PEORIA MAGAZINE July 2023

One Sunday in August 1996, the church burned its mortgage. The next morning, Abbott died. As St. Paul began searching for a new lead pastor, Hubbard confided in his wife, “I don’t want to be a pastor, but I want to pastor this church. I can’t explain it.” In June 1997, the Rev. Devereaux Hubbard, though still seeking his di vinity degree, took over the reins at St. Paul. (He would earn a master’s degree in 2004 and doctorate in 2022.) The church had about 130 members, with an average age in the 60s. Hubbard was 27 years old. “We experienced all the tension of change you experience in any enterprise,” he said. RELIGIOUS AND PRAGMATIC One of the first new thrusts involved connecting with the community: residents, businesses, organizations and other churches. Hubbard wanted to create a network that would serve people spiritually and otherwise. “I told (St. Paul’s elders) that they’d have me for at least 25 years,” he said. “I thought it would take that long to become invested in the community.” Hubbard, his wife and others from St. Paul would routinely take to the streets — to barber shops, the plasma center, wherever – to chat with faces new and familiar. They’d also host special events, such as horse rides and tent revivals in the St. Paul parking lot. Hubbard began to learn what services had been established in the neighborhood and what holes St. Paul could fill. “If there’s an organization that gives out Christmas baskets, we don’t want to give out Christmas baskets,” he said. Further, he and his wife often would serve at their three children’s school functions. Soon, his boundless energy began drawing more and more people to St. Paul. “He’s fun to be around,” said Ali. “He’s practical and real.” Those attributes have spread Hub bard’s influence.

“Pastor Hubbard’s work goes beyond the church,” Ali said. “He’s very much into community development in its many facets, including crime reduc tion, eliminating poverty, advancing educational opportunities.” How? Via what Hubbard calls a “ho listic” approach to spirituality. “We teach people how to practically apply the word of God,” Hubbard said. For instance, before a recent sermon on mental health, St. Paul’s leaders contacted local experts in the field. That way, Hubbard could offer referrals for people needing help in addition to sharing the Bible’s teachings on the subject. “We make the connection as to what it means to follow Jesus and His word, and how to live in a real world,” he said. ‘INVESTING IN OUR CHILDREN’ Hubbard sees Peoria’s challenges as St. Paul’s challenges. The church aims to address big-picture issues, like those af fecting youths and schools, at their roots. For instance, the church has its own Boy Scout troop, along with a girl’s group called Esther’s Circle. The Grownish class prepares teens for adulthood, with lessons on how to change a flat tire and balance a budget. Many kids from other churches come to St. Paul’s for youth programs. “We value investing in our children,” Hubbard said. He also values cooperation and consultation with other pastors, who in turn appreciate his outstretched hand. “Deveraux’s impact has been increas ing over many years,” said John King, the retired founding pastor of River side Community Church. “He’s been a forerunner in seeking unity in the city.” Cal Rychener, Northwoods Communi ty Church’s founding and senior pastor, calls Hubbard “a man of integrity, mod eling the heart of a father to his flock.” GRIEVING AND GROWING As Hubbard’s congregation continued to grow, St. Paul needed more room. At Easter 2011, the church debuted at the

Forrest Hill Avenue site left empty when Grace Presbyterian Church moved to Far North Peoria. St. Paul now has more than 1,000 members, nearly 10 times the number Hubbard inherited on his first day. But not everything has been smooth. In 2013, the Hubbards were stunned when son Deveraux Hubbard II, a sopho more at Southern Illinois University, died unexpectedly of a blood clot. He was 19. Hubbard said he has been soothed by his growing faith: “This doesn’t make sense, yet I trust You.” The pastor, who sometimes sings with the St. Paul worship team, wrote and produced a CD – A Worshipper’s Lament — chronicling his mournful journey. He said it has made him a better pastor. “I hadn’t realized how horrible I was at providing comfort until I experienced the loss of my son,” he said. “I’d studied grief, but I didn’t understand grief. I learned the greatest gift you can give sometimes is presence. You don’t always have to give answers. You can just be there.” He later shared that message in sermons. Said Riverside’s King: “He’s shown how to lead even through deeply personal grief. He was a terrific example for the church in the city.” In honor of their son, the Hubbards formed the Deveraux Hubbard II Foun dation to raise awareness regarding clotting disorders. Meantime, he has served on the boards of multiple civic groups. His next goal: uplifting his third generation at St. Paul in order to create a better future for both the church and Peoria. “I do think we’ve gotten to the place where we’ve earned the trust of the community,” Hubbard said. “Now we’ve got to maximize it in terms of raising up the next generation.”

Phil Luciano is a senior writer/columnist for Peoria Magazine and content contributor to public television station WTVP. He can be reached at phil.luciano@wtvp.org

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