ATLANTA, Ga. — The love Bishop Cornelius and Dorothye Henderson have extended to others in 44 years of ministry was returned in "good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over" at a celebration April 25 at Ben Hill United Methodist Church here.

A crowd of 1,500 — Ben Hill members, fellow clergy, government leaders, United Methodist officials and ecumenical personalities — gathered to pay tribute to the Hendersons and present a love offering and two framed collages of photographs by Atlanta photographer Horace Henry.

The bishop was diagnosed with multiple myeloma earlier this year and is embarking on his fourth round of chemotherapy.

"We only hope tonight was a small indication of the love we truly have for you," said Ben Hill’s senior pastor the Rev. McCallister Hollins. "We claim healing in the name of Jesus."

The illness, Henderson told those present, brought his life to a "screeching halt" and left him with a feeling of uncompleted tasks. "I was so low that I had to jump up to touch the bottom, but God never left my side, and my wife never allowed me to give up," he said.

Now, Henderson is looking toward presiding over the Florida Annual Conference in June. "I really don’t have a pain in my body," he said, "and it’s because of the one who walked the dusty shores of Galilee and had healing even in the seamless hem of his flowing garment."

The three-hour-plus service featured a variety of musical selections from Ben Hill’s choirs and soloists and testimonies from individuals.

Hollins talked about Henderson’s pastorate at Ben Hill, which grew from 400 to 4,000 members under his leadership from 1975 to 1986 to become the largest membership church in the North Georgia Conference. It still holds that rank today with almost 9,000 members.

"We’ll never forget what God has done for us through you," Hollins said. "I don’t believe God could have used anybody else to grow this church the way he used you."

In 1996 Henderson was elected bishop at the same jurisdictional conference as current North Georgia Bishop Lindsey Davis and assigned to the Florida Conference, the second largest in United Methodism. Davis called Henderson a man of strength and faith whose "footsteps are everywhere in North Georgia."

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a United Methodist clergyman and former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference took several jabs at the office of bishop before telling the audience why he wanted to be present.

"I’m here…because you’re a preacher of the gospel," Lowery said. "You have preached the unadulterated, unabridged gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…in season and out of season…and spread it everywhere. If ever we had a time we needed preaching of the gospel, it is today."

In addition to United Methodist speakers, several represented the ecumenical community, including Bishop Otha Lakey of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and Bishop Donald Ming of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Other tributes came from persons in the political arena — Mayor Bill Campbell of Atlanta; Kaseem Reed, a member of Bill Hill and a Georgia state representative; and Johnny Ford, former mayor of Tuskegee, Ala., who is now a member of the Alabama state legislature.

Reed, the youngest member of the Georgia General Assembly, said he grew up in Ben Hill, was baptized by Henderson and made his first speech at Henderson’s urging.

"We want you to know," Reed said, "as you move through the joys and challenges of life that the people who care for you and love you will be in constant orbit about you."

Campbell related that when he first moved to Atlanta, his mother advised him to go and hear a "great preacher whose name is Cornelius Henderson."

Like several others, he described Henderson’s deep interest in children and his rapport with them. "The bishop adopted an elementary school, and every year he had a ceremony recognizing the achievements of those little boys and girls. He asked if I could come as a [city] council member…and it was something that made a real difference with me and for all those young people…That will always be his legacy, the children that have been touched by his great ministry."

Several Floridians, including seven members of the cabinet, attended and were represented at the podium by the Rev. Keith Ewing, Henderson’s administrative assistant.

"He has led us to new heights in leading people to Jesus Christ," Ewing said. "Whether in a board room or at the Waffle House, whether a millionaire or a server, that person is going to be asked about his or her relationship with Jesus Christ before they finish doing business with Bishop Cornelius Henderson." Under his leadership, the Florida Conference has embarked on an evangelistic program whose byword is "400,000 by 2000."

Ewing also spoke of Henderson’s positive approach to life and his love of the United Methodist Church.

"He has taught us not only loyalty to God, but loyalty to this great denomination," Ewing said. "I have never heard him say one negative word about the United Methodist Church. In fact, I don’t recall ever hearing him say a negative word. He’s not a prophet of gloom and doom, but a preacher of hope and joy."

As the service drew to a close, the Hendersons left their front-row pew to stand together in the pulpit and speak their words of appreciation.

"Please allow us to give God the glory," Dorothye Henderson said. "It’s because of him we are encircled with so many beautiful wonderful friends during this special time of challenge…Your prayers have been with me, and I have felt them."

The bishop asked the Ben Hill musicians to play "To God be the Glory." "Dorothye and I dedicate this to you," he said.