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“One of his main callings in life was to develop people, which he did in politics, on boards, in the church, and just one on one,” Hurley-Bates said. “He would reach out to young leaders to ask if they wanted help, and he was always available to those who wanted to be mentored by him.
“No matter who they were or what kind of work they did, he would make time. He understood that transformation and learning happen best in the context of relationship, and he wanted to be used by God in that way.”
She said that Conklin “loved encouraging others. He would regularly come out of church telling me how impactful the sermon was and, in COVID, would text me. He was a champion of women in ministry and helped me find my voice. In our tradition, lay and clergy are able to work side by side, which means the church helps shape the hearts and minds of pastors, just as much as the other way around. Hal loved being part of coming alongside young people in ministry and teaching them how to lead in the church.”