ATLANTA – State Representative Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) recently welcomed Reverend Jody Hagerty, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Rome, Georgia, as he served as the “Chaplain of the Day” for the Georgia House of Representatives on Monday, June 22, 2020.
“It was an honor to introduce Reverend Hagerty during the final week of the 2020 legislative session,” said Rep. Dempsey. “Rev. Hagerty’s passion for redefining church touches my heart. Under his leadership, Cornerstone Church has grown its strategic initiatives for impacting lives not only throughout Floyd County, but around the world. His worldview was first challenged on a mission trip to Colombia, and this new perspective expanded his compassion for all people and energized his vision to make the Gospel accessible to everyone everywhere.”
As Chaplain of the Day, Rev. Hagerty gave a brief sermon and led the House in prayer and the pledge of allegiance before the House took up legislative business on Legislative Day 36 of the 2020 session.
Rev. Hagerty has served as the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church since 2008. Based on the inspiration of his experience in Colombia, Rev. Hagerty brought a Spanish-speaking Colombian pastor to Rome and established the Cornerstone En Espanól congregation. In that same year, he led Cornerstone Church to create partnerships in remote areas of Guatemala and multiple countries in Southeast Asia. Cornerstone expanded its international influence to include South Sudan and Haiti and worked to improve hygiene, increase access to education, end sex-trafficking and communicate the church’s message in indigenous languages and cultures.
Over the last four years, Rev. Hagerty has worked with more than 20 local pastors to develop strategies and address the needs of vulnerable populations in Rome and Floyd County. Their joint efforts grew into the “Churches of Rome,” a collaborative of congregations regardless of denomination and ethnicity. During the threat of COVID-19, Rev. Hagerty and the Churches of Rome have provided services to support essential workers and health care professionals. In recent weeks, Rev. Hagerty, along with the African American pastors of the Churches of Rome, used their platform and opportunity to leverage their collaborative relationships to promote unity, peace and edifying dialogue in Rome. Most recently, the Churches of Rome hosted a public forum for panel led discussions on the impact of race in the city and coordinated an initial open door lunch to establish dialogue between local pastors and the senior leadership of the local police department.
Reverend Hagerty, and his wife, Haley, have three daughters, Ava, 14; Julia Kate, 10; and Pyper, 5.
To watch a video of Rev. Hagerty’s sermon in the House Chamber, please click here.
For more information on Cornerstone Church in Rome, please click here.
Editor’s Note: A photo of Rep. Dempsey, Pastor Hagerty and Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) is embedded.
Representative Katie Dempsey represents the citizens of District 13, which includes portions of Floyd County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 and currently serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources. She also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Health & Human Services, Higher Education, Rules and Transportation committees.
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