Joy Smiley

  • Committee on Discipline, layperson

Congregational Membership

Good Samaritan Lutheran at the Lakes, Las Vegas, NV

Life Experiences

I have served many roles in women’s ministry, children’s ministry and music ministry in multiple denominations, which led me back to the ELCA because of its focus on grace, mercy, and inclusivity.

I graduated from Waldorf Lutheran college in Iowa and UNI. I have years of experience with writing and following FUNDAMENTAL PROCEDURES as a school teacher, in the US Air Force, and corporate world as a manager and trainer. I determined needs assessment, and created communications results including change controls, written communications, classroom facilitated training and eLearning solutions. I also trained soft-skills such as safety, team building, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution.

For me, RESOLVING CONFLICT experiences would be of importance for success in this role. First, to use reflective listening to understand what each side of the conflict view as facts, perspectives, beliefs, and filters. Then to listen for emotions and feelings on both sides. And ultimately to use process and procedure to reach a fair and peaceful resolution.

I have been on the unfair side of FAIRNESS in past churches - for instance when a music minister of 6 years who grew the music/drama program from 12 people to over 100 with multiple successful weekly and monthly productions was let go because leadership discovered he was gay.

Or when I went thru 12 weeks of membership training to become a member of a “Word” church and then was told I couldn’t serve in any forward-facing ministry because I answered a questionnaire honestly about taking visiting family to casinos, drinking occasional alcohol and trying marijuana in college. Or when as a teenager, I reported the sexual molestation by a family member who was a church elder, and he was sent to counseling but kept his role and I was told it was resolved.

At Good Samaritan I currently lead a women’s Bible Study, I’m a vocalist in residence and am substituting for the Traditional Services Music Minister/choir director who is on medical leave.