Our forebearers sought to build a more just world from the early beginning. Phoenix Community Church continues that struggle for justice and to live up to our denomination’s motto "That they may all be one".

1600’s –
The "Congregational Way" roots were planted by separatists from the Church of England. They were severely persecuted by the government and leaders were killed.  They continued to worship secretly. They believed in a local body of believers who experience together the Christian life, united to Christ and to one another by a voluntary covenant. 

1700’s –
Even after fleeing from England to Holland, hardship continued. 102 joined together as "Pilgrims" and immigrated to the New World, They established a new society in a new world and extended to the Puritans in Salem. Concern for educated leaders lead to the establishment of a college in Cambridge, Harvard.

1800’s –
The "Amistad", a slave ship, set sail from Havanna, The Africans rebelled and eventually were jailed in New England. Both black and white joined together in support of their freedom. In 1846 those who people became the American Missionary Association and help the Africans to return to Sierra Leon.  Their hope was for all racial and ethnic groups to live in harmony and understanding. They helped establish schools for freed slaves after the Civil War and eventually became part of the Congregational Church.

First Woman Ordained - Antoinette Brown, in 1853 in the Congregational Church. Antoinette Brown died just a year after she cast here first vote in 1920 at the age of 95. Now there were 3,000 women ministers in the United States.

1900’s –
In 1957 the United Church of Christ was formed by the merging of Congregational, Evangelical, and Reformed denominations.

Two months before the Stonewall uprising in New York, the UCC Council for Christian Social Action declared opposition to all laws criminalizing private homosexual relations between adults.

The Wilmington 10 was a group of people in the 1970’s who included Ben Chavis, jailed in NC for a lunch counter protest, and UCC worked for their release.

In the 70’s and 80’s, farm workers were supported with boycots, most notably the boycot of grapes. Currently, UCC encourages boycotting Mt. olive pickles for their treatment of workers.

Reproductive rights were supported well before Roe V. Wade. The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice was formed which made great strides for Choice.

In 1972, William Johnson became the first openly gay person to be ordained in any mainline Christian denomination.

General Synod declared that sexual orientation is not a legitimate ground to deny civil liberties. Synod supported federal, state and municipal laws to protect equal rights for all citizens.

1980’s –
In Virginia, 1982, Anne Holmes became the first openly lesbian woman ordained in the UCC.

General Synod called on all UCC congregations and bodies to declare that they are "open and affirming."

Phoenix Community Church  was founded in 1988.
In 1996 the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries voted to "affirm equal marriage rights for same-gender couples." 

1990’s –
In the early-mid 90s, the UCC made a public apology to Hawaii for the destruction caused by all the missionary work done in the name of Christianity.

2000’s –

Today, there are people working to abolish the death penalty.

Environmental racism is being named and researched today.  It turns out that many toxic waste dumps and power plants with undesirable wastes are located near communities of poor and people of color.  Convent, LA asked the UCC to help them protest power plants from making business there, because of the already high prevalence of waste-related cancers.

The UCC now celebrates over 500
open and affirming churches
in the denomination.

Revised April 24, 2006
Phoenix Community Church  United Church of Christ