Union Lake Baptist Church was officially organized in 1958, but it began even before that when Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Keith began a Sunday School class in a grove near the south shore of Union Lake.
The grove was a part of a farm purchased by Mr. Keith’s grandfather in 1840 and took in nearly one mile of Union Lake frontage. The Sunday School was conducted through the years in the open air or in the Keith home until 1948, at which time a Sunday School building on Keith Road was constructed.
At the death of Mr. Keith in 1957, the First Baptist Church of Pontiac was made the custodian of the Sunday School property. Upon the recommendation of First Baptist, Pastor Hiram Jones was extended a call to come and organize the Sunday School into a Baptist church and serve as its first pastor.
On November 14, 1958, the church was fully organized with an official board and incorporated. At that time the title to the property was transferred to Union Lake Baptist. The church voted in 1960 to purchase a more strategically located site upon which to build a new edifice. The site chosen is its current location: 8390 Commerce Road.
The church experienced four building programs at its present location. The original sanctuary was completed in 1964; and the first addition, which included all facilities west of the sanctuary, was dedicated in 1970. In January 1974, the gymnasium and classroom complex was completed and dedicated as Keith Hall. In 1981, Hunt Hall, which includes Christian Education facilities and offices north of the gym, was added and dedicated to honor the memory of one of the church’s faithful and beloved Bible teachers, Miss Olive Hunt.
Due to their faithful commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God has been pleased to give the ULBC church family a blessed participation in His great redemptive work here in Commerce Township and around the world throughout these many decades. May He continue to use us for the expansion of His kingdom and of the worship of our Savior for decades to come.
