United Christian Church of Dubai
Encyclopedia
The United Christian Church of Dubai (or UCCD) is an evangelical
church dedicated to the glory of God in all things. Established in 1962 as a small fellowship of expatriate oil and gas workers in the Emirate
of Dubai
, they now comprise more than 1,000 people from well over 50 nationalities, meeting in the Dubai Evangelical Church Centre on Friday mornings.
, the small fellowship constituted itself as a church, called the International Evangelical Church of Dubai. A pastor was called, and a statement of doctrine was adopted. In the following year, the first constitution was accepted. The church was then meeting on Sundays in the Jumeirah American School (now the American School of Dubai
), and Sunday School was held there in the afternoons.
ordered the villa’s closure in June 2006.
With the Villa as a permanent place of worship, the church grew significantly. Most notably, in 1990 a Friday morning service was started by 4 families, which grew to become the main gathering of the church. The Villa was also used by other Christian groups, including the Arabic Evangelical Church of Dubai (AECD). In 1994, an informal group composed of UCCD and AECD and others applied for a grant of land from the Ruler of Dubai on which to construct a church building. After years of UCCD’s prayer and petition, the Ruler of Dubai in 1998 granted a piece of land to these churches, and fundraising commenced for a building.
In 2009, six years after DECC was constructed the total cost of construction had been covered (primarily by members of UCCD) and all loans repaid.
In 2010 a number of members and staff from UCCD were sent out to establish a sister church, Redeemer Church of Dubai, on the opposite side of Dubai. UCCD continued to support Redeemer Church of Dubai financially until 2012, which by the Grace of God has grown into a flourishing church.
Today, almost fifty years since the small fellowship was begun in the sands of Dubai, UCCD remains committed to same evangelical
vision of its founders: “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” .
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:...
church dedicated to the glory of God in all things. Established in 1962 as a small fellowship of expatriate oil and gas workers in the Emirate
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
of Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, they now comprise more than 1,000 people from well over 50 nationalities, meeting in the Dubai Evangelical Church Centre on Friday mornings.
1970's
In 1977, as more expatriate Christians came to DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, the small fellowship constituted itself as a church, called the International Evangelical Church of Dubai. A pastor was called, and a statement of doctrine was adopted. In the following year, the first constitution was accepted. The church was then meeting on Sundays in the Jumeirah American School (now the American School of Dubai
American School of Dubai
The American School of Dubai , previously known as the Jumeirah American School, is located in the Al-Barsha community of Dubai, United Arab Emirates....
), and Sunday School was held there in the afternoons.
1980's
In 1980, due to international tensions, the church was asked, for security reasons, to leave the Jumierah American School. For a while the church met in hired hotel rooms and later in Our Own English School and The Cambridge High School, through the kindness of the school’s owner, Mrs. Varkey.1990's
In 1990, the church leased a large Arabic style villa in Jumeirah (the “Jumeirah Villa”), which remained the church home until September, 2003, and continued thereafter to be used for Sunday evening services and other churches’ meetings until the Dubai MunicipalityDubai Municipality
Dubai Municipality is the municipal body with jurisdiction over city services and the upkeep of facilities in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was established in 1954 by the then crown prince of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum...
ordered the villa’s closure in June 2006.
With the Villa as a permanent place of worship, the church grew significantly. Most notably, in 1990 a Friday morning service was started by 4 families, which grew to become the main gathering of the church. The Villa was also used by other Christian groups, including the Arabic Evangelical Church of Dubai (AECD). In 1994, an informal group composed of UCCD and AECD and others applied for a grant of land from the Ruler of Dubai on which to construct a church building. After years of UCCD’s prayer and petition, the Ruler of Dubai in 1998 granted a piece of land to these churches, and fundraising commenced for a building.
2000 and beyond
In September, 2003, the Friday services commenced at the new Dubai Evangelical Church Centre (“DECC”) in Maranatha Hall.In 2009, six years after DECC was constructed the total cost of construction had been covered (primarily by members of UCCD) and all loans repaid.
In 2010 a number of members and staff from UCCD were sent out to establish a sister church, Redeemer Church of Dubai, on the opposite side of Dubai. UCCD continued to support Redeemer Church of Dubai financially until 2012, which by the Grace of God has grown into a flourishing church.
Today, almost fifty years since the small fellowship was begun in the sands of Dubai, UCCD remains committed to same evangelical
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:...
vision of its founders: “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” .
See also
- DubaiDubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
- United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
- Human rights in the United Arab EmiratesHuman rights in the United Arab EmiratesHuman rights are legally protected by the Constitution of the United Arab Emirates, which confers equality, liberty, rule of law, presumption of innocence in legal procedures, inviolability of the home, freedom of movement, freedom of opinion and speech, freedom of communication, freedom of...
- Freedom of religion in the United Arab EmiratesFreedom of religion in the United Arab EmiratesThe Constitution of the United Arab Emirates provides for freedom of religion in accordance with established customs, and the government generally respects this right in practice; however, there were some restrictions. The federal Constitution declares that Islam is the official religion of the...