JOIN THE MOVEMENT
YOUR CHURCH DOES NOT HAVE TO CHANGE ITS IDENTITY TO JOIN THE FAMILY.
The United Churches of America welcomes churches, ministries, clergy, Christian organizations, community leaders, and individual believers who share our commitment to Christian unity without forced conformity.
Joining this movement does not mean surrendering your independence.
It means declaring:
We choose cooperation over unnecessary division.
We choose fellowship over tribal hostility.
We choose courage over fear.
We choose service over spectatorship.
We choose conscience over coercion.
We choose community over isolation.
We choose Christ above denominational rivalry.
FOR CHURCHES & MINISTRIES
Participating churches and ministries retain their own:
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Name and identity
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Leadership
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Governance
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Property
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Theology
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Doctrine
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Worship practices & services
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Membership requirements
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Traditions
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Internal policies
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Denominational affiliations
Participation represents a voluntary commitment to seek areas of cooperation with other Christians while respecting legitimate differences of conscience and tradition.
FOR PASTORS & CHRISTIAN LEADERS
Leadership can be lonely.
The United Churches of America seeks to build relationships among Christian leaders who may come from very different traditions but recognize the value of friendship, cooperation, shared resources, mutual encouragement, and common action.
You do not have to preach identical sermons.
You simply have to recognize that the person preaching across town may still be your brother or sister.
FOR INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS
You do not need to be clergy to participate in Christian unity.
Movements are built by people.
Volunteer.
Serve.
Connect churches.
Organize food drives.
Help neighbors.
Create community gardens.
Help build autonomous, peaceful communities.
Assist elderly residents.
Help adopt and sponsor dogs, cats, horses, and other creatures of God in need.
Support families in crisis.
Bring pastors together.
Build relationships across denominational boundaries.
Become a peacemaker.
Become a bridge.
Become the person who refuses to let another generation inherit every argument of the previous one.
UNITY COVENANT
Those who participate in The United Churches of America are invited to embrace the following simple covenant:
I will place Jesus Christ above denominational rivalry.
I will pursue truth without using truth as an excuse for cruelty.
I will respect the sincere conscience of fellow Christians with whom I disagree.
I will not demand uniformity where fellowship is possible without it.
I will defend the religious liberty and human dignity of others as faithfully as I defend my own.
I will seek opportunities to serve my neighbors and strengthen my community.
I will reject hatred, coercion, dehumanization, and unnecessary division.
I will seek reconciliation wherever reconciliation is possible.
I will build rather than merely complain.
I will remember that the Body of Christ is larger than my congregation, denomination, tradition, political affiliation, or theological tribe.
I will pursue unity without uniformity, conviction without condemnation, and fellowship without forced conformity.
Different houses. One family.