Greater Union Baptist Church
| Greater Union Baptist Church | |
| |
| Denomination | Baptist |
|---|---|
| Organized | 1875 |
| Location | 1300 North Guillemard Street |
| Previous locations | 718 North Guillemard Street |
| Website | http://www.greaterunionbc.com |
Greater Union Baptist Church is a historic Baptist congregation in Pensacola. The current church — the congregation's fifth building — is located in Long Hollow at 1300 North Guillemard Street and was erected in 1972.
Organized in 1875 by Rev. Stewart Adams of Greenville, Alabama as Union Baptist Church, services were initially held in Baymen Hall on Tarragona Street. The church's first permanent home was located on Tarragona between Chase and Garden Streets. A second edifice was later built on Guillemard Street between Gadsden and Cervantes Streets but was destroyed by storm. Between 1892 and 1900, the congregation worshipped in Russell’s Hall on Tarragona Street, in St. Paul Methodist Church on Intendencia Street between Alcaniz Street and Tarragona, and in Luke’s Hall on Romana Street between Alcaniz and Florida Blanca Streets.[1]
Circa 1900, a third building was erected at Guillemard and Cervantes Streets. A new church was built on the same site — 718 North Guillemard Street — sometime between 1950 and 1957. In 1953, the word "Greater" was added to the church's name. In 1968, the church was vacated and later demolished to make way for the widening of Cervantes Street and construction of an overpass. For the next several years, the congregation worshipped at Pensacola Technical High School, A. A. Dixon Elementary School, and P. K. Yonge School.
Ground was broken for the fifth and current church building on November 30, 1969. On April 23, 1972, the congregation marched from P.K. Yonge School to the new church to begin worship. A south wing was constructed circa 1990.
The congregation has had sixteen pastors in its history. The current pastor, Rev. Michael A. Thompson, Sr., was installed on February 8, 2009.
Images
The church's third building, located at 718 North Guillemard Street, in 1915.
The rear of church's third building.
The church's fourth building, constructed circa 1950s and vacated in 1968.
