The Reverend Paul Roberts Abernathy, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, received his Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in political science from Westminster College and his Master of Divinity degree from The General Theological Seminary.

In 1977, ordained as a deacon and, in 1978, as a priest, Father Paul served congregations in Columbia, Missouri; Chicago, Ill.; Charleston and Washington, DC. He retired on Feb. 1, 2015 and moved to Spartanburg to begin his "retirement" working for his wife at their bed and breakfast and events facility, Clevedale Historic Inn and Gardens.

From December 2015 through mid-February 2020, he shared Christian life and labor with the community of Epiphany Episcopal Church in Laurens as priest-in-charge, part-time. Since March 1, 2020, he serves St. Matthew's and Father Rob Brown as Assistant to the Rector.

Father Paul has held a variety of positions in the church. Among them, a four-time General Convention deputy, stints on many committees and commissions in the dioceses where he served, and, for the national church, on the committees of Social Responsibility in Investments and Structure. For many years, before its closing, Father Paul was an adjunct faculty member of the College of Preachers of the Washington National Cathedral Foundation in Washington, DC.

An avid writer and blogger, in 2013, Father Paul published a book of sermons, For the Living of These Days. He is joyously married above the station of life to the former Pontheolla Mack of Bishopville, SC, who is always the best reason to know him. Their daughter, Kristin, resides in Houston, TX.