Memorial service details for Dr. Marion Hare:

A memorial service for Dr. Hare will be held in our sanctuary on Friday, July 14, at 2:00 p.m.

Dr. Marion Hare, our beloved Pastor Emeritus and friend, passed away on Monday, July 10, 2017 at the age of 87. He served at Augusta Road Baptist Church as our senior pastor from 1961 until he retired in 1994.

Dr. Hare was born in Jacksonville, Florida on September 4, 1929. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and was a graduate of Stetson University in Deland, Florida. He also graduated from The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Furman University awarded him a Honorary Doctorate of Divinity in 1986.

Dr. Hare’s legacy of love and service to the people of Augusta Road Baptist Church and to the wider community cannot be overstated. He lived out his pastoral calling each day in both word and deed, and our church continues to engage with a vibrant ministry because of his leadership. He will be truly missed.

During his thirty-three year tenure as Senior Pastor, Dr. Hare led our congregation to continued growth with wisdom and compassion. His desire was that Augusta Road Baptist Church would be known as a loving faith community where all are welcome to experience the presence of Christ among us. He understood that the church should never simply serve its members, but that our congregation and our campus must always serve our entire community in all the ways that we are able.

Dr. Hare’s unwavering commitment to our community of faith was evident as he continued to teach and serve among us long after his retirement. As Pastor Emeritus, he constantly gave of his time, energy, and talents to ensure that we were always looking to the road ahead, following the bold vision that God has for us.

I have been honored to be able to serve with Dr. Hare for the last three and a half years. His support has been instrumental in my ministry. He touched the life of each person he served as Pastor, and each person with whom he worked throughout his ministry. Our lives are better for having known and worked with him, and it is a privilege to be part of continuing to carry forth the legacy he built for our church.

His loving presence, his smile, and his wise guidance will be missed by us all. We will continue to work each day to live out the calling to love God and our neighbors with all that we have and all that we are in the example set for us by Marion Hare.

Peace,

Matt King