2026 National Parents of the Year: Bishop Charles and First Lady Marion Dudley
UPF-USA is honored to recognize Bishop Charles and First Lady Marion Dudley as the 2026 National Parents of the Year for their unwavering commitment to faith, family, and service. Married since 1995, the Dudleys have devoted their lives to strengthening families, serving their community, and demonstrating the transformative power of sacrificial love.
Over the past three years, the Dudleys have endured profound personal loss, including the passing of both parents and their youngest son, Chandon. Even while carrying their own grief, they have continued to offer hope, encouragement, and compassionate care to those around them. Their steadfast faith and love have become a source of inspiration for countless families and friends.
In early 2026, the couple faced another difficult chapter when Pastor Marion was diagnosed with heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Throughout her health challenges, Bishop Charles has cared for his wife with extraordinary devotion, providing a living example of the lifelong commitment and selfless love that marriage and parenthood call us to embody. Their children, grandchildren, church family, and community have witnessed firsthand a relationship built on faithfulness, sacrifice, and unconditional love.
The Dudleys founded New Beginnings Ministry of Faith in Havelock, North Carolina, in 2002, faithfully pastoring the congregation for more than two decades. Together, they have mentored hundreds of families while partnering with local ministries to provide food assistance to families in need. Their service extends throughout the community through leadership with organizations including Craven Community College, Habitat for Humanity, local law enforcement and fire departments, and the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, where Bishop Dudley serves as a commissioner and member of the Governor's Advisory Council on Health and Wellness.
Their commitment to building God's family has also fostered interfaith cooperation. In 2021, they welcomed the Ocean Family Church to their church campus, later becoming a Blessed Couple themselves. In 2023, they hosted the first Cheon Shim Won prayer room established on a Christian church campus in America and have traveled to South Korea in support of religious freedom and international peace initiatives.
Parents of three sons—Eugene, Christopher, and Chandon—and proud grandparents of ten grandchildren, Charles and Marion have always placed family at the center of their lives. Their dedication extends beyond words, as demonstrated by the extraordinary efforts they make to keep their family connected across multiple states so their grandchildren can grow together in love and unity.
Through decades of ministry, service, and unwavering devotion to one another, Bishop Charles and Pastor Marion Dudley exemplify the ideals celebrated on National Parents' Day. Their lives remind us that the strongest families are built through faith, perseverance, compassion, and a daily commitment to living for the sake of others.