Rev. Raymond P. Gibbs

Native of Charleston who grew up in the small town of Ravenel. He was reared in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), where he was baptized into the Christian faith. As a young man, gardening became his passion and a connection to Jesus Christ. He found that gardening requires dedication, love, and nurturing, just as Christ gave to all believers. He graduated from Baptist High School in 1978 and later served his country in the United States Marines Corps.  Rev. Gibbs served 23 years in the Marines Corps participating in countless tours and traveling to various parts of the world, including Toulon, France; Barcelona, Spain Frankfort, Germany; Okinawa, Japan; the country of Turkey and Haifa, Israel. No matter where he was in the world, he made sure to give God thanks while spreading the Word of God to his brothers in arms. In 2001 after attaining the rank of Master Sergeant, he retired from the Marines Corps.

In 2017, the calling to serve God full-time became too strong to ignore. Over the years, Rev. Gibbs developed a passion for helping others and has deepened his relationship with God, but now it was time for him to be a bridge for others seeking a relationship with God.  In 2018, Rev. Gibbs took a step of faith. He quit his job in logistics and then enrolled in Seminary to answer the call God had placed in his life. In the Spring of 2022, he

graduated from Interdenominational Theological Seminary (ITC) in Atlanta, Georgia, with a Masters in Divinity. He was appointed Pastor of Greater Saint Paul United Methodist Church by Jonathan Holston, Bishop of the South Carolina Conference.

Rev. Gibbs is married to Arcenia, his high school sweetheart of 38 years, and together

they have four children and nine grandchildren.

His Favorite scripture is Habakkuk 2:2-3:  Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.