February 11, 1866 - 1908

Macedonia Baptist Church, Darlington, SC, was organized under the dynamic

leadership of Rev. I. P. Brockenton, an ex- slave from Lee County, when a group of

black members withdrew from First Baptist Church. He was assisted in this effort

by a white Northern Baptist Missionary, Dr. Charles Henry Corey and a black

pastor from Philadelphia, Rev. James Hamilton. These pioneers were able to

procure the names of the thirteen charter members from the First Baptist Church

of this city: Evans Bell, Adam Brockenton, Peter Dargan, Fred Duncan, Lazarus

Ervin, Hamilton Keith, Samuel Keith, Antrum McIver, Samuel McIver, Samuel Orr,

Samuel Parnell, Jesse Williams, and Augustus Smalls. Rev. Brockenton and the

fervent little congregation met under bush arbors and in homes until it moved

into its first permanent church building at Hampton and Russell Streets. Tradition

says first meetings of this Baptist Church were held in the home of Laura Brown.

Rev. Brockenton, along with the trustees, purchased the land and an old house on

what is now called Hampton and Russell Streets for the sum of three-hundred

dollars making a down payment of one-hundred fifty dollars. Deeds for the

property were recorded December 19, 1866. A house of worship was constructed

on the N.E. corner of present S. Main and Hampton streets on land purchased

during 1866-1874. The first trustees were Evans Bell, Peter Dargan, Lazarus Ervin,

Antrum McIver, Samuel McIver, Samuel Orr, and Samuel Parnell. The present site

was acquired in 1922 and the building occupied Feb. 3, 1935. Dr. Brockenton

stated that when he told his congregation that it was time to build a church, he

placed one lone quarter on the offering table. That quarter, he said, was laughed

to scorn, however, one year later the congregation was walking into a new house

of worship, despite the laughter. The first permanent structure was located at

Hampton and Russell Streets in Darlington. Macedonia used this structure until

1935. Dr. Brockenton was moderator for the Pee Dee Baptist Association from

1883 -1908. He faithfully served Macedonia for forty-two years before his death

on January 6,1908.

1908 - 1916

Rev. P.A. Callaham assumed the pastorate of Macedonia early in 1908. The church grew numerically and spiritually under his leadership.

1916 - 1920

Dr. James E. Kirkland became the third pastor of Macedonia in the latter part of

1916. He was a man of great vision who planted the seed that inspired the

congregation to build the present church structure. Under his leader- ship, after

members began to solicit funds and make many personal sacrifices, on November

21, 1919, they were able to buy the land at Lee and South Main Street for

$2,500.00. Rev. Kirkland resigned in 1920 when he accepted the pastorate of the

White Rock Baptist Church in Durham, NC.

1920 - 1925

Dr. Charles DuBois Hubert's pastorate is best remembered for his keen interest in

the youth of the church and his unfaltering effort to begin the erection of the

present edifice. Crop failure and unemployment prevented him from seeing the

church completed during his pastorate which ended in 1925, when he resigned to

devote all of his time to his work at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Dr. Hubert was

director of the Morehouse School of Religion from 1924 until his death in 1944.

He also served as an instructor of Church History and was the acting president of

Morehouse from 1937- 1940.

1927 - 1945

Dr. H. W. Long was called to Macedonia in 1927 and enjoyed a long successful

pastorate. It was through Dr. Long's leadership that the congregation was able to

secure adequate funds to resume construction on the present edifice. After 13

years of building, and even though the structure was not complete, the members

were happy to be able to walk into their new home and they did so on a cold

February morning in 1935. In 1945, the pastorate of Dr. Long ended as he

assumed the leadership of Salem Baptist Church in the city.

 1945 – 1990

Continuing the great tradition established by his predecessors, Rev. C. L. Bowens

became the sixth pastor of Macedonia and was a catalyst for great positive

change in Macedonia. Under his untiring guidance, many physical improvements

were made: edifice was completed and decorated, central heating unit installed,

dining and church school completed, nursery and video ministry established,

elevator installed, church van purchased, sanctuary remodeled, musical

instruments and rest room facilities provided. Rev. Bowens and his lovely wife

were two great educators who were well loved and greatly respected by the

Darlington community. They gave of themselves tirelessly and are greatly missed.

Dr. Bowens enjoyed forty-five years of dedicated service to Macedonia.

During the illness of Dr. Bowens, October 1981, the Board of Deacons secured the

service of Rev. Donald L. Hughes, Sr. He became the first minister to be voted on

and accepted as Assistant Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, September

3, 1985.

Through the splendid workmanship of togetherness with Dr. Bowens and Rev.

Hughes, the congregation continued to grow. September 30, 1990, Dr. Bowens

retired due to illness.

1990 - 2008

Rev. Donald L. Hughes succeeded Dr. Bowens in November 1990 and became the

seventh pastor of this historic church. Rev. Hughes brought to Macedonia an

emphasis on education. As a former math teacher and football coach, he was especially interested in the intellectual development of the church. He and his

lovely wife, Mrs. Hattie Hughes, worked with the Sunday School Department of

the Pee Dee Baptist Association and the State & National Congresses of Christian

Education. Under Rev. Hughes pastorate, Macedonia Life Skills 501c3 was

established to enable Macedonia to qualify for various grants to help better serve

the youth and disadvantaged in our church and community. Rev. Hughes

implemented Bible Study on Tuesday nights and at noon on Wednesdays,

Christian Education Ministry, Men's Ministry, Mentoring Program, Emergency

Food Pantry, USDA Monthly Food Distribution for the community, Summer

Feeding & Enrichment Program for children eighteen and below in the

community, and established a Saturday morning tutoring for public school

children, kindergarten through grade twelve. Many physical improvements were

made: kitchen remodeled, parking lot paved and striped, windows and carpet

replaced, parsonage decorated and furnished, and church office computerized.

Rev. Hughes remained actively involved in the Pee Dee Baptist Family until his

death in 2016. Mrs. Hughes still attends and serves at Pee Dee Baptist events to

this day.

2009 – 2023

Rev. Dr. Cecil L. Bromell became the eighth pastor of Macedonia Missionary

Baptist Church on the second Sunday in February of 2009 and was installed in

April of that same year. Pastor Bromell, a graduate of Morris College and the

Morehouse School of Religion, committed himself to serving the needs of his

congregation and even found the time to assist persons not affiliated with

Macedonia. His pastorate focused on youth and family development. Pastor

Bromell was a community-oriented person who works hard to bring people

together, regardless of race or origin, into the body of Christ. Pastor Bromell

added two positions to the church staff: Youth Minister and Office Administrator.

Under his pastorate, many programs and ministries were implemented: WOW

Wednesday's Youth Focus, Married Couples Ministry, Singles Ministry, Combined

Choir, Young Adults Choir, Grief Ministry, Media Ministry, Seasoned Saints

Ministry, New Converts Ministry, Greeters Ministry, Puppet Ministry, Step Team

Ministry, Motions of Praise Dance Ministry, CHAT (Children Helping Around Town)

Ministry, and Basketball Team. Several ministries and programs have been re-

established: Christian Education, Brotherhood, Tuesday Night Bible Study,

Wednesday Noon Bible Study, New Members Classes, Youth Sunday, Summer

Feeding and Enrichment Program, and Monthly Soup Kitchen. Pastor Bromell

started the "Holy Pause" from 8:30 - 9:00 on Sunday mornings, the "Macedonian

Smile" and was instrumental in establishing a website for Macedonia. He also

revitalized the Macedonia Life-Skills Center. Since Pastor Bromell assumed the

leadership of Macedonia, numerous physical improvements have taken place to

include: Renovation and re-decoration of foyers on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors,

addition of new sound and video room, installation of higher quality sound

system, installation of video cameras, balcony and vestibule areas re-designed,

balcony completely remodeled with new carpet and pews, addition of see-thru

safety glass and rails in balcony, re-location of pastor's study from second to first

floor for easier accessibility to members, upgraded finance system software,

installation of membership database, conference room upgraded, two buses (14-

passenger and 24-passenger) purchased and general beautification of church

building and grounds. Pastor Bromell will be remembered for his sound biblical

teaching and powerful preaching. Under the first four years of his leadership, over

400 souls came to Christ as candidates for baptism, joined under their Christian

experience, and/or rededicated themselves to Macedonia. Tuesday Night Prayer

and Bible Study and Wednesday Noon Bible Study were and continue to be well

attended. Rev. Bromell’s pastorate ended in 2023 after 14 years of service to

Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church and the Darlington community.