June 26, 2009
Written by Martin Bailey

Can the UCC remember what most of us never knew and others have almost forgotten?

That was the challenge thrown out to a group of more than 80 UCC members and scholars who met in Grand Rapids, Mich., Thursday on the eve of the 27th General Synod.

Recognizing that relatively few people are still around to tell the story of the Christians who joined with Congregationalists back in 1931 and entered the UCC in 1957, the group launched "the Christian preservation project." They vowed to gather and share information about the "least known of the UCC's four constituent groups."

According to historian Barbara Brown Zikmund, there are fewer than 250 local congregations still in existence that trace their roots to the Christian movement that originated in three parts of the United States in the 1800s. She and others explained that the Christians made significant contributions to our common life, including a passion for Christian unity, justice and education. They also were known for a deep personal piety.

Scholar Elizabeth C. Nordbeck of Lancaster Seminary once pointed out that the Christians "supported women's public ministries" very early and that "nearly a dozen ‘female laborers' were in their graves before Antoinette Brown was ordained."

"In significant ways, those early 19th-century Christians have a lot to teach the United Church of Christ today," Zikmund said. "Like many people today, they were impatient with organized religion but were committed to a strong faith; they were turned off by sectarian debates but interested in strong Christian character."

Those who met Thursday, including nearly two dozen seminarians involved in a course in UCC history and polity, agreed to seek out information "that may still be in a closet in some church's music room;" interview persons for oral histories; and develop a special web site to preserve and disseminate the history of the Christian Connection before it is lost forever.

The Christians published what was one of the first religious newspapers in the world, the Herald of Gospel Liberty. They also founded several colleges and carried on extensive educational ministries. Although their churches were divided on the issue of slavery, some were strong abolitionists. The contribution of the Afro-Christian Churches was substantial, according to Rick Taylor, a longtime scholar of the movement. The Historical Society's luncheon Monday will also be devoted to the heritage of the Christian Church.

United Church of Christ News Service