Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Hayes.
Hi Richard, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Frankfurt, Germany and raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. At a young age my father instilled in me the importance and value of education and hard work. While my mother kept me in church where I was baptized and gained a closer relationship with God. Through this strong upbringing, I graduated from Pine Bluff High School and began my military career where I served for 10 years working as an Air Traffic Control Specialist. After leaving the Army I continued working for the Department of Defense as an Air Traffic Controller, while also attending Columbia College at Fort Stewart, Georgia to complete a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration.
My military career afforded me opportunities to set myself apart as a distinguished soldier and leader, earning Army Commendation Medals, Meritorious Service Medals and being selected to march in the Presidential Inauguration Parade for President Bill Clinton in Washington, D.C.
In 2006, I founded New Day Community Church, with a mission of giving those who have lost their way, a fresh start. This thriving ministry is active throughout Liberty County and has left its footprint on the City of Walthourville. My desire to bring people together, lead to my appointment as the President of the United Ministerial Alliance of Liberty County, Georgia for over 13 years. I have served as the President of the Liberty County High School Governance Team, President of the City of Hinesville Youth Council Advisory Board, member of the Hinesville Area Arts Council Board of Directors, and most recently, I’ve been selected to serve on the inaugural Liberty County Development Authority Advisory Council. And I proudly serve as the Chaplain for the City of Hinesville Fire Department.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I often tell people that I have two of the most stressful jobs in the world, as a Pastor and as an Air Traffic Controller. So, no this has not been a easy journey. As God lead me to the ministry, my desire was to serve His people and allow them to see life from a different perspective. Pastoring allows you the opportunity to see people at their worst, striving to be their best. With the many challenges of life such as finances, family, and health struggles, I get the wonderful responsibility to tell the people about the Good News of Jesus Christ! Military life brings a special set of challenges to families and relationships, but adding in the stress of making sure pilots are safe and planes stay in the air, take those challenges to another level. And my beautiful wife of 30 years, Opal, has been there through all the ups and downs while we raised three wonderful children together, two that are thriving with their own families and my youngest which recently graduated high school and is mapping his own path.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an Air Traffic Control Specialist, I belong to a very small career field and Minority ATC Specialists is an even smaller field. Daily, I’m responsible for the Safe, Orderly, and Expeditious flow of air traffic at MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield. One of the few military/civilian joint use airports in the United States. Where there is a high volume of Military Drones, Private Civilian airplanes, Military helicopters and airplanes, etc. This mix of aviation traffic is conducted on intersecting runways and is one of the hidden gems of Liberty County supporting the Power Projection Platform of the east, Fort Stewart, Georgia. I’m proud to go out into the community and share my experience as an ATC Specialist and explain the intricacies of the job. I’m known for my commitment to being a bridge between the airport and our civilian neighbors. As the Pastor of New Day Community Church, I’m on duty 24 hours a day serving the people of God. I try to ensure that my congregation knows that I’m always praying, preparing, and looking for ways to support and energize the vision God has given me for the church. This charge keeps me engaged within the walls of the churches and consistently working throughout this community. Some refer to me as the Community Pastor, because of the many roles I’ve contributed to in helping to make Liberty County better, but I simply consider myself a servant that is ready to serve from the pulpit or the pew. Pastoring is my passion and I love to see lives transformed by the power of a living God!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I grew up a middle child in a family of eight. I have five brothers and sisters. We didn’t have much financially growing up. So, my mother used this as a tool to teach us how to spend wisely and make educated decisions, especially when it came to stewardship. In my younger years I was quiet and reserved, sometimes struggling with my self esteem, but as I hit my senior year of high school, I came out of my shell and really embraced who I was, a loving, funny, happy, vibrant, athletic, caring individual. I was always concerned about my peers and their well being. I really loved people and all of their unique differences. I loved running track and I excelled in the middle distances, such as the 200m, 400m, and 800m races! Of course you wouldn’t know that by looking at me, but that statement is true! My mother also shared with me her love for people and the arts, so I guess you could say I was a Momma’s Boy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.NDCCHinesville.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/pastor_hayes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.d.hayes
- Phone: 912-388-1474
- Twitter: https://x.com/pastor_hayes
- Address: New Day Community Church 77 Kent Road, Walthourville
