WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

The Chronicle

It was refreshing and fun to hear one of the most influential men of God in the Triad keep it 100 percent real, when I asked him what keeps him happy and looking young. He smiled and said, “Well, I have a good wife to take care of me; she feeds me good,” and then he looked and smiled at his beautiful wife of 45, years. “I guess a little good loving helps too.”

Bishop James C. Hash Sr. is one of the most down-to-earth pastors I’ve met, and very easy to talk to, so I felt comfortable asking him if he listens` to Al Green, Marvin Gaye and other old school love songs.

“I use to, but don’t listen anymore. When I got saved, I turned away from the things in the world,” he said.

Hash and I begin to reminisce about some of  our favorite old school songs, “back in the day, they made real love songs, so if I wanted, I want to have some candlelight and dance with my wife, I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

When he spoke about his wife, you could feel the love, and when you see them together, it was clear they’re the best of friends. It was very sweet and inspiring as well. He had a glow of love when he talked about his children as well. Hash said it’s important to have a beautiful and strong marriage, and romance plays a big part in keeping the marriage strong and fresh.

He went on to say that a strong marriage will keep the family strong. “I came from a strong family background, because I had some great parents, and I’m a strong believer in the family today.”

Bishop James C. Hash Sr. is pastor of St. Peter’s Church and World Outreach Center and senior chief prelate of the J.C. Hash Ministerial Alliance in Winston-Salem. The Hash legacy in ministry began in 1953 in Speedwell, Virginia, with Reuben Kelly and Mildred Hash. “I was 10 years old in 1953, when God called my dad to the ministry.” Two years later, his father moved the family Wytheville, Virginia, and started a church out of their home, Morning Star Baptist Church.

Bishop Reuben Hash was the only black minister who was a member of the local all-white Ministerial Association in Wytheville. As Bishop Hash continued to pastor his church, God called Mother Hash to pastor Little Zion Church of God Apostolic in Fries, Virginia. She served this church faithfully, until Bishop Reuben Hash was called to Winston-Salem, N.C. to pastor St. Peter’s Church of God Apostolic.

Bishop Hash and Mother Hash served this church and community successfully and faithfully until 1987, when God placed on their hearts to hand the legacy of St. Peter’s Church to their son James C. Hash Sr. and his wife, Joyce. Under Bishop James C. Hash, Sr.’s ministry, the church moved on 79 acres of property, the membership increased from 300 to more than 3,500. The campus houses a 2,700+ seat sanctuary, a Family Worship Center, a Family Life Enrichment Center, a We Care House that provides food and clothing for the under-resourced, and the Heritage Place, a 42-unit housing complex for seniors.

Pastor Emeritus Mother Mildred T. Hash died in June 2017. She left a large family: Bishop James C. Hash Sr., Elder Reuben Hash, Bishop Charles Hash, Dr. Francene Hash, Bishop Ronald Hash, Mother Mamie Anderson, Mr. Swanson Hash, Bishop Leonard Hash, Mr. John Christopher Hash, Sister Patsie Stepney, many other Hash family members.

You will truly be inspired and enjoy my interview with Bishop James C. Hash Sr. on our YouTube channel @ Winstonsalem Chronicle. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N26lvQTcvV0) I want to thank my good friend Pastor Jayson Sloan for making this awesome interview happen. St. Peter’s World Outreach Center is in Winston-Salem on 3683 Old Lexington Road. Call (336) 650-0200 for service hours and more information.