Church of the United Brethren in Christ
Encyclopedia
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical
Christian
denomination
based in Huntington, Indiana
. It is a Protestant denomination of episcopal
structure, Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite
and German Reformed communities of 18th century Pennsylvania
, as well as close ties to Methodism
. It was organized in 1800 by Martin Boehm
and Philip William Otterbein and is the first American denomination that was not transplanted from Europe.
). Both groups continued to use the name Church of the United Brethren in Christ.
The majority faction, known as the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (New Constitution), merged with the Evangelical Church
in 1946 to form a new denomination known as the Evangelical United Brethren Church
(EUB). This in turn merged in 1968 with The Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church
(UMC).
The Wright-led faction (The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Old Constitution) continues today as a denomination of about 550 congregations, with 47,300 members in fifteen countries. The US National Conference consists of about 200 churches and 25,000 members in the United States, plus mission districts in Haiti and India. The United States national office, known as Healthy Ministry Resources, is located in Huntington, Indiana
, as is the denomination's only college, Huntington University
and its Graduate School of Christian Ministries.
Though not organized until 1800, the roots of the church reach back to 1767. In May of that year, a Great Meeting (part of the interdenominational revival movement known as the "Great Awakening
") was held at a barn belonging to Isaac Long in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
. Martin Boehm
(1725–1812), a Mennonite
preacher, spoke of his becoming a Christian through crying out to God while plowing in the field. Philip William Otterbein
(1726–1813), a Reformed pastor at York, Pennsylvania
, left his seat, embraced Boehm and said to him, "Wir sind Brüder (we are brethren)."
The followers of Boehm and Otterbein formed a loose movement for many years. It spread to include German-speaking churches in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio. In 1800, they began a yearly conference. Thirteen ministers attended the first conference at the home of Peter Kemp in Frederick, Maryland
. At that conference in 1800, they adopted a name, the United Brethren in Christ, and elected Boehm and Otterbein as bishops of the conference. The United Brethren Church claims this organization in 1800 as the first denomination to actually begin in the United States, rather than be transplanted from Europe. A Confession of Faith was adopted in 1815 (similar to one written by Otterbein in 1789), and it has remained the statement of church doctrine to the present. In 1841, they adopted a Constitution. It has remained mostly intact, being changed only a few times.
William Otterbein retained a connection with the Reformed Church, pastoring a Reformed Church in Baltimore, Maryland from 1774 until his death in 1813. Martin Boehm was excluded by the Mennonites in 1775. He joined the Methodist Church in 1802, while remaining bishop of the United Brethren until his death in 1812. Francis Asbury
, bishop of the Methodist Church in America, spoke at the memorial services of both of these United Brethren bishops. Otterbein had assisted in Asbury's ordination.
The United Brethren took a strong stand against slavery
, beginning around 1820. After 1837, slave owners were no longer allowed to remain as members of the United Brethren Church. In 1847 the United Brethren founded Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio
, which continues today. In 1853, the Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society was organized. Expansion occurred into the western United States, but the church's stance against slavery limited expansion to the south.
By 1889, the United Brethren had grown to over 200,000 members with six bishops. In that same year they experienced a division. Denominational leaders desired to make three changes: to give local conferences proportional representation at the General Conference; to allow laymen to serve as delegates to General Conference; and to allow United Brethren members to hold membership in secret societies. The denominational leadership made these changes, but the minority felt the changes violated the Constitution because they were not made by the majority vote of all United Brethren members. One of the bishops, Milton Wright (the father of aviation pioneers Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright), disagreed with the actions of the majority. Bishop Wright and other conference delegates left the meeting and resumed the session elsewhere. They believed that the other delegates had violated the Constitution (and, in effect, withdrawn from the denomination), and deemed themselves to be the true United Brethren Church.
Courts saw it differently. Most of the congregations that sided with Milton Wright lost their properties. Milton Wright led this group—estimated at 10,000-20,000 constituents—in those early years as they reorganized. A new headquarters began taking shape in 1897 in Huntington, Ind., with the establishment of a publishing house, national offices, and Huntington College
. Wright served as bishop until 1905.
Until 1946 two groups operated under the name Church of the United Brethren in Christ, distinguished by whether they were under the old constitution
or the new constitution In 1946, the larger United Brethren church merged with the Evangelical Association
to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church. That body in turn merged with the The Methodist Church (USA) in 1968 to form the United Methodist Church
. The present United Brethren Church is descended from the minority who organized under the leadership of Bishop Milton Wright. They eventually adopted two of the changes that led to the division of 1889 - local conferences have proportional representation at General Conference, and half of the delegates are laypersons. They believe they adopted them constitutionally.
; that the Bible, in both the Old
and New Testament
s, is the inspired
Word of God; and that salvation is through faith, repentance and following after Christ. The church holds two ordinances: baptism
and the Lord's supper. The church takes a neutral position on the observance of feet washing
, stating, "the example of washing feet is left to the judgment of every one to practice or not...".
For the first several decades the Church of the United Brethren in Christ was loosely organized, and known simply as the United Brethren Church. When they officially organized into a denomination they adopted the name "Church of the United Brethren in Christ" in order to avoid confusion with the Unitas Fratrum
(Unity of the Brethren), or as it more commonly was called in English, the United Brethren (also known as the Moravian Church.) Although there was influence by Pietism
and the Moravians on the founders of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, there is no direct organizational link.
Likewise, there are no organizational connections with the Brethren denominations coming out of the German Brethren and Swiss Brethren
movements, nor are there any connections with various Latter Day Saint groups that use "United Brethren" in their name.
that eventually became part of the Brethren in Christ Church. While they were associated with the United Brethren during the early decades, they never joined when the movement formalized into a denomination.
, USA, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana
.
around the middle of the 19th century.
(not to be confused with the later Evangelical United Brethren Church
). The Evangelical United Brethren Association is said to have united with others to form the Churches of Christ in Christian Union
in 1864.
to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church
(EUB). In 1968 the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged with the Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church
(UMC).
In Canada the more liberal United Brethren group after 1889 joined with the Congregationalists in 1906. The Congregationalists then joined with the Methodist Church and most of the Presbyterian Churches in Canada in 1925 to form the United Church of Canada. The more conservative United Brethren Church after 1889 continues to this day as the United Brethren Church in Canada.
in Canada. Fraternal ties between the Evangelical Church and the Evangelical Missionary Church have been maintained.
. Later, after the other Church of the United Brethren in Christ (New Constitution) changed names with its 1946 merger with the Evangelical Church, "Old Constitution" was dropped from the name. Today, they are often casually referred to as United Brethren (UB) or the United Brethren Church (UBC).
In the late 1980s through the early 21st century, a need to comply with changing international laws resulted in the creation of a number of self-governing United Brethren "national conferences", organized by country. These independent national denominations covenanted together to create an interdependent body called the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International. They must all agree to follow the Confession of Faith of 1815, as well as a set of seven Core Values. The other international governing documents include a Constitution and By-Laws.
The General Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International, meets every four years. It is the highest governing body of the church, and is composed of representatives from the nine national conferences. Each national conference can send at least two delegates, with additional delegates awarded depending on the size of the conference in worship attendance. The national conference of each country elects its own highest official (often called the bishop). These national conference officials make up an international Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets annually, usually electronically, to take care of business between sessions of the General Conference.
and the Philippines
, were accepted as part of the denomination in 2005, and a group of churches in Guatemala became the tenth national conference in 2010. The ten national conferences are:
and India, while Hong Kong Conference oversees the three churches in Macau
and the work in Thailand
. Any mission district can seek status as a national conference if it meets and maintains the following criteria:
If a mission district meets those requirements, it can apply for national conference status through this procedure:
These are the current mission districts:
(see also: other Protestant missionary societies in China during the 19th Century)
On October 14, 2003 the Executive Leadership Team of the United Brethren Church, USA voted to pursue joining with the Missionary Church
. The joining was tentatively scheduled to occur in 2005 but was defeated by a vote of the membership in 2004. This action, had it received a favorable vote, would have combined the United Brethren churches in the United States into the Missionary Church USA, so that all of those congregations would have become Missionary Church congregations.
At the 2005 National Conference of the United Brethren Church, USA significant changes were passed that initiated a major restructuring and refocusing of the denomination. The new organizational structure eliminates the multiple geographical "annual conferences" which had existed since 1810, and replaced them with smaller groupings, called "clusters", consisting of 5-10 churches and their pastors. Clusters were designed to better equip congregations and their leadership while building stronger relationships and accountability.
The new structure does the following:
Any church, regardless of denominational affiliation, may participate in the clusters and affinity groups under the new structure. While a church is not required to be a United Brethren church, it does need to agree to basic beliefs and values. In order to have a representative vote in the National Conference, however, a church must be in good standing with a signed covenant with the United Brethren Church, USA.
The covenant must be signed by each church every two years, and reciprocally signed by the bishop. If a church chooses not to sign the covenant, they are basically withdrawing from the denomination. The covenant includes these six points:
was 23,000 in 215 congregations. The majority of United Brethren churches are located in Pennsylvania
, Ohio
, Indiana
, and Michigan
. Outside the United States, there are churches in Canada
, Costa Rica
, El Salvador
, Guatemala
, Haiti
, Honduras
, Hong Kong
, India
, Jamaica
, Macau
, Mexico
, Nicaragua
, Sierra Leone
, and Thailand
.
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
based in Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
. It is a Protestant denomination of episcopal
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
structure, Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
and German Reformed communities of 18th century Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, as well as close ties to Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. It was organized in 1800 by Martin Boehm
Martin Boehm
Martin Boehm was an American clergyman and pastor. He was the son of Jacob Boehm and Barbara Kendig who settled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
and Philip William Otterbein and is the first American denomination that was not transplanted from Europe.
Overview
In 1889, a controversy over membership in secret societies such as the Freemasons, the proper way to modify the church's constitution, and other issues split the United Brethren into majority liberal and minority conservative blocs, the latter of which was led by Bishop Milton Wright (father of the Wright BrothersWright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
). Both groups continued to use the name Church of the United Brethren in Christ.
The majority faction, known as the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (New Constitution), merged with the Evangelical Church
Evangelical Association
The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known as the Albright Brethren, is a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent", Arminian in doctrine and theology; in its form of church government, Methodist Episcopal....
in 1946 to form a new denomination known as the Evangelical United Brethren Church
Evangelical United Brethren Church
The Evangelical United Brethren Church was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
(EUB). This in turn merged in 1968 with The Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
(UMC).
The Wright-led faction (The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Old Constitution) continues today as a denomination of about 550 congregations, with 47,300 members in fifteen countries. The US National Conference consists of about 200 churches and 25,000 members in the United States, plus mission districts in Haiti and India. The United States national office, known as Healthy Ministry Resources, is located in Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
, as is the denomination's only college, Huntington University
Huntington University (United States)
Huntington University is an institution of higher education in Huntington, Indiana, United States, that is affiliated with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.- History :...
and its Graduate School of Christian Ministries.
History
First Great Awakening
The First Awakening was a Christian revitalization movement that swept Protestant Europe and British America, and especially the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, leaving a permanent impact on American religion. It resulted from powerful preaching that gave listeners a sense of personal...
") was held at a barn belonging to Isaac Long in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
. Martin Boehm
Martin Boehm
Martin Boehm was an American clergyman and pastor. He was the son of Jacob Boehm and Barbara Kendig who settled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
(1725–1812), a Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
preacher, spoke of his becoming a Christian through crying out to God while plowing in the field. Philip William Otterbein
Philip William Otterbein
Philip William Otterbein was a U.S. clergyman. He was the founder of the United Brethren in Christ, a group that is a forerunner of today's United Methodist Church.-Biography:...
(1726–1813), a Reformed pastor at York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
, left his seat, embraced Boehm and said to him, "Wir sind Brüder (we are brethren)."
The followers of Boehm and Otterbein formed a loose movement for many years. It spread to include German-speaking churches in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio. In 1800, they began a yearly conference. Thirteen ministers attended the first conference at the home of Peter Kemp in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
. At that conference in 1800, they adopted a name, the United Brethren in Christ, and elected Boehm and Otterbein as bishops of the conference. The United Brethren Church claims this organization in 1800 as the first denomination to actually begin in the United States, rather than be transplanted from Europe. A Confession of Faith was adopted in 1815 (similar to one written by Otterbein in 1789), and it has remained the statement of church doctrine to the present. In 1841, they adopted a Constitution. It has remained mostly intact, being changed only a few times.
William Otterbein retained a connection with the Reformed Church, pastoring a Reformed Church in Baltimore, Maryland from 1774 until his death in 1813. Martin Boehm was excluded by the Mennonites in 1775. He joined the Methodist Church in 1802, while remaining bishop of the United Brethren until his death in 1812. Francis Asbury
Francis Asbury
Bishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...
, bishop of the Methodist Church in America, spoke at the memorial services of both of these United Brethren bishops. Otterbein had assisted in Asbury's ordination.
Abolition
Abolish means to put an end to something or to stop something.Abolition may refer to:*Abolitionism *Abolition of death penalty *Abolition of monarchy*Prison abolition movement...
, beginning around 1820. After 1837, slave owners were no longer allowed to remain as members of the United Brethren Church. In 1847 the United Brethren founded Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, once known as "The Dry Capital of the World", is a city in Franklin and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
, which continues today. In 1853, the Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society was organized. Expansion occurred into the western United States, but the church's stance against slavery limited expansion to the south.
By 1889, the United Brethren had grown to over 200,000 members with six bishops. In that same year they experienced a division. Denominational leaders desired to make three changes: to give local conferences proportional representation at the General Conference; to allow laymen to serve as delegates to General Conference; and to allow United Brethren members to hold membership in secret societies. The denominational leadership made these changes, but the minority felt the changes violated the Constitution because they were not made by the majority vote of all United Brethren members. One of the bishops, Milton Wright (the father of aviation pioneers Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright), disagreed with the actions of the majority. Bishop Wright and other conference delegates left the meeting and resumed the session elsewhere. They believed that the other delegates had violated the Constitution (and, in effect, withdrawn from the denomination), and deemed themselves to be the true United Brethren Church.
Courts saw it differently. Most of the congregations that sided with Milton Wright lost their properties. Milton Wright led this group—estimated at 10,000-20,000 constituents—in those early years as they reorganized. A new headquarters began taking shape in 1897 in Huntington, Ind., with the establishment of a publishing house, national offices, and Huntington College
Huntington University (United States)
Huntington University is an institution of higher education in Huntington, Indiana, United States, that is affiliated with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.- History :...
. Wright served as bishop until 1905.
Until 1946 two groups operated under the name Church of the United Brethren in Christ, distinguished by whether they were under the old constitution
Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution)
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Old Constitution is that part of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ which withdrew from the larger body in 1889 when the majority group adopted a new constitution...
or the new constitution In 1946, the larger United Brethren church merged with the Evangelical Association
Evangelical Association
The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known as the Albright Brethren, is a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent", Arminian in doctrine and theology; in its form of church government, Methodist Episcopal....
to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church. That body in turn merged with the The Methodist Church (USA) in 1968 to form the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. The present United Brethren Church is descended from the minority who organized under the leadership of Bishop Milton Wright. They eventually adopted two of the changes that led to the division of 1889 - local conferences have proportional representation at General Conference, and half of the delegates are laypersons. They believe they adopted them constitutionally.
Faith and practice
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is a conservative Trinitarian body of Christians that hold the deity, humanity, and atonement of JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
; that the Bible, in both the Old
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
s, is the inspired
Biblical inspiration
Biblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology that the authors and editors of the Bible were led or influenced by God with the result that their writings many be designated in some sense the word of God.- Etymology :...
Word of God; and that salvation is through faith, repentance and following after Christ. The church holds two ordinances: baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and the Lord's supper. The church takes a neutral position on the observance of feet washing
Feet washing
Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as foot washing, washing the saints' feet, pedilavium, and mandatum.For some...
, stating, "the example of washing feet is left to the judgment of every one to practice or not...".
Branches and connections
Unitas Fratrum
This article is about the coordinating body of the Moravian Church worldwide. For the Christian denomination based in Texas see Unity of the Brethren....
(Unity of the Brethren), or as it more commonly was called in English, the United Brethren (also known as the Moravian Church.) Although there was influence by Pietism
Pietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
and the Moravians on the founders of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, there is no direct organizational link.
Likewise, there are no organizational connections with the Brethren denominations coming out of the German Brethren and Swiss Brethren
Swiss Brethren
The Swiss Brethren are a branch of Anabaptism that started in Zürich, spread to nearby cities and towns, and then was exported to neighboring countries...
movements, nor are there any connections with various Latter Day Saint groups that use "United Brethren" in their name.
Church of the Brethren in Christ
Known branches of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ include several congregations led by United Brethren founder Martin BoehmMartin Boehm
Martin Boehm was an American clergyman and pastor. He was the son of Jacob Boehm and Barbara Kendig who settled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
that eventually became part of the Brethren in Christ Church. While they were associated with the United Brethren during the early decades, they never joined when the movement formalized into a denomination.
Missionary Church
There were also a small number of pastors and members that withdrew during the 19th century and eventually contributed to the convergence of denominations of what is now the Missionary ChurchMissionary Church
The Missionary Church is an evangelical Christian denomination of Anabaptist origins with Wesleyan, Pietist, and Keswickian influences.-Faith and practice:...
, USA, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
.
United Christian Church
In addition a small group of members withdrew (primarily over a desire for a stronger stand on pacifism) to form one of the denominations known as the United Christian ChurchUnited Christian Church
The denomination known as the United Christian Church is a small evangelical body of Christians with roots in the pietistic movement of Martin Boehm and William Otterbein...
around the middle of the 19th century.
Christian Union Church
In 1848 a small group withdrew to form the Republican United Brethren Church. They later merged with another small splinter group called the Reformed United Brethren Church to form the Evangelical AssociationEvangelical Association
The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known as the Albright Brethren, is a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent", Arminian in doctrine and theology; in its form of church government, Methodist Episcopal....
(not to be confused with the later Evangelical United Brethren Church
Evangelical United Brethren Church
The Evangelical United Brethren Church was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
). The Evangelical United Brethren Association is said to have united with others to form the Churches of Christ in Christian Union
Churches of Christ in Christian Union
The Churches of Christ in Christian Union is a Christian denomination with origins in the Wesleyan/Arminian doctrine . The hot political climate at the beginning of the War Between the States brought Methodists into conflict. In Ohio the church in general supported the war but there was a small...
in 1864.
United Methodist Church & United Church of Canada
The largest "branching" came in 1889 when the main body divided into two groups. The larger group embraced a new constitution while the smaller group retained the original constitution. The larger group was known as the Church of the United Brethren in Christ or, later, The United Brethren Church (UB). In 1946 the United Brethren Church merged with the Evangelical ChurchEvangelical Association
The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known as the Albright Brethren, is a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent", Arminian in doctrine and theology; in its form of church government, Methodist Episcopal....
to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church
Evangelical United Brethren Church
The Evangelical United Brethren Church was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
(EUB). In 1968 the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged with the Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
(UMC).
In Canada the more liberal United Brethren group after 1889 joined with the Congregationalists in 1906. The Congregationalists then joined with the Methodist Church and most of the Presbyterian Churches in Canada in 1925 to form the United Church of Canada. The more conservative United Brethren Church after 1889 continues to this day as the United Brethren Church in Canada.
Evangelical Church of North America & Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada
In 1968, a number of the Evangelical United Brethren Churches in the US and Canada left the Evangelical United Brethren Church/United Methodist Church. Some rejoined the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, other denominations, or remained independent. Most joined together to form the Evangelical Church of North America. Later, due to international laws and legal requirements by Revenue Canada, the Canadian branch of the Evangelical Church of North America withdrew to form its own denomination. The Evangelical Church in Canada then merged with the Missionary Church of Canada to form the Evangelical Missionary ChurchEvangelical Missionary Church
The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada is a Canadian family of churches with historical roots in the pioneer settlement of Ontario and the Canadian West, earlier European migration to the eastern seaboard of the USA, and the Reformation in Europe...
in Canada. Fraternal ties between the Evangelical Church and the Evangelical Missionary Church have been maintained.
United Believers in Christ
Most of the churches of California Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA withdrew from the denomination during the fall of 2005 and started their own group, called United Believers in Christ. Although those churches had strongly supported the initiatives of UBHope, a group which opposed the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA joining with the Missionary Church, USA and although many of the ideas ultimately adopted originated from UBHope, the California churches continuted to disagree with the direction of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution)
The smaller group of churches resulting from the 1889 division became known as the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution)Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution)
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Old Constitution is that part of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ which withdrew from the larger body in 1889 when the majority group adopted a new constitution...
. Later, after the other Church of the United Brethren in Christ (New Constitution) changed names with its 1946 merger with the Evangelical Church, "Old Constitution" was dropped from the name. Today, they are often casually referred to as United Brethren (UB) or the United Brethren Church (UBC).
Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International
The General Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International, meets every four years. It is the highest governing body of the church, and is composed of representatives from the nine national conferences. Each national conference can send at least two delegates, with additional delegates awarded depending on the size of the conference in worship attendance. The national conference of each country elects its own highest official (often called the bishop). These national conference officials make up an international Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets annually, usually electronically, to take care of business between sessions of the General Conference.
National conferences
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International currently consists of ten self-governing national conferences. Seven of them existed when the international structure was adopted in 2001. Two more conferences, MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, were accepted as part of the denomination in 2005, and a group of churches in Guatemala became the tenth national conference in 2010. The ten national conferences are:
- The United Brethren Church in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
- The PhilippinePhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
National Conference of the United Brethren In Christ
- aka "Looking Unto Jesus United Brethren In Christ Church"
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Sierra LeoneSierra LeoneSierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
Mission districts
In addition there are seven mission districts. A mission district is a collection of churches in a country which are not yet organized into a national conference. Instead, those churches are under the supervision of a national conference. For example, Global Ministries of the United States National Conference currently oversees mission districts in HaitiHaiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and India, while Hong Kong Conference oversees the three churches in Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
and the work in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Any mission district can seek status as a national conference if it meets and maintains the following criteria:
- It consists of at least five churches within that country.
- It is a legally recognized entity within that country.
- No other United Brethren national conference exists in that country.
- It is organized with a constitution and other governing documents.
- Its governing documents, teachings, and practices do not conflict with the Confession of Faith, Core Values, Constitution, and Bylaws of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International.
If a mission district meets those requirements, it can apply for national conference status through this procedure:
- The churches in the mission district vote to seek membership in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International.
- They develop their governing documents and submit them to the international Executive Committee for review.
- The General Conference approves, by a two-thirds vote, the request for membership.
These are the current mission districts:
- Costa RicaCosta RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
(oversight by NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
) - El SalvadorEl SalvadorEl Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
(oversight by HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
) - GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(oversight by Sierra LeoneSierra LeoneSierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
) - GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
(oversight by NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
) - HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
(oversight by Global Ministries [USA]) - IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(oversight by Global Ministries [USA]) - MacauMacauMacau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
(oversight by Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
) - ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(oversight by Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
)
(see also: other Protestant missionary societies in China during the 19th Century)
Organization
The General Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, International, meets every four years. It is the highest governing body of the church, and is composed of representatives from the nine national conferences. Each national conference can send at least two delegates, with additional delegates awarded depending on the size of the conference in worship attendance. The national conference of each country elects its own highest official (often called the bishop). These national conference officials make up an international Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets annually to take care of business between sessions of the General Conference.Organization
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA is the United Brethren national conference for the United States. Its national offices are located in Huntington, Indiana. Led by an elected bishop, it is composed of clergy and lay representatives from US congregations and US-sponsored mission fields. The national conference meets every two years, with the last National Conference held May 30-June 3, 2007 at Sawmill Resort, Huron, Ohio.On October 14, 2003 the Executive Leadership Team of the United Brethren Church, USA voted to pursue joining with the Missionary Church
Missionary Church
The Missionary Church is an evangelical Christian denomination of Anabaptist origins with Wesleyan, Pietist, and Keswickian influences.-Faith and practice:...
. The joining was tentatively scheduled to occur in 2005 but was defeated by a vote of the membership in 2004. This action, had it received a favorable vote, would have combined the United Brethren churches in the United States into the Missionary Church USA, so that all of those congregations would have become Missionary Church congregations.
At the 2005 National Conference of the United Brethren Church, USA significant changes were passed that initiated a major restructuring and refocusing of the denomination. The new organizational structure eliminates the multiple geographical "annual conferences" which had existed since 1810, and replaced them with smaller groupings, called "clusters", consisting of 5-10 churches and their pastors. Clusters were designed to better equip congregations and their leadership while building stronger relationships and accountability.
The new structure does the following:
- Moves the National Conference from a four-year cycle to a two-year cycle.
- Requires each United Brethren church in the United States to affirm its continued support for a covenant agreement every two years. The covenant agreement lays out the minimum expectations to be a United Brethren church.
- Requires that all pastors and their congregations work together with other pastors and congregations in groups of 5-10 churches called "clusters." The new structure allows flexibility in the formation and focus of a cluster. Each cluster has a leader who has been trained to equip the pastors in the cluster to equip their churches. All cluster leaders are appointed by the United States bishop, and they report to the Director of Healthy Church Ministries, a national conference staff member.
- Allows for a variety of mission-focused networks and associations to be created. These groups may revolve around world evangelism, camps, church planting, or any number of other affinities.
- Requires a "partnership fee" of 3.5% of a church's income. Before 2005, most churches paid around 12% of their income toward conference and denominational interests. The elimination of the annual conferences, a mid-level geographic entity with its own leaders and programs, enabled the fee to be drastically reduced and thereby keep more finances at the local church level.
Any church, regardless of denominational affiliation, may participate in the clusters and affinity groups under the new structure. While a church is not required to be a United Brethren church, it does need to agree to basic beliefs and values. In order to have a representative vote in the National Conference, however, a church must be in good standing with a signed covenant with the United Brethren Church, USA.
The covenant must be signed by each church every two years, and reciprocally signed by the bishop. If a church chooses not to sign the covenant, they are basically withdrawing from the denomination. The covenant includes these six points:
- They are committed to the Confession of Faith.
- They agree with the core values of the United Brethren in Christ, International.
- They agree to abide by the Constitution and Discipline of the US National Conference.
- They are passionate about fulfilling the Great Commission through their local church.
- They support the ministry and mission of the United Brethren Church, USA, through the annual partnership fee.
- They will participate in a cluster
Affiliated ministries
- Healthy Ministry Resources is the name of the national office for the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
- Global Ministries, located in Huntington, IndianaHuntington, IndianaHuntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
, is the official agency of the Church of the United Brethren Church, USA, for worldwide evangelism and discipleship. Areas of responsibility include overseeing mission conferences, certifying missionaries, and promoting connections between US and non-US congregations. US Global Ministries and the United Brethren Church in Canada work together under a joint ministry agreement; two representatives from the Canadian church serve on the Global Ministries Leadership Team.
- Huntington UniversityHuntington University (United States)Huntington University is an institution of higher education in Huntington, Indiana, United States, that is affiliated with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.- History :...
, and the Huntington University Graduate School of Christian Ministries, located in Huntington, IndianaHuntington, IndianaHuntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
, are owned and operated by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA. The successor of Hartsville Seminary, Huntington University was founded in 1897 as Central College. It soon changed its name to Huntington College, becoming Huntington University on July 1, 2005.
- Laurel Mission is a holistic ministry meeting physical, social, and spiritual needs in rural Kentucky.
- Rhodes Grove Camp is a campground located near Chambersburg, Pa. It was the campground of the Mid-Atlantic Conference until 2005, when Rhodes Grove became an independent entity with its own board of directors. The camps strong connections with United Brethren churches continue.
- Camp Living Waters is a United Brethren campground in Luther, Mich. In 2005, Camp Living Waters became an independent entity, while retaining strong connections with the founding United Brethren churches.
- Camp Cotubic, located in Bellefontaine, Ohio, was the campground of the former Central Conference of the US National Conference. It became an independent entity, with its own board of directors, in 2006, though the historic connections with United Brethren churches in Ohio and Indiana continue.
Key national leaders
- Rev. Phil Whipple, Bishop
- Rev. Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries
- Donna Hollopeter, Associate Director of Global Ministries
- Dr. G. Blair Dowden, Director of Higher Education
- Steve Dennie, Director of Communications
- Marci Hammel, Finance Director
Publications
- UB.org is the official website of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
- UBGlobal.org is the official website of Global Ministries.
- Healthy Ministry Resources.com is the website for the national office.
- "Worldview" is the official publication of Global Ministries and is published bi-monthly.
- UBCentral.org is the official news portal for the United Brethren church.
Status
The total number of United Brethren churches is 600, with a membership of 47,300. In 2004, membership in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was 23,000 in 215 congregations. The majority of United Brethren churches are located in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Outside the United States, there are churches in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
Higher education
Since its beginning in the 18th century, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ founded 34 colleges, seminaries, and academies in the United States. Only Huntington University is part of the current Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The complete list of colleges surviving as independent entities, include:- Huntington UniversityHuntington University (United States)Huntington University is an institution of higher education in Huntington, Indiana, United States, that is affiliated with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.- History :...
, Huntington, Indiana (UBC) - Lebanon Valley CollegeLebanon Valley CollegeLebanon Valley College is a small, liberal arts higher education institution situated in the heart of Annville in Lebanon County, east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
, Annville, Pennsylvania - Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio (Associated with the UMC)
- United Theological SeminaryUnited Theological SeminaryUnited Theological Seminary is a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood, Ohio, United States, in the Dayton metropolitan area. Founded in 1869 by Milton Wright, it was originally sponsored by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
, Dayton, Ohio (UMC) - University of IndianapolisUniversity of IndianapolisThe University of Indianapolis is a university located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The shortened name it uses is UIndy...
, Indianapolis, Indiana (UMC) - Shenandoah UniversityShenandoah UniversityShenandoah University is a comprehensive private university located in Winchester, Virginia in the United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 3,800 students across more than ninety programs in six schools: College of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah...
, Winchester, Virginia (UMC)
Notable United Brethren people
- Clarence E. CoeClarence E. CoeClarence Elliot Coe , known as Clarence E. Coe, was one of the first settlers and farmers in Palms, California, and a member of the Los Angeles Police Commission from 1929 to 1931 and of the Los Angeles City Council from 1931 to 1933....
, pioneer of Palms, California, and member of the Los Angeles City Council, 1931–33 - James M. CoxJames M. CoxJames Middleton Cox was the 46th and 48th Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative from Ohio and Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the election of 1920....
, 1920 Democratic presidential candidate, twice governor of Ohio, and founder of Cox EnterprisesCox EnterprisesCox Enterprises is the successor to the publishing company founded in Dayton, Ohio, United States, by James Middleton Cox, who began with the Dayton Daily News. He was the Democratic candidate for the President of the United States in the election of 1920...
. - Francis Scott KeyFrancis Scott KeyFrancis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
, who wrote "The Star-Spangled BannerThe Star-Spangled Banner"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
", was a Sunday school teacher for the United Brethren. - Orville D. MerillatOrville D. MerillatOrville D. Merillat , businessman and philanthropist, was born on a dirt farm in Tedrow, Ohio, on May 1, 1916, he quit school in the ninth grade to work on the family farm. He married Ruth Muller on January 19, 1941, and served in the U.S...
, founder of Merillat IndustriesMerillat IndustriesMerillat Industries was founded in Adrian, Michigan as an American manufacturer of kitchen cabinets in 1946 by Orville D. Merillat. Now retired, Richard Merillat, took over from his father as CEO and President....
and a noted philanthropist, was a United Brethren member. - J. Edward RoushJ. Edward RoushJohn Edward Roush was a U.S. Representative from Indiana.Born in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, Roush graduated from Huntington High School, Huntington, Indiana, 1938.A.B., Huntington College, Huntington, Indiana, 1942....
, who represented Indiana's 4th Congressional District 1959-1977, and was instrumental in establishing the nationwide 911 emergency system. - Orville and Wilbur WrightWright brothersThe Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
, who invented the airplane, were the sons of United Brethren bishop Milton Wright.
National conferences
- Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA - official Web Site
- The United Brethren Church in Canada
- Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Hong Kong
Affiliated Ministries of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA
UB-Affiliated Camps in the United States
- Camp Living Waters, Luther, Michigan
- Camp Cotubic, Bellfontaine, Ohio
- Michindoh Ministries Camp and Conference Center, Hillsdale, Michigan
- Rhodes Grove Camp, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
- Scioto Youth Camp, Junction City, Ohio
Huntington University
- United Brethren Historical Center - official Web Site
- Huntington University - official Web Site
- The Link Institute
- Graduate School of Christian Ministries
Publications
- "Worldview", a monthly newsletter from Global Ministries distributed free to all United Brethren churches.
- bishopBlog
- UB News