Rev. Augustus T. Curry Esq. is the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church. Since he was young, he’s always looked up to his father, who also was a pastor. As his father is currently in hospice, he is reminded of all the memories he’s shared with him and all the memories he plans to make with him in the future. Also, as a father of two daughters, Rev. Curry continues to lay the foundation for his family and teach them things he’s learned throughout his life.
Rev. Curry spoke with rolling out about Father’s Day, what he’s learned from his father, and his prayers for his father and daughters.
What makes this Father’s Day unique to you?
This Father’s Day is particularly unique and special to me because my dad is 97 years old. He’s a retired pastor, and his father was a pastor. When my father was five years old, he joined his father’s church, and then 50 years after that, his father joined his church. This past year, my father has joined my church after I joined his church for many years. It’s just a wonderful succession thing; it’s a beautiful experience, and to be able to celebrate him at 97 years of living, it’s just a wonderful blessing. He’s up in age and in hospice, Precious Hospice, a wonderful hospice company.
What message would you lead fathers with who are in a situation similar to yours?
Ever since my daughter was a little girl, she always had a unique way of spending time with me when she wasn’t looking for anything. She just loved spending time with her father. I’m working late somewhere or preaching revival and come home late, she wouldn’t always eat with her mother and her sister, she said she wanted to wait and eat with me. Sometimes, we’d drive to church, and she wouldn’t always ride with her mother and sister; she’d say she wanted to ride with me. I’m working late in my study on a case, sermon, or message, and she would knock on the door and say, “I just wanted to bring you a glass of water” when she wasn’t looking for anything. To answer your question, I suggest that we all learn how to spend time with our father when we’re not looking for anything.
What’s the prayer you say for your daughter’s future?
I pray for their future every day, twice a day. I pray that in their life, they will have peace, prosperity, productivity, and longevity. I pray that the Lord would bless them in a great way to do that which would bring glory and honor to him, and bless humanity as well. God has been faithful thus far, and we are grateful.
What’s your prayer for your father and can you give the listeners a word to speak over their fathers?
Many people, particularly in some of our cultures, see hospice as giving up. I want to make it clear: hospice is not about giving up. Hospice is about getting help. …As you may be aware, former President Jimmy Carter has been in hospice for over a year. It’s not about giving up, it’s about giving help, and I’m grateful for what Precious Hospice home care does. It keeps and enables the individual to stay at the residence, so you have family all around. I think that makes a big difference in dealing with the elderly, and so to have family around you at 97 – and he’ll be 98 in October Lord willing — just to be and sit in his presence, and to gather wisdom from him is a blessing.
