Dorian Hall
Assistant Director, Event Services and Pastor
University of Missouri-St. Louis and Church of God Community Worship Center
Jennings, MO
Christian Brothers College High School
University of Missouri-St. Louis BSBA ,and MBA
Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity
In short, tell us what you do?
As the Assistant Director, Event Services, I oversee the event management process for the Millennium Student Center and J.C. Penney Conference Center on the UMSL campus. This includes but is not limited to supervising and mentoring employees, generating and managing clients, and finding creative ways to enhance our operations.
As a pastor, my primary responsibility is to lead the congregation to serve with love (because Christ is love) and oversee the ministries of the church.
How do you measure success in your line of work?
While generating revenue is always important in my role at the university, I measure success by the positive impact that I am able to have on those that I interact with in both my roles. This could mean ensuring that a client has an excellent customer experience, that my staff members are given opportunities to hone their skills and talents or that the members of the congregation that I serve are challenged to remain faithful and grow in the relationship with Christ.
You became Pastor of Church of God Community Worship Center at age 26. What are some of the challenges and opportunities for a particularly young pastor?
I have found that my challenges come from me being a non-traditional pastor rather than my age. There are expectations of what a pastor should dress like and speak like that I simply do not believe in, especially if it creates barriers between me and those I am charged with leading and reaching.
Being a young pastor, however, has been helpful with connecting with youth and young adults because I can relate in ways that older leaders may not always be able to. It helps to see a face similar to yours living for Christ when you are striving to do the same.
The community outreach efforts you’re leading at the church are extensive. Please describe a few. Why has this become such an important touchstone for your leadership?
We have served the Christian Activity Center, which provides after school programs for youth in East St. Louis. We have worked with Sweet Celebrations at the Gateway 180 shelter located in Downtown St. Louis. Sweet Celebrations provides birthday parties to youth that are living in shelters across the St. Louis area. We also annually sponsor a winter giveaway for patrons of the New Life Evangelistic Center. We go wherever we are needed. I have been given so much in my life already and know that it is my responsibility to serve other with the same love that I have been shown. So many people live their lives deprived of love and if my small expressions of love help them feel loved, then I know that I am honoring the contributions that other have made in my life.
