Faith Francois, Miami Times Contributor | Raised in the pews she now leads from, Pastor Tonia Menzies is making history at Union Grove church |
Faith, fellowship and family collide at the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church, a tightly knit congregation tucked just off the roads of Gladeview. For decades, the pulpit at this historic Black church had only been occupied by men — that is, until last Sunday, when the church installed its very first female pastor, Tonia Menzies. Her appointment marked a new chapter in the church’s enduring legacy.
Union Grove Church has served as a place of worship in the community since it was founded in November of 1957, with 11 men leading religious services throughout its more than 60-year history. While appointing a woman as pastor felt unprecedented for the church, for Pastor Menzies, this moment was long in the making.
A childhood in Union Grove
Menzies was born and raised in Miami as an only child. She began attending the Union Grove church with her uncle and aunt in 1977, when she was just 7 years old. Upon her first visit, she instantly felt a spiritual connection that would only deepen over time…