Our
History |
Getting Organized Gradually, the movement developed into a full-fledged denomination---the first one to actually begin in America, rather than be transplanted from Europe. A conference in 1800 adopted the name "Church of the United Brethren in Christ" and elected Otterbein and Boehm as bishops.
In 1815, a concise statement of our key doctrinal beliefs was spelled out in a Confession of Faith, which has never been changed. A constitution was adopted in 1841.
The Denomination grew rapidly. As the young nation expanded westward, so did the church. Hundreds of churches sprung up in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. in 1853, we launched our first missionary endeavor, sending a 30-wagon caravan of settlers--nearly 100 people---to Oregon. In less than a hundred years, the church hand extended from coast to coast. |
Starting Over By 1889, the United Brethren church had grown to over 200,000 members. But then controversy arose over changes made in the church's Constitution. A division that year resulted in two denominations.
The larger group adopted a new constitution and confession of faith; after two mergers, that group has become the United Methodist Church.
We, the smaller group, reorganized under the guidance of Bishop Milton Wright, father of the Wright Brothers, and adhered to the original Constitution and Confession of Faith. We had to start over in many areas. Most of the congregations which sided with Wright lost their property to the larger group, which many courts recognized as the legitimate owner of all church property.
But gradually, the church picked up the pieces and moved forward. |
The Church Today Today, our denomination consists of about 400 churches in nine countries, with a total membership of 37,000.
Two-thirds of our churches are located in the United States and Canada. Another 130 churches are located in other countries, including Sierra Leone (our largest and oldest mission field), Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Thailand, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
The international head-quarters is located in Huntington, Ind. So is the church’s only college, Huntington College. |