The Rev. Virgil Marchbanks performed his final service last month at the Arnold Family Worship Center, an Apostolic Pentecostal church at 1870 Old Lemay Ferry Road.
Virgil, 88, of Arnold was pastor of the church since 1962 when he started it, along with his late wife, Ruth Ann Marchbanks. The church initially was called the United Pentecostal Church before being renamed in 2008.
Marchbanks’ final service was on June 9, and about 40 people, mostly family members, attended, his son, Don Marchbanks said.
“All of my children were there,” Virgil said. “Some of the members were there. We had a good closing service.
“I preached concern and the coming of the Lord. I mentioned my wife. We have burial places in Park Lawn Cemetery in Lemay. I mentioned I was not looking forward to being buried next to her. I don’t want to lie next to her; I want to fly with her in Heaven.”
Ruth Ann died Oct. 28, 2023. She was 85.
Don said his father’s final service was emotional, especially for him; his brother, Thomas Marchbanks, 60, of Arnold; and his sister, Linda Radford, 61, of Atlanta.
“There were a lot of tears shed that day because that is all we have ever known,” said Don, 62, of Joplin. “As kids, we grew up on the front bench.”
During the July 18 Arnold City Council meeting, Mayor Ron Counts is scheduled to present Virgil with a proclamation recognizing his 62 years serving as a pastor. The City Council typically holds meetings at 7 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month at City Hall, 2101 Jeffco Blvd.
“I first met (Virgil) when I was running my body shop,” Counts said. “He was kind of a regular customer. He is a good fella. I enjoy talking with him. We would visit while the guys would work on his car. I knew him and his family well. I will be happy to give the proclamation to him. He is a great guy.”
Coming to Arnold
Virgil said he grew up attending a Pentecostal church in Lemay. He said it was a natural progression for him to become a pastor of his own church.
“In my teens, I worked with different pastors as a choir director and in the Sunday school department,” he said. “It was a natural hearing the call of God to come to Arnold. It was an open field at that time. I just felt the call of God.”
Virgil said First United Pentecostal Church opened Feb. 4, 1962, in a storefront at 1611 Jeffco Blvd. The next year the church moved to Old Lemay Ferry Road.
“We put in a foundation and held church in the basement for a good length of time,” he said. “We then built on top.”
Don said Albert Marchbanks, Virgil’s brother, designed the church, and church members completed most of the construction, with contractors handling the concrete floor and masonry work.
Don said his parents adopted him, his brother and his sister at the same time in 1967.
“The family went from two to five in a short period of time,” he said. “We were 3, 4 and 5. I was the oldest.”
Don said the children grew up in the church. He was a youth pastor and Thomas was a choir director. Linda played the keyboard during services.
“We were all vital parts of their ministry,” he said. “It was like living in a fishbowl, but it was the best fishbowl I ever lived in. I wouldn’t change it.”
Don said he and his siblings each attended two years at Bible college.
Virgil said some of his favorite memories at the Arnold church involved his family, such as performing a dedication ceremony for six of his grandchildren and baptizing one of his grandchildren at the church.
“Those are wonderful memories,” he said.
Don said his father’s services were powerful and moving.
“He wasn’t always deep because he wasn’t into the deep messages,” he said. “He has one of the best voices you will ever hear. He can sing, and his voice will boom through a building without a microphone. I am not exaggerating. He is that way today at 88 years old.”
Time to leave
Virgil said the death of his wife and the demands of performing maintenance at the 3-acre church property led to his decision to retire. Ruth Ann, who also started and was the director of the Arnold Christian Daycare, was the church’s secretary and managed its finances.
“I still grieve from the loss of my wife,” he said. “I worked with the church for 62 years, and that is a great loss. At my age, I felt like it was time. The ministry is full time, and the property is full time too.”
Virgil said he sold the church property to another Apostolic Pentecostal church, but he doesn’t know what that church’s plans are for the site.
Don said Thomas lives close to Virgil, and he and Linda frequently return to Arnold to visit their father.
“We don’t like him to travel as much as he used to, so we come to him,” he said.