Rev. Paul E. Pierpoint

On a snowy April 9 th , 1934, in a Northern New York town, just 23 miles from the Canadian border, Paul Pierpoint made a resounding entrance into this world. He was born in a parsonage and lived in parsonages most of his life. His father, Rev. Milton Pierpoint was a pastor and leader in the New York District of the Pilgrim Holiness Church. Paul’s first encounter with Christ was at the age of five when in a revival service in North Troy, New York, he surrendered his heart to Christ. The call of God to pastoral ministry was placed upon him as a teenager. Paul attended United Wesleyan College, formerly, Allentown Bible College, receiving a Bachelor of Religious Education degree in 1957. He married his teacher-organist sweetheart in July of 1957. They remained partners in ministry for nearly 67 years. 

Rev. Pierpoint was ordained into the ministry in July of 1959. The first circuit of churches for Rev. Pierpoint led him to the Chesapeake Bay area and to the towns of Crisfield, Maryland, and Saxis, Virginia. Two years later he was appointed to the pastorate of a church in Northville, N.Y. In July of 1964, Rev. Pierpoint sensed the clear call of God to leave his Adirondack Mountain town and became pastor of the Emmanuel Wesleyan Church in Gratz, PA. Rev. and Mrs. Pierpoint enjoyed a fruitful ministry of seven years in central Pennsylvania. In 1971, the honor was placed upon him to return to New York and become the pastor of his home church in Binghamton, N.Y. During his 10-year tenure there, Rev. Pierpoint especially valued working alongside a number of young ministerial interns from Hobe Sound Bible College. In 1978, he was elected to the position of Missionary Secretary for the New York Pilgrim Conference. His administrative duties required him to travel to the countries of Brazil, Haiti, and Canada, where he also served on the board of the Society of Indian Missions.

In 1982 Pastor Pierpoint accepted the invitation of Dr. Stephen Herron to be the Director of Public Relations for Hobe Sound Bible College. As a former pastor, he found delight in working with and mentoring some of the young ministerial students with whom he traveled in vocal ensembles.

Following four years of college work, Pastor Pierpoint was called to pastor the Fort Scott Church of God(Holiness) in Fort Scott, Kansas. During this time period daughter, Evangeline and her husband Rodney, were also pastoring in nearby Kansas City and two grandchildren were added to the family.

On various occasions, Pastor Pierpoint was a guest speaker for ministerial conferences and the Interchurch Holiness Convention.

In 1990, Rev. Pierpoint returned to Florida as the Senior Pastor of Hobe Sound Bible Church, serving for 17 years. While Senior Pastor, he also served on the boards of Hobe Sound Bible College and FEA Ministries. For two years he assumed the Presidency of FEA Ministries. Following the conclusion of full-time pastoral ministry in 2007, Pastor Pierpoint continued to travel in itinerant ministry, assisting in churches which had a pastoral vacancy. In his 70’s, his theme was, “I am not retiring, I am simply re-focusing my ministry.” An offer from Schmul Publishing enabled the publishing of two books of his pulpit sermons, Sermons for Special Sundays; Portraits of Truth: Practical Sermons Drawn From Biblical Characters.

Pastor Pierpoint transitioned to his heavenly home on the morning of August 6, 2024. He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Leila Price Pierpoint; daughter, Esther Jane Pierpoint and his parents, Rev. and Mrs. Milton Pierpoint.

He is survived by his daughters Evangeline (Rodney) Addison of Harlem, Georgia, and Paula Pierpoint of Hobe Sound, Florida; sisters, Marjorie Warner and Esther Marcy of Harpursville, New York; granddaughters, Crystal Waters and Skyler Addison; grandsons, Jeffrey Addison and Hunter Addison; and two great-grandchildren, Samuel and Emma Leigh Martin, along with many beloved nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Paul and Leila Pierpoint Memorial Scholarship Fund, Hobe Sound Bible College, P.O. Box 1065, Hobe Sound, Florida, 33475, or online at: hsbc.edu-support.

Committal for Rev. Pierpoint will be held at the South Harlem Memorial Gardens, Harlem, Georgia.

Funeral arrangements by Martin Funeral Home, Stuart, Florida