About Emmanuel United Church of Christ
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 leiturgia—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.
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. [See Faith for the complete texts of some of these testimonies.] 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.
Links that may interest you further:
United Church of Christ
God is Still Speaking Site
UCC Missouri Mid-south Conference
Eden Seminary
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 leiturgia—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.
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. [See Faith for the complete texts of some of these testimonies.] 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.
Links that may interest you further:
United Church of Christ
God is Still Speaking Site
UCC Missouri Mid-south Conference
Eden Seminary
The History of Emmanuel UCC
Emmanuel United Church of Christ was founded in 1866. 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 in the school house which is now a home adjacent to the
Church. 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 the
membership was at thirty three. During this period the congregation appointed a Church
council. This committee was comprised of four men: two to look after the spiritual needs of
the congregation and two to be responsible for the physical needs. Church to these people
was a community responsible for each other both spiritually and physically. To be a part of a
community during this time, provided people with security in a tough world.
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 scripture. The
passage of scripture is 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.
Emmanuel United Church of Christ was founded in 1866. 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 in the school house which is now a home adjacent to the
Church. 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 the
membership was at thirty three. During this period the congregation appointed a Church
council. This committee was comprised of four men: two to look after the spiritual needs of
the congregation and two to be responsible for the physical needs. Church to these people
was a community responsible for each other both spiritually and physically. To be a part of a
community during this time, provided people with security in a tough world.
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 scripture. The
passage of scripture is 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.
A historic photo of Weldon Spring, located
right down the hill from the church.
right down the hill from the church.
Old school house where the congregation
worshipped back in 1866, while the
sanctuary was under construction.
worshipped back in 1866, while the
sanctuary was under construction.
The sanctuary shortly after completion.
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