Rev. Sarah Smoot was a high schooler the first time she visited Church of the Reconciler .

A young Methodist, Smoot came from Mountain Brook, one of the wealthiest suburbs in the nation.

Upon entering the church in Birmingham, she found herself in a setting drastically different from the one she knew — congregants without housing, experiencing poverty. 20

1 / 20

Church of the Reconciler

As Smoot began to pursue ministry, she returned to the church.

“Just the joy of the community stood out to me more,” she said. “And also the agency that there are folks who are living on the streets, but come into Church of the Reconciler to also help others and be part of leading the ministries.”

Church of the Reconciler is a small United Methodist church near downtown Birmingham, serving m

See Full Page