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TIME LINE WITHIN THE UNITED CHURCH & THE CAYMAN ISLAND

HISTORY

13th December 1992
the Union of Disciples of Christ and the United Church

1st December 1965
Union of the Congregational Union of Jamaica and the Presbyterian

Beliefs
Congregational believe that 2 things are necessary to make a church
1. christ, the head of the church a group of people who believed in him associatd together to worship and serve
him.
2. Fellowship with each other


HISTORY:

Congregationalism

1834
Began in jamaica with 6 missionaries from the London Missionary Society

Messrs.
1. Woolridge
2. Hodge
3. Barrett
4. Slatyer
5. Vine
6. Alloway


London Missionary Society, which was formed in 1795 as a non-denominational missionary agency.

December 1834
1. four paths united church (congregational) started by Rev. Barrette

Year That Churches Were Established

1835
1. whitfield
2. davyton

3. First Hill

1836
1. Brixton Hill

1837
1. North Street United

2. Ridgemont

1838
1. Chapelton [school started]

1891
First International congregation Council was held. The congregation Unions of England and Wales and the National Congregational Council of the United Stated sponsered it, while the Jamaica Union Was represented by Rev. James Watson of Porus.

Disciples of Christ
Disciples of Christ or christian church born in america shortly after the american revolution

1803
1. One started in Kentucky by Barton stone a presbyterian minister formed a group called "Christians"

2. The other stream was started in washington, pennsylvania in 1809 by Thomas and Alexander Campbell who were irish presbyterians.

The 2 streams came together in Lexington, Kentucky in 1832 and formed one movement which became know as Christian Church(Disciples of Christ)

1839
five men from oberlin college in ohio, established a church community called oberlin.


The work began on May 9, 1858 at Christian Chapel located at 48 Church St. Kingston. Forty years later the congregation relocated to 70 Duke St., Kingston and became known as Duke St. Christian Church.

THE YEARS OF AUTONOMY
During the I 950s the Disciples of Christ in Jamaica achieved local autonomy, Rev. Herbert Shirley became the first Executive Secretary and Mr. Horace McKay the Treasurer. In 1974 by an Act of Parliament the Disciples of Christ in Jamaica became a legal Corporation.

PRESBYTERIANISM

Presbyterianism was born in Europe out of a desire for new theological teaching and a growing dissatisfaction with the Roman Catholic Church. The period known as the Reformation or the "Protestant Reformation" was a time of strife and victimization for those opposed to the Roman Catholic Church. Presbyterianism as part of the Reformed Tradition, was founded on the following beliefs:
• That God in Christ is sovereign over everything in the life of the individual and nation.
• The importance of teaching that the bible is the sole authority of the Christian faith.
• That Christians must be involved in all aspects of life including Government and civil issues.
(adapted from : Souvenir magazine, Union Synod 1992)

Presbyterianism came to Jamaica in 1800 when the Scottish Missionary Society a non-denominational agency founded in 1796, dispatched three missionaries to Jamaica in the persons of Messrs. W. Clark, E. Reid and Rev. James Bethune (Church of Scotland).

Rev. George Blyth was appointed and he arrived in Hampden in 1824. By 1828, he had erected a substantial stone structure, and 70 persons gathered for the Lord's Supper; the work was on its way, making Hampden the oldest work of the United Presbyterian Church in Jamaica.

The relief church and the secession church became one in 1847 and became the United Presbyterian Church;

When his term at Scots Kirk ended he founded the St. Andrews Kirk in 1848, which was located on East Queen Street. Both congregations became one in 1939 with the new name: St. Andrews Scots Kirk.

In 1836 missionaries of the United Secession Church and missionaries of the Scottish Missionary Society came ogether in Montego Bay and formed a Presbytery called he Jamaica Missionary Presbytery.

Paterson laid the foundation of what was to become Ebenezer in 1850; Mount Olivet and Victoria Town were also started by him.


The Grand Cayman
The shipwreck, in 1845, of the Rev. Waddell on Grand Cayman, led to the beginnings of a mission to that country.

Rev. Niven accompanied him to see him settled and they arrived in Grand Cayman 11 th September 1846 -. Rev. Niven was sadly lost at sea on his return journey to Jamaica on October 6 1846.

W. Poochie first ordained minister in grand cayman

In 1965, two of the denominations decided to proceeded with Union, and on 1st December of that year, the United Church of jamaica and cayman came into being.

 

PORTMORE UNITED CHURCH
TELEPHONE# CHURCH OFFICE: [876]939-1900
MANSE:[876]988-0226
COPYRIGHT 2003