Origins of the UCC

What is the United Church of Christ?

The United Church of Christ came into being in 1957 with the union of two Protestant denominations: the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. Each of these was, in turn, the result of a union of two earlier denominations.

The Congregational Churches were organized when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation(1620) and the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony(1629) acknowledged their essential unity. The Reformed Church in the U.S. traced its beginnings to congregations of German settlers in Pennsylvania from 1725 on. Later, its ranks were swelled by Reformed folk from Switzerland and other countries.

The Christian Churches sprang up around 1800 in reaction to the rigidity of the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches of the time. The Evangelical Synod of North America traced its beginning to an association in 1840 of German Evangelical pastors in Missouri, which reflected the 1817 union of Lutheran and Reformed churches in Germany.

Through the years, members of other groups such as Native American, African Americans, Asian Americans, Armenians, Hungarians, and Hispanic Americans have joined with four earlier groups. Thus the United Church of Christ celebrates and continues a wide variety of traditions in its common life.

We believe in responsible freedom to act in accordance with our individual perception of God's will for us. We are also called to live in loving covenantal relationship with one another, gathering in communities of faith to proclaim the good news of God's love revealed with power in Jesus Christ.

Each congregation or local church is governed by the collective decisions of its members, but also lives in convental relationship to other churches to share insights, to help solve problems, and to work together in mission. We recognize our calling both as individuals and as a church to live responsibly in the world around us,

ministering to its needs,
contributing to the collective welfare,
being enriched by those aspects of culture that help make human life more human,
working through institutions and supporting laws that reflect God's just and loving purposes for the world,
seeking justice and liberation for all people in all circumstances.

Statement of Faith

We believe in you, O God, Eternal Spirit, God of our Savior Jesus Christ
and our God, and to your deeds we testify:

You call the worlds into being,
create persons in your own image,
and set before each one the ways of life and death.
You seek in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.
You judge people and nations by your righteous will declared through
prophets and apostles.
In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior,
you have come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and
death and reconciling the world to yourself.
You bestow upon us your Holy Spirit,
creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ,
binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.
You call us into your church
to accept the cost and joy of discipleship,
to be your servants in the service of others,
to proclaim the gospel to all the world
and resist the powers of evil,
to share in Christ's baptism and eat at his table,
to join him in his passion and victory.
You promise to all who trust you
forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace,
courage in the struggle for justice and peace,
your presence in trial and rejoicing,
and eternal life in your realm which has no end.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto you.
Amen.