Thirty-nine souls gathered. That was the humble start of Gospel Harvester Church. It was December 4 1960. They met in St John’s Lutheran Church on Euclid Avenue in Atlanta’s Little Five Points. Among them were founders Earl and Norma Paulk Don and Clariece Paulk and Harry and Myrtle Mushegan. Gospel Harvester Church chose Matthew 9:36-38 as its theme scripture. Their first bulletin showed a powerful image: a black hand and a white hand clasped together. The slogan read A church of compassion.
The Gospel Harvester Church wasn’t just a place of worship. It was a beacon of community service. The Paulk brothers Earl and Don were deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. They met with Dr Martin Luther King Sr and other members of Concerned Clergy. They met in the basement of Ebenezer Baptist Church. The church actively helped the homeless at the Atlanta Union Mission. They supported the Inman Park branch library. Members volunteered in after-school programs at the Bass Recreational Center.
Gospel Harvester Church quickly outgrew its first location. Within a year they purchased the building making it their first permanent home. In 1964 they acquired the Christian Missionary Alliance church building next door. This became a youth center and fellowship hall. The Harvester Trio Don Clariece and Norma recorded an album. They were regular guests on Sunday Morning Sing a live television show on WSB. The Harvester Choir sang at community Easter Sunrise and Thanksgiving services. Earl Paulk even had his own weekly radio show on WGN.
In 1972 Gospel Harvester Church purchased six and a half acres in South DeKalb County Decatur Georgia. They built a new 450-seat facility at 4650 Flat Shoals Road. The church’s name changed to Chapel Hill Harvester Church. It became one of the first truly racially integrated congregations in the South. Clariece Paulk introduced liturgical dance expanding the church’s music ministry to include drama.
The 1980s brought a theological shift. The focus moved from a rapture-centered Pentecostal theology to a stewardship of the earth. Earl Paulk preached Kingdom Principles. This message of responsible Christian citizenship and environmental care resonated deeply. The congregation grew exponentially. Pastors and leaders from across the country came to Chapel Hill. The sanctuary was enlarged several times. In 1982 Earl Paulk became a founding bishop of the International Communion of Charismatic Churches.
The Gospel Harvester Church wasn’t just about buildings. They established numerous ministries. The House of New Life for unwed mothers thrived. The Overcomers Ministry helped those struggling with addiction. The Cathedral Dance Conservatory flourished. The church published Harvest Times a monthly newspaper. Other ministries included the Chapel Hill Orchestra Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) Operation Dignity and Joseph’s Storehouse.
Chapel Hill Harvester Church later became known as the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. They appeared on television networks like PTL TBN AIB and CBN. Bishop Paulk and the Cathedral Singers were regular guests. Mission work took them to Panama Peru Costa Rica Nicaragua Venezuela El Salvador the Dominican Republic Nigeria and the Philippines. The church purchased twenty acres across the street for an educational wing. Harvester Academy expanded to a K-12 school called Cathedral Academy. Earl Paulk Institute offered post-secondary biblical training. K-Dimension Publishers was established.
The church’s Worship and Arts Department became world-renowned. They produced hundreds of original dramas concerts and albums. They traveled nationally for other church conferences. The Cathedral hosted countless gospel performers including Dottie Rambo Richard Smallwood Take 6 The Imperials The Winans Donnie McClurkin Ballet Magnificat Phil Driscoll Higher Ground and many more. In 2003 Donald Earl Paulk and his wife Brandi founded Grace Church in Stone Mountain. They returned to the Cathedral in 2006 becoming Senior Pastors. The church’s story continues. Their legacy of compassion service and inclusivity lives on. The Gospel Harvester Church stands as a testament to faith community and the enduring power of the human spirit.