Hal Doster, B.D.

I am now located to Blue Ridge, GA following an Interim Ministry at the Cherry Log Christian Church (DOC) at the time Dr. Fred Craddock retired. I did what an Interim is not suppose to do – I stayed. We so enjoyed the North Georgia Mountains and the spirit of service and outreach in this Church, that we located a retirement community and have been here fifteen years. We have seen two pastors and two interim ministers come and go. We have just now welcomed a new minister who is outstanding in every way we find to evaluate ministries!

 

I retired from active ministry in 1996 after spending 33 years in eight pastoral or mountain mission settings. I lost June Marken Doster to ovarian cancer in 1998 (we were graduated together from YDS) and began our ministry together bringing together a Pastoral Unity of six little country churches in the heart of the Allegany Mountains along the Ohio River. My other 33 professional years were spent in higher education as Instructor to Professor, Program Director developing six portfolios (Church Relations, Ministerial Training, Alumni Relations, Planned or Legacy Giving, Historic Bethany and Assistant to the President at Bethany College and Oglethorpe University). These were followed by two Executive Deanships (Alice Lloyd College, KY and Potomac State College of WV University) and two Presidencies (Culver-Stockton College, MO and Barton College – then Atlantic Christian College, NC).

 

A few years after retirement and the loss of June, I married Ann Bruce who had worked with June when, as June visited local churches during her years as the Associate Regional Minister in Georgia, she visited the First Christian Church (DOC) in Griffin, GA. I did one of my eleven Interim Ministries at Griffin where we became acquainted. While living in Blue Ridge I have been Chaplain for United Hospice, done supply preaching, am one of six Chaplains in our local church and have two websites: www.ReconciliationCenter.organd www.BrushRunChurchBicentennial1811-2011.org. The first of these developed out of my Doctoral Dissertation at the University of Michigan utilizing statistical analysis in conflict resolution. The second is the online beginning of a publication on the first church of the Disciples within the Thomas and Alexander wing of the Christian Church/Churches of Christ. This publication will be entitledEchoes of Voices from Brush Run. It will go to press in 2019. When I tell anyone that I am retired, Ann responds, “Hal has flunked retirement.”

 

Blessings, Hal (Harold C. Doster, BD ‘57)