History of the Georgia District

In 1935, Elder and Mrs. Henry Phillips of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, members of the Central Western District of the United Holy Church of America, Inc. were led by the Spirit to come to Atlanta Georgia. They erected a tent on Frazier Street and conducted a revival for six weeks. From this revival meeting, seven souls were saved and added to the Church, making this the first United Holy Church (UHC) in Georgia. In 1936 the church moved to Rawson Street and was officially organized growing in power and influence. The church later moved to Richardson Street during the depression.

In 1950, Elder Phillips, his wife, and members of the Church in Atlanta organized a church in   McDonough, Georgia. These two Churches joined the Southern District Convocation of the United Holy Church of America, Inc.

History of the Florida District    

Rev. Marie Weaver, a native of Birmingham, Alabama was a pioneer in Florida for the UHC. She was called to the ministry in 1930 and was serving under the leadership of Rev. Jeremiah Goodwin in Montclair, New Jersey when she responded to God’s call to go South. 

On August 17, 1939, Rev. Weaver and her husband Bro. Raleigh Weaver moved to Eustis, Florida from Montclair, New Jersey. This move was the result of a vision; ““I had a vision and hearda voice saying “Go South and Build.” I was obedient to the voice of God ever mindful of the great truth spoken by Jesus, “Go work in my vineyard and whatever is right I will pay thee.“”” first 

God led her to organize five churches and build two. Rev. Weaver was blessed to be married to a God-fearing man. Deacon Raleigh Weaver was a carpenter and brick mason by trade and did much of the manual labor, planning and building of the two churches. He gave his time, labor and money in every capacity. Faith Tabernacle UHC was organized in the home of Rev. Times Adams of Lisbon, Florida on November 9, 1939 with six members. Faith Tabernacle was built in Eustis, Florida in 1940 by Deacon Weaver on land donated by him and his wife. .

This church became a member of the Southern District Convocation. ’sof its f

 

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This church stands today as a living memorial of her zeal, inspiration, ambition and love for God and man. 

In addition, Union Gospel Church, Leesburg, Florida was organized in the home of Sister Mary Saunders on August 22, 1943 with seven members. Then on August 19, 1945 Pentecostal Tabernacle, Apopka, Florida was organized  at the home of Sister Bessie Turner with six members. The church building was erected in 1946. This church was also pastored by Elder Ellouise Furlow. Also, St. Matthew Tabernacle, Pitman, Florida was organized on November 24, 1950 at the home of Deacon J. M. Matthews with six members.

Bishop H. L. Fisher, General President of the UHC was led by God to send Rev. J. C. Thomas of Roxboro, N.C. to help Rev.Weaver with the work in Florida. He made several trips to assist in the work.

On December 19, 1947 after the death of Bishop Fisher, Rev. J. Clinton Thomas and a company of workers came to Eustis for the purpose of organizing a Florida District Union that wouldmeet once a year in accordance with the vision of the late Bishop Fisher. The elected officers were: President - Rev. J. C. Thomas; Vice President – Rev. Emma Barr; Secretary - Mrs. Tessie Lee Barr; Treasurer - Mrs. Mary Brown; and Chairman of Finance Committee - Deacon Raleigh Weaver.

On December 7, 1948, Bishop G. J. Branch now General President of the UHCA and his wife, Margaret came to Eustisand organized the Florida District Convocation. During this session the following convocation officers were elected: Bishop G. J. Branch, President; Rev. J.C. Thomas, Secretary; Deacon Brown of Leesburg, Florida, Treasurer. Elder Ellouise Furlow also served as secretary.

On December 4, 1949 the second District Convocation of the Florida District UHC convened at Faith Tabernacle UHC inEustis (Rev. Marie Weaver, Pastor). Bishop H. H. Hairston now General President of the UHC presided over the meeting. The following convocation officers were elected: Bishop H. H. Hairston, President; Elder S. O. Pigford of Magnolia, North Carolina, Vice President and assistant to the bishop for Florida District; Rev. J. C. Thomas, Secretary; Deacon Raleigh Weaver, Treasurer and Vice President of Bible Church School/Young Peoples Holy Association (BCS/YPHA) Convention; Mrs. M. J. Branch President of the Missionary Department and Mr. Charlie George president of the Young People Department. The FloridaDistrict operated independently from the Georgia District.

Florida/Georgia District

In 1951, Bishop H.H. Hairston, General President of the United Holy Church of America, Inc. commissioned Elder Henry Phillips to go to Florida and discuss with the Florida District the merging of the district churches in Georgia with the district churches in Florida. The merger was accepted and the Florida/Georgia District Convocation was born.

Elder Henry Phillips and his wife attended the General Convocation in 1964 hoping to be consecrated into the Bishopric as a reward for his labor in the district from 1935 to 1964. When he was rejected by the Board of Bishops as a leader of the Georgia-Florida/District he left the United Holy Church of America and withdrew all of the churches in Georgia with him and formed an independent organization. The two churches in Florida remained in the body under the leadership of Elder Archie Steele in Eustis, Florida.

 

 

 

 

 

In 1968, Mrs. Margaret Branch Griffith of Atlanta, GA and Rev. Lillian Fisher Amis of Carrollton, GA purchased a building and organized Macedonia UHC in Atlanta, GA. The first pastor of this church was Elder Jesse Williams of Goldsboro, NC. Later Elder Aquilla Lawson and Elder Pope Munford also served as pastors. It was from this church that in 1972 Bishops H. W. Fields and Andrew Lawson (serving as president and vice president) that Florida/Georgia District Convocation was againreorganized to include the newly established Georgia churchwith all departments functioning. Dr. Joe Ratliff organized the District BCS and Elder Eugene Harrison organized the YPHA. The Georgia District Union was organized by Elder H. Lawson and  Rev. Lillian Amis. The District Missionary Convention was organized in 1975. 

In 1972 Macedonia UHC merged with Unity Mission Church, Pastor Calvin H. Cobb. Unity Mission’s name was changed to Cobb Memorial UHC in honor of its founder and pastor Elder Calvin Hosea Cobb. Elder Joseph Ratcliff, Elder Richard Allen, Bishop James C. Bellamy and Elder Winton Cobb also pastoredthis church. Cobb Memorial left the Southeastern District UHC in 2007 and became independent. After the resignation of Bishop Fields, Bishop Eugene Clark served as President.

Bishop Clark served as Bishop of the District from 1972 until July 1983. In the 35th Florida/Georgia District Convocation, Bishop Clark announced that effective August 1983, Bishop Elijah Williams of Greensboro, NC who had served as assistant to Bishop Clark, would be the new President of the Florida/Georgia Convocation. Elders James C. Bellamy,

Eugene Harrison, Joseph Ratliff and Richard Allen served as assistants to the Bishop.

In 1984, Elder James C. Bellamy was appointed District Vice President to assist Bishop Williams. Bishop William served as President of the District from 1983 until 1992.

Florida/Georgia/Louisiana District

Elder James C. Bellamy was consecrated Bishop in 1992. Bishop Bellamy became the President of the Florida/Georgia District with Elder Eugene Harrison serving as Assistant to the Bishop. During Bishop Bellamy’s administration the following persons served as Assistant to the Bishop, Elders Eugene Harrison, Richard Allen, Gordon Witcher, George Parker, Carolyn Horton, and Luther Bullock.

 

Over the years the Southeastern District’s borders expanded and many churches were added. The following churches are either closed or no longer affiliated with the United Holy Church:

• New Orleans, LA: Gospel Faith UHC (Elder Clara Minor,Pastor)

• Dothan, Alabama: More Than Conqueror UHC (Elder Kim Ray, Pastor)

• Huntsville, Alabama: Deeper Life UHC (Elder Clarence Toomer, Pastor)

 

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida: New Hope UHC (Elder William Barnett, Pastor and founder and Elder Eugene Moore, Pastor)

 

Atlanta, GA: Liberty Chapel UHC (Elder Eugene Harrison, Founder and Pastor) and Follow Jesus UHC (Elder Richard Allen, Pastor)

 

 

• St. Augustine, Florida: Hope Tabernacle UHC (Elder Joanne McGlocking, Pastor)

• Eustis, FL: Mt. Olive UHC (Pastors Elder Albert Larry, Elder Archie Steele, Elder Hattie Mack Steele)

• Waycross, GA: Bennett Tabernacle (Pastors Elder Eugene Harrison, Elder Clifford Vickers

• Waynesboro, GA: Gateway to Heaven Mission (Elder James McGee, Pastor)

• College Park, GA: Open Door Outreach Ministry (Bishop Mary D. Lawrence, Pastor)

• Jonesboro, GA: Tongues of Fire (Elder Luther Bullock,Pastor)

• Decatur, GA: Gethsemane Temple UHC (Elder Gordon Witcher, Founder and Pastor)

• Miami, FL: River of Life (Elder Hardy, Pastor)

• Concord, GA: Bethesda UHC (Pastors: Elder Pope Munford, his wife Elder Ola Munford and Elder Louise Bryant)

• Forsyth, GA: Power of God UHC (Elder Eldrich Cornell,Pastor, Elder Pope Munford, Pastor)

• Apopka, FL: Hope Tabernacle UHC (Elder Mildred Pierce, Pastor)

 

 

Carrollton, GA: Bethel UHC (Elder Lillian Fisher Amis, Pastor and founder and Elder Brian Jordan, Pastor)

• Concord, GA: Faith and True Witness UHC (Elder Louise Bryant, Pastor)

Southeastern District (formerly Florida/Georgia/Louisiana District)

In 1996, under the leadership of Bishop Bellamy, the District voted with the approval of the General Church, to officially change the District’s name from the Florida/Georgia District to the Southeastern District. This name change eliminated the need to change the name in the future when another state was added.

In 2000, Bishop Mary D. Lawrence and her organization Open Door Outreach Ministry, College Park, GA joined the UHC and became part of the Southeastern District. Bishop Lawrence was appointed Vice President of the Southeastern District by General President, Rt. Rev. Odell McCollum in 2001. She withdrew from the Southeastern District and the United Holy Church of America, Inc. in January 2006.

In 2010, Rt. Rev. Carolyn P. Horton was consecrated Bishop and appointed Vice President of the Southeastern District by the General President, Rt. Rev. Elijah Williams. In the 2012 Southeastern District elections, Bishop James C. Bellamy was elected President; Bishop Horton, Vice President; and Elder Robert White, 2nd Vice President. Bishop Bellamy’s health began to decline in 2008 and he appointed Bishop Carolyn Horton to carry on the affairs of the district.

 

In 2016 Rt. Rev. Carolyn P. Horton was elected President of the Southeastern District. Elder Luther Bullock was appointed Assistant to the Bishop for Georgia. Elder Gordon Witcher was appointed Assistant to the Bishop for Florida and Elder Clifford Vickers was appointed Father of the District. In 2017 Evangelist Cammae Phillips was appointed Mother of the District.

PAST DISTRICT PRESIDENTS

Bishop G.J. Branch, Goldsboro, NC; Bishop H. H. Hairston,Columbus , OH; Bishop Jeremiah McLaurin, Philadelphia, PA;Bishop H. W. Fields and his assistant, Bishop A. W. Lawson,both of Durham, NC; Bishop Eugene Clark, Mount Airy, NC(Elder Eugene Harrison, Atlanta, GA served as his assistant); Bishop Elijah Williams, Greensboro, NC; and Bishop James C. Bellamy, Atlanta, GA.

 

 

Current Churches that make up the Southeastern DistrictConvocation as of 2018:

Victory Tabernacle UHC – Atlanta, GA – Bishop Carolyn P. Horton, pastor (Elder Eugene Harrison was the founding pastor)

Ebenezer UHC- Atlanta, GA – Elder Brian Jordan, pastor (Bishop James Bellamy was the founding pastor)

New Life UHC- Griffin, GA- Elder Hattie Burr, pastor and founder

Gateway Pentecostal Mission UHC- Jacksonville, FL. Elder Louise Vickers, pastor (Elder Clifford Vickers founding pastor)

Monument House of Faith- Atlantic Beach, FL, Elder Dr.Arletha Jackson, founding pastor 

Mt. Olive UHC – St. Augustine UHC, Elder Tonnette Williams, pastor (Elder Florence Williams, founding pastor)

Weaver Memorial UHC- Eustis, FL (formerly Faith Tabernacle UHC), Elder Gwendolyn Parker, pastor (former pastors: Elder George Parker, Elder Ellouise Furlow, Elder Altamese Young, Elder Clifford Vickers, Elder Pope Munford (formerly of Philadelphia, PA), Rev. Marie Weaver, founding pastor.

Birthing A Nation UHC - Leesburg, FL, Elder Raymond Green pastor and founder

Gospel Lighthouse UHC – Ocala, FL, Elder Dr. Cora Downie, pastor and founder

Greater Destiny Mission UHC - Jacksonville, FL, Elder Delores Lee, pastor and founder.

 

This history is a compilation of Florida history written by Rev. Marie Weaver, combined Georgia and Florida history written by Elder Eugene Harrison and this document researched, revised and compiled by Bishop Carolyn P. Horton January 2019. 

2/15/19

 

On August 4, 2024, Bishop Carolyn P. Horton became President Emeritus and Bishop Fred L. Bridy, Sr. became Interim President of the Southeastern District.