Marth Green, Conn. church founder who championed female pastors, dies at 102

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Friday, February 20, 2026

Martha V. Green, a beloved Connecticut pastor who founded St. Mary’s Unison Free Will Baptist Church in New Haven in 1973 and championed other women to follow in her footsteps, died on Valentine’s Day at the age of 102.

Green’s passing was announced by the church’s current pastor, Gershom Bey, in a Feb. 16 statement published on Facebook.

“Apostle Green completed her earthly assignment and entered into eternal rest on February 14, 2026, when her true Valentine, our Lord, called her name,” Bey said.

“Her life was a testament to the power of faith, prayer, and unwavering service to the Kingdom. While we mourn her physical absence, we celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will continue to impact generations to come. We earnestly solicit your prayers for the Green family and our entire church community during this time of bereavement.”

In November 2019, the street corner of Shelton Avenue and Ivy Street in New Haven was officially named "Pastor Martha V. Green Corner," WTNH reported.

At the time, Green had been preaching at her church for well over four decades and was recognized as the oldest living pastor still serving in the New Haven area.

Green was born on April 5, 1923, in Greenville, North Carolina, according to the New Haven Independent. She migrated to New Haven in 1953 with her husband, Willie, where she found work at Yale New Haven Hospital. She later worked in the laundry room at the Veterans Administration hospital in West Haven.

She became a member of Pitts Chapel in New Haven in 1953. She would preach her first sermon at the church in 1963, then went on to start St. Mary’s Unison Free Will Baptist Church a decade later. The church would change locations from Grand Avenue to Goffe Street to Kossuth Street to Shelton Avenue over the years.

Green’s niece, Andrea Singleton, told the publication that her aunt’s passing was a “bittersweet” moment for both the church and the New Haven community.

“She was a mentor to so many,” Singleton said. “She was a trailblazer.”

She also noted that Green was the last surviving sibling among her 10 brothers and sisters, and she remained active to the very end.

“She still preached once a month,” said Singleton, who noted that she was also in good health and “in her right mind.”

A heartwarming video posted on YouTube shows Green sharing how she gets creative with her morning prayer to God.

On Tuesday, Danny Bland, the lead pastor of Revival Church in Hamden, Connecticut, recalled in a post on Facebook how Green gave him his start as a preacher at just 8 years old.

“My mother was saved under her ministry. She opened the door for me to preach my very first sermon at just 8 years old. And she never stopped reminding me of the calling on my life. She is a major part of my spiritual formation and journey,” he recalled while referring to Green as a “legend.”

“Whenever she called me to speak, I would drop everything to be there. Several months ago, I had the privilege of preaching for her church, and I told my entire congregation to come. I wanted to publicly honor the woman who helped shape the man and the ministry I’ve become.”