Rev. William Turner Carries on the Legacy of Community Leader Rev. Albert Morgan at Union Baptist Temple
Photo courtesy of Rev. William Turner Instagam
BY KADAYSHA LITTLE | For AC JosepH Media
BRIDGETON — On May 26, 2024, Rev. William Turner was installed as the 9th pastor of the Union Baptist Temple in Bridgeton. Since, he’s been tasked with the spiritual responsibility to lead the church and upholding the standards set before him.
Turner’s ministry became apparent during his undergraduate years at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, now Stockton University, where he discovered his devotion to his faith. There, he realized that the calling he had was rare amongst his peers.
“It was to the point where we were bringing a couple of students from the college to church in the church van. In my mind, I’m thinking like this is normal,” Turner told Front Runner New Jersey.com. “This is what everybody’s doing. But then I found out not so much.”
With this realization, Turner progressed further into his professional and spiritual career. Reverend Turner spent a lot of his life working to serve young people, and specifically young Black men.
During his work in education for over 20 years, in both teaching and admin roles, Turner sets out to encourage the development of youth. He stated what led him to be motivated to serve young Black men, was related to his own experiences growing up.
“Spaces that I was in were predominantly not African-American male led,” Turner said. “You are the only one in, you know, some of those spaces and so how to navigate some of those challenges was really difficult.”
He was conscious of the lack of representation and worked towards becoming the solution.
“It was a lot of foundation that was laid from other African-American males who I watched go through that same struggle and watch navigate those spaces as well,” he said.
In hopes to have a similar impact, Reverend Turner acknowledges his success as help from great mentors.
“People that, you know, God placed in my life, who really helped me, who really became pillars in the community.”
One of his biggest mentors is Rev. Albert Morgan, former Pastor of Union Baptist Temple. Turner first encountered him in school during Morgan’s 11th grade social studies class.
“I was able to be in his class, and then my brother took me to the church and I’m like, wait a minute, that’s the pastor in the church,” Turner told.
Turner said he learned a lot about leadership, obedience, devotion, and discipleship under the guidance of Morgan, who also served on the Bridgeton school board and Cumberland County Commissioners during his time on the pulpit.
“The list of what he has taught me has just been, we could, we can go on for days and days,” Turner said. Though he acknowledged the greatest lesson he learned was leading by example, through the actions of Morgan.
While walking in his own individual path, Turner holds a lot of respect and admiration for the work of Morgan.
“Reverend Morgan has definitely had an extraordinary legacy, and I have tremendous, tremendous respect for what he’s built. My goal is to just continue to honor the legacy, honor the history and take the foundation that he’s already laid and take it to the next level.”
Turner continues the legacy with multiple initiatives such as fighting food insecurity, education disparities and economic development. Some of the ways he, in tandem with Union Baptist Temple, is active in these goals is through their food pantry and scholarship program.
“I think Pastor Morgan did an excellent job in the season that he led, and I think as now as God is calling me into that leadership role I just want to be as faithful as he was in the season that I have now to lead.”
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