MOULTRIE – The Union Missionary Baptist Church will be celebrating its 121st Church Anniversary, Sunday, November 24, starting with Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. with the anniversary celebration to follow at 11 a.m.

Union Missionary Baptist Church was established February 8, 1903, under the leadership of the first pastor, the Reverend G. H. Washington. The first church was built on the corner of 31 street and 2nd Avenue NW.

In 1993, church services were moved from the sanctuary. It had become unsafe and aging, so church services were held in the fellowship hall adjacent to the church. In 1996, the church and fellowship hall was demolished.

Through the generosity of the Greater Newton Grove Baptist Church’s, pastor, the Reverend Cornelius Ponder Jr., and the congregation, Union Baptist conducted services in their church’s fellowship hall, located at 722 second Ave. NW.

The Union Baptist Church Family undertook a vigorous building program for the purpose of rebuilding the new Union Baptist Church.

On January 2, 2000, the first Sunday in the new year, the congregation marched into the current new Union Missionary Baptist Church.

The speaker for this occasion is Rachel Richardson Lloyd, formerly of Moultrie. She is the fifth child to the late M.C. and Margaret Richardson.

Her solid educational foundation began as she attended the public schools of Colquitt County. As a young girl, she joined the Union Missionary Baptist Church and participated in all aspects of church life, especially, enjoying the Sunbeams, Red Circle groups, and singing in the choir. As a young adult, she filled numerous positions in the church.

After graduating from William Bryant High School, she attended Albany State

University and earned an undergraduate degree in Business Education, and a Special Education Certificate from Valdosta State University. She also taught Special Education at Norman Park Elementary School, Moultrie Junior High School and Charlie A. Gray Middle School.

Moving away from Moultrie to New Jersey, she joined First Baptist Church of Lincoln Garden in Somerset, New Jersey, where she organized the Sunbeams and served in many diverse ministries.

After fulfilling 30 years in public education, Lloyd retired from Franklin Township School District.

After moving to Guyton, Ga., she joined the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. She and her husband, Leroy Lloyd, organized and served as facilitators of the Covenant Marriage Ministry. She also serves as president of the First District Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Association and is chairperson of the Women of Excellence program at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church.

Lloyd is a national Board-Certified Counselor, Certified Advanced Grief Counselor Specialist, and Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor. She has a Master’s Degree in agency counseling from Rider University and an Education Specialist Degree in marriage and family counseling from the College of New Jersey.

She has been instrumental in facilitating workshop topics in “Anger Management,”

“Time Management,” “Bullying, Grief, Anxiety/Depression,” “Relationship Buildings,” and many other topics concerning mental health.

Lloyd has several prestigious accolades, including the Governor’s Teacher of the Year Award, the 97.6 KISS FM of New, York’s Phenomenal Woman Award for her exceptional work with at risk her children.

She has also been recognized with the top Ten Women Business Award by the AWWTN Organization in Effingham County, Ga., and featured in the Effingham Woman in Business Magazine.

She is married to Leroy Lloyd, and they have four children, 16 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.