On Sunday, February 5, at 12:15 pm in Fondren Hall, join us for a reception honoring Joe Gradney who is retiring after 33 years of service at St. Paul’s. 

Joe Gradney first came on staff at St. Paul's UMC in 1990 to supervise security, maintenance, and custodial work.

"He was recommended to us by Mickey Peterson," says Charles Ruehl, who oversaw the church's finance and administration at the time. "Joe and I together communicated on every item related to his areas of responsibility. When more complicated issues were encountered, we consulted with the Senior Pastor and the Board of Trustees." 

Joe's tenure at St. Paul's overlapped considerably with Rev. Dr. Jim Bankston, who served as St. Paul's senior pastor from 1995 to 2013. Dr. Bankston recalls that, for many years, Joe pulled two shifts, working a 40-hour week at NASA in addition to his tireless work at St. Paul's. 

"Joe would fix everything that broke," says Dr. Bankston. "If he couldn’t fix it, he knew who to call." 

During the years leading up to the Revive capital campaign in 2018, Joe spent many hours patching leaks in the boiler room to keep St. Paul's HVAC system operational. He knew the details of St. Paul's campus like the back of his hand and offered tours to indicate the repairs needed during renovation projects. His contributions to the safety and maintenance of the church's facility are innumerable. 

Even more significant are the lasting bonds of friendship among the staff and entire church family. Joe, along with his wife Jeanette and their son Joseph, have been part of St. Paul's for over three decades. We are all very grateful to Joe Gradney for his love and care of St. Paul's. 

To express your gratitude to Joe, place your love offering in the designated receptacle at the reception or go to www.stpaulshouston.org/give, press the blue "Give" button, then click "Give one time," select "Other/Events" fund, and write "Joe love offering” on the optional memo line.