Happy 92nd Asa Dorsey

In 1932, a young 17 year old named Asa Dorsey felt God calling him to the ministry.  Over the next 70 years, he would become a beloved and legendary figure in the mountains of North Georgia, spending the whole of his lengthy ministry career serving the same geographical area.  He and Annie Kate, his wife, raised nine children together.  Over the years he performed thousands of weddings and funerals, and preached thousands of sermons. Thousands of lives changed by God's grace and Asa's faithfulness.

Asa Dorsey is a living legend in the Northeast Georgia mountains.  He is also my father in law. In the 1980s it became a custom to celebrate his ministry anniversary the first Sunday in January each year.  Those celebrations became community wide events.  In 1997, Annie Kate passed away.  They were married for 62 years.

Asa never really retired from the active ministry, he just started accepting fewer and fewer preaching invitations, weddings and funerals.  In 2003, he collaborated with Larry Fricks on a book about his life and ministry, The Greatest of These.  When the book was released, the Georgia Legislature declared April 17, 2003 Asa Dorsey Day in Georgia. The proclamation recognized Rev. Dorsey as a “source of strength, inspiration and direction for persons in all walks of life and from all economic strata ....”

Asa at the birthday celebration/book signing today

For the last three years, Asa has lived quietly at home.  As he entered his ninth decade, his steps have slowed more but his mind is as sharp as ever.  He still remembers details about people, places, and stories that most people a third his age don't recall.  He still quotes chapters at a time from the King James version of the Bible, word for word correctly, even pausing at the commas.

This weekend, White County celebrated its Sesquicentennial (150 years) and Asa celebrated his 92nd birthday. As a part of the community celebration, they held a birthday party and book signing for Asa.  It was a wonderful affair, and the years seemed to melt away from Asa as he greeted people and swapped stories with them.

Many of those stories began with "You preached my mother's funeral," "You married us in 1945," or "I got saved at a revival where you were preaching."  All of those stories related how Asa's ministry had touched their lives or ministered to their families.

Signing a book is a challenging task for a 92 year old whose hands shake some, but Asa signed books for all those who requested it for almost two hours.

It is worthy of recognition in and of itself to reach 92 years of age.  But when you have spent 75 of those 92 years preaching the Gospel, ministering, serving and touching the lives of the people of a community, that is a remarkable accomplishment and something that is worth celebrating.

Comments

[barron pilgrim]

WE ALL LOVED HIM.

[barron pilgrim]

how great it would have been to have had a president such as asa dorsey, with uncompromising integrity, or a senator, or a governor, or any leader that stands for truth and faith. how great it was to have had a pastor that was such a man. we know god planted him in the right place and time that we needed so much. i remember seeing him in the pulpit when i was a small boy and realizing he belonged there. truly a king has fallen and there must be a great celebration in heaven, with a welcoming committee miles long, and probably as many thank yous, as welcomes. my dad,robert pilgrim loved and followed him, supported him in any way he could during his lifetime. he knew he was called and had exceptional ability.

[Richard Beohm]

The Rev. Asa Dorsey baptized me and a number of others in the Jordan River the 26th of September, 1972, around 5:30 p.m. I enjoyed his company and sermons during our trip to the Holy Land, along with that of my father-in-law, the Rev. Homer Ralston, and the other Congregational Holiness ministers on the trip. It was an inspiration and pleasure to have known him.

Richard Beohm, Thomaston, GA