January 11, 2012–A celebration was held today in recognition of Rev. Charles Hollifield, who retired last month after 44 years of service with the Church of God International Offices.
Hollifield was honored, along with his wife, Mary, also a long-term employee at the headquarters campus, who works in Business and Records.
General Overseer Raymond Culpepper reads a resolution honoring Hollifield, center, while his wife, Mary, and daughter, Darlene, look on.
The celebration was held with a packed-out crowd of colleagues in the chapel of the World Evangelization Center, the building where Hollifield began his long career as the first nighttime security officer for the headquarters in 1968. In 1970 he began working with the maintenance crew and by 1979 he had been promoted to Director of Maintenance, the position he held for the last 32 years.
In addition to his work with Church of God International Offices, through the years Hollifield has served as a local church pastor, most notably the Michigan Avenue Church in Cleveland. He became an ordained bishop in the Church of God in 1983. Hollifield also had a heart for helping the needy and assisting with disaster relief. During his remarks he introduced a man who he led to the Lord following the tornadoes which killed nine people, including the man’s wife, near Cleveland last April 27.
During the tribute, many special recognitions and proclamations were given to Hollifield, including a proclamation from the State of Tennessee House of Representatives proclaiming January 11, 2012 as a special day of appreciation for Charles B. Hollifield in the state. The proclamation was accompanied by the presentation of a Tennessee state flag which was flown over the Capitol in Nashville.
Finally a resolution, adopted by the Executive Committee of the Church of God was read honoring Hollifield. Portions of the document were as follows: “WHEREAS, Bishop Hollifield pursued a spirit of excellence as he considered each assigned task an opportunity to serve his Lord’s church with the extraordinary skills that were given to him by God and with an attitude of servanthood; and,WHEREAS, Bishop Hollifield earned the admiration of the employees serving under his leadership as they witnessed his love, compassion, concern, generosity, fairness, and exemplary faithfulness; and,WHEREAS, Bishop Hollifield won the love and respect of denominational leaders holding them “in high regard in love because of their work,” even as they depended on him to fulfill arduous tasks that seldom bring public notice or earthly reward; and,WHEREAS, even while serving faithfully in these roles, Bishop Hollifield fulfilled the anointed calling of a credentialed minister in three distinct pastoral appointments, resulting in over 2,000 sermons preached, almost 450 new birth and restoration experiences, and over 100 individual experiences of sanctification and Holy Spirit baptism; now, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Church of God International Offices family expresses our profound love and gratitude by observing this special day in appreciation of Bishop Charles B. Hollifield for 44 years of dedicated service to the Church of God.”
The special recognition chapel service included special music by the Branham Family, a poem written by colleagues, a video presentation on Hollifield’s life and ministry, remarks from Tim Hill, assistant general overseer and General Overseer Raymond Culpepper.
“Charles Hollifield is an institution in the Church of God and a dedicated servant at the international offices,” Culpepper stated. “I have known some great men in my lifetime, and Charles Hollifield is one of the greatest.”
“It is by the grace of God and a praying mother that I stand here today,” Hollifield stated in his response. “Thanks to the executive committee for allowing me to serve all these years. I have operated under the belief that we (maintenance and operations) do what we do, so they (executive committee) can do what they do. However, if it were not for God, all that I have done – and all that we have done – would be in vain….its been a wonderful journey.”
The tribute service was followed by a reception for all employees in the Leadership and Communications Center.