Emmanuel United Church of Christ
The History of Emmanuel UCC
In 1866 a small group of German Settlers led by Reverend Johan Jakob Hotz organized
and founded a German Evangelical congregation in St. Charles county. On February
12, 1867, the German congregation bought a 4.45 acre tract of land which was
situated next to a continuously flowing spring. The land had been originally granted
to John Weldon for whom the township of Weldon Spring was named. The first Church
services were held a school house adjacent to the church's current location. The first
building to be erected on the property was the old parsonage built in 1867.
The next pastor to serve the congregation was the Rev. Gottfried Doernenberg. It
was during his stay at Weldon Spring that the sanctuary was built and dedicated in
1874. At this time there were thirty three members of the church. During this period
the congregation appointed a Church council, comprised of two men to look after the
spiritual needs of the church and two men to look after the physical needs of the
church.
On December 19, 1878 members of the congregation presented a petition to the
county court to be incorporated under the name German Evangelical Emmanuel
congregation at Weldon Spring. Emmanuel meaning, “God is with us”. The name was
derived from Matthew 1:23 which says, “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a
son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.”
One hundred and forty years ago the pioneers of the community of Weldon Spring set
out to create a house of Worship. The property they chose contained a life-sustaining
spring. The spring was vital to the community which eventually grew. All aspects of
life in this community centered around the Church, which continues, 144 years later, to
provide life-sustaining faith to the Weldon Springs community and beyond.
What is the United Church of Christ?
The United Church of Christ is a denomination. The United Church of Christ came into
being in 1957 with the union of two Protestant denominations: the Evangelical and
Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. Each of these was, in
turn, the result of a union of two earlier traditions. The Congregational Churches
were organized when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation (1620) and the Puritans of
the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629) acknowledged their essential unity in the
Cambridge Platform of 1648. The Reformed Church in the United States traced its
beginnings to congregations of German settlers in Pennsylvania founded from 1725
on. Later, its ranks were swelled by Reformed immigrants from Switzerland, Hungary
and other countries. The Christian Churches sprang up in the late 1700s and early
1800s in reaction to the theological and organizational rigidity of the Methodist,
Presbyterian and Baptist churches of the time. The Evangelical Synod of North America
traced its beginnings to an association of German Evangelical pastors in Missouri. This
association, founded in 1841, reflected the 1817 union of Lutheran and Reformed
churches in Germany.
The characteristics of the United Church of Christ can be summarized in part by the
key words in the names that formed our union: Christian, Reformed, Congregational,
Evangelical.
Christian
By our very name, the United Church of Christ, we declare ourselves to be part of the
Body of Christ—the Christian church. We continue the witness of the early disciples to
the reality and power of the crucified and risen Christ, Jesus of Nazareth.
Reformed
All four denominations arose from the tradition of the Protestant Reformers: We
confess the authority of one God. We affirm the primacy of the Scriptures, the doctrine
of justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the principle of Christian
freedom. We celebrate two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper (also called
Holy Communion or the Eucharist).
Congregational
The basic unit of the United Church of Christ is the congregation. Members of each
congregation covenant with one another and with God as revealed in Jesus Christ and
empowered by the Holy Spirit. These congregations, in turn, exist in covenantal
relationships with one another to form larger structures for more
effective work. Our covenanting emphasizes trustful relationships rather than legal
agreements.
Evangelical
The primary task of the church is the proclamation of the Gospel or (in Greek) evangel.
The Gospel literally means the "Good News" of God's love revealed with power in
Jesus Christ. We proclaim this Gospel by word and deed to individual persons and to
society. This proclamation is the heart of the leturgia—in Greek, the "work of the
people" in daily and Sunday worship. We gather for the worship of God, and through
each week, we engage in the service of humankind.
What we believe at Emmanuel UCC:
We can tell you more about the Emmanuel United Church of Christ with the help of
seven phrases from Scripture and Tradition which express our commitments.
1. That they may all be one.
[John 17:21] This motto of the United Church of Christ reflects the spirit of unity on
which it is based and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the body of
Christ. We are a uniting church as well as a united church.
2. In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity.
The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view,
nor rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement
as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential.
3. The unity of the church is not of its own making.
< font face="Verdana">It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are individuals.
The common thread that runs through all is love.
4. Testimonies of faith rather than tests of faith.
Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, the United Church of Christ
has no formula that is a test of faith. Down through the centuries, however, Christians
have shared their faith with one another through creeds, confessions, catechisms and
other statements of faith. Historic statements such as the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Evangelical Catechism, the Augsburg
Confession, the Cambridge Platform and the Kansas City Statement of Faith are
valued in our church as authentic testimonies of faith. In 1959, the General Synod of
the United Church of Christ adopted a Statement of Faith prepared especially for
congregations of the United Church. Many of us use this statement as a common
affirmation of faith in worship and as a basis for study.
5. There is yet more light and truth to break forth from God's holy word.
This affirmation by one of the founders of the Congregational tradition assumes the
primacy of the Bible as a source for understanding the Good News and as a
foundation for all statements of faith. It recognizes that the Bible, though written in
specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. It
declares that the study of the scriptures is not limited by past interpretations, but it is
pursued with the expectation of new insights and God's help for living today.
6. The Priesthood of All Believers.
All members of the United Church of Christ are called to minister to others and to
participate as equals in the common worship of God, each with direct access to the
mercies of God through personal prayer and devotion. Recognition is given to those
among us who have received special training in pastoral, priestly, educational and
administrative functions, but these persons are regarded as servants—rather than as
persons in authority. Their task is to guide, to instruct, to enable the ministry of all
Christians rather than to do the work of ministry for us.
7. Responsible Freedom.
As individual members of the Body of Christ, we are free to believe and act in
accordance with our perception of God's will for our lives. But we are called to live in a
loving, covenantal relationship with one another—gathering in communities of faith,
congregations of believers, local churches. Each congregation or local church is free to
act in accordance with the collective decision of its members, guided by the working of
the Spirit in the light of the scriptures. But it also is called to live in a covenantal
relationship with other congregations for the sharing of insights and for cooperative
action under the authority of Christ.
Likewise, associations of churches, conferences, the General Synod and the church
wide "covenanted ministries" of the United Church of Christ are free to act in their
particular spheres of responsibility. Yet all are constrained by love to live in a
covenantal relationship with one another and with the local churches in order
to make manifest the unity of the body of Christ and thus to carry out God's mission in
the world more effectively.
The members, congregations, associations, conferences, General Synod, and
covenanted ministries are free in relation to the world. We affirm that the authority of
God as revealed in Jesus Christ and interpreted with the aid of the Holy Spirit stands
above and judges all human culture, institutions and laws. But we recognize our
calling both as individuals and as the church to live in the world:
To proclaim in word and action the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
To work for reconciliation and the unity of the broken Body of Christ.
To seek justice and liberation for all.
This is the challenge of the United Church of Christ.
In 1866 a small group of German Settlers led by Reverend Johan Jakob Hotz organized
and founded a German Evangelical congregation in St. Charles county. On February
12, 1867, the German congregation bought a 4.45 acre tract of land which was
situated next to a continuously flowing spring. The land had been originally granted
to John Weldon for whom the township of Weldon Spring was named. The first Church
services were held a school house adjacent to the church's current location. The first
building to be erected on the property was the old parsonage built in 1867.
The next pastor to serve the congregation was the Rev. Gottfried Doernenberg. It
was during his stay at Weldon Spring that the sanctuary was built and dedicated in
1874. At this time there were thirty three members of the church. During this period
the congregation appointed a Church council, comprised of two men to look after the
spiritual needs of the church and two men to look after the physical needs of the
church.
On December 19, 1878 members of the congregation presented a petition to the
county court to be incorporated under the name German Evangelical Emmanuel
congregation at Weldon Spring. Emmanuel meaning, “God is with us”. The name was
derived from Matthew 1:23 which says, “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a
son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.”
One hundred and forty years ago the pioneers of the community of Weldon Spring set
out to create a house of Worship. The property they chose contained a life-sustaining
spring. The spring was vital to the community which eventually grew. All aspects of
life in this community centered around the Church, which continues, 144 years later, to
provide life-sustaining faith to the Weldon Springs community and beyond.
What is the United Church of Christ?
The United Church of Christ is a denomination. The United Church of Christ came into
being in 1957 with the union of two Protestant denominations: the Evangelical and
Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. Each of these was, in
turn, the result of a union of two earlier traditions. The Congregational Churches
were organized when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation (1620) and the Puritans of
the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629) acknowledged their essential unity in the
Cambridge Platform of 1648. The Reformed Church in the United States traced its
beginnings to congregations of German settlers in Pennsylvania founded from 1725
on. Later, its ranks were swelled by Reformed immigrants from Switzerland, Hungary
and other countries. The Christian Churches sprang up in the late 1700s and early
1800s in reaction to the theological and organizational rigidity of the Methodist,
Presbyterian and Baptist churches of the time. The Evangelical Synod of North America
traced its beginnings to an association of German Evangelical pastors in Missouri. This
association, founded in 1841, reflected the 1817 union of Lutheran and Reformed
churches in Germany.
The characteristics of the United Church of Christ can be summarized in part by the
key words in the names that formed our union: Christian, Reformed, Congregational,
Evangelical.
Christian
By our very name, the United Church of Christ, we declare ourselves to be part of the
Body of Christ—the Christian church. We continue the witness of the early disciples to
the reality and power of the crucified and risen Christ, Jesus of Nazareth.
Reformed
All four denominations arose from the tradition of the Protestant Reformers: We
confess the authority of one God. We affirm the primacy of the Scriptures, the doctrine
of justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the principle of Christian
freedom. We celebrate two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper (also called
Holy Communion or the Eucharist).
Congregational
The basic unit of the United Church of Christ is the congregation. Members of each
congregation covenant with one another and with God as revealed in Jesus Christ and
empowered by the Holy Spirit. These congregations, in turn, exist in covenantal
relationships with one another to form larger structures for more
effective work. Our covenanting emphasizes trustful relationships rather than legal
agreements.
Evangelical
The primary task of the church is the proclamation of the Gospel or (in Greek) evangel.
The Gospel literally means the "Good News" of God's love revealed with power in
Jesus Christ. We proclaim this Gospel by word and deed to individual persons and to
society. This proclamation is the heart of the leturgia—in Greek, the "work of the
people" in daily and Sunday worship. We gather for the worship of God, and through
each week, we engage in the service of humankind.
What we believe at Emmanuel UCC:
We can tell you more about the Emmanuel United Church of Christ with the help of
seven phrases from Scripture and Tradition which express our commitments.
1. That they may all be one.
[John 17:21] This motto of the United Church of Christ reflects the spirit of unity on
which it is based and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the body of
Christ. We are a uniting church as well as a united church.
2. In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity.
The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view,
nor rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement
as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential.
3. The unity of the church is not of its own making.
< font face="Verdana">It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are individuals.
The common thread that runs through all is love.
4. Testimonies of faith rather than tests of faith.
Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, the United Church of Christ
has no formula that is a test of faith. Down through the centuries, however, Christians
have shared their faith with one another through creeds, confessions, catechisms and
other statements of faith. Historic statements such as the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Evangelical Catechism, the Augsburg
Confession, the Cambridge Platform and the Kansas City Statement of Faith are
valued in our church as authentic testimonies of faith. In 1959, the General Synod of
the United Church of Christ adopted a Statement of Faith prepared especially for
congregations of the United Church. Many of us use this statement as a common
affirmation of faith in worship and as a basis for study.
5. There is yet more light and truth to break forth from God's holy word.
This affirmation by one of the founders of the Congregational tradition assumes the
primacy of the Bible as a source for understanding the Good News and as a
foundation for all statements of faith. It recognizes that the Bible, though written in
specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. It
declares that the study of the scriptures is not limited by past interpretations, but it is
pursued with the expectation of new insights and God's help for living today.
6. The Priesthood of All Believers.
All members of the United Church of Christ are called to minister to others and to
participate as equals in the common worship of God, each with direct access to the
mercies of God through personal prayer and devotion. Recognition is given to those
among us who have received special training in pastoral, priestly, educational and
administrative functions, but these persons are regarded as servants—rather than as
persons in authority. Their task is to guide, to instruct, to enable the ministry of all
Christians rather than to do the work of ministry for us.
7. Responsible Freedom.
As individual members of the Body of Christ, we are free to believe and act in
accordance with our perception of God's will for our lives. But we are called to live in a
loving, covenantal relationship with one another—gathering in communities of faith,
congregations of believers, local churches. Each congregation or local church is free to
act in accordance with the collective decision of its members, guided by the working of
the Spirit in the light of the scriptures. But it also is called to live in a covenantal
relationship with other congregations for the sharing of insights and for cooperative
action under the authority of Christ.
Likewise, associations of churches, conferences, the General Synod and the church
wide "covenanted ministries" of the United Church of Christ are free to act in their
particular spheres of responsibility. Yet all are constrained by love to live in a
covenantal relationship with one another and with the local churches in order
to make manifest the unity of the body of Christ and thus to carry out God's mission in
the world more effectively.
The members, congregations, associations, conferences, General Synod, and
covenanted ministries are free in relation to the world. We affirm that the authority of
God as revealed in Jesus Christ and interpreted with the aid of the Holy Spirit stands
above and judges all human culture, institutions and laws. But we recognize our
calling both as individuals and as the church to live in the world:
To proclaim in word and action the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
To work for reconciliation and the unity of the broken Body of Christ.
To seek justice and liberation for all.
This is the challenge of the United Church of Christ.
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