SHAMONG, N.J. –– James D. Smith, a former fire fighter, now disabled, became the 100th scouting ministry specialist in December, 2010.

The president of UM Men of Indian Mills UMC in Shamong, N.J., Smith is a certified lay speaker and father of seven children and grandfather of two.

Smith says he was in a Boy Scout troop chartered by Tabernacle (N.J.) Methodist Church while growing up. He and his wife, Karen, transferred their memberships to Indian Mills UMC in 2006.

Smith has been involved in emergency services for 22 years, 15 as a firefighter. He became disabled in 2004.

He credits his pastor, the Rev. Jack Orr as “the one that helped me believe in me.”
James completed his Youth Protection Training in November and became certified in December.

“Attaining the goal of 100 scouting ministry specialist in 2010 puts us far ahead of the commission goal of recruiting and training 100 specialists by General Conference 2012,” said Larry Coppock, national scouting director and staff member of the General Commission on UM Men. “However, we always hoped we could reach that goal in the same year we celebrated the 100th anniversary of scouting in America.”