HISTORY - continued

United Church of Christ - continued

It was in 1957 that these two denominations, the Congregational Christian Church and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, merged to become The United Church of Christ. It is truly a denomination born of ecumenism.

Perhaps the unique identity of the church can best be found in the key words of the four denominations that formed the union: Christian, Reformed, Congregational, and Evangelical. The United Church of Christ is Christian! Its very name declares that it is part of the body of Christ. It is a denomination that continues the witness of the early apostles, a witness to the reality and power of the crucified and resurrected Christ. The United Church of Christ is reformed! All four of its predecessor denominations arose from the 16th century Protestant Reformation. It is a church that affirms the three basic tenants of the Reformation: the primacy of scripture, justification by faith, and the priesthood of all believers.

The United Church of Christ is congregational! Much like The United Church of Los Alamos, the congregation is the basic unit of the denomination. In covenanting with God and one another the members of the congregation form their identity. Such covenanting places the emphasis on trustful relationships rather than legal agreements. The United Church of Christ is evangelical! The primary task of the church is to proclaim the gospel, the evangel, the good news. It is proclaimed not just with words, but with acts and deeds. It is proclaimed not just to individuals, but to the society as a whole.