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Union Missionary Baptist Church is a Christian Family of Faith. It was originally organized during the summer of 1902 by a small band of "believers" being lead by the Rev. H.J. Marshall. It was first known as "The Little Mission". It took upon itself the responsibility of reaching out to all people without regards to social or economic status. From the very beginning the ministry was blessed with many inspired men and women of God who sacrificed much for the up building of God’s kingdom on earth. Rev. Marshall served the church faithfully until his death on January 4, 1935. To date, the church's records remain incomplete concerning Rev. Marshall, his style of ministry and any associate ministers or officers that may have served the congregation during the beginning years of the church. Attempts are being made on a regular basis to acquire additional pertinent information.
Seven months following
Rev. Marshall's
death, with prayerful consideration, the Rev. James Hazell Williams, the
former pastor of Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Belvedere, DE and Calvary
Baptist Church in Dover, was asked to accept the
The groundbreaking ceremony for our current facility
was held on August 8, 1968. The construction was completed and the
building was dedicated on
Before Dr. Williams' death, he carried the church into the newly formed National Missionary Baptist Convention of America. During 1991, the church formally incorporated this title into its name to show support for Dr. Williams' lifelong position that we are to be "a missionary ministry" of Jesus Christ. On February 22, 1989, after nearly 54 years of dedicated and sacrificial service to the family of Union and the community of Dover, the angels of the Lord led Dr. Williams to God’s "bosom of rest". In March of 1989 the Rev. John E. Bagley, Jr. was elected as pastor by a grieving congregation and served with vigor until October of 1989. During his brief tenure the church experienced a surge of spiritual enthusiasm that drew many inactive and former members back to our doors. Many new saints were also added to the church through baptism. Rev. Bagley also initiated a period during the altar call to focus prayer on the children of the church and community. When Rev. Bagley left, a group of approximately 60 members requested letters of dismissal and they joined him in forming the Second Baptist Church of Dover. At the request of the congregation, the long-time secretary and associate of Dr. Williams, the Rev. Yvonne C. Brunson, agreed to become the interim-pastor in November of 1989. She shared preaching responsibilities with associate minister, Dr. Columbus B. Ricks, while a formal search committee prayerfully sought the Lord’s guidance in their intense efforts to examine the many candidates who had applied for the position of permanent pastor. On January 21, 1991, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Rev. Reedie G. Moore, Jr., who was serving as the Assistant Pastor of the Holy Unity Baptist Ministries in Corona, NY and was a former Pastor in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, was extended, and accepted, the call of the congregation to become Union MBC's fourth installed pastor in 89 years. Pastor Moore, who came from a family of gifted preachers, inevitably came to Union displaying the same kind of love and concern that the Dover community had grown to expect from us.
After a
period of adjustment, many new ideas began being explored and
implemented. Pastor Moore presented the church with several ideas for new
The church membership voted to expand our range of influence by affiliating with the American Baptist Churches in the USA and the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. in addition to the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America. Pastor Moore was elected first vice-president to the Missionary Baptist State Convention of DE & MD during his first year as our pastor and served for four years. He was appointed to the Evangelical Board of the National Missionary Baptist Convention and the Chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee of the Central Delaware Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People the following year and serviced in each capacity for eight years and five years respectively.
Internally,
we began to focus on areas that had been of concern to many members for a
long period of time. A "Beautification Committee" made us aware
The ministry efforts of our church are being expanded each year that we might win many new souls to Christ also. Since 1991, over 655 persons have made a new or renewed commitment to the Lord through this ministry. The official membership roll (which is updated annually) has increased from the 220 on record in January of 1991 to over 370 today. The Missionary Ministry began to focus on the need of the church to provide responsible nurturing care for our neighborhood children in 1992. The UMBC After School Program was created as a response to this vision and was made available to parents in the local area as an aid toward curtailing the "latch-key kid" problem for four continuous years. The Whatcoat shelter was adopted in 1996 and was financially supported within our budget. An additional financial commitment was made to the County Social Services office in 1998 and the House of Pride (a halfway housing program) in 2000. The Ministers-In-Training class was an outgrowth of Pastor Moore’s desire to encourage new ministers to set their goals high in fulfilling the mandate of 2nd Timothy 2:15. After three years of continuous training, the congregation of Union, on November 3, 1996, ordained their first two ministers in more than 40 years: Rev. Ernest Knight, Jr. and Rev. Wanda D. Lang. Since the program began thirteen persons have been licensed by this church to preach the Gospel and five have been ordained. Four ministers who were licensed here have since completed theological degrees and two others have recently enrolled in Biblical schools to advance their education. The following is a list of Union ministers who are currently serving here or in other areas: Rev. Ernest Knight, Jr., Rev. Gladys T. Watkins, Min. Arthur L. Davis, Jr., Min. Iwana L. Smith, Evng. Chestina Handy, Evng. Blanche Rasin. Dr. J. Mack Holt, Milford, DE, Bishop Doreina C. Miles, Camden, DE, Dr. Yvonne C. Brunson, Milford Neck, DE, Dr. Isaiah Freeman, III, Seaford, DE, Rev. Freddie Brunson, Milford Neck, DE, Elder Angela Y. Freeman, Seaford, DE, Chaplain Connie Perry, Bay Health Medical Center, Dover, DE, Rev. W. Keith Witherspoon, Tucson, AZ, Rev. Wanda D. Lang, Bronx, NY, Rev. Betty L. Knight, Bear, DE, Dr. Christopher T. Curry, Wilmington, DE, Rev. Shonda Rae Greene, Bear, DE, Min. Anthony E. Taylor, Wilmington, DE. Since Pastor Moore’s Leadership Training Program began in 1991, twenty-three persons have been placed in training for Diaconate Minister. Six deacons have been ordained and ten deaconesses have been consecrated. Two have been honored as Deacon Emeritus for their long time service (Dea. Alfred Tatman and Dea. Edward Cannon) and one was granted Honorary Deacon status, posthumously (Dea. William Lewis). Dea. George E. Balentine and Moth. Mary E. Balentine are our most Senior Diaconate Ministers; Dea. Charles E. Wilson is serving as Coordinator for the Diaconate Ministry; Bro. Edward Minus, Sr. is Chairman of the Trustee Ministry; Sis. Doris Wayman is the Church Clerk and Dea. Hardin T. Watkins is our treasurer. At the initiation of our Centennial Celebration in January, 2002 the church embraced the challenge of the great commission of Christ being lifted up by Pastor Moore. We set the goal of 100 new members and $100,000.00 for the building fund in the 100th year of the church. We also took on the challenge of making every area of the church fully accessible to handicapped persons. This required the remodeling of the J. H. Williams Fellowship Hall from top to bottom and the expansion of the restroom facilities located in that area. The installation of a new enclosed wheel chairlift that provides access to all three levels of the church was the major physical change accomplished during the 2002 Capital Improvement Project. Providing additional classroom space, establishing a day care center and a computer laboratory as well as making a additional cosmetic improvements are projects that are on the agenda for the upcoming years. We realize that there is still much that need to be done and will be done but we are very thankful to the Lord for all He has allowed to be done thus far and for guiding us every step of the way. It is our sincere prayer that, in God's time, Pastor and People, Church and Community, will truly become God's "Pearl of Great Price"!
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CHURCH HISTORY
pastoral duties at the “Little Mission”. Rev. Williams was installed as
pastor on July 10, 1935. The church's name was changed to Union Baptist
Church of Dover when it was first incorporated on December 11, 1935.
August
24, 1969. Union continues to stand as a statement to congregational
endurance and the contemporary vision of
worship experiences. 
of
the need to improve the aesthetic appearance and utility of our church and
a "Building Committee" lead us to the reality that making our church
accessible to the physically impaired was an appropriate Christian
response for the 90's. The 1993 Capital Improvement Program was completed
with a special "25th Year Building Rededication and Homecoming '94" service on
August 28, 1994. An 1800 square foot addition that housed a conference
room, church office, pastor's study, handicap accessible restroom and an
enclosed two station wheelchair lift was dedicated to the ministry and
glory of God. 
