In September 1972, the Unified Freewill Baptist Annual Conference held at Randall Chapel Unified Freewill Baptist Church, Newark, New Jersey, voted to restructure the annual church. The Reverend Collie Edwers of the St. Mark Unified Freewill Baptist Church served as the District Union #1 President for many years under the leadership of the late Reverend Lloyd Taylor, Annual Moderator.

During this Annual Session, the membership voted to create the General Conference of the Unified Freewill Baptist Denomination. At that time, all District Union Presidents were given the assignment to establish their district into an Annual Conference. The Reverend Collie Edwers was elevated to the office of Annual Moderator. During their first organizational meeting, various names were submitted to name the Annual Conference. Sister Marie Warren of Randall Chapel Church in Newark, New Jersey, suggested that the Conference be named the Middle Atlantic Conference of the Unified Freewill Baptist Church. Reverend Collie Edwers appointed his officers of his new cabinet: Reverend Anderson Adams, Vice Moderator; Pastor Dorenza Gerrell, Recording Secretary; Sister Dixie Gilmore, Assistant Secretary; Reverend Curtis Gilmore, Treasurer; Reverend Ernest Leonard, President of District Union #1; and Elder Rofa Wells, President of District Union #2. During that time, the Conference consisted of: St. Mark, Mt. Zion, Macedonia, Randall Chapel, St. John, Mt. Calvary, Christ Temple, Victory Temple, and Rock of Ages. In October 1972, a special meeting of the General Executive Board was called. The meeting was held at English Chapel Unified Free Will Baptist Church, Bridgeport, Connecticut. At this meeting, it was motioned and seconded to rename our clergy. The renaming was influenced by knowledge gained through careful and prayerful study of the Bible. The Moderators were renamed Bishops, and the Reverends were renamed Elders.

In December 1972, the General Conference of the Unified Freewill Baptist Church convened a Consecration Service for the elevation of Reverend Collie Edwers, Reverend Anderson Adams and others to the office of Bishop. This was a milestone in the life of the Middle Atlantic Conference. In 1973 Greater Mt. Calvary Unified Freewill Baptist Church was organized and accepted into the Conference. During the years of the Middle Atlantic Conference, churches and ministers were added. Many exciting projects, programs, and ministries were conducted under the leadership of Bishop Collie Edwers.

On Thursday, July 3, 1997 at the St. Mark Unified Freewill Baptist Church, the pastors in an Annual Conference Executive Board Meeting voted to incorporate the Middle Atlantic Conference. On August 4, 1997, the Middle Atlantic Conference was recognized as a corporate body in the state of New York.. On March 20, 1999, the Middle Atlantic Conference under the leadership of Bishop Collie Edwers consecrated to the office of Bishop, Elder Milton Hines Dortch, Elder Clenso Allen and Elder Collie Nathan Edwers. During this consecration service, Bishop Collie Edwers was elevated to the office of Senior Bishop. This event marked the transition of a new era in the Middle Atlantic Conference.

On April 29, 2001, the Lord called home our Senior Bishop Collie Edwers from labor to reward. Bishop Collie Edwers, the first Presiding Bishop and establishmentarian of the Middle Atlantic Conference has completed his work after 29 years. On August 18, 2001, during the 29th Annual Session held at the Sheraton Hotel at Woodbridge, Iselin, New Jersey an episcopal election was held. The candidates during this episcopal election were Bishop Clenso Allen and Bishop Collie Nathan Edwers, the son of the late Senior Bishop Collie Edwers.

Bishop Jonathan Powell, General Bishop of the Unified Freewill Denomination, announced the results: he declared that Bishop Collie "Nathan" Edwers would serve the Middle Atlantic Conference as Presiding Bishop from August 2001 to August 2004. On October 20, 2001, an installation service was held to install Bishop Collie Nathan Edwers to the office of Presiding Bishop of the Middle Atlantic Conference. On Saturday, September 14, 2002 during the General Conference, Bishop Edwers was elected to the office of 2nd Vice General Bishop of the Unified Free Will Baptist General Conference.

Back to Top