Staying the course, honoring the call

By Ashahed M. Muhammad -Assistant Editor- | Last updated: Dec 26, 2014 - 12:14:02 PM

Reverend Dr. Henry O. Hardy retires after 47 years as pastor of Cosmopolitan Community Church

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan shared words Dec. 14 at a celebration marking the retirement of the Reverend Dr. Henry O. Hardy at Cosmopolitan Community Church on Chicago’s South Side after 47 years in the ministry.

CHICAGO (FinalCall.com) - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan shared words December 14 at a celebration marking the retirement of the Reverend Dr. Henry O. Hardy at Cosmopolitan Community Church on Chicago’s South Side after 47 years in the ministry.

During his brief remarks lasting approximately 20 minutes, he called Cosmopolitan Church a “branch of the Kingdom of God” and referred to Dr. Hardy as a “master teacher.”

Minister Louis Farrakhan (left) and Rev. Dr. Henry O. Hardy. Photo: Haroon Rajaee

“He’s not really retiring,” said Min. Farrakhan. “A man like that can’t retire. He’s a man of God with a head full of the wisdom of God, and since the scripture says ‘my people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge’ then there will always be a place, until God takes him away, for him to preach beyond the hallowed walls of this edifice,” he added.

“He will never stop preaching. He will never stop praising his Lord,” said Min. Farrakhan.

The Minister said Dr. Hardy has touched many lives and has “stayed the course” during the nearly five decades of his public ministry as a witness of Jesus Christ.

“He’s touched a lot of lives,” said Min. Farrakhan. “I thank Allah for such a minister, my brother and friend and companion in the struggle.”

Rev. Hardy has been the pastor at Cosmopolitan Community Church since 1967. As an introductory sermon, Dr. Hardy delivered his own version of the tale of Humpty Dumpty. He did the same thing to the delight of the audience during his remarks Dec. 14 as he presented an updated version, using the well-known nursery character to describe the wretched and fragile human condition prior to finding oneness and becoming whole after finding Jesus Christ.

“When you are the most shattered, that’s when God matters,” said Rev. Hardy to the cheers and applause of the parishioners.

Rev. Hardy said during the course of his life, God “orchestrated his destiny and diagrammed his divinity” making him a “projectile of purpose” that has led him many places, and to do many things as a representative of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois School of Journalism, and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Broadcast Ministers’ Alliance and Operation P.U.S.H., just to name a few of his organizational affiliations.

He said he is not worried about what is coming next, although many have asked him.

“The question is not what will Reverend Hardy do? The question is what will God do?” said Rev. Hardy.

Many friends and church members described him as a wordsmith, innovator and compassionate servant of God who always had a knack for saying things in a memorable way like for example, Dr. Hardy would often say FAITH stands for “Full Assurance In This Hour.”

“All of us have been uplifted by the power of Dr. Hardy’s sermons,” said church member John Bolden Sr. who has known Dr. Hardy for many years. “He has been a shepherd for many of us during times of trouble and comfort during the loss of loved ones,” Mr. Bolden added.

Speaking directly to Dr. Hardy, longtime church member Aniya Henson said, “You are definitely one of a kind.”

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