The Baptist Deacon’s Union of Greater Boston and Vicinity was organized by the late Deacon Armsted Jones in the Ebenezer Baptist Church, 7 West Springfield Street, Boston, Massachusetts, on December 7, 1897.

• Deacon Jones served as President until 1925. He was succeeded by Deacon Byrd Crudup, Union Baptist, Cambridge (1926-1940);
• Deacon William S. Johnson, Twelfth Baptist, Roxbury (1941-1962);
• Deacon Jeff C. Brown, Pleasant Hill, Roxbury (1963-1969);
• Deacon Leon Wilson, Twelfth Baptist, Roxbury (1970-1980);
• Deacon Clinton Sutton, New Fellowship, Dorchester (1980-1984);
• Deacon John H. Womack, St. John’s Baptist, Woburn (1985-1987);
• Deacon John McCall, Concord Baptist, Boston (1988-1991);
• Deacon Mims Nobles, Twelfth Baptist, Roxbury (1992);
• Deacon Stephan Yard, Sr., Union Baptist (1993-1994);
• Deacon Stephen Bispham, Metropolitan Baptist, Dorchester (1995-1997)
• Deacon Walter Berry, Messiah Baptist, Brockton (1998);
• Deacon Kelford Council, New Fellowship, Dorchester (1999-2000);
• Deacon Gregory Gows, Mount Sinai Baptist, Mattapan (2001);
• Deacon Alphonso Anderson, Messiah Baptist, Brockton (2002-2005);
• Deacon Kevin Pearson, St. John’s Baptist, Woburn (2006-2017);
• Deaconess Jacqueline Scott, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Dorchester (2017-2018);
• Deacon Robert Howard, Messiah Baptist Church, Brockton (2019- )

In 1921, the Ladies Auxiliary was organized and at this juncture revised their name to the Baptist Deacon’s Union and Ladies Auxiliary of Greater Boston and Vicinity.  In 2010, we revised the name to Massachusetts Baptist Deacon & Deaconess Association. Presidents of the Ladies Auxiliary were as follows:

• Deaconess Emma Lee; Deaconess Augusta Kelly, until her death in 1981;
• Deaconess Mary Valines, Union Baptist, Cambridge 1981 to her death in 1982;
• Deaconess Thelma S. McCall, Concord Baptist, Boston (1982-1994);
• Deaconess Helen Peoples, Agape Baptist, Dorchester (1995-1997); & (1999);
• Deaconess Mary Blake, Agape Missionary Baptist, Dorchester (1998);
• Deaconess Lillie Keel, Pleasant Hill, Dorchester (1999);
• Deaconess Lillie Hailstock, Pleasant Hill, Dorchester (2000-2005);  

The early goal of the Association was to purchase a home for the aged Deacons and Deaconesses when they retired.  Today our mission and goals are for Deacons and Deaconesses to come together to:

1. Learn how to assist Pastors better in advancing general interests of churches;
2. Build a closer relationship between Deacons and Deaconesses and members of our churches;
3. Discuss and study principles and duties applying to our roles as servants;
4. Provide outreach programs to meet the needs of our community.

Through the years the Association has held an annual banquet.  With the death of Deacon Jeff C. Brown, the annual banquet was dedicated to his memory and named Deacon Jeff C. Brown Memorial Scholarship Banquet. Each year scholarships are awarded to youth who are in need of financial assistance in our various member churches.

Throughout the year we also sponsor fundraisers in which all the proceeds go toward the scholarship fund.

We continue to sponsor annual retreats for the purpose of training and education; featuring lectures and seminars from Christian leaders across the country — it is open to all!

Our city wide prayer service and regular monthly meetings are held every 2^nd Monday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at various member churches primarily Messiah Baptist Church, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Concord Baptist Church, and Twelfth Baptist Church.

We are active members of the National Baptist Deacons Convention of America Inc. and its Auxiliaries https://nationalbaptistdeaconsconvention.org/