The Union United Methodist Church is located in the Antioch community on U.S. Hwy. 43 between Jackson and Grove Hill. Our Sunday worship service is at 9:30 a.m. on the first and third Sundays of each month.

The following history of the Union U.M.C. was written by Mrs. Willie Grace Fendley on July 18, 2006.

 In 1859 the McLeods, Calhouns and others came from the old Mt. Zion Methodist Church, to what was called the "Old Union Campground." The land for the church was donated by Daniel Calhoun. The church was a small frame building located 1/4 mile east of what is now Clarke County Road 3, between McVay and Winn. They built a "brush arbor," a structure of hewn timbers and plain 12 inch plank seats with no backs. The floor was dirt with pine straw. The church was too small to hold all the Confederate soldiers and congregations and worshippers who attended the summer revivals. There were small buildings to house families who would stay weeks at a time for preaching, which accounts for the name "Old Union Campground." They got their water from a big spring near there. Mr. Dave Matthews and my mother, Bealle Mozingo, said they could remember hundreds of people attending these meetings and it was at this place they learned of "shouting Mehtodists." Mr. Dave said years after that when he passed by where that old sacred place was, he remembered those sainted women clapping their hands and their shouts of joy of deliverance.

They stayed at this location until a "difference of opinion" arose among the members and the church moved down the road one and one-half miles in 1893. It was during this time that some members moved on to form the Hebron and Wesley Chapel churches. In later years the church was moved again. This time to what was known as Nealton, now known as Peniel, and was situated next to a school. Later, people started moving away and the church planned another move. It was torn down and rebuilt on Highway 43 in 1920. The land was donated by John Payne. In later years, some of the church members moved to McCann's Methodist and the First Methodist Church in Jackson. A few Members decided to try to keep the church open. Now we have nine faithful members. Almost every time we have church, we have fifteen or more in attendance. We always have 100% at church.

Mrs. Galdys Matthews and I wanted to have an old oak tree in the church yard cut down, but our children, now grown, said they didn't want to cut it because that used to be their Sunday School room in the summer months when they were young. In the winter months they met in a car with no heat. Mrs. Tellie McVay was their teacher.

The Grove Hill United Methodist Church used our church while they were having their sanctuary renovated.

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On November 6, 2008 the Union U.M.C. building was damaged when hit by a semi truck. No one was seriously injured, but the building shifted on its foundation and was not safe for occupancy. We met at the Antioch Baptist Church until our church was repaired. Repairs were completed in May, 2009. On Sunday, May 17, 2009 we held our first service in the church since the accident.

This page was updated on 5-19-09