Rev. Michael C. Murphy, Pastor of Prominent DC Church Dies Moments Before Sunday Morning Sermon
On the final Sunday of 2014, congregants of the historic Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C. waited patiently for their senior pastor, Rev. Michael C. Murphy, to show up for the 8:30 a.m. service. He never did, and minutes later they found him dead in his office. He was 62.
A spokesman for Washington D.C.'s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner told The Washington Post that Murphy died of an apparent heart attack.
Rev. Leslie Dowdell-Cannon, senior associate minister at the church, told the Post that Murphy was found unresponsive in his office by members before being pronounced dead at a local hospital.
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"It is a difficult time for the church, but Peoples has been here for 124 years and we will press on. We have got this because God has got us," said Dowdell-Cannon.
"Reverend Murphy and I had a lot in common. We were native Chicagoans from the Southside, both graduates of Chicago Theological Seminary, both clergy in the United Church of Christ, and two people pushing through the challenge of ministry and community. Even with the demands of ministry, we often found moments of lightness and laughter. His sermons always reminded the congregation of God's love. And I will sorely miss him," Dowdell-Cannon added in a release release from the church.
The church remembered Murphy as a strong supporter of social justice particularly for racial equality.
"Reverend Murphy was a champion of social justice issues and encouraged the church's involvement in various protests, marches, and vigils against injustices occurring both here and abroad. Most recently, he worked with church members on the candlelight vigil for Solidarity and Justice: Lighting the Way, where people gathered along 16th Street with lights to bring awareness to the recent incidences of police violence against African-American men and women and other people of color," said the release.
Murphy was also seen as a respected and important voice in the United Church of Christ community.
"Michael was very important to the Central Atlantic Conference and the whole United Church of Christ family. When he came here five years ago he brought with him an interest in the health and well-being of congregations and he was interested in starting new churches and as a result he was the chair of our new visions effort," Rev. John Deckenback, conference minister for the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ, told the Post. "He had a nationwide respect within the United Church of Christ and at the same time he was a respected critical voice."
He is survived by a sister, a brother, a son and daughter, and two granddaughters.
