The
Christian Union Primitive Baptist Church is the offspring of the Friendship
Primitive Baptist Church founded by the late Elder Dave V. George. After
pastoring Friendship Primitive Baptist Church from 1937-1950, there arose a
sharp contention that ruptured the shepherd-flock relationship. As a result of
their inability to dissolve the differences, Elder George was relieved of his
pastoral responsibilities after 14 years of service.
When
welcome became a stranger there, Elder George shook the dust from his shoes and
began an immediate search for a new location to organize a church. It was during
the month of February of 1950 that Elder George organized, in the home of
Queenie Sanders on Boyette Street, the Christian Union Primitive Baptist Church
with two Deacons. Namely, Troy McMiliian and Willie Powe, both deceased, and a
few members who followed him from Friendship Primitive Baptist Church, along
with neighbors and friends.
As the
congregation grew, it became necessary to seek her own and larger facilities.
God opened doors and a tract of land became available on the corner of Chastang
Street and Bragdon Avenue, which at present is Mobile Street and Bragdon Avenue.
Elder George, accompanied by Jimmy Walters, expressed the Church’s purpose and
need for the property to the owner. After expressing their sentiments, Mrs. Anna
Davis agreed to sell the property for approximately Three Hundred Dollars
($300.00). The late Deacon Stratman Calhoun had the distinct and historical
honor of delivering the first note on the property in the amount of Twenty-Five
Dollars ($25.00). So, in August of 1950, the Church relocated on
Chastang Street (now Mobile
Street). The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved. Not having a
baptism pool, the first candidates were baptized at the Trestle, in the Three
Mile Creek, behind Hawkins Paper Mill, which is now called The Mobile Paper
Board, and later at the El Bethel Primitive Baptist Church at 455 Live Oak
Street under the pastorate of the late Elder Terry M. Baits.
With
the continued growth of the Church, the meeting place became too small for the
congregation. In the heart of that crisis, Elder George received the vision and
accepted the challenge to build an adequately equipped Church edifice. This
undertaking commenced within the year. Elder George practically built the Church
edifice by himself with the exception of a few men who would come by at random
and help for a couple of hours. The Church was still growing during the
construction period, so to accommodate the crowd, when the edifice was suitable,
yet not complete, the meetings were held within the construction site. Off and
on, it took about two years to complete our present sanctuary, which has now
been standing for over 40 years.
After
the Church edifice was complete, the late Mother Willie Mae George, wife of the
late Elder Dave V. George, erected a kindergarten to serve as a catalyst to
reach children in the community under religious influence to help grow the
Church’s Sunday School. She canvassed the neighborhood and received enough children
to began her first class in September of 1952. She was a great access to the
outreach and teaching ministry of the Church. Due to illness, her last class was
the graduating class of May 1961. She departed this life in January of 1962.
Elder
George was a profound and exceptional preacher. He was compelled to spread the
Gospel beyond this community to those in the hedges arid by-ways as well.
Therefore, in 1960, a broadcast was introduced to Mobile, aired live from the
sanctuary of the Church every Sunday, over WGOK Radio Station. As a result of
this radio ministry, many souls, both near and far, were reached, drawn, and
added to the Church. Unfortunately, Elder George took ill During his illness,
Elder Jack Arnold was assisting as much as possible in carrying out the order of
worship and preaching the Gospel. Elder George ordained Stratman Calhoun. CIem
Randolph, Strother Packer, and James Casher to assist him in the work of the
Church. Brother Fletcher Carter joined as a deacon and was put on the board.
Elder George served faithfully as pastor until his passing in August of 1962.
At the
passing of Elder George, the Church began to seek God’s guidance for a leader.
The Church was not led to go abroad to bring in some popular figure, but to stay
within its own vicinity and to choose one among themselves. When the sheep-fold
received an answer from the Lord, they did not procrastinate, nor prolong, but
approximately three months later, in November of 1962, Elder Jack Arnold was
elected to serve as the second pastor of the Christian Union Primitive Baptist
Church. His pastorate was short, yet full of faithfulness. Due to his illness,
he became unable to fulfill the office of pastor to its desired expectation.
Early in the year of 1965, Elder Arnold was relieved of pastoral
responsibilities, due to illness.
In
March of 1965, the Church made a call to Brother Prince Milton to serve as
pastor. At the time the call went out, Brother Milton was not ordained. In May
of 1965, Brother Milton went before the Presbytery for examination and was
ordained and accepted the call to serve as the third pastor of the Christian
Union Primitive Baptist Church. Under Elder Milton’s leadership, the Church grew
to higher heights. During the pastorate of Elder Milton, other ministers served
at random on the odd Sundays. Outstanding among these ministers were Rev. George
McMillian, whose gift of preaching and Christian life was instrumental and
advantageous to the continued growth, both spiritual and financial, of this
Church.
During the pastorate of Elder Milton. he ordained
six deacons. Namely. Will Goodman, Edward Dandridge, Willie Albert, Henry
Crenshaw, Willie Carmichael, and T. B. Smith. Deacons Oliver Foster and James
Gormon joined as deacons and were put on the board. In the summer of 1977, the
property of John and Ruvat Williams. which lies adjacent to the Church’s present
property became available. A meeting of the Church was held at which time the
Church authorized Allen Knight, the late Hudson Smith, and the late Oliver
Foster to sign the Church into a $8, 438.60 debt through Merchant National
Bank(now Regions Bank) which has been paid in full.
In
July of 1983, due to a shortage of men on the Trustee Board, at the
recommendation of Elder Milton and Brother Margaret G. Randolph, Chairman of the
Board, six women were carried before the body, approved, and added to the Board
to assist in the carrying forth of the Church’s business. Namely, Iola Lacey,
Lula Smith, Mattie Carmichael, Shirley Matthews, Maggie Buford, and Mildred
Massey(now Mildred Vincent). During the time of this addition to the board, a
central air unit was purchased for the Church.
On
February 12, 1984, Elder Milton confessed before the congregation that he had
received a vision from the Lord that he had done all that he could do and that
it was time for him to move on. On the said date, he offered his resignation and
it was received by the Church.
Shortly afterwards, a meeting was held, at which time the Church elected Deacon
Willie Carmichael, Chairman of the Deacon Board, to act as the head of the
Church until the calling of a pastor. During the absentee of a pastor, many
members joined other Churches, some fell by the way, while others became
spectators and sat to watch what the outcome would be. During the absentee of a
pastor, Deacon Willie Carmichael, with the cooperation of a few dedicated and
faithful members, did an exceptional job of holding the flock together.
On May
21, 1984, a meeting was held at the Church for the purpose of electing a pastor.
Elder Walter L. Anderson was called to be Moderator of this meeting. Brother
Jeffrey T. Rainey was elected to serve as the fourth pastor and the first
full-time pastor of the Christian Union
Primitive Baptist Church. Brother Rainey accepted the call and officially
assumed the pastoral office on June 10, 1984. At the request of the Christian
Union Primitive Baptist Church, Brother Rainey went before the Presbytery on
July 1, 1984, at the Zion Hope Primitive Baptist Church
and was ordained. He was officially installed as pastor of Christian Union
Primitive Baptist Church on August 5, 1984.
Under
Elder Rainey’s Administration, six deacons have been ordained. Namely, Fred
Dixon(who was ordained on April 23, 1989), Samson Brown and Charlie Stutts(who
were ordained on October 18, 1992), and Walter
Anderson, Willie Preston, and Joseph Sumpter(who were ordained April 9, 2000).
Deacon Travis Bolden united with Christian Union on April 11, 1993 and was
officially added to the Deacon Board on June 19, 1994.
Three
ministers have been called from the womb of Christian Union. First, Elder Archie
Lee Rankins, who delivered his initial sermon on May 17, 1987 entitled “How To Make It Through A Storm” from Mark
4:35-41. He was ordained on October 18, 1992. On
March 29, 1998, he was installed as pastor of the Live Oak Missionary Baptist
Church. Second, Elder Willie James Carmichael, who delivered his initial sermon
on February 12, 1989 entitled “God’s Special Deliverance Messenger” from Exodus
3:1-10; Luke 4: 16-20. He was ordained on June 19, 1994 and installed as Pastor
of the Mt. Calvary Primitive Baptist Church
on March 12, 1995. Third, Brother Daniel Ely, who delivered his initial sermon
on April 21, 1996 entitled “You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide” from Jonah 1:1-5,
now at Zion Hope Primitive Baptist Church. Elder Walter Daniel Rainey,
Sr.(father of Pastor Rainey) united with Christian Union on December 23, 1990
and passed this life December 21, 1994. Elder Theodore Golston united
with Christian Union on October 6, 1992 and was ordained on August 29, 1993 and
installed as Pastor of the Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church on
October 10, 1993. Brother Clifton E. Shaw united January 12, 1997, now at
Mt. Olive Baptist Church,
Mauvilla, Alabama. Brother
Claude Jones united with Christian Union on April 16, 2000 and delivered his
debut message on May 21, 2000 entitled “When The Storm Comes” from Psalms
34:1-4.
On
January 9, 1995, Brother Leonard Allen was recommended and received as a
Trustee. On April 30, 1997, Brother Albert James was recommended and received as
a Trustee. On January 31, 2001, Brother Patrick Ely, Brother Jerry McCants, and
Sister Eadie Sanderson, and Sister Dorris Morrisette (deceased) were recommended
and received as Trustees. On July 30, 2003, Brother Jonathan Shamburger and
Sister Marilyn Stutts were recommended and received as Trustees.
Our
outstanding Deacons are Walter Anderson, Travis Bolden, Willie Preston, Charlie
Stutts, and Joseph Sumpter. Our outstanding Trustees are Brothers: Leonard
Allen, Patrick Ely, Albert James, Jerry McCants, Jonathan Shamburger and
Sisters: Iola Lacey, Maggie Buford, Eadie Sanderson, Lula Smith, Marilyn Stutts,
and Mildred Vincent.
Under
the leadership of Elder Rainey, our Church has grown in:
MEMBERSHIP - Many have been added to our Church. Some have passed on, others
have moved on, and many have been dismissed. We are striving not to count
members, but to make members count. At present, we have 180 active members.
MINISTRIES - Our Church has been departmentalized into Education, Youth,
Evangelism, Music, Hospitality, and Health Departments with Department
Chairpersons. We have renamed all “Auxiliaries” to “Ministries.” We have
leadership meeting each quarter to keep all of our Ministries focused,
functioning, and fruitful.
MEANS
- We
have purchased the property directly behind the Church edifice at 2429 Bragdon
Avenue. At the passing of Mrs. Mary Dixon in August of 1984, she willed that
Christian Union Primitive Baptist Church have the first bid on the property. The
Lord blessed us to purchase this property on the settlement date of July 16,
1985. We purchased the property two doors behind the Church at 2427 Bragdon
Avenue on the settlement date of April 19, 1988. We have refurbished our Church
edifice with new carpet, pews, pulpit, offering table, tithe box, piano, organ,
and copier, PA system, speakers, microphones, roof; baptism robes, and a
communion set (including wash basins and towels for our feet-washing ordinance).
On November 28, 1990, the Lord blessed us to begin aesthetic improvements, minor
renovations, and remodeling in our Church edifice. The work was completed in
February of 1991 in excess of $30,000.00. We purchased the properties at 909,
955, and 959 Mobile Street on the settlement date of September 21, 1993. On
January 30, 1997, we purchased a Drum Set ($1159.11) to enhance our Music
Department as well as our worship. We added two of our youth to our musical
staff as drummers in the persons of Christopher Sullivan and Patricia Carlton.
On September 6, 1997 we re-paved the Church’s Parking Lot for $7,000.00. On
November 20, 1997, we purchased a
Computer. Computer Desk, Surge, Printer, Fax, and Scanner in the amount of
$2,596.90 for Church operations. On December 30, 1997, we began renovating the
Dave V. George All-Purpose Facility. This undertaking cost was in excess
$125,000.00. We dedicated this facility on Sunday May 31, 1998. We purchased the
properties located at 963 and 965 Mobile Street on the settlement date of May
28, 1998. We purchased the property at 961 Mobile Street on the settlement date
of January 20, 2004.
MEDIA
– On January 29, 2003, we obtained a Website
@
www.christianunionpbc.com.
MATURITY - Because of the Ministry, the Ministries, the Messages, and the
Meetings, our members are deeper in the Word, drawing from the Worship, devoted
in our Witnessing, dedicated to the Work, dispensing with our Wages, and
disciples in the World.
Since
Elder Rainey has been with us, our Church has grown in Membership, Ministries,
Means, Media and Maturity. Though we have grown, our testimony is yet that of Paul’s
in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but
this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching
forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Our
Church history attests to the words of John Newtons: “Through many dangers,
toils and snares, we have already come: ‘Tis Grace hath brought us safe thus
far, and Grace will lead us home.”
