Author: TUCC Database

Situated in the Morningside Heights in the Upper Manhattan, New York City, the Riverside Church is one of the oldest and the most beautiful churches in the USA.

Here is all you should know about the Riverside Church in Manhattan.

The History Of The Riverside Church

The church was constructed in 1930 and is situated at one of the highest points in New York.

The first minister of the Riverside Church was Rev. Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick, and the current pastor of the church is Rev. Dr. Amy Butler

The church has been serving the people for almost 90 years and has been one of the most influential of all.

The Architecture Of The Riverside Church

The Riverside Church building is the tallest church building in the United States. It was designed by the Allen, Pelton and Collins firm and the inspiration to build this church has been taken from Spain and France. The construction of the church started in 1927 and the 13th Century Gothic Architecture was chosen to design it.

The church is situated overlooking the Hudson River and is 100 feet wide. The church can fit over 2000 people at one time. There is a tower that has 20 floors and atop that lays a 20-ton bell which is the largest turned bell in the whole world. The interior has been created with delicacy and intricate detailing.

There are various paintings put up on the walls of the church that add to its beauty.

The Activities At The Riverside Church

There are numerous activities that take place at the church. They are:

•    The Choir Groups

They have a very successful and active choir group that performs at all the services and special events.

•    The Art Exhibitions

There are numerous art exhibitions that are put up now and then to showcase the talent of numerous artists from all over the world.

•    The Riverside Theater

The theater at the riverside is famous for various musical performances, dance performances, and famous plays.

•    Worship Services

The worship services happen various times a week, and the full schedule is mentioned on their website.

•    Activities For Children

There are various activities for children organized by the church like kindergarten and play school, camps, and scouts.

•    Activities For Youth And Young Adults

For the youth, there are many activities such as camping and excursions planned every month. Similar activities are also organized for the young adults by the church.

Their Vision, Mission, And Beliefs

They call themselves an open, welcoming, interracial, interdenominational and affirming church. All the people who visit the church are loved, protected and cared for. The members of the church unite in the worship of Lord Jesus Christ, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Riverside church welcomes people from all religion, communities, and diversities.

The church has pledged to education, an action for peace and justice and reflection.

The Renowned Old South Church in Boston, is a beautiful example of Northern Italian Gothic Architecture. The outstanding beauty of the architecture was profoundly appreciated by the English Architectural critic John Ruskin. First Organized in 1669, The Old South Church is a wonderful piece of architecture is also known as “New” Old South Church or The Third Church and is the third house of the congregation.

In 1873, Charles Amos Cummings and Willard T. Sears styled the Church in the Gothic Revival design and was modified by the architects Allen and Collens later in 1935-1937.

In 1970, The Church was titled a National Historic Landmark due to its great High Victorian Gothic design architecture. It is located at the northwest corner of the Copley Square, Boylston Street.

History Of The Congregation

The Congregation, initially called the Third Church in Boston, is one of the oldest religions in the US and it was born in 1669 over the controversial question of Baptism. It was organized by the Congregationalist’s protesters from the First Church of the Boston. The ministers of both the First Church and the Second Church opposed the “Halfway Covenant” of 1662 so, keeping the Halfway Covenant consistent, twenty-eight lay members renounced the First Church and founded The Congregation in Belief.

Samuel Sewall, William Dawes, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams and Phillis Wheatley were also the members of Congregation. In the early 90 century during the Unitarian movement, the old south was the only Church that stuck to the doctrine of Trinitarianism and resisted Unitarian movement, and continued worshipping God.

Architecture Of The Old South Church

The Old South Church was designed by the Boston based Architectural firm of Charles Amos Cummings and Willard T. Sears in 1870-1872. The beautiful Gothic Style of the Architecture follows the fashion mentioned in “The Stones of Venice”, the thesis of British architectural critic John Ruskin. Cummings and Sears used Roxbury Conglomerate also known as the Puddingstone to build the exterior of the church.

A beautiful work of striped yellow-beige and deep red in an alternating course pattern has been done on the several walls and arches.

Campanile

The Identifying feature of the Old South Church, Campanile, is a tall tower which can be seen from far away.

On the western end of the Church, the tower rises to a height of 246’ with the church’s bell inside of 2020 pound.

There was a campanile before this one was built and this one is almost similar to the 1875 design but the former one began to list by the 1920s.

Lantern

A Copper Clad Cupola is centered above on the east end of the Church.

This Lantern reminds the Venice’s Basilica of St. Mark.

The present senior minister is Nancy S. Taylor elected in since 2005 running this Gothic beauty. It is something you should not miss if you visit Boston.

The Cathedral of Hope in Dallas is a Congregation of THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST and has a deeply embedded historical significance. The Cathedral of Hope related to The United Church of Christ in February 2007. The Blueprints of the Cathedral of Hope was laid out by Philip Cortelyou Johnson, and on special request by the Reverend Michael Piazza, it was finally built after being modified five times by the architects.

It is located at Cedar Springs Road, Dallas, Texas, USA. The Cathedral of Hope in Dallas is the most extensive “inclusive liberal Christian Cathedral” in the world with prevalent LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) following.

The Cathedral of Hope welcomes people regardless of their sexual orientation and religious background.

Core Values

Here, at the Cathedral of Hope, it is believed “to serve, not to be served,” every member is a curator of the church. With this the Cathedral of Hope has five core values:

• Compassion
• Inclusion
• Liberation
• Hope
• Faith in Jesus

History

The History of The Cathedral of Hope goes back to July 30, 1970. When at Victor Street in Dallas, a crowd of twelve people assembled to think about building a Metropolitan Community Church and Reverend Richard Vincent was voted in the first pastor of the church in May 1971. In 1972, 3834 Ross Avenue became the first Metropolitan Community Church’s home, and two years later in 1974, Reverend James Harris got elected as the second senior pastor of the church. In 1976, a congregation of the Church of Christ was provided sheltered at 2701 Reagan, a building purchased by the Metropolitan Community Church and in the same year Reverend Don Eastman became the church’s third senior pastor. In 1990, under the ministry of Senior Pastor Reverend Michael Piazza the membership grew up to 600 people with a unique mission to accept the people from LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and transgender) society and became the Cathedral of Hope as it gave a message of hope to the unrecognized section of the society. In the year 2002, finally, the main building was completed at the cost of 20 million USD and now can comfortably host 2200 people at once.

In the year 2005, The Cathedral of Hope celebrated its 35th anniversary with Reverend Dr. Jo Hudson as the senior pastor and also the United Church of Christ(UCC) accepts the Cathedral of Hope, also known as the “world’s largest gay church”.

The present elected senior pastor is Reverend Dr. Neil G. Cazares; he was elected on April 12, 2015.

Things To Expect

The Cathedral of Hope believes in Inclusion; it’s one of their core values, so all kinds of people are welcomed to the Cathedral of Hope. The people of CoH are polite, friendly and welcoming.

You can wear whatever makes you comfortable; there’s no dress code. It is a place where you will always find peace and feel rejuvenated.

Zion United Church of Christ is situated in Arthur, Illinois and is one of the most prominent churches in the area. It is a beautifully designed church with well-manicured lawns surrounding it.

Pastor Dennis Hanner is the present pastor of the church.

Here is all you need to know about the Zion United Church of Christ.

History Of The Zion United Church Of Christ

• The Zion United Church of Christ comes under the United Church of Christ group of churches. The church was established in 1860 and has been operative for over 150 years. The groundwork for the church was laid by some German immigrants that came to America after the failure of the German Revolution. In the beginning, the services started taking place in houses every four weeks and continued for the next three years.
• In 1871 the first building of the church was built, and it was built like a small schoolhouse. It was used as a parochial school when the church services ended. In the year 1874, the church became a part of the Evangelical Synod.
• In 1892 a proposal to build a bigger and better church was given, and the former church building was permanently converted into a schoolhouse. The new church had a huge tower with a bell that was used to call the people. The building was completed in 1893.
• In 1907 in a thunderstorm, the church burned down to ashes because the lightning struck the building. The next day a proposal to build a new church was put forth, and by 1908 March the new church was ready. The new church was even better than the former one and is the same building that you see currently.

The Activities At The Zion United Church Of Christ

 There are numerous activities that take place at the church. These activities involve:

• Sunday School

The Sunday school is organized by the church for people of all age group to teach them about Christianity and Jesus Christ.

•    Prayer Meetings

Prayer meetings are held every Saturday, and anyone can attend them. Preaching and singing performances take place during these meetings.

•    Women Fellowship

Women fellowship is a special program for women in which there are various activities planned for women who come together from all walks of lives. Regular meetings are held to discuss various topics and make plans.

•    Occasional Events

Occasional events take place on special days like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, etc. A special prayer is held, and a special service takes place on these days.

•    Choir

There is a church choir group that performs during the prayer meets and special occasions. Anyone can be a part of the church choir group. However, they need to be good at singing and be regular at the practice sessions.

•    Book Study

Book study is also a regular event at the church where the people from various walks of lives come together to read the Bible and learn about the holy words of wisdom that have been written in it.

The Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago is one of the biggest churches in the city. There are various ministries that are operative in the church, and one of the ministries is the Health and Wellness Ministry. The health and wellness ministry of the Trinity United Church of Christ makes sure that the members and the people in need are mentally, physically and spiritually fit.

They believe that a healthy body is only made with the combination of a healthy mind and soul.

They make a lot of effort in making people realize the importance of health and fitness.

In today’s times with the different types of diseases becoming prevalent, staying fit has become a necessity. Fitness has to be the part of life. The Trinity United Church of Christ runs various programs that help the people stay fit and active. They have many different programs for people of various ages.

The various programs run by the Trinity United Church of Christ to promote fitness are:

1. Yoga

Yoga is one of the best ways for a person to stay fit and healthy. The church organizes various yoga lessons for all the members of the church. The members of all age are encouraged to join these lessons and participate as much as possible. Yoga and meditation are good for both mind and body. Hence it is good for both physical and mental fitness. These classes are taken by trained yoga instructors who are also mostly volunteers.

2. Scouts

Joining a scout is one of the best ways to stay fit. The scouting activities are held for both girls and boys of ages 6 to 12. These girl and boys scouts are shown survival skills through various drills. The children also go on excursions to help the people in need and learn values while working for them. Joining scouts is again great for the physical and mental health of the child.

3. Camping

The church organizes various camping trips for the members of the church.

This is a perfect to get some spiritual peace and a break from the hectic life.

These camping trips are organized for the people of all ages from kids to teens and adults.

4. Lectures

The church organizes lectures to educate the people about physical and mental fitness.

These classes are beneficial for the people who do not know anything about fitness and cannot afford to take expensive lessons to keep themselves fit and healthy.

5. Drug And Alcohol Recovery

The drug and alcohol recovery plan is organized by the church which helps the people who are trying to quit alcohol and drugs or who have already quit them. The support group is managed by the church where all the people sit together and share their experiences. Additionally, some medicinal practitioner also pays a visit from time to time to check on these people.

6. Various Volunteering Activities

The different volunteering activities satisfy the person and make them happy. Doing well for the other people automatically makes the person happy and hence promotes mental health.

The initiative to keep the members fit and healthy by the Trinity United Church of Christ has helped a lot of people and continue to do so at present.

The Plymouth Church is one of the most historic congregations located in Seattle. The church has been formed in association with the United Church of Christ. The church has a considerable history and is famous for the various activities that it hosts for the members and the people all around the country. The church offers multiple programs for the people of all ages, genders, and races. The church has a rich history of music, stories, and visual arts. There are numerous activities that the members can actively participate in and get involved with various causes.

The primary motive of Plymouth Church is to lessen the suffering of the locals, the regional and the people all around the world.

They believe in inspiring the people of all ages with their actions and making the world a better place.

The main topics of concern at the Plymouth Church are:

Education– They believes that every person has the right to education. Spiritual knowledge is as necessary as attaining any other knowledge in the world. Hence they take every step to help people get educated in every field.

Homelessness– Every person needs a shelter no matter how poor or rich. Hence the Plymouth Church makes sure to organize programs to help the homeless and the helpless with the little they can do.

Economic Inequality– The inequality between the poor and rich is one of the worst things in the society, and this needs to be changed. The Plymouth Church preaches that all people, no matter what their economic conditions, are equal and should be treated the same.

Racial Injustice – Racial injustice is another thing that we are continually facing in today’s time, and it needs to be removed at all costs. Hence they preach to treat all people with similar respect and compassion.

The History Of Plymouth Church

• The Plymouth Church was established in 1869, and the first meeting of the founders was held above a drugstore. The first church building was built with a lot of donation in 1873.
• In 1885 an agitation rose in Seattle against the Chinese immigrant’s laborers. The pastors of the Plymouth Church and the other members tried to protect the immigrants during the Seattle Riots.
• On June 6th, 1889, the Seattle fire burnt the church down, and it had to be rebuilt from scratch. Within ten years the church grew to be one of the biggest and most visited in the city.
• The radio presence of the Church was seen in the 1930s with the morning services that were given by Rev. Dr. Wendell Firefield. It was one of the fastest growing churches of that time.
• In an earthquake that hit Seattle in 1965, the Plymouth Church was damaged severely. The new structure was built, and the construction was completed in 1967.
• The present building of the church is the one that was built in 1967. However, a few changes have been made considering the renovation needs.

The church has currently been fighting for some social justice causes such as legalization of same-sex marriage and the approval of Referendum 74.

Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church is an African American Congregation situated in Portland, Oregon. This is one of the oldest churches in the area and is the most famous amongst the African American Community.

The church has been the center for spreading knowledge and teachings about Christianity for ages and still works for the betterment of the society with its various programs.

All you need to know about the Morning Star Baptist Church is mentioned below.

The History Of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church

The initial building of the Morning Star Baptist Church was built in 1920 and was used for all the activities for over 80 years. On 6th February 2007, the building was burnt in a fire accident at the site. The whole church was burnt to ashes, and no restoration could fix it.

The Pastor A. Wayne Johnson made a lot of efforts in collecting the funds and raised the building with a new model at the same location two years after the incident. The structure has now been formed and is used for all the services.

The Vision And Purpose Of The Morning Star Baptist Church

The Morning Star Baptist Church has a vision and purpose that they believe in with all their hearts and makes sure all the members follow it.

The purpose of the church is to “Bring all the people to God and bring changes in their lives with the words of God.”

The Vision Statement of the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church Says:

They have a vision that involves welcoming all kinds of people from all religion, race, ethnicity, gender, cast and creed into the church and make them a part of their family. They envision a place that gives shelter to the needy and where they are accepted, loved and helped in every way possible. We want to give a Bible based education to the people so that they grow both spiritually and mentally.

The Beliefs Of The Morning Star Baptist Church

The Morning Star Baptist Church believes that there is one God that is mentioned in the Bible.

They are all equal. God is omnipresent and omnipotent. As a body of Baptized believers, they believe in Jesus Christ.

The Activities And Events At The Morning Star Baptist Church

There are various activities and events that take place at the Morning Star Baptist Church. They include:

1. Preaching’s: The prayer service happens every Sunday and 1st and 4th Tuesdays of every month.
2. Sunday school: The Sunday school is organized every Sunday by the church for people of all ages. The school starts from 9 am till 10 am.
3. Bible Studies- The bible study also happens with the prayer services on the 1st and 4th Tuesdays every month from 11 am.
4. Worship Services– The worship service happens every Sunday from 10 am at the church and can be attended by anyone.

The church welcomes all people from all walks of life. So you can visit the church any time of the week during the day.

The Trinity United Church of Christ is located at the 400 W.95th Street Chicago and is the biggest of the United Church of Christ. It is a church that is dominated by the African American Christian community and is one of the most prominent churches in the USA.

The church currently has over 8,500 members most of which are black.

The Trinity United Church of Christ is the first of its kind, and the number of these churches has now grown to over 20.

The History Of The Trinity United Church Of Christ

The history of the Trinity United Church of Christ dates long back when the African American community had to move to the southern part of Chicago. The church was founded in 1961 and had only 12 members. The first pastor of Trinity was Pastor Kenneth B. Smith.

The church came into existence for the African American Christian society to find a place to pray and take shelter at the time when they had no place to go. The church started as a small 12 member association and grew to become one of the most prominent black church in the world over the years.

The church also played a significant role in the civil rights movement.

Their Beliefs

The Trinity United Church of Christ has a statement of faith that the members follow with all their hearts and souls. Their motto is to be unashamedly black and follow Christianity withal heart.  They believe that the God is the creator of all mankind and that Jesus is the God we should follow. Everything in this world, no matter how big or small is created by God and he is the one who gave us life.

He is the savior of the human kind and he is the one we look forward to for protection and happiness. The church has been created and is helping all the people with the grace of God, Jesus Christ. If the person trusts in the Gospel are forgiven of their sins and are given the courage to struggle for justice and peace.

The words of God are described in the Holy Bible and they are the truth.

The Activities At The Trinity United Church Of Christ

• There are various ministries that come under the Trinity United Church of Christ. These have been built to target all the sections of the society and help them. The ministries include the Acculturation, men, women, children, art, music, health and wellness and much more.
• They have a very famous choir group that is considered the best in the whole USA. People from all over the country come to see them perform. The choir group is for the males and the females separately. Anyone can be a part of the choir group. The participants are trained by some of the best artists and all help is provided to them in order to polish their talents.
• They also have a girls and boys scouts for the children ages 6 to 17. These scouts carry out different activities such as the camping and excursions. These scouts also go to various villages and help the people in need by helping them in building shelters, providing food and much more.
• Additionally, they also run various health and wellness programs that help the people suffering from various ailments heal faster. They have yoga and cancer support groups that help the survivors or the people suffering from the disease feel loved.

Visit the Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago if you want to be a part of various activities and contribute your bit to the society.