United Holy Church of America - History

History

This church was organized as the outgrowth of a Holiness revival sparked by the meetings held by Isaac Cheshier at Method, North Carolina (a suburb of Raleigh), in 1886. It began as a regional body. In 1900 this body called itself Holy Church of North Carolina, and later, as it grew, the Holy Church of North Carolina and Virginia. In the early 1900s, the church added a Pentecostal understanding to its Holiness emphasis. In 1916, the name United Holy Church of America was adopted, and the church was incorporated on September 15, 1918.

The United Holy Church of America is an outgrowth of the great revival that began with the early outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, when the 120 were filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1–4). The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).

At regular intervals during the intervening centuries, great revivals have occurred in various sections of the world. These revivals were the results of the divine energy as was experienced on the day of Pentecost.

It was during this time of revival of repentance, regeneration, and holiness of heart and life that swept through the South and West, that the United Holy Church of America was born. There was no desire on the part of the founding fathers to establish another denomination, but they were pushed out of organized churches because of their experience of holiness and their testimony of the Spirit-filled life.

It became necessary for these persons who held the testimony of being "saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost" to establish contact with each other for mutual edification and comfort. As as result, many independent churches were established and associations formed where people could be free to seek God, not only to be genuinely saved, but also to be "definitely sanctified."

The church was born in Method, NC, in May 1886. On October 13, 1894, in the city of Durham, North Carolina, the first convocation was organized. Those present were G.A. Mials, H.C. Snipes and S.S. Freeman, all of Raleigh, North Carolina; present also was G.W. Roberts of Durham, North Carolina, and L.M. Mason of Method, North Carolina. On October 15, 1900, a convention was called by the Rev. C.C. Craig to meet at Durham, North Carolina, to prepare a discipline for the government of the churches. Those present at this meeting were; H.C. Pettiford, H.C. Snipes, L.M. Mason, G.W. Roberts, Mrs. Emma E. Craig, and Mrs. L.J. Roberts.

The church was first known as the "Holy Church of North Carolina", and later as the "Holy Church of North Carolina and Virginia". In September 1916, in a Convocation assembled at Oxford, North Carolina, the name was changed to the United Holy Church of America. On September 25, 1918, the Church was incorporated in the state of North Carolina under the name of the United Holy Church of America Incorporated. The Southern District of the United Holy Church of America came into being in the year 1894 in the city of Durham, North Carolina. This was the first and the largest of all the districts in the connection. It was organized by Elders C.C. Craig, L.M. Mason, George W. Roberts, H.C. Snipes, and H.C. Pettiford, along with Mother E.E. Craig, and Mrs. L.J. Roberts. Elder L.M. Mason was chosen as its first president. The work of the church has steadily grown since that time into a great organization.

In June 1920, in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bishop H.L. Fisher and Bishop G.J. Branch, along with other general officers, met at a call-meeting of the independent group of Holy Churches in this city and nearby towns, and after meditation and prayer proceeded to organize the churches into a district known as the Northern District Convocation of the United Holy Church of America, Inc. Bishop G.J. Branch of Goldsboro, North Carolina was chosen as the president of the district embracing the following states; New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Following this, in 1924, in the city of Columbus, Ohio, at the Gospel Tabernacle Church, whose pastor was Elder John E. Harris, the Northwestern District was organized into a District Convocation by Bishop G.J. Branch, Bishop H.L. Fisher, and Bishop J.D. Diggs, along with other General officers of the Church. Bishop J.D. Diggs of Winston-Salem, North Carolina was chosen as its first president. Other officers were; Bishop H.H. Hairston and Bishop S.G. McCoy. The states comprising this district were: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Eastern Illinois.

The New England District, embracing the states of the New England area, was organized in August 1925. Bishop J.W. Houston was chosen as the first president of this district.

The Central Western District was organized in 1930. The organizers were Bishop J.W. Houston, Elder Otis E. Evans, Mother Addie Houston, and Mother Susie Evans.

The work of the United Holy Church on the Pacific Coast was originally known as the Union of California United Holy Churches in 1924. In 1936, this district was known as the Pacific Coast District. The name was later changed to the Western District. The first headquarters for the district was in Los Angeles, and later in San Francisco. Bishop Henry Lee Fisher worked as the chief organizer of this district.

The West Virginia District was organized in 1935 through the work of Bishop J.D. Diggs after being separated from the Northwestern District the previous year. The Southeastern District, originally known as the Florida-Georgia District, was organized in 1948 by Bishop G.J. Branch.

The Bermuda District, covering the entire island of Bermuda, was organized in 1921 by Bishop Henry Lee Fisher. Associated with him in this effort were Elders Thomas Trott, C. H. Caisey and Patrick Mills, and Miss Majorie Trott.

In the early history of the Barbados District, Evangelist Rosa B. Hawkins of San Francisco, California, organized five churches on the island of Barbados; however, these churches later joined with another Pentecostal body. The churches in Barbados that are presently a part of The United Holy Church of America were organized by the late Bishop Harry Townsend Gentles. He founded Mt. Olive United Holy Church in 1949, and it later became the headquarters church for the District. Bishop Gentles brought together some independent churches and organized new ones as well. These churches have grown into the present-day Barbados District.

The Virginia District was organized by Bishop W.N. Strobhar. Bishop Thomas E. Talley was appointed the first president, and Bishop S. G. McCoy served as vice president. The first convocation was held in August 1969 in Portsmouth, Virginia, and Mrs. Elsie Harris served as its first secretary. So December 10, 1969, at Fisher Memorial United Holy Church in Durham, North Carolina, the Western North Carolina District was organized by Bishop W.N. Strobhar and other General officers. Bishop A.W. Lawson was appointed the first president, and Bishop N.M. Midgett was chosen to serve as vice president. The Central Pacific District was founded in March 2005 with Bishop Rafael Fortier, Jr., as its first president. The district began with its headquarters in San Francisco, California.

From January 1927 to March 1975, the Church experienced a breach in its Certificate of Incorporation. Through a Certificate of Rescission and a resolution passed at a General meeting, the Certificate of Incorporation was amended to allow the Church to exist as a perpetual institution. The Church's corporate status as a non-profit religious organization now exists in perpetuity. The Tenth Article of the 1918 Certificate of Incorporation was amended to reflect this change.

In 1977, the Church experienced a division when the Southern District Convocation, located in Goldsboro, North Carolina withdrew from fellowship with the parent body. However, in May 2000 in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina, the Southern District Convocation was gloriously reunited with the connectional body at the Quadrennial Session. Today, the great connection of The United Holy Church of America, Inc., marches on.