Trinity Church (Fredonia): Clifford Smart & Sondra Colton

(updated 05/03/21) Religious leaders are tasked with the well-being of individuals and the well-being of communities. When they promote extremist rhetoric and bigotry should they be expelled or reformed? Let’s look at the evidence from a local minister Clifford Henry Smart of Fredonia, AZ . For those who are reading from outside of this region, Fredonia and Kanab are border towns, Kanab at the southern border of Utah and Fredonia at the northern border of Arizona.

Clifford Henry Smart

Clifford Smart states that he is a US Military Veteran (Kanab Veterans Engage in Extremism, Reflecting National Trend) from California and minister of Trinity Church in Fredonia ( an Assembly of God affiliate. Clifford works diligently to spread conspiracy theories, false narratives, anger and division in the community. Just in the past three months over 70 of his public posts have been extremist rhetoric (https://www.facebook.com/AjahnCliff). Assemblies of God USA wrote an article about this in their March 2016 magazine (https://influencemagazine.com/en/Practice/Ministers-and-Social-Media) which Smart is clearly abusing.

In the March 13, 2021 episode of PBS Newshour when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed exposing extremism in the military (around minute 14 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/march-13-2021-pbs-newshour-weekend-full-episode). He explains that the actions of a few can have extensive affects on the greater population. This is the case with religious leaders as evidenced in the followers.

This rhetoric is often shared by his followers on social media, used in arguments in local FB groups and with interactions with their neighbors in public. The people who have engaged with just these identified 70 posts on his personal page: Crystal Mognett, Lois Corson (aka Grace Ann Christian Kanab “Patriots” at the Capitol Insurrection and Local Law Enforcement Praise), Sondra Colton (official location minister it seems), Kathie Loftus, Steve Mendenhall, Stephanie Bradley, Vernon Tweedie, Larry Bridges, Irene May Hillmann, Rene Wise McClay, Roberta Kramer Wise, Linda Gross, David Maksel, Jan Zemke, Jack Williams, David McKaig, Harry Gullett, Kate Barney-Billings, Charlie Straley, Pitsuda Smart, Bob McClay, Apiporn Rat, Thomas Eric Whalen, Nancy Bloomberg-Hill, Darren Dickman, Kim Blessing Hanks, Denise Gianinetti, Jesse Isaiah, Trevie Clark, Ann Ananya, Jenny Wise Lee, David Boyles, Siniphit Maphaisan.

AG Minstries states “My office information indicates that Rev. Clifford Smart III (2187417) is no longer an AG minister (resigned March 17, 2009). Trinity Church (1548635), however, is a General Council Affiliated Assembly of God Church in Fredonia, AZ.”

Clifford’s posts in 2021 include extremist rhetoric on the following topics: immigration, borders, democrats, Black Lives Matter, Capitol violence, women in combat, media, gender identity, Covid, slavery, reparations, and protests and why he is on KURW Hatewatch. New & Improved

Expel or Reform?

In my opinion, expel. According to Assemblies of God, this behavior violates their core beliefs and standards and puts stumbling blocks in the path of a person to God. Personally, I have seen and heard from my neighbors, at that time, the radicalizing affect and impact on community. If you know Clifford, please work on Reform, he is also a follower of Kanab FB Page “Kanab Patriots” Recruits and Radicalizes Extremists.

To report your concern for the community contact the AZ district counsel office 602-343-4000 or email lmetcalf@azag.org or use their contact form https://www.azag.org/contact. This reporting procedure was provided at the guidance of the National Secretariat for Assembly of God Ministries. Feel free to use this cite for the evidence.

EVIDENCE

in Slide Show Format, 7 Categories

Ridicule: women in combat, gender identity, reparations for systemic racism, mental health

False Narratives: Capitol Insurrection including Black Lives Matter, Antifa and Impeachment

Conspiracy Theories: Immigrants, Covid-19 and election interference

Extremist Rhetoric: general anti-democrat, anti-liberal, anti-left, anti-government

Extremist Rhetoric: Anti-media, Anti-Politician, Anti-Immigrant

False Narratives: racism and anti-racism, Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights

False Narratives: Government, Covid-19, Immigration

Sondra Colton

It seems that Clifford Smart fills in for Sondra who is the main minister. You can see her support of Clifford’s extremism by the “likes” of his posts above.

To report your concern for the community contact the AZ district counsel office 602-343-4000 or email lmetcalf@azag.org or use their contact form https://www.azag.org/contact. This reporting procedure was provided at the guidance of the National Secretariat for Assembly of God Ministries. Feel free to use this cite for the evidence.

For corrections please email mgalaria@protonmail.com or use form on Contact page.