MENTOR, SPIRITUAL GUIDE, AND EVANGELIST

The late Elder Hershell Paul Dunn Jr. was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia.  He was the son of the late Hershell P. Dunn, Sr., and the late Mrs. Erma Jean Dunn.  Elder Dunn was the product of the Norfolk Public School system and graduate of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s apprenticeship program.  He retired from ZBZ & Associates of Virginia Beach, Virginia after 22 years as a Welding Engineer. He was joined in life to his soul mate Rev. Dr. Yvonne Wright-Dunn, Founder and Senior Pastor of the Birthing Place Worship Center, Portsmouth, Virginia. They were happily married for over 27 years.  From their fruitful union have come two beautiful children: Shawn Alexandra and Brandon-Michael Alexander.

Elder Dunn’s twenty-five-year Kingdom building career began under the sage spiritual guidance of Dr. Frank Guns Sr. and Rev. Mother Quincy Guns at the Abyssinia Baptist Church, Norfolk, Virginia. While there his various assignments included such positions as: Usher, Trustee, Deacon, and Chairman of the Deacons’ Ministry. In 1998, the Dunn’s felt the need to return back to their communal roots in the Park Place section in Norfolk, Virginia.  Amidst years of increase crime and social neglect, the once alive, vibrant, and promising community had been transformed into a littered neighborhood with blighted structures and drug infested streets. Yet, by faith the Dunn’s constructed their home there and named it, The House of Refuge.  They immediately began a couples’ and men’s fellowship ministry in their living room. For years, they provided impromptu gatherings for many in need of spiritual guidance as well as distributing food and clothing. In the Summer of 2009, the Dunn’s launched the Birthing Place Worship Center ministry in their home.  They transformed their two-story dwelling into a house of worship. As this dynamic ministry grew, in the fall of 2009, the ministry was relocated to Portsmouth, Virginia.  The ministry grew exponentially. Under the visionary leadership of the Dunn’s, the ministry successfully partnered with community service organizations to provide outreach to the greater Tidewater area.