How the name "United Church of Christ" came into being

In 1938 a union of the General Council of Congregational and Christian churches with the Evangelical and Reformed Church was proposed, but it was until 1957 that a body of delegates from both denominations, meeting at Cleveland, Ohio, elected a constitutional committee. In July 1961, in Philadelphia, a constitution was adopted and the United Church of Christ was established.

Administration of the Church in the early years

The American Board Mission in Rhodesia (now the United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe) was established on 19 October 1893 at Mount Selinda Mission through the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM). The ABCFM later became known as the United Church Board for World Ministries (UCBWM) and is now called the Global Ministries made up of the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ both in the USA. In 1895, Chikore Mission, about 45 kilometres from Mount Selinda, was also established. Other stations were also established and by 1970 the UCCZ had more than 60 Primary schools in Chipinge District. The first church congregation was started in 1897 at Mount Selinda and the Mount selinda church building was built in 1919. Almost at the same time, the first church congregation also started at Chikore. A number of preaching points were established in Chipinge before the first urban congregation was started in Harare in 1955. Key to the preaching of the gospel was the need to translate the Bible into native language, work which started in 1908 and continued until the printing press was burnt by devastating fires in 1915.