from Scripture. Steve Murray welcomed him from the Conservative Baptist Mission Northeast.

“Passing the Torch” was Rev. Terry J. Morgan, Woodlawn’s recently retired pastor. Rev. David B. Smith, brother of Pastor Smith, and Director, Men’s Programs, The Bowery Mission, New York, New York, gave the Charge to the Church.  Rev. Ron Bridge, recently retired pastor, Rehoboth Baptist Church, Rehoboth, MA gave the Charge to the Pastor.  Minister Larry Johnson, Radio Personality, WEEI Sports Radio, Boston, MA gave the benediction.

Please come and visit Woodlawn Baptist and Pastor Larry when you have the chance at 337 Lonsdale Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860. Call 401-724-6390 or e-mail woodlawn.baptist@juno.com