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AED Board Nominee - 2020 Election

Deacon Candidate #6
Geoffrey T. Smith

Diocese: New Hampshire

Present Employment: Chief Operating Officer, The Episcopal Church

Current Ministries:  Chaplain to the Presiding Bishop; working with at-risk children in schools.
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Current Church Assignment: St. John’s, Essex, CT
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Previous Positions: I have served in the Diocese of New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, and Chicago.
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Education: MBA, DePaul University, Chicago; BA Economics, Univ. of Connecticut.

Prior Board Experience: None with AED; many, many others!
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Skill sets: Community organizing; policy advocacy; communications; experience with 815 Second Ave. Church Center.
Question #1 
How do you envision contributing to the AED Board?  What are your special talents and gifts?
I believe I can make an effective contribution to the Board through my experience in having served as a deacon in now six very different diocese, and as an executive officer on the Presiding Bishop’s staff. Among my goals would be to help AED present itself and the diaconate to the House of Bishops and the Church at large in such a way that we further The Church’s awareness and appreciation of our order and work. Many bishops have told us for years, “I wish I had a deacon in every congregation.” Well they do - they just may not know it yet - so what can we do to turn that vision into a reality?  

Question #2 
​What is your vision for the future of the Association for Episcopal Deacons?
Until the Church’s vision and understanding of the diaconate matures, I believe the primary missions of AED must be to:
  • Develop a concise and compelling description of who deacons are and what we bring to the life Christ calls everyone into.
  • Advocate with and educate Bishops around this common understanding and appreciation of the diaconate. Help them to understand that while what we do is as diverse as the number of deacons themselves, there are common strands to the mission, ministry and DNA of a deacon that the church needs as it develops its own vision of its future.
  • Continue to be a strong resource to deacons in the Church, providing advocacy on their behalf with Church leadership, Church Pension Group, and other constituencies about the unique needs and talents the diaconate brings to the Church.
  • Develop, advocate and provide models of deacon formation to diocese that attract and equip those sensing a call to diaconal ministry, especially for those who may not have the economic resources to pursue this call without help or who may face other obstacles to their call and formation.
  • To continually celebrate the mission and ministry of deacons around the world, providing deacons who may otherwise feel isolated a network of inspiration and community.
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