St. Andrew Methodist Church celebrated the grand opening of the Hasley Chapel earlier this month in honor of late founding pastor Rev. Robert Hasley.
The new chapel overlooks a pond and wooded area – a nod to the chapels Hasley grew up with in his Arkansas home. A stand-alone chapel was a part of the church’s 30-year master plan, which broke ground a few months before his passing.
Hundreds gathered earlier this month to celebrate the grand opening of the chapel, including current pastor Rev. Arthur Jones, Robert Hasley’s wife Sharon, St. Andrew Capital Campaign Co-Chairs Laura and Tom Morris and Debbie and Dave Rader, and chairs of St. Andrew’s building committee Nancy and Tom Juhn.
“This is not only an exciting and historical day at St. Andrew – it is also a very emotional one,” said Rev. Arthur Jones, senior pastor of St. Andrew Methodist Church. “We know that Robert is here with us in spirit as we dedicate his chapel in the woods, a beautiful space where people can encounter Christ and feel the love of God while leading others to do the same. Robert was St. Andrew’s first shepherd who pointed us to Jesus every day.”
The completed chapel features an A-frame roof supported by wood trusses and a roof deck composed of natural materials looking out onto the creek.
“As you walk into the chapel, you can feel Robert’s warmth and hints of his Arkansas home with the wood, stone, and glass,” added Jones. “As you look to the left, there is a painting commissioned to evoke the feelings of Psalm 23 and Matthew 18. These two scripture passages highlight what it means to be a good shepherd and remind me of Robert’s confidence through his cancer diagnosis, which showed us all how to live each day to the fullest. In the 12 years that I knew him, he demonstrated his knowledge of the simple and profound promise of God every day by the love he showed to all who knew him.”
When the Hasley Chapel broke ground in 2021, Mayor John Muns declared November 7 as Robert Hasley Day in honor of his service and dedication to the community. Hasley passed from pancreatic cancer three months after the construction began, and the building committee named the chapel in his honor.
