Warren Grant interviews James E. Hamill, pastor of First Assembly of God (Memphis, TN), on the occasion of his 50th anniversary in the ministry on August 1, 1980.
ID: V009
1980 Interview with James Hamill
Filed under Audio
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Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center 
Brother Hamill was one of our premier Pastors, Administrators, and Statesmen. He was one of my heroes. Why? He strove for excellence in all he did, wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, and stayed true to his calling. From very humble beginnings, he rose as a leader of leaders and a preacher’s preacher. He put Pentecost on the map in Memphis, TN.
Pastor Hamill is solely responsible for me being in full time ministry today. When I began to attend First Assembly in 1964, I drove in to the church four times a week from the Naval Air Station in Millington. Several times on Sunday evening in the prayer room, Pastor Hamill stopped by to encourage me. He said that God had something special for me; to continue to seek Him. Later when God called me into the ministry, Pastor Hamill was my counselor. Then later he married Sheila and me and continued to support us. We miss him greatly and know that many young men and women are serving God today because of his influence.
My name is Dennis Wright and I’m sixty eight years old. Back in the late forties and early fifties my family attended First Assembly of God Church in Memphis,Tennessee. I have many fond memories of Brother Hamill. While I can’t remember what color cloths I put on this morning, I remember vividly Brother Hamill taking me from my mothers arms and dedicating me to the Lord when I was about four months old.