PROLIFIC WITH WORDS March 14, 2008

March 15 marks the birthday of my late pastor, A.Z. Hall, Jr. He was called to heaven February 5, 2007, just shy of his sixty-fourth birthday. 

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Pastor Hall was well-known in the Church Of God In Christ, Inc. and most people who knew him would agree that he was quite prolific with words. When I became a member of the church in 1995, he had just published a book entitled So You Want to Know Your Church, a book on “catechism in the Church Of God In Christ”. Not only was the book used to indoctrinate new members in our local church, the national church, pastors and members worldwide used information from the book as a resource in their churches and on their websites. Two of Pastor Hall’s devotional readings (“Family Matters” and “Salty Christians”) were also included in The African-American Devotional Bible (Zondervan, 1997), a bible created in partnership with the Congress of National Black Churches.  

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Whether spoken or written, my pastor’s words had a way of grabbing your attention and holding it until the very end. On Sundays, I’d find myself fervently taking notes, often writing down quotes that I still have posted on bulletin boards, mirrors and the refrigerator. 

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His writing style stood out. The words he chose; the graceful way they flowed. He didn’t use your everyday vocabulary, but his words were never above the grasp of the ordinary man.  

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As I sat in our little church on February 12, 2007 reading his obituary, I smiled.  

“During hid formative years, he received a sound foundation in Christian ethics and virtues through the godly example of his parents.” 

“Elder Hall’s service to the leaders of the church caused him to be known as the servant’s servant. This service, coupled with his administrative experience was rewarded at the Eighth Quadrennial Election of the General Officers…” 

“It would be an exercise in futility to try and name all the persons who will hold fond and loving memories of this “Servant of the Lord”.” 

Even in death, his elegant words permeated my soul and my spirit. 

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY PASTOR HALL!