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On May 29, 1954
at 2411 Junction Street in
Detroit, Michigan. Rev. Paul Grubbs and his wife, Vergel,
began their ministry at Faith Tabernacle Church of God. This was the
beginning of a ministry that lasted continuously until Rev.
Paul was called home to be with the Lord on May 28, 1995.
On February
20, 2007 the roll call in Heaven found Sister Vergel missing,
and she slipped away from us to be with her beloved husband
and the Lord.
Their
physical presence may be missing in the church pews and their
family reunions, but their ministry results will only be known
when we see them at the Judgment of Rewards in Heaven.
Their children, grandchildren and their further extended
family will reflect their work on earth, as will all the souls
who have been blessed by their love and myriad selfless
ministries.
Paul was
born in Pineville, Kentucky on May 25, 1913; Vergel was born
in Speedville, Tennessee on December 28, 1915. When he was 17
and she was 15, they were married January 23, 1931 in Fonde, a
small rural town in Southeastern Kentucky and made their home
there, near Middlesboro.
Mary wrote
in Collection of Memories (of Fonde) "Our grandparents
all lived in Fonde." They were Hubert and Mamie
(Fields) Grubbs, George and Nancy Elizabeth Bryant-Reed.
Hubert & Mamie Grubbs
(Paul's parents)
George & Dollie Reed
(Vergel's Parents)
Paul and
Vergel began their life together when they were very young and produced
five children: Ina, Gloria, Mary, Jerry and Levenda.
Ina, Gloria, Mary,
Jerry (Levenda came later)
Levenda (Missie)
Mary wrote
in the memories book, "Dad loved mom, and mom loved dad and we
all loved each other."
(Back) Mary,
Levenda, Ina. (Front Gloria, Jerry)
Paul worked
in the coal mines. His family remembers how dirty he was
when he came home from work with his carbide lamp, hat and
dinner bucket.
Paul and
Vergel were both saved in June 1936 and attended the Fonde
Church of God MA.
The
church was built from logs taken from trees downed during a
tornado. The picture below shows the tornado damage
Fonde suffered. Click on picture to
enlarge (then click "Back" to return here).
Their
preacher came by train once a month for services.
As was his custom, very often Paul would bring the preachers
home with him for a meal and hospitality. He never lost
that trait; he just didn't meet strangers.
Click
on picture to enlarge, then "Back" to return here
As work
waned in the coal mines, they moved to nearby Middlesboro
where Paul got a job delivering mail. He contacted
typhoid fever and came near to death, weighing only about 100
pounds. The family feels that it was a touch of the Lord
that saved his life. They then moved to Celina, Ohio
where Paul got a job at Goodyear, but the South called them
back to Middlesboro. The Lord had some plans in the
making. Besides driving his truck hauling logs, Paul was
asked to pastor in Marion and Valley Creek, Tennessee,
so they drove over the mountain every weekend to minister.
They eventually moved to Tennessee to be nearer the church
where his truck became the church bus!
In the
1950's, they moved their family to Detroit and discovered many
of their fellow Fonde friends and relatives were settling
there also.
Rev.
Paul Grubbs had been the pastor at
Black Diamond, Tennessee; Valley Creek, Tennessee and Akron,
Ohio. He drove from Detroit to Akron when he was the
pastor there.
Paul was
innovative and used whatever means the Lord made available to
minister to his flock, young and old alike. Like
procuring a bus to take them to other meetings.
The pastorate
in Detroit/Lincoln Park lasted 45 years, until shortly before
his death. The city of Lincoln Park knew Paul Grubbs!
As he had always done, he made friends of strangers. At
his passing, the city posted the sign below in the center of
town.
Click to enlarge,
then "Back" to return here
After the death
of her husband/pastor, Vergel continued to be a strong
influence and supporter of the church they had nurtured for so
many years. The church and city of Lincoln Park was
saddened again February 20, 2007 when she left her family and
friends on earth to join Paul who was waiting for her.
Click to enlarge,
then "Back" to return here
Paul and Vergel
began their ministry in Detroit at Faith Tabernacle Church of God when
the church was organized in 1954 on Junction Street. It is
doubtful that they could have imagined at that time how far
reaching their influence and the results that would develop
from that humble beginning, reaching into future generations.
Junction
Street, Detroit
Click
on picture to enlarge, then "Back" to return here
From Junction,
they moved on the a better location on Vernor in Detroit.
The work continued to grow and prosper.
Vernor Street,
Detroit
Click
on picture to enlarge, then "Back" to return here
As they outgrew
their Vernor Street Church, they began to look for another
location outside of the dangerous streets of Detroit. A
site was found in Lincoln Park on Electric Street. As
soon as they acquired the property, the very talented family
began renovations, and the church remains at this location
today.
Electric
Street, Lincoln Park
Click
on picture to enlarge, then "Back" to return here
The day awaited
for: Burning the mortgage
The legacy
continues
The
Congregation
 
Every
individual in these pictures (and many, many more not
pictured) have been touched, directly or indirectly, by the
lives of Paul and Vergel Grubbs. And it's not over yet!
Not until Jesus comes.
Paul and Vergel
left their essence wherever they left footprints. In
addition to their full time pastoral duties, they both worked
in Detroit. He worked at Brass Craft and she worked at
Salvation Army. Only Heaven will reveal the spiritual
aroma they spilled over onto those they came in contact with
in their daily lives.
Paul was a
gifted musician and singer (which he passed onto his family).
He blessed his own congregation with his talents as well as
other churches when he visited them. Vergel was the
quiet supportive influence that rounded out their ministry and
helped mold their family toward service to the church and to
Christ.
Mary remembers a
song that she said he was requested to sing a lot--"The Little
Wooden Church on the Hill."
Click on picture to enlarge,
then "Back" to return here
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That Little Wooden Church on the
Hill
Every Sunday
morning we had our family prayer
And into the
old wooden wagon we would fill
We would
start on our journey over rocks and
rills
In that
little wooden church on a hill
There were no
fine dress dressed people
Just plain
folk everywhere with plain old
fashioned
ruffles,
frocks and frills.
There were no
form or fashions
Just plain
old spirit filled
In that
little wood church on a hill
You could
hear those people singing a half a
mile away
Your heart
was made to linger, what a thrill
It would
start your body moving, you just
couldn’t keep it still
In the little
wooden church on the hill
In the little
country graveyard lies a mother here
and there
And the
prayer she prayed for me they linger
still
She prayed
that I find Jesus and do His precious
will
In that
little wooden church on the hill.
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Jerry
remembers another song he associates with his dad--"Down
Through the Years"
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Down
Through the Years
Down through
the years,
God’s been
good to me
Down through
the years,
God’s been
good to me
Down through
the years,
God’s been
good to me
Let me tell
you now
That God’s
really been good to me
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Some Family
Pictures
Click on
picture to enlarge
Their stars
still shine to light the way for future generations to follow
in their footsteps. The multi-talented extended family
continues to minister in various locations around the country
which will be credit to the legacy of Paul and Vergel Grubbs
and will keep their ever-shining stars brightly burning
throughout eternity.
Click here for
Paul & Vergel Grubbs Memorial Page 2
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