History
The United Church of God, an international Christian religious denomination, is the result of a 1999 merger between the Worldwide Church of God and several smaller churches. All of these churches operate independently, but share beliefs and cooperate together in many ways. The basis of the beliefs of the United Church of God is the Bible.
Founded in 1978
UCGC started in 1978 as a church plant of Ambassador Bible Center (now Ambassador University) under the leadership of David Jon Hill. A group of ABC students, along with Joe Tkach Sr., went to Cincinnati to start the work. The first service was held on July 30, 1978, in rented space at the Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati. The congregation grew quickly, and in 1980 the church moved to larger rented quarters at 7820 Kenwood Road. In September 1985,groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a new sanctuary and office building at 8600 Winton Road in Springfield Township, where the congregation has been located since 1986
Changed name in 2009
In the early 2000s, the United Church of God had a period of rapid growth in membership. In 2003, the UCG changed its strategy for campus ministry, focusing on hiring full-time, salaried campus ministers. This change coincided with a significant increase in baptized students on college campuses. In 2006, the UAOCC opened a new office in Loveland, Ohio, and by 2007 had employees in 10 countries.In 2009, at its general conference held in Cincinnati, Ohio, the United Church of God voted to change its name to “Cincinnati Church of God”.
Beliefs
The United Church of God, an International Association (“UCGIA” or the “Church”) is a fellowship of congregations who have voluntarily agreed to uphold certain doctrinal beliefs and practices based on the Bible.
Worship on Saturday
The seventh-day Sabbath has been a controversial subject throughout much of church history. The question of which day Christians should worship has been debated and discussed for centuries, but there is really only one answer: we should worship on the Sabbath—the seventh day of the week.
The fourth commandment tells us quite clearly that the Sabbath is a day to be set apart for worship: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates” (Exodus 20:8-10).
When we disobey God’s command to keep His Sabbath holy, we are breaking one of His Ten Commandments. And that’s serious business! We are told in Scripture that those who break God’s commandments will not inherit His Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21).
So why is worshiping on Saturday so important? There are really two reasons: first, because it is a commandment from God, and second, because it is a reminder that He is our Creator. When we take time out of our busy lives to rest on the Sabbath and focus on God, we are reminded that He is the One who made us and sustains us—and that should be enough to make anyone want to honor Him with their time!
Belief in the Trinity
Although we believe in the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, we do not worship three gods. We worship one God in three persons. The concept of the Trinity is non-biblical. In other words, it cannot be found in Scripture. The word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible.
Use of the Old and New Testament
We believe that both the Old and New Testaments are essential for our salvation and for living a Christian life. We cannot know God’s will without them. The Old Testament points to Jesus Christ, and the New Testament tells us about His life, death and resurrection. It also gives us instructions for living a Christian life.
The Old Testament contains the laws God gave to Moses for His people, Israel. These laws were given as a guide to teach them how to live righteously before God. They were also given as a way to show that we cannot save ourselves by our own good works. We need forgiveness, which can come only through faith in Jesus Christ.
The New Testament tells us about Jesus Christ and His Church. It is our guidebook for Christian living. We should read it and study it daily so that we can learn how to follow Jesus Christ and please God in our daily lives.
Practices
The United Church of God, an International Association, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, believes and proclaims the full gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible. Theologically, we are evangelical, conservative, and Trinitarian. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and promote the spiritual unity of all true believers in Christ.
Water baptism
Water baptism by full immersion in water is an important step of obedience for the follower of Jesus Christ. In baptism, we identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (Colossians 2:12). As we are buried in the water, it is a symbol of our old life of sin being buried. As we come up out of the water, it is a symbol of Jesus’ resurrection and our new life in Him—a life dedicated to living according to His laws and His ways (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Holy Communion
At the United Church of God—Cincinnati, we celebrate Holy Communion on the first Sunday of every month as a way of remembering Christ’s sacrificial death for our sins. This is a sacred act in which we partake of the bread and wine, symbols of his body and blood, giving us strength to live each day for him.
Tithing
Tithing is a practice of giving a tenth of your income to the church. This can be done through offering plates, directly to the pastor, or online. The practice of tithing is biblical and is a way of showing God that you are grateful for His provision in your life.
Ministries
The United Church of God Cincinnati welcomes people of all ages and stages of life. We offer an array of ministries to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of our members and guests.
Local
U.C.G. Cincinnati is a local church of the United Church of God headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. We meet on Sabbath (Saturday) mornings for fellowship, worship and a Bible Study. All are welcome!
National
The United Church of God, an International Association (UCGIA or simply UCG) is a Christian religious denomination based in the United States with members in over fifty countries throughout the world. The proclaimed mission of UCG is “to preach the gospel of God’s coming Kingdom and to make disciples in all nations” (Matthew 24:14;Mark 16:15). The international headquarters is located in Milford, Ohio, and many of its activities are centered on its television program The Good News, which airs weekly in North America and internationally via satellite and internet streaming.
International
The United Church of God Cincinnati Ohio has a variety of ministries that serve the local community and beyond. The International ministry is just one of them.
This ministry runs a variety of programs aimed at helping those in need around the world. Some of the programs they operate include a food program that provides meals to families in need, a clothing program that provides clothes to those who cannot afford them, and a medical program that provides doctors and nurses to areas where there is a lack of medical care.
The International ministry also runs an education program that provides schooling for children who would otherwise not be able to afford it. They also have a Bible study program that helps people learn more about the Bible and how it can help them in their everyday lives.
The United Church of God Cincinnati Ohio is always looking for ways to help those in need, and the International ministry is just one way they are doing that. If you are interested in helping out with this ministry, or any of the others, please contact the church office.