United Christian Church
Eastern shore of virginia

Our Founding father

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

"Bill Cathell the Preacher"

Early Life

Brother Bill as a boy

Brother Bill with his parents and siblings

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

Brother Bill ​as a young minister.  

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

Brother Bill and Wife, Carolyn, in front of the Felton Church of God, where he served as pastor in the early 1980's

Brother Bill with wife & sons at the Felton Church of God in Delaware.

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

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

Brother Bill with Rev. James Crosby and William, Jr. in the founding location on Parksley Road during the early years.

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

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

Brother Bill (left) and John Poppe in the middle of constructing the dining hall.

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

Brother Bill Preaching in the completed church

Brother Bill praying at the Jesus Festival hosted at the church.

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

Brother Bill performing at the Jesus Festival hosted at the church

Brother Bill singing & playing his guitar in the church

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

Brother Bill performing his son's wedding.
William Jr. & Crystal 8/23/2015

Brother Bill with some of his many grandchildren at the church

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

Carolyn was Brother Bill's "right hand" throughout their life together.  Here they are mid construction at the church.

In sickness...

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

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

Brother Bill with his son, William Jr., setting up trains, one of which Brother Bill got for Christmas in 1936.  

Brother Bill loved the holidays,
especially Christmas.  

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

Brother Bill preached right up until the final days of his life here on earth.

Now that Brother Bill is with the Lord, his earthly body rests in the graveyard behind the church waiting to rise again.

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

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

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.