Pastor Antonio Manalus was called to Union Baptist Church on November 13, 2022 as Assistant Pastor and on June 1, 2023 became Pastor of the Church.
He grew up in South Portland, ME, and is a 1984 graduate of South Portland High School. He joined the USCG Reserves in May, 1983 while in high school. In 1992, he earned his Associate of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern Maine and worked several years in the private sector as a claims processor at Blue Cross Blue Shield in Portland, as a customer service representative at Guy Gannett Publications, and at Casco Northern Bank as a teller and rose to the position of Assistant Tax Officer of the Trust Department. He is a retired Coast Guard Veteran with over thirty-six years of combined service between the Coast Guard Reserves and Coast Guard Active Duty. He was stationed at Station South Portland, ME, Station Boothbay Harbor, ME, Station Southwest Harbor, ME, and at Station Boston, MA. During his career, he served on four ships—the USCG Barque Eagle, the USCG Escanaba, the USCG Spencer, and the USCG Seneca. He retired in September, 2019.
He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies with minors in Pastoral Ministries and Biblical Counseling from Boston Baptist College in December, 2022. He is pursuing a Master’s degree in United States History at Gettysburg College.
Before becoming the Pastor, he served as an elder for over fifteen years at Packerville Baptist Church in Plainfield, CT and received his ordination from this church.
He has been married to his lovely bride, Doreen Manalus, for over thirty years. They have three children, Peter, Benjiman, and Kimberley, and three grandchildren, Amber, Jack, and Noah.
In addition to his work in the ministry, his passions include teaching, singing, performing music, volunteering at food pantries, providing church services at nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, and spending time with family.
Rev. Robert P. Smith was born in Providence, RI in 1948 and grew up in Providence, RI, East Killingly, CT, Somerville, MA, and Warwick, RI. He is the son of the Rev. Lincoln Smith and Charlotte Smith.
He is a graduate of Pilgrim High School in Warwick, RI. He received a B.A. in History in 1970 from Barrington College, formerly in Barrington, RI, now part of Gordon College in Wenham, MA. He received his Master's degree in Divinity in 1973 from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA.
After graduating from the Seminary, he was called to be Associate Pastor at First United Baptist Church in Lowell, MA from 1973 to 1975. From 1974 to 1977, he worked at the Beverly School for the Deaf in Beverly, MA and became the Associate Director of Camping and Conference with the American Baptist Churches of MA from 1977 to 1981. He was called to the First Baptist Church of West Springfield, MA as Pastor in 1981 and served there for thirty-eight years, until his retirement in June, 2019. While there, he was also the Chaplain of the West Springfield Fire Department, the Coordinator of Ecumenical Services in the community, and the Coordinator of the Open Pantry of West Springfield. He maintains ties with the congregation and visits there frequently.
After retiring, he moved to East Killingly, CT and in August, 2023, was called to be Associate Pastor of Union Baptist Church, where his father was Pastor from 1951 to 1955. “P. Bob” preaches on Sundays and teaches Bible studies when needed, and serves the church in many other ways. He is a guest preacher from time to time in many other churches in Connecticut and Rhode Island. In addition, he serves as the Chaplain of the Dayville Fire Department and coordinates the church’s monthly food donations for Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson. CT.
He has been married to his wife, Deborah Smith, for fifty-four years and they have two daughters and four grandchildren.
His interests include leading Christian book groups, sports, reading Christian books, and vacationing in Ocean Park, ME.