▁church ▁in ▁existence ▁since ▁ 1 8 2 3 . ▁His ▁friend , ▁then - May or ▁of ▁Atlanta ▁Andrew ▁Young , ▁gave ▁the ▁ser mon ▁at ▁the ▁installation ▁service ▁attended ▁by ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 0 0 ▁people . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁being ▁explicitly ▁multi - c ult ural ▁and ▁multi - ra cial , ▁First ▁Church ▁under ▁Smith ' s ▁leadership ▁also ▁became ▁more ▁polit ically ▁active ▁and ▁wel com ed ▁the ▁gay ▁and ▁les bian ▁community . ▁ ▁Over ▁a ▁ 2 0 - year ▁past or ate , ▁Smith ▁shared ▁his ▁pul pit ▁with ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁cler gy , ▁elected ▁officials ▁and ▁sch ol ars ▁including ▁Professor ▁Der rick ▁Bell , ▁the ▁Dal ai ▁L ama , ▁Mayor ▁David ▁D ink ins ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁Marc ▁Mor ial , ▁now ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Urban ▁League . ▁While ▁in ▁Brook lyn , ▁Smith ▁taught ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁The ological ▁Sem inary ▁and ▁ran ▁a ▁sens itivity ▁training ▁program ▁for ▁the ▁local ▁prec inct ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Police ▁Department . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁introduced ▁by ▁Rep . ▁N yd ia ▁Vel áz quez ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁gave ▁the ▁opening ▁prayer ▁at ▁the ▁US ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁D ink ins ▁gave ▁a ▁t ribute ▁at ▁Smith ' s ▁ret irement ▁service ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁Community ▁health ▁and ▁past oral ▁care ▁ ▁Draw