City of Elkhart honors Pastor Jeremiah Matthews with a street sign

ELKHART, Ind. -- The City of Elkhart dedicated an honorary street sign to Pastor Jeremiah Matthews outside the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ.

Matthews built the church at its current site in 1977 and worked nearly 40 years in maintenance at Miles Laboratories.

Matthews' son, Minister Derrick Matthews, led the program, "he's been a pastor since I was five years old, and I played the drums and just him preaching, he used to preach and get really sweaty, and the church used to be really packed, and, man, it was just a good time."

Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson spoke before Pastor Matthews about being able to attend the ceremony "It means something when folks live a life that has actually germinated to others, there is no way that I'm standing here but on the shoulders of folks like Jeremiah."

Jeremiah Matthews has mentored eight pastors who have gone on to start their own churches.

"When the Lord takes him home, and the next young person comes through, and they ask, who is Pastor Jeremiah Matthews? We can share the work that he's done on the south side of Elkhart," said Derrick Matthews.