About Unity Baptist Braddock
A DYNAMIC CONGREGATION IN THE HEART OF ALLEGHENY
The Unity Baptist Church of Braddock is a family of families united through Jesus Christ for the purpose of Evangelizing the Sinner, Educating the Saint, and Exalting the Savior. We are a church where God is glorified and love is intentional!
In November 1918, a small group of dedicated, like-minded believers banded together to form a new church that spoke to the spiritual needs of people in an area where a church did not previously exist. The congregation chose to name itself the First Baptist Church of East Pittsburgh with Reverend J. C. Johnson serving as its first pastor. In 1922, the congregation relocated to Braddock, Pa. In 1926, the congregation experienced a division which resulted in the formation of the Bethel Baptist Church and the Willow Way Baptist Church.
For eighty years these two congregations worshiped separately though sharing a common ancestry. The Willow Way Baptist Church was led by the Reverends James Pullens, C. H. Gaines, E. W. Lipscomb, McLaughlin, S. C. Taylor, and George A. Nowlin.
The Bethel Baptist Church was led by the Reverends E. W. Lipscomb, E. T. Gooch, L. E. Dukes, William G. Roberts and Richard W. Wingfield.
In February 2003, a merger agreement was entered into between the Willow Way and Bethel congregations to reunite as one people. On May 4, 2003, the first Sunday morning worship service as a joint congregation was held as members from the Bethel congregation marched to Washington Street to meet and worship with the members of Willow Way with the Reverend Richard W. Wingfield preaching the first sermon to the congregation. At that time, the name Unity Baptist Church was adopted as the official name of this merged congregation, and Psalm 133:1 became the church’s focal scripture: "Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity”. Unity affectionately became known as one church in two locations: 1023 Talbot Avenue served as the worship site and 736 Washington Street became known as the Family Life Center where Youth Sunday School classes, Bible Study, and the Monthly Food Bank were held.
In September 2004, the Reverend Richard W. Wingfield was installed as the first pastor of the Unity Baptist Church. Under his leadership the congregation began to grow spiritually, numerically and financially. The Unity Baptist Church operates under the banner of “Evangelizing the Sinner, Educating the Saint and Exalting the Savior”.
For eighty years these two congregations worshiped separately though sharing a common ancestry. The Willow Way Baptist Church was led by the Reverends James Pullens, C. H. Gaines, E. W. Lipscomb, McLaughlin, S. C. Taylor, and George A. Nowlin.
The Bethel Baptist Church was led by the Reverends E. W. Lipscomb, E. T. Gooch, L. E. Dukes, William G. Roberts and Richard W. Wingfield.
In February 2003, a merger agreement was entered into between the Willow Way and Bethel congregations to reunite as one people. On May 4, 2003, the first Sunday morning worship service as a joint congregation was held as members from the Bethel congregation marched to Washington Street to meet and worship with the members of Willow Way with the Reverend Richard W. Wingfield preaching the first sermon to the congregation. At that time, the name Unity Baptist Church was adopted as the official name of this merged congregation, and Psalm 133:1 became the church’s focal scripture: "Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity”. Unity affectionately became known as one church in two locations: 1023 Talbot Avenue served as the worship site and 736 Washington Street became known as the Family Life Center where Youth Sunday School classes, Bible Study, and the Monthly Food Bank were held.
In September 2004, the Reverend Richard W. Wingfield was installed as the first pastor of the Unity Baptist Church. Under his leadership the congregation began to grow spiritually, numerically and financially. The Unity Baptist Church operates under the banner of “Evangelizing the Sinner, Educating the Saint and Exalting the Savior”.
In 2012, the Unity Baptist Church entered into a new phase of ministry by purchasing the former Emmanuel Lutheran Church at 420 Fifth Street in Braddock. Massaro Corporation was secured as the building architect and remodeler. The scope of the work included massive interior renovations. After ten months of construction, the building was ready for occupancy and on December 30, 2012, the congregation entered into our new edifice.
Since entering the new location, God has blessed the ministry of Unity to expand. Unity now boasts twenty-three active ministries under the banners of Inreach, Outreach and Upreach. These ministries include: The Diaconate Ministry, Deaconess, Trustees, Senior Ushers, Greeters Ministry, Nurses, Music and Arts Ministry which encompasses the Voices of Unity, Male Chorus, and the Visions of Christ Mime Ministry; Audio/Visual Ministry, Youth Ministry; Christian Education which includes the Sunday School, Morning and Evening Bible Study, and the Unity Bible Institute; New Disciples Ministry, Esther Women’s Ministry, Men’s Ministry, Children’s Church, Senior Mission, Food Pantry, Culinary, Transportation Ministry, Cantaloupe Day, Intercessory Prayer Ministry, URNOT4GOT10 Outreach Ministry, and Project Angel Tree. Unity is also involved in ministry through the Annual Thanksgiving Basket giveaway and the Annual Christmas Fellowship.
Since entering the new location, God has blessed the ministry of Unity to expand. Unity now boasts twenty-three active ministries under the banners of Inreach, Outreach and Upreach. These ministries include: The Diaconate Ministry, Deaconess, Trustees, Senior Ushers, Greeters Ministry, Nurses, Music and Arts Ministry which encompasses the Voices of Unity, Male Chorus, and the Visions of Christ Mime Ministry; Audio/Visual Ministry, Youth Ministry; Christian Education which includes the Sunday School, Morning and Evening Bible Study, and the Unity Bible Institute; New Disciples Ministry, Esther Women’s Ministry, Men’s Ministry, Children’s Church, Senior Mission, Food Pantry, Culinary, Transportation Ministry, Cantaloupe Day, Intercessory Prayer Ministry, URNOT4GOT10 Outreach Ministry, and Project Angel Tree. Unity is also involved in ministry through the Annual Thanksgiving Basket giveaway and the Annual Christmas Fellowship.
Dr. Richard Wingfield, Pastor
Pastor Richard W. Wingfield is a native of western Pennsylvania. A third-generation pastor paternally and a fourth-generation pastor maternally, he has more than thirty-five years in the gospel ministry and serves as the visionary and Senior Pastor of the Unity Baptist Church of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Licensed and ordained to the gospel ministry from the Sunset Baptist Church, Grand Prairie, Texas, Pastor Wingfield received his public education from the Farrell Area School District, Farrell, Pa. Upon his call to the ministry he attended the Southern Bible Institute of Dallas, Texas. He received the Associate of Arts degree from Geneva College at the Center for Urban Biblical Ministry where he has the distinction of being the first official graduate. He received the Bachelor of Science degree in Community Ministry from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pa. He is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary with the Master of Divinity degree and the Doctor of Ministry degree with a focus in Pastoral Theology. Pastor Wingfield has extensive pastoral experience having previously served as pastor of the Greater St. Mark Baptist Church of Wichita Falls, Texas; the St. Paul Baptist Church of Donora, Pa.; and the Bethel Baptist Church of Braddock, Pa. Among his varied involvements, Pastor Wingfield serves as Moderator of the Allegheny Union Baptist Association; a member of the Board of Directors as well as an adjunct faculty member of the Center for Urban Biblical Ministry. He has served as an adjunct faculty member for the Adult Degree Completion Program for Geneva College and for Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He has served as the Theological Enrichment Chairperson for the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Pittsburgh and Vicinity, an instructor for the Certificate of Progress Program (COPP School) for the Allegheny Union Baptist Association Congress of Christian Education, and President of the Greater Braddock Ministerial Association. He has previously served as a member of the Citizen’s Council for Gateway Braddock, and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Metro Urban Institute of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Pastor Wingfield recently released his first publication, “A Family Affair: 75 Years of Wingfield Preaching”, an anthology of sermons from his paternal family. He is also a contributing writer for the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary’s 2018 Lenten and Advent Devotional. Pastor Wingfield has a passion for the education for those in the ministry and serves as a mentor to a number of pastors and ministers across the Pittsburgh area. Pastor Wingfield’s personal desire is “…to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death”. Pastor Wingfield is married to the love of his life, best friend and confidant, the former Vanessa Clifton, and they are the proud parents of three adult children and three grandchildren.
EVENT CALENDAR
