I'm New
A warm welcome to the United Church of God! We aim to be a family community of believers striving to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
In the Bible, the word "church" doesn't mean the building, the leader or the entertainment. "Church" basically means assembly. The Church is the people—a body of believers. We're a church dedicated to learning and doing the will of God. We come from all kinds of backgrounds, but share a vision—preaching the Gospel and preparing a people (these are the words on our church seal).
Our Sabbath services are Bible-centered, teaching directly from the Word of God. Though a local congregation may be small, you'll find a caring pastor who offers biblical teaching and personal counseling so we can grow together.
Jesus Christ reveals God the Father.
Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection makes your eternal life possible. He came to reveal the Father. God is a personal Being of supreme love who wants you to be part of His family for all of eternity!
We study and believe the entire Bible.
We believe the entire Bible represents God's full message to humanity. All Scripture—both Old and New Testaments—is important (2 Timothy 3:16), and God's Word is living and authoritative for all Christians.
Locations
We have congregations in New Zealand worshiping on the biblical (Saturday) Sabbath. For more information contact our New Zealand Pastor using the form below.
In most places around the world, our congregations meet in rented halls because we focus first on proclaiming the gospel to the world and providing congregational support through caring pastors.
Bring your Bible and read along with us
We encourage everyone to bring a Bible with them and follow along. We typically use the New King James Version, although many different versions are referenced when useful.
We open and close our services with prayer
We seek God's guidance in all we do—especially in worshiping Him! The congregation is first led in a short prayer, asking for God's guidance and inspiration on the service.
We worship God with music and singing
Our services include opportunities for singing Christian hymns and music. Musicians in the congregation sometimes perform vocal or instrumental selections in honor of God.
We preach from the Bible
We normally present two Bible-focused messages in each service that show how to live God's way of life.
The sermonette is about 15 minutes long, followed by a sermon that runs up to an hour. Sometimes if the pastor is traveling, a pre-recorded message or live webcast may be offered.
We have special Bible classes for children and teens
Many UCG congregations have volunteers who teach Christian principles in a fun and interactive environment. We provide workbooks and study guides for children and teens online as well.
Come join our family-oriented fellowship and worship
While many congregations do have classes for teens and children, we do not have a separate service for them. We encourage the whole family to sit together for services to learn and worship God together. Parent rooms for nursing or for putting a child down for a nap are available. Ask the local pastor if you need help.
Eating together is a great way to grow closer and enjoy a good time every Sabbath. Most congregations share snacks or even meals before or after services.
Many congregations offer social events like potlucks, game nights and sporting events. The Church is a family, and families grow when they spend time together.
Study materials to help you get closer to God
United Church of God is the sponsor of Beyond Today, which produces a variety of biblically based content including an informative weekly television program, an enlightening and educational magazine and many other study tools to help you improve your life and learn more about your Creator.
Check out our study tools online
Ambassador Bible College
Ambassador Bible College offers a nine-month biblical studies program at our home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can listen to ABC classes online as well.
Learn more about Ambassador Bible College
Serving our communities
We partner with LifeNets International in offering education scholarships to young people in developing nations and in providing relief for areas hit by natural disasters.
Local congregations may also offer outreach programs in their local community. The Church also provides opportunities to serve locally, abroad and in your local congregation. Young people can volunteer to serve in international areas through our Youth Corps program.
We believe that God is building a family. He wants all of mankind —including you— to be part of that family.
We're committed to recapturing and practicing true biblical Christianity and sharing God's awesome plan with the world. We strive to follow the same teachings, doctrines and practices of the early Church.
Study Guide: What is Your Destiny?
Our history
The United Church of God began based on two missions:
1) Telling people about God's incredible plan and 2) making sure congregations and caring pastors were available to help people in their Christian journey.
We strive every day to fulfill these two missions.
Read more about the history of the United Church of God
Like more information?
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