Unity's Vision Statement "To reach the world for Christ with the Gospel, teach and train believers, revive the hearts of God's people and to heal the wounds of immortality and ungodliness." Huley Basley for the purpose of organizing Missionary Baptist Church. The following were present at that meeting: Dea. Huley Basley & Sis. Rutha Basley, Dea John D. Hilman, Sr. & Sis. Laverne Hilman, Sis. Quee
nie Hicks, Bro. Ulysses J Finney, Sis. Mattie Peeples, Sis. Patricia Gilmore Maddred, Sis. Hazel Gilbert, Sis. Chantay Basley Bishop and Sis. Felicia Basley Richardson. Suggestions for a church name were as follows: 1st, Emanuel Missionary Baptist Church, 2nd, The Way Missionary Baptist Church and 3rd, Unity Missionary Baptist Church (Suggested by Sis Chantay Basley Bishop). The name Unity Missionary Baptist Church was chosen. Decisions concerning the organization of the church were finalized. It was decided that Church Services and Sunday School would be held each Sunday with Communion every 1st Sunday. Prayer and Bible Study would be held every Tuesday Evening at 7:00 p.m. Officers for Unity were chosen at this meeting. The vision statement for this newly created Church was "To reach the world for Christ with the Gospel, teach and train believers, revive the hearts of God's people and to heal the wounds of immorality and ungodliness." Unity Missionary Baptist Church was organized with these Charter Members: Dea. Rutha Basley, Dea. John & Sis. Lavern Hillman, Sr Dea. James & Sis. Quennie Hicks, Rev. Ulysses J. & Sis. Rosalyn Finney, Bro. Harvey & Sis. Mattie Peeples, Bro. Robert & Sis. Hazel Gilbert, Bro. Harold Gilmore, Sis. Patricia Gilmore Maddred, Bro. Phillip Gilmore, Sis' Felicia Basley Richardson Bucker, Sis. Chantay Basley Bishop, Bro. Arthur L. Patterson, Jr., Bro. Ronald Jerrod Finney, Bro. Rodney Jerome Finney, Bro. John D. Hillman, Jr., and Sis. Tami Hillman Preyer. Rev. Bobby Jackson served faithfully as Pastor from Jan. 1990, through May 1991. Under Rev. Jackson's leadership, these were our first Deacons: Dea. Huley Basley, Dea. John D., Sr., Dea. Manual Taylor and Dea. James Hicks. On January 21, 1990, first service was held at the home of Deacon & Sister John D. Hillman, Sr. Church Services, Sunday School, Bible Study, Choir rehearsal and other meetings continued to be held at the homes of different members until July 15, 1990. The Church was able to secure room at the East Macon Recreational Center for Services and Bible Study. A few months later Deacon John Hillman, Sr. found the property on Millerfield Road. The land was owned by First Baptist Church. Negotiations were opened with First Baptist. During this time, Rev. Benjamin Let was Pastor of First Baptist Church. The lot consisted of five (5) acres of land and two (2) houses. One of the houses was renovated by members into Unity Missionary Baptist Church. Unity began their Services there on Oct 28, 1990. On September 27, 1991, Unity voted unanimously on a Pastor, Rev. Edward Dawson, who has served diligently and continues to expand Unity's mission. We have had many milestones under Rev. Dawson's leadership. Dawson, the following Deacons were added: Dea. Ulysses J. Finney, Dea. Johnny Davis, Dea. Harold Wrice, Sr., Dea. Fredrick Steele, Dea. Willie Hollings, Dea. Willie Wilder, Dea. Johnny Sims Dea. Alger Pitts. Dea. John Todd, Dea. Calvin Johnson, Dea. Robert Gilbert, Dea. Garrick Jackson, Dea. Ernest James, Jr., Dea. Stephen Cleveland, Dea. James Williams and Dea. Laryr Stewart. On April 22, 1994 the Church body granted the Building Committee permission to actively pursue plans for building a new church. Listed are members of the Building Committee, past and present: Rev. Finney, Chairman. Hillman Sr., Sis. Lavern Hillman, Dea. Manuel Taylor, Sis. Patricia Maddred, Sis Lynn Kemp Gray and Dea. Huley Basley. Bro. Ernest James, Jr., is present Building Committee Chairman, he began his leadership in 2009. Other members are: Dea. Johnny Sims, Sis. Felicia Richardson Buckner and Bro Larry Cornelious. On July 30, 1995, Unity celebrated the Mortgage Burning, upon completion of payment of the land. Other events and programs which serve to carry on Unity's Mission included: Participation in Charities, Church Picnics, Black History Programs, Church Anniversaries, Pastor's Anniversary, Men and Women Day Programs, Gospel and Christian Workshops, Womens' Conferences, Revivals, Christmas Banquest, Morehouse & Spelman Gospel Choir Concert and Food Bank Program. Unity's Ministries included:
The Ordained Deacons' Ministry: Dea. Hillman, Sr., Chairman. Willie Wilder, Rev. Earnest James, Jr., Dea James Williams, Dea. Larry Stewart, Dea. Garrick Jackson and Dea. Robert F. Gilbert. Deceased and former Deacons are: Dea. James Hicks, Dea. Fredrick Steele, Rev. Manuel Taylor, Co-Chairman, Dea. Gilbert, Dea. Alger Pitts, Dea. Johnny Sims and Dea. Stephen Cleveland. The Deaconess Ministry: Sis. LaVerne Hillman, Chairperson, Sis. Alberta Sims, Sis. Carolyn Wrice, Sis Regena Johnson, Sis. Betty Stewart, Sis. Linda Williams and Sis. Valerie Jackson. Deceased and former Deaconess are, Sis. Quennie Hicks, Sis. Rutha Basley, Sis. Rosene James, Sis. Judith Steele, Sis. Peggie Davis, Sis Patricia Taylor, Sis. Lilye Wilder, Sis. Carolyn Wrice and Sis. Rosalyn Finney, Consultant. The Mother's Ministry: Sis. Mary L. Gordon, Sis. Betty Jones, Sis. Charlene Minnis and Sis. Helen Dawson Consultant. Deceased and former Mothers are Sis. Queenie Hicks, Sis. Sylvia Williams, Sis. Mary Brown, Sis. Lillie Balkcom and Sis. Mattie Franklin. Other Ministries: Bible Study for both adults and youth, Seniors' Ministry, Building Ministry, Neighborhood Street Ministry, McAfee Towers Ministry, New Member Orientation, Pastoral Counseling, Youth Rap Sessions, Youth Praise Team Dancers, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Youth Ministry, Teachers' Training, Greeters Ministry, Ushers Ministry and in 2015 the Children Church were organized. In 2002, Unity Joined Macon's Faith-Based Ministry that targeted youth between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age and tutored students at Hunt-Burdell School. Unity has been touched by the deaths of some of its beloved members:
Brother Alfred Holden (June 1998)
Brother Leroy Smith (June 2001)
Mother Rutha Basley (May2001)
Mother Queenie Hicks (Oct 2002)
Brother Tracy Ware (Nov 2008)
Brother Avant Larimore (2009)
Brother Ernest James, 111 (April 2010)
Brother Marion Parker, Jr. (June 2012)
Sister Mary Brown (2013)
Deacon James Hicks (July 2017)
Deacon John Todd (Oct 2017)
Deacon Stephen Cleveland (Sept 2019)
Rev. Marie Bullock (July 2010)
Sister Rosene James (March 1998)
Sister Sylvia Epps (Nov 2002)
Deacon Huley Basley (Nov 2002)
Mother Sylvia Williams (Mar 2006)
Sister Ruby Spradley (May2009)
Brother Barkley Anthony (Aug 2011)
Brother Raymond Whisby (Aug 2012)
Deacon Manuel Taylor (Apr 2013)
Sister Marcia Jones (Mar 2017)
Deacon Robert Gilbert (Aug 2017)
Deacon Alger Pitts (Aug 2018)
Sister Denise Franks (2019)
Mother Charlene Minnis (Nov 2019)
The "Basley-Hicks Fellowship Hall" was named in honor of the Basley and Hicks Families. Nine Associate Ministers: Rev. Finney, Minister Timonthy Rouse, Minister Wayne Waller, Minister Fred Combs (Deceased). Marie Bullock, Minister Italine Davis, Minister Elwyn Jones, Minister Linda Bland and Minister John Chism. One of our Associate Ministers, Rev. Finney, was called in May of 2010, to Pastor the Mt Gilgal Baptist Church in Dry Branch, GA. Two Ministers were ordained in 2018, Rev. Italine Davis the first female to be ordained by Pastor Dawson and Rev. Elwyn Jones. In June of1999, an acre of land was purchased on Kevin Drive and Highway #49. In 2004 an additional 4.7 acres of land adjacent to the church was purchased. The Ground-Breaking Ceremony was held on June 17, 2000, for the construction of the new church sanctuary. This venture was financed by the Bank of Gordon, (Gordon, GA). The architect was Mr. H.L. Calhoun, who passed in May of 2001. Much of the woodwork (The wood trimming around the baptismal pool, Rev. Dawson's desk and bookcase, the restroom vanities and the kitchen cabinets) was done by Bro. Charles Richardson, who passed in January of 2002. He was the husband of Sis. Felicia Richardson and father of Britnee and Jermonn Richardson. In Oct. 2006 Jonathan Gadson, our former drummer, passed away, we truly miss them very much. Mr. Freddie Jones of the Jones Bro. Funeral Home kindly offered the use of the Chapel for Church Services, Meetings and Bible Study while Unity was under construction. For this we will be forever grateful. On Saturday October 27, 2001, Open House was held for our new building, which includes: a 250-seat sanctuary, Pastor's Study, Clerks, Ushers and Finance Offices, Kitchen with Commercial Oven (2003), Fellowship Hall, Choir room, Baptismal pool, covered drive-thru for your convenience and in 2004, a Sound System and Audio Booth was added. In May 2011 God blessed Unity with a Church Van. Today, we are celebrating our 32nd Church Anniversary. All of this was born through a dream in the basement of the Hillman's home on Spradley Drive and fulfilled in a little house on the hill, now known as Unity Missionary Baptist Church, TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR ALL HE HAS DONE!!!
