Kimrie Lewis Instagram – He was a Giant. More than “just” a community leader, spiritual uplifter, & educator. He was my childhood pastor. We called him Pastor Murray. He called me: “Daughter”. I remember being in my feelings when I realized he called everyone younger than him “daughter” or “son” lol 😆 But that was him.
And his sermons, dude… they spoke life & hope into you. When he preached, it was impossible to leave the church the same way you came in. He dropped Latin verses on us, which made us feel hella smart lol. He was one of the best storytellers I ever knew and my very first job was filming the 3 services he preached every Sunday. Talk about a job with benefits.
He was also a man of his word…
I remember when it was discovered that a racist sknhead group planned to bomb our church to ignite a race war. My mom took us to church that Sunday to stand in support— and it seemed like everyone else’s mom did too, cause it was packed. During the service, there was a big commotion. Pastor Murray came to the pulpit to tell us what was happening: security suspected that members of the group were trying to come in to the sanctuary. His response was SO him. With arms stretched wide, he said: “Let them come. Let. Them. Come!”
The man practiced what he preached. Loving your neighbor – even if they’re not showing you love.
His impact on our city, community & congregation went way beyond his job description. Celebrities & politicians were drawn to our church in large part because of him— yet his handshake & megawatt smile were the same no matter who you were.
Before he retired from our church, he delivered his last eulogy in his role as pastor. It was for my mom’s memorial service. “Caaaarol….”, he said. “You done good, daughter. You done good.”
Rest in eternal peace, Pastor Murray❤️ | Posted on 10/Apr/2024 09:08:50
