BY Ed Simmons
“I think it’s a good idea!” said Rev. Marvin Fields of Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Dawn, Caroline’s largest church.
UnitySunday! Apr. 29 is the culmination of Caroline’s three-day Unity Celebration, and this pleases Rev. Fields. On this Sunday the county’s black and white pastors will be exchanging pulpits, spreading the good news of unity in Christ.
Rev. Fields, a pioneer of racial harmony in Caroline, has been engaged in pulpit exchange for the past fourteen years, the third Sunday in February, when he exchanges pulpits with nearby Concord Baptist.
This year he will be exchanging pulpits with Rev. Kevin Moen of Concord.
Before the Civil War, the two congregations were one, meeting at Concord where the gallery for the enslaved extended on three sides, indicating many, many blacks came to church with the whites. After the war, in 1866, with help from Concord, the black congregants split off to form Second Mt. Zion, less than a mile distant, under the leadership of Rev. William Stephens.
He is Rev. Fields’ great, great grandfather.
And Rev. Fields’ son, Rev. Duane Fields, is pastor of the large congregation of Oxford Mt. Zion, about eight miles northwest, not far from Carmel Church.
Rev. Marvin Fields also hosts a Thanksgiving service with neighboring black and white pastors speaking, from St. Paul’s, Mt. Vernon, St. Luke’s, Mt. Oni, Mount Calvary, Mangohick, Agape, Concord and Bethel Methodist and with a community choir featuring whites and blacks singing together.
In addition to race relations, Caroline’s Unity events also celebrate unity in families, unity in politics, unity in the schools, unity in the communities, unity among different faiths, unity among different cultures and community service.
“This will be a time to celebrate our unity amidst our diversity,” said the Reverend Dr. David Upshaw, one of the organizers, a missionary, teacher, president of Caroline High School Class of 1969, and former pastor of Concord.
The Friday before UnitySunday! is UnityDay! which the Board of Supervisors, by a unanimous vote that demonstrates the spirit of unity in the county, is proclaiming with a resolution at their next meeting Feb. 13.
UnityDay! will be day celebrated in Caroline’s public schools presenting student speeches, writing, music, drama and art on the topic “Unity, Overcoming Obstacles One Voice at a Time.”
And Saturday will be UnityFest! Again featuring student winners, this will be a multiethnic, family friendly music festival celebrating peace, love, community service and the connectedness between us all.
The festival, with children’s activities, will be held at the auditorium and grounds of the Caroline County Community Services Center at 17202 Richmond Turnpike, Milford VA, 22514.
“Unless we come together in spirit and truth, there is no unity,” said Rev. Upshaw.
“I’m excited over efforts to bring us together in Caroline County. This is where I grew up. It hurts me to see barriers between people.”
Indeed, with unity, with fostering understanding and community, we can expect to enjoy a happy harmony in Caroline life.
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