A devoted and passionate servant of Christ, Rev. Hasley touched many lives within St. Andrew as well as in the community, inspiring others to serve in His name
After more than 15 months of thriving with cancer, St. Andrew United Methodist Church’s founding pastor, Rev. Robert Hasley, age 70, died the way that he lived – with hope and confidence. It was May 1, 1986, when Hasley, a young associate pastor at Highland Park United Methodist Church, was appointed by the Bishop of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church to organize a new church in a growing area of Plano. He did not know what the future held, but with the gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ, he was confident – as he often said – that everything was going to be all right. He always believed that God places the right people at the right time at the right place, that needs are met, and prayers are answered.
For the past 36 years, he devoted his life to serving Christ full time as a pastor at St. Andrew, not only shepherding his congregants but also reaching out and inspiring others to be the hands and feet of Jesus to help those in need. Even before St. Andrew had its own building, Rev. Hasley began mission work with an apartment ministry in East Plano for latchkey children; giving them a safe place under the influence of the church to come after school. In 2009, Hasley and his wife Sharon had the vision for The Storehouse of Collin County, which began as a food pantry feeding one family of four on its first day. Today the Storehouse feeds more than 600 families on a single day and provides clothing and care as well as a new educational program promoting skill development. Additional projects led by Hasley include launching Helping Hands, a ministry which provided meals to first responders and hospital workers during the pandemic; assisting those affected by natural disaster; providing funding and volunteers to build over 20 Habitat for Humanity homes; and establishing St. Andrew’s 4 Corners Global ministry serving the Cabécar people in the remote southern mountains of Costa Rica by providing them with a medical clinic, care, and most recently, cook stoves.
Hasley often stated, “Jesus teaches us that each time we help the hungry and reach out to the sick, helping someone in need, we are serving Christ. We thank God for reminding us of who we are and giving us hope for the future. If by His grace, we move forward, there are many miracles to be performed. We must continue to serve in His name.”
Rev. Hasley served on various boards such as the Methodist Hospital System, Perkins School of Theology at SMU, various committees with the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, and with Plano Independent School District related to strategic vision planning and diversity.
With vision and faith, Hasley was instrumental in the church’s growth. Up until his final days on this earth, Rev. Hasley was busy with the launch of a new ministry for those newly, nearing or already retired called The Second Act. In 2012, St. Andrew launched a contemporary service to reach and engage a younger generation as the church continued toward the next 25 years. This was the beginning of his friendship with Rev. Arthur Jones, who came to St. Andrew to lead this service. Just a few weeks prior to his cancer diagnosis in 2021, Rev. Hasley passed the baton of senior pastor to Rev. Jones, who became only the second senior pastor in the history of St. Andrew.
“Robert was the shepherd of the St. Andrew community for 36 years and showed each person he knew how to live with grace, kindness, and love,” said Rev. Jones, Sr. Pastor, St. Andrew. “Robert lived each day knowing that death is not the end but the beginning of life eternal and his voice and legacy will forever echo in the walls of St. Andrew and in our hearts. As a dear friend to so many, we will miss him deeply; but in the words of Robert Hasley, ‘we have faith that everything is gonna be all right’ as we celebrate his life and vow to continue the mission.”
A memorial service for Rev. Robert Hasley will be held Tuesday, July 26, at 3 p.m. in the sanctuary of St. Andrew, 5801 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas. The St. Andrew family has chosen to celebrate the life and legacy of Robert Hasley with the building of the Hasley Chapel, to be completed in early summer 2023.
St. Andrew United Methodist Church began in 1986 in the spirit of its namesake, a disciple of Jesus. The life of the Apostle Andrew embodies the church's mission, which is to invite the Christian-ish and the unchurched to become passionate servants of Christ. The congregation of St. Andrew follows Jesus, lives in relationship, serves others, and takes risks in faith. Worship includes four services each weekend on a 21.2-acre campus at the corner of Plano Parkway and Mira Vista in Plano, Texas, where more than 2,000 people gather each weekend. Recent renovation allows the Sanctuary to host worship in both Traditional style, with the classic pipe organ, and Contemporary style, with a new LED center screen and lighting technology. Small groups and Bible studies gather on campus and throughout the region every day of the week. Mission opportunities serve our local area, neighboring regions, and global communities. The church has been repeatedly selected as a "Best Place to Worship in Plano” by the readers of the Plano Star Courier. St. Andrew United Methodist Church is located at 5801 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093. Visit www.standrewumc.org; call 972-380-8001.
