I first met Harry Galloway when Bev and I were stationed in the San Francisco Bay Area for my last tour in the Coast Guard.  Harry was the Divisional Superintendent (Overseer) of the area we would be living and we were looking for a recommendation for a church where we could continue to hone our ministry skills until I retired and went "full time."

 

We met for lunch with Harry and his wife, Sandy, and explained our situation.  They asked if he could point us in the right direction.  He began by telling us the area he was the supervisor over and informed us there were no churches in the immediate area of Alameda, where we would be living.  We told him we had done some research and knew that to be true.  We also told him that when we lived in the Bay Area before, we were 25 miles from our church; and that commuting, while not optimal, was a consideration.  Though we wanted to return to our former church, we were going to be too far to be effective in ministry.

 

Harry spent quite a while talking about the other churches in the area, spending time telling us whether he thought they needed our help.  Finally, after a while he stopped, smiled and said, "I think you will agree that I have been more than fair in telling you about the other churches in the area."  I sensed he was up to something and told him yes.  "Good, now let me tell you about the church we pastor....."  He began to explain all about the history of the church, how he had been there for 25 years, what the neighborhood was like, etc.  He ended the meeting by telling us we had much to pray about and whatever our decision was, he would do what he could to help us.

 

In the two and a half years we served at Hayward Foursquare Church, Harry had kept his word.  He taught me much about being a pastor and dealing with people.  He gave me MANY opportunities to flex my muscles, and to learn.  He was a great boss.

 

When we met that first time, Harry told us that he had been in the ministry so long that when he first started, the Dead Sea was only sick.  Harry died last night, (Tuesday, July 2) at home, with his family around him.  He is now a part of that Great Cloud of Witnesses that Hebrews talks about.  He was my boss, my mentor, and my friend.  I will miss him until I see him again.