Christian Unity Baptist Church sits in a cluster of units at 11822 Park Waldorf Lane in Waldorf, Maryland, in Charles County just south of Washington, D.C. The congregation is one of the fastest-growing Baptist churches in Southern Maryland and is widely known for spirited gospel and contemporary worship, a high-energy youth ministry, and a steady calendar of community events that opens the building to the surrounding neighborhoods.
Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Antione J. Hutchins, Sr.
Rev. Dr. Antione J. Hutchins, Sr. has served as Senior Pastor since September 1, 2009. He holds a Master of Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University and completed his Doctor of Educational Ministry at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky in May 2019. He is also an accomplished psalmist who leads music from the platform, and the Christian Unity Choir was recognized by the Independent Gospel Artists Alliance with Gospel Blue M.I.C. Achievement awards for "Best Album/CD of the Year" and "Choir of the Year" in 2015.
Under his leadership, the church has grown from roughly thirty-nine members to nearly seven hundred fifty active members, a shift that required adding Sunday worship services and renovating the Park Waldorf Lane facility several times. Dr. Hutchins preaches, teaches, and sings with a stated focus on worship, church revitalization, mentoring young pastors, church planting, and foreign mission.
From Gethsemane to Christian Unity
The congregation was incorporated in June 1982 as Gethsemane Baptist Church and adopted the present Christian Unity Baptist Church name in 1986. Its first worship gatherings were held in the home of Ms. Elliott in Waldorf, with eleven charter members under Rev. William Kilson, and early preaching and Bible teaching were rendered by visiting ministers from the Potomac Baptist Association.
In April 1987 the membership elected Rev. James Green as Pastor and relocated to the D.J. Dance Studio on Post Office Road, where an in-depth Bible study class was added. A return to the Meditation Room inside Walls Bakery on Route 301 followed in 1989, then a move to Jay Gould Court under Rev. Clayton T. Butler in 1990, a season in which Sunday school grew and the youth, bus, and women's ministries were started and the church began preparing dinner for residents of the Regional Women's Shelter in Hughesville. After Rev. Butler's resignation, Rev. Dr. Kerry Thomas, Sr. was elected Pastor in 1998 with Rev. Dr. Harrell Alexander serving as Associate Minister until his passing in September 1999; Rev. Michael Campbell then took the associate role and continued to shepherd the body after Pastor Thomas resigned. Rev. Rodney J. Blackmon was installed in October 2000 and oversaw an average of forty-five new members per year across 2001 and 2002, the addition of the first Assistant Pastor, the acquisition of four units at Park Waldorf Lane, and, in October 2003, the purchase of thirty-one acres on Marshall Corner Road. Pastor Hutchins took the pulpit in 2009 and has led the rapid expansion that defines the church today.
Sunday Worship and CUBC Live
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:00 AM at the Park Waldorf Lane campus. Visitors are welcomed with bright smiles and warm hugs and can expect Bible-centered teaching, heartfelt praise, and an emphasis on the life-changing presence of Jesus Christ. The service is offered both in person and online through CUBC Live, with a livestream portal and on-demand replays posted so that those who cannot attend in person can still worship with the congregation. A link for new members, invitation to Christ, and prayer connects visitors to the Virtual Campus Zoom.
Special Sunday observances are scheduled throughout the year, including Homecoming Sunday, Ministry Workers Appreciation Sunday, Move Up Sunday with graduation acknowledgement for students moving to the next grade, and Baptism on the 4th Sunday. Wednesday Night Live is a periodic midweek gathering for prayer, teaching, and fellowship.
Wednesday Bible Study and CUBS
Midweek Bible study meets on the church campus at 12:00 noon on Wednesdays. For deeper study, the Christian Unity Bible School (CUBS) runs multi-week classes that award a Certificate of Completion. Registration opens two weeks before the start of class and can be completed in person during a Sunday service, on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings at the church, by mail, or through an online form. Students are allowed to miss one class day and still receive their certificate provided all coursework is submitted.
The U.N.I.T.E.D. Youth Ministry
Youth ministry is a hallmark of the church. The U.N.I.T.E.D. Youth Ministry is led by Youth Minister and Director Kendra Lewis and meets for Youth Church on the first and third Sundays of each month in The Unity Center, the youth and multi-purpose facility on campus. The ministry serves two age groups: Youth ages 5 to 11 and Teens ages 12 to 17, and maintains a youth choir that rehearses regularly and learns new repertoire from gospel and contemporary worship artists.
The Unity Center also houses The Unity Corporation (T.U.C.), a non-profit Community Development Corporation that focuses on preserving the history and heritage of previous generations and equipping and empowering today's youth. Vacation Bible School is held annually, with separate adult and youth classes on themes like "Glow from the Inside Out" rooted in Luke 6:45, and includes a team competition with a trophy for the winning group.
A Wide Network of Ministries
The church maintains more than two dozen ministries that serve every stage and station of life. The full roster of ministry leaders is published on the church site, and the breadth of the list is one of the most distinguishing marks of the congregation.
- Armor Bearers, led by Rev. Jerry Barnes
- Bereavement Ministry, led by Deacon Lesia Hickerson
- Children and Youth, led by Minister Kendra Lewis
- Christian Education, led by Director Unique Hunter-Blake
- Congregational Care
- Couples Ministry
- Culinary Ministry
- Dance Ministry, led by Sis. Cherese Simpson-Thomas
- Greeters Ministry, led by Sis. Sonya Strader-Cherry
- Health Ministry, led by Sis. Krystal Colbert and Bro. Tony Thomas
- Intercessory Prayer
- Media Ministry, led by Bro. Jimmy Hudges
- Member Relations, led by Sis. Adrienne Jeter
- Men's Ministry, led by Rev. Ernest Hickerson, Jr.
- Military Ministry, led by Rev. David Hale
- Ministerial Fellowship
- Music Ministry
- Outreach Ministry, led by Sis. Zeneida Henry
- Pastor's Aid, led by Sis. Melissa Cole
- Pillars Ministry, led by Rev. Doris Dobison
- Prison Ministry, led by Rev. Tonya Harrison
- S.A.L.T. Singles Ministry, led by Dr. Sharone Simmons
- Security Ministry
- Ushers Ministry, led by Bro. Dyrell Ford
- W.O.W. Women of Worship, led by Rev. Antoinette Walker
- Young Adult Ministry
- Trustees
The men's ministry holds a Men's Monthly Meeting on the third Saturday of each month, the women gather through W.O.W., and singles meet through S.A.L.T. (Single Adults Learning Together).
Community Outreach and the Heart of the Covenant
Outreach runs on a separate track through the Outreach Ministry, with an annual Book Bag Drive each August that distributes school supplies to families in the Waldorf area, plus a Community Block Party that opens the campus to the surrounding neighborhoods. The Partner With Us appeal ties giving to four practical commitments: supporting local shelters, feeding the hungry, providing clothes for the needy, and mentoring youth and young adults. The page also names prison ministry and assistance for those re-entering society as ongoing priorities, alongside serving as a community resource.
A Monthly Prayer Call is held by phone for members and friends who cannot attend in person, using a published dial-in number and access code.
The Building Project and the Road to a New Campus
Because the church has outgrown its current facility, planning has continued for years on a new campus on the thirty-one acres already owned on Marshall Corner Road. The vision calls for a six-hundred-seat sanctuary and a multi-purpose facility that will be the first edifice Christian Unity can call its own, with the broader plan to develop the parcel in stages. A "Donate" link on the Building Project page channels contributions toward construction.
Mission and Purpose
The church defines its mission as guiding believers toward Christ-like maturity, encouraging individuals and communities to develop that character through evangelism and worship, and endeavoring to glorify God and accurately reflect Him in everything it does. Its purpose is stated in three phrases: "Taking Christ to the Community (Evangelism), Taking the Community to the Church (Salvation), and taking the Church to Christ (Discipleship)," anchored in Matthew 28:19.
Visiting and Giving
First-time visitors are encouraged to complete the First Time Visitors form to share their contact information, and additional inquiries can be directed to the Member Relations ministry. Giving is supported online through Givelify and PayPal, and the church office can be reached at (301) 638-3866 or Cubcadmin@christianunitybc.com. Sunday worship is at 10:00 AM and Wednesday Bible study meets at 12:00 noon on the Park Waldorf Lane campus, with CUBC Live carrying the Sunday service to those watching from home.