Our District Superintendent

Baypines District Superintendent

Cory Russell Smith is a native of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. In other words, he is a "P.K." (Preacher's Kid, the son of Rev. Curtis and Dianne Smith). Cory is a graduate of Satsuma High School in Satsuma, Alabama. He earned a music scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology as well as a minor in Music Performance. (Yes, he played tuba in the "Pride of Mississippi" Marching Band). He graduated from Seminary receiving the Master of Divinity degree from The Candler School of Theology at Emory University and in 2011 received the Doctor of Ministry degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Cory's final project included studying the spiritual practice of discernment, analyzing how congregations make their best decisions together in a spirit of learning and prayer.

Cory has served on the Executive Committee of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and Chair of the Montgomery-Opelika District Board of Ordained Ministry. He has also served as the Chair of the Conference Board of Discipleship and is a member of the Order of the FLAME---Faithful Leaders As Mission Evangelist. As a student at Candler, he participated in the first Pan African Methodist Regional Evangelism Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya.

Before being invited to serve as the District Superintendent of the Baypines District, he served as the Associate Pastor at Epworth United Methodist Church in Phenix City, AL, from 1995-1997, and as the Senior Pastor at Woodland United Methodist in Pike Road, AL from 1997-2011.

He and his wife Alicia have been married since 1995 and they have one daughter, Sarah Morgan. They love to travel, especially if it is overseas. They also enjoy serving as counselors of Sunshine Camp, the camp for adults with special needs.