Early-Morning Devotion Helps Attorney Aid Others

MARMORA – The blonde, blue-eyed woman sitting in the chair in the community room of Trinity United Methodist Church in Marmora looked like a young matron and not a tried and tested criminal law attorney. But Christine Smith-Fellows is both.
A lawyer, devoted wife and loving mother, she talked to the Herald about the journey that has brought her to duties running the Women’s Ministry at Trinity United Methodist Church on Route 9.
“In 2013 my husband and I were looking for a church and when we looked in here the minister told us that they were in need of someone who could play the piano and organ,” she said.
Smith-Fellows was trained in both and volunteered her services. “We felt that the Lord led us here,” she said.
She began a music program and later, seeing the need, a Women’s Ministry. The highlight of that ministry was the Women’s Program and Conference held on the expansive church property in September 2014.
Smith-Fellows told how excited she was to have the Rev. Kimberly Jones Pothier be the keynote speaker for the two-day conference which drew over 300 women. She said she is all about the “up building of women,” a term she has coined.
She was so inspired by the conference that she decided to lead a Ladies Bible study.
It also motivated her to write a book or as she put it, “The Lord laid it on my heart to write.” The result was a book entitled “Facing Your Fears: Because of Her Surrender to Faith.” The book is not yet in book stores but will be soon.
She is also halfway through a second book, the working title of which is “The Coming of Wonders: Women Seeking Help to Live God’s Way.” With a full-time job, a husband and duties of a mother, the only time she has to write is between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.
It was time she was already spending in the Word for herself so she felt moved to share. “These are really Bible studies. I wanted to make these lessons Biblically based. I wanted to give women tools to help them deal with issues that especially impact them.”
By 6 a.m. her family is up and she then gets them ready for the day ahead before she goes to work.
Her legal expertise is in an area of law that focuses on human tragedies and failings, criminal law.
The Herald wanted to know how her faith has impacted her work.
”Being a Christian has helped me focus on the who and not just the mechanics of the law. Many lawyers lose sight of the who and not just the what.”
She said she never forgets that in every contact with the law there are human beings who are hurt and hurting and in need of a sense of security,” she continued. “Getting up at 4 a.m. every morning gives me a sense of peace. I believe that my job is to do justice. I can do it and do it effectively.”
Smith-Fellows said she grew up Roman Catholic but her childhood view of God was more that of a stern judge rather than a loving Savior. She described her parents as good people who were very religious.
As a young person she was not really very interested. 
“In 2013 I was ready to listen,” and that is when Jesus found her and she found Trinity United Methodist Church in Marmora.
Smith-Fellows is also quite concerned about the state of young people in contemporary society. “If they are not getting the Good News at home we (Christians) need to bring it to them.”
She believes outreach ministries, especially music, is a way to do that which is one of the reasons Trinity is building a Music Pavilion on its back six acres. “It wasn’t until I was an adult that I got to know Jesus, who is a loving and forgiving Savior.”
In addition to Jesus, who is the main source of her strength she said that her husband is her rock. Her pastor, Rev. Jun Yoshimatsu continues to inspire her. Through her own ministries and writings she hopes to be able to do the same for so many others looking for light and hope in an oftentimes dark world. 
To contact Helen McCaffrey, email hmccaffrey @cmcherald.com. 
ED. NOTE: Faith and religion are important facets in the Cape May County community. The author plans to do stories on various aspects of religion and what impact it has on those who practice it. She encourages those with ideas on subjects to email her at hmccaffrey@cmcherald.com for consideration.