UNITED CHRISTIAN CHURCH
  • About
    • ABOUT - MAIN PAGE
    • WHAT WE BELIEVE
    • PASTORS
    • VALUES & PURPOSE
    • HISTORY
    • FOUNDER
    • FACILITY
    • OFFICERS
    • ACTIVITIES
    • JESUS FESTIVAL
    • FAQs
    • WEBSITE CONTRIBUTIONS
    • CONTACT US
  • ACTIVITIES
    • ACTIVITIES - MAIN PAGE
    • CALENDAR
    • REGULAR SERVICES
    • SPECIAL SERVICES
    • SPECIAL EVENTS
    • CELEBRATIONS
    • JESUS FESTIVAL
    • WORK DAY
    • DEACON ACTIVITIES
    • YARD SALES
  • RESOURCES
    • RESOURCES - MAIN PAGE
    • ARE YOU NEW TO CHURCH?
    • THE BIBLE
    • DAILY DEVOTIONALS
    • HOW CAN I BE SAVED?
    • BLOG
    • MEMBER RESOURCES
    • FACILITY RENTAL
    • RECEIVE CARE
    • GIVE CARE
    • REQUEST PRAYER
    • Operation Join With Christ
  • GIVE
    • 3 WAYS TO GIVE
    • TITHES & OFFERING DONATION
    • BENEVOLENT FUND DONATION
    • BUILDING FUND DONATION
    • FENCE PROJECT DONATION

United Christian Church
Eastern shore of virginia

Our Founding father

Rev. William A. Cathell, Sr.
​5/29/1930 - 5/8/2019
​"Brother Bill"

Picture

"Bill Cathell the Preacher"

Early Life

Picture
Brother Bill as a boy
Picture
Brother Bill with his parents and siblings
Picture
Brother Bill in the U.S. Army
Born at home on May 29th, 1930 in New Castle, Delaware, he is the son of the late William Edward Cathell and Anna Virginia Cathell (Schultz).  Brother Bill has undertaken many pursuits in his lifetime. He joined the Army in 1948 and served as a Ski Trooper. He was an electrician and plumber. He owned and operated Home Comfort oil company. He received his Bachelor of Science in Auditory from the University of Eastern Florida in 1962 and was a hearing aid specialist. He founded the business C.J. Cathell Enterprises with his wife, Carolyn, under which many of his pursuits were conducted including vacuum cleaner sales in Delaware and Virginia and the tax preparation company that they originally started together at their home on Parksley Road. The tax company later opened its well known location at the Cathell apartment complex in Parksley.   

Ministry

Early Ministry

Picture
Brother Bill ​as a young minister.  
Picture
Brother Bill in front of the first church he ever built:
"Pine Cove Mission" in Felton, Delaware
Brother Bill was Ordained to the ministry on May 31st, 1967 by The United Christian Church & Ministerial Association. He was a youth pastor for New Castle Baptist Church in Delaware. He built and founded the Pine Cove Mission Church in Felton, Delaware that had a Sunday radio broadcast. Also, he served as chaplain at the Delaware State Hospital.  Brother Bill stepped away from the ministry in the early 1970's due to poor health, but he has never been able to stay away from the Lord's work for long.

​Mid Ministry - Felton Church of god

Picture
Brother Bill and Wife, Carolyn, in front of the Felton Church of God, where he served as pastor in the early 1980's
Picture
Brother Bill with wife & sons at the Felton Church of God in Delaware.
Picture
Brother Bill singing and playing his guitar at the Felton Church of God
Brother Bill returned to the ministry as Pastor of the Church of God in Felton, Delaware for a couple of years in the early 1980's before "retiring" in 1983 and moving to Parksley, Virginia.  He fully intended to stay retired.  He even visited many of the other churches on the Shore, looking for a church to call home.  But he couldn't resist his calling for long.  Five years later, The United Christian Church of the Eastern Shore of Virginia was born.

Ministry reignited - the birth of uccesva

Picture
Brother Bill and dear friend "Buddy" Cahall in front of the founding location of the United Christian Church of the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 1988
Picture
Brother Bill with Rev. James Crosby and William, Jr. in the founding location on Parksley Road during the early years.
Picture
The destruction by tornado of UCC's founding location sparked Brother Bill's dream of a new church.
Brother Bill was called back to the Lord's work in 1988,  when he founded the United Christian Church of the Eastern Shore of Virginia in a store front in his apartment building in Parksley, Virginia. However, God had bigger things in mind and destroyed the building with a tornado.  Since Brother Bill was unable to hold services there, the church temporarily met in a store front on Cooke Street in Parksley until he built the current facility for the United Christian Church in 2000 on Parksley Road where it is housed today.  See Our History for more details about the Cooke Street location.

building the dream

Picture
Brother Bill breaking ground for the current home of the United Christian Church of the Eastern Shore of Virginia at 25271 Parksley Road, Parksley, Virginia
Picture
Brother Bill (left) and John Poppe in the middle of constructing the dining hall.
Picture
Brother Bill in front of the facility he built to house the United Christian Church of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
(Photo taken 2016)
Brother Bill and the congregation worked tirelessly to complete the new facility.  Frank and Maxine Blake donated the property to the church and by the time the last nail was driven, the church was paid for.

Living the ministry

Picture
Brother Bill Preaching in the completed church
Picture
Brother Bill praying at the Jesus Festival hosted at the church.
Picture
Brother Bill marrying one of countless couples in the new church.
Brother Bill lived to save souls for the Lord.  It was his passion.  He devoted his life to the church and to God, teaching, preaching, singing, praying, visiting and spreading the Word of God to everyone he came in contact with.  He gave God every ounce of his strength and energy and he was a blessing to everyone around.  Scores of souls were saved because he touched their lives.

praising the lord

Picture
Brother Bill performing at the Jesus Festival hosted at the church
Picture
Brother Bill singing & playing his guitar in the church
Picture
Even when Brother Bill's fingers became too weak to play the guitar, he praised the Lord with his mandolin.
Brother Bill was a talented singer and guitar player who enjoyed leading his congregations in song and holding services and visitation at local nursing homes. 

celebrating with family

Picture
Brother Bill performing his son's wedding.
William Jr. & Crystal 8/23/2015
Picture
Brother Bill with some of his many grandchildren at the church
Picture
Brother Bill having fun at the church.  Taking a break from installing the electric to sing a song to his granddaughter.
Brother Bill loved to have his family with him at church.  It was of the utmost importance to him for his family to be saved and serving the Lord, but he acknowledged that it is often more difficult to win over your own family.  He would often express this by saying things like, "You work on my family.  I'll work on yours.  Together we'll lead them all to Christ."

blessed with A loving wife

God gave him a helpmate
Picture
Carolyn was Brother Bill's "right hand" throughout their life together.  Here they are mid construction at the church.
In sickness...
Picture
Carolyn stands by Brother Bill's side as he poses for a portrait at the church even though he's not feeling well.
and in health
Picture
Carolyn shares a laugh with Brother Bill during a joyous moment at the church.
Married for nearly fifty years, Brother Bill & Carolyn were the exemplification of oneness between man and wife.  It was a rare occasion to see one without the other.  Brother Bill was a dedicated husband and provider.  Carolyn was a dedicated wife and helpmate... by his side when he needed a helper, by his side when he needed a care giver.  Their love for one another was beyond measure.  

finding joy in the little things

Picture
Brother Bill with his son, William Jr., setting up trains, one of which Brother Bill got for Christmas in 1936.  
Picture
Brother Bill loved the holidays,
especially Christmas.  
Picture
Proof that Brother Bill really did
​catch a fish.
Brother Bill demonstrated to us all how to find Joy in life.  He showed us that when you serve God, you can find Joy in even the little things.  Brother Bill loved to spend time with his friends and family (including his church family).  He dedicated most of his time to the church and working for the Lord, but he also enjoyed hobbies including camping, fishing and crabbing, working in his garden and watching cowboy and western tv shows.

a life well lived

Picture
Brother Bill preached right up until the final days of his life here on earth.
Picture
Now that Brother Bill is with the Lord, his earthly body rests in the graveyard behind the church waiting to rise again.
Picture
Moments after Brother Bill was laid to rest,
the Lord broke open the sky as if to say:
Well done, thou good and faithful servant,
enter into the joy of the Lord.
Brother Bill has touched so many lives and won innumerable souls for God. He is loved by so many: family, friends, church flock and many others whose hearts are broken at this loss.  We are blessed to have known him.  We are grateful to have had him in our lives and we are comforted in knowing this man of God is now with the Lord in Heaven.

dedication

Picture
Brother Bill's military foot stone
Brother Bill dedicated his life to his God, his family and his church.  We, his church, The United Christian Church of the Eastern Shore of Virginia, dedicate this church and all that we do to God and to our beloved Founding Father.

Rev. William A. Cathell, Sr.
​5/29/1930 - 5/8/2019

Picture
Founder's Day is a celebration in honor of our founder and first pastor, Rev. William A. Cathell, Sr. (May 29, 1930 - May 8, 2019).  We celebrate on the Sunday closest to his birthday.  Right now it is a small church gathering, but we hope to grow Founder's Day into a public event on the scale of our Jesus Festival.

The United Christian Church is a non-denominational church that welcomes all who seek to worship God and fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

We strive to shine as a light to the world around us.  We reach out to all of God's children by sharing the Word of God and the Message of Jesus Christ through song, preaching, teaching, love and service.

We, at United Christian Church, want to save souls and improve people's lives.  We invite you to share in that mission. Come see what God can do through you.

CONNECT WITH US:

Phone:  757.665.6118​

Address:
25271 Parksley Rd
Parksley, VA 23421
Picture
Picture
Directions: 
- Take US 13 Toward Parksley, Virginia.
- Turn onto Route 176,  Parksley Road. 
- The United Christian Church is
about 1 
½  mi. ahead, on the right. 
25271 Parksley Rd,
Parksley, VA 23421
Picture
Hours
Every Sunday @   10:00am  - Sunday School
Every Sunday @   11:00am - Church Service
5th Sunday of the month @   6:00pm - Church Service
​with special guest speaker Rev. Sam Welch
See our EVENTS CALENDAR for more activities
Picture
ABOUT         ACTIVITIES         RESOURCES         GIVE
​​TERMS OF USE     |   PRIVACY POLICY    |    GENERAL DISCLAIMER    |   AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

Copyright © 2020 United Christian Church Eastern Shore of Virginia
All Scriptures are from the KJV Bible
​
  • About
    • ABOUT - MAIN PAGE
    • WHAT WE BELIEVE
    • PASTORS
    • VALUES & PURPOSE
    • HISTORY
    • FOUNDER
    • FACILITY
    • OFFICERS
    • ACTIVITIES
    • JESUS FESTIVAL
    • FAQs
    • WEBSITE CONTRIBUTIONS
    • CONTACT US
  • ACTIVITIES
    • ACTIVITIES - MAIN PAGE
    • CALENDAR
    • REGULAR SERVICES
    • SPECIAL SERVICES
    • SPECIAL EVENTS
    • CELEBRATIONS
    • JESUS FESTIVAL
    • WORK DAY
    • DEACON ACTIVITIES
    • YARD SALES
  • RESOURCES
    • RESOURCES - MAIN PAGE
    • ARE YOU NEW TO CHURCH?
    • THE BIBLE
    • DAILY DEVOTIONALS
    • HOW CAN I BE SAVED?
    • BLOG
    • MEMBER RESOURCES
    • FACILITY RENTAL
    • RECEIVE CARE
    • GIVE CARE
    • REQUEST PRAYER
    • Operation Join With Christ
  • GIVE
    • 3 WAYS TO GIVE
    • TITHES & OFFERING DONATION
    • BENEVOLENT FUND DONATION
    • BUILDING FUND DONATION
    • FENCE PROJECT DONATION