History               

The United Holy Church 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. The church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ, Himself, being the chief cornerstone. (Eph. 2:20)

At irregular intervals during the intervening centuries, great revivals have occurred in various sections of the world. The revivals were the results of the divine energy as was experienced on the day 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 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 a result, many independent churches were established, and associations formed where people would feel free to seek God, not only to be genuinely saved, but also to be definitely sanctified.

On the first Sunday in May 1886, at the village town of Method, N.C., a suburb of the capital city, Raleigh, N.C., a company of men meet in the persons of Brothers L.M. Mason, G.A. Mials, Issac Cheshier and H.C. Snipes, all of Raleigh. This meeting, conducted by the Rev. Cheshier, was the first of its kind in the state and of the Southern United States. This meeting gave birth to what is known as the United Holy Church of America.

On October 13, 1894, in the city of Durham, N.C., the first convocation was organized. Those present were G.A. Mials, H.C. Snipes, S.S. Freeman, of Raleigh, N.C., G.W. Roberts of Durham, N.C., and L.M. Mason of Method, N.C. On the 15^th day of October 1900, a convention was called, by the Rev. C.C. Craig to meet at Durham 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 "Church of North Carolina." Then the "Holy Church of North Carolina and Virginia." In September 1916, in a convocation assembled at Oxford, N.C., the name was changed to United Holy Church of America, and on September 25, 1918, the Church was incorporated under the name of the United Holy Church of America.

The Southern District (Parent body) of the United Holy Church of America came into being in the year of 1894 in the city of Durham, N.C, which later became the official headquarters of the church. This, the largest of all districts, was organized by Elders C.c. Craig, L.M. Mason, George W. Roberts, H.C. Snipes, H.C.Pettiford, 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 the year 1920 in the month of June in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bishop H.L. Fisher and Bishop G.J. Branch with other general officers met at a call-meeting of the independent groups 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, N.C. 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, in the Gospel Tabernacle Church pastored by Elder John E. Harris, the Northwestern district was organized into a Convocation District by Bishop G.J. Branch, Bishop H.L. Fisher and Bishop J.D. Diggs with other General Officers of the church. Other officers were: Bishop J.D. Diggs of Winston-Salem, N.C. was chosen as its first president. Other officers were: Bishop H.H. Hairston and Bishop S.G. McCoy. The states forming the 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 the first president of this district.

The central Western district was organized in 1930. The organizers were Bishop J.W. Houston, Elder O.E. Evans, Mother Addie Houston, and Mother 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 became known as the Western District. Bishop Henry Lee Fisher was the organizer of this district.

The West Virginia district was organized in was separated from the Northwestern District the previous year.

The Southeastern District, originally known as the Florida-Georgia District, was organized in 1948 by Bishop General Johnson Branch.

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

In the early history of the Barbados District, Evangelist Rosa B. Hawkins of Francisco, California, organized five churches on the island; however, these churches later joined another Pentecostal body. The present United Holy Churches in Barbados were organized by the late Harry Townsend Gentles, who founded the headquarters church-Mt Olive UHC in 1949. Bishop Gentles brought together some independent churches and organized new ones and these have grown into the present 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, vice president. The first convocation was held August 1969, in Portsmouth, Virginia, and the first secretary was Mrs. Elsie Harris.

On December 10, 1969, at Fisher Memorial United Holy Church, Durham, N.C., the Western and 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, vice president.

From January 1972 to March 1975, a breach was made in the Church’s Certificate of Incorporation. Through a Certificate of Rescission and a resolution for the perpetual existence of the church, the Certificate of Incorporation was amended so that the Church Incorporation now exists in perpetuity. Thus, the Tenth Article of the 1918 certificate of Incorporation was amended.

In 1977, the Church experienced a division when the Southern District Convocation, headquartered in Goldsboro, North Carolina was mandated to either obey the directive of the General Bishop or leave. The directive was not agreed upon and the Southern District Convocation severed relationship with the body to which they gave birth. In May of 2000, in the City of Greensboro, North Carolina, The Southern District Convocation of The United Holy Church of America, Inc. was gloriously reunited with the United Holy Church of America, Inc. under a plan that had been agreed upon in the year 1999.