This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (August 2013) |
The United Evangelical Church of Christ (Spanish: Iglesia Evangélica Unida de Cristo) ; commonly the Unida Church, Unida Christian Church or Unida Evangelical Church) is an evangelical Protestant denomination in the Philippines founded in 1932.
| United Evangelical Church of Christ | |
|---|---|
| Iglesia Evangélica Unida de Cristo | |
 Church logo | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Evangelicalism |
| Polity | Unida |
| General Superintentent | Rev. Richard Buenaventura |
| Associations | World Communion of Reformed Churches |
| Region | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino and English |
| Founder | Don Toribio Teodoro |
| Origin | January 3, 1932 Manila Grand Opera House, Manila, Philippines |
| Merger of | Iglesia Cristiana Trinitaria Iglesia Evangélica de Atlag Iglesia Evangélica de los Christianos Filipinos Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Reformada La Iglesia de Dios La Iglesia de Jesu-Cristo, "Jerusalén Nueva" |
| Separations | Iglesia Unida Ekyumenikal (1995) |
| Congregations | 82 local churches 60 mission churches |
| Members | 25,000 |
| Tertiary institutions | 2
|
History
editThe Church formed from the merger of six Filipino evangelical groups of Presbyterian and Methodist backgrounds, who met in Manila through the invitation of Don Toribio Teodoro, a layman and industrialist who was a member of the Iglesia Evangélica de los Cristianos Filipinos (Evangelical Church of the Filipino Christians). A church union was declared on 3 January 1932 at the former Manila Grand Opera House.[1]
In May 2012, Unida Church celebrated its 80th founding anniversary at the Cuneta Astrodome.
The denomination has since grown to 25,000 members in some 82 congregations and 60 mission churches, with churches concentrated in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog, Bulacan, and the Bicolandia; several congregations in the Northern Philippines, Visayas and Mindanao; and overseas congregations in Canada, Qatar, and Japan.
The church is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.[2] The Temple and Main Office, known as the Unida Christian Center, is located in Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Cristo, Manwal ng Manggagawang Unida. 2007
- ^ www.wcrc.ch/node/164 Archived 2012-08-08 at the Wayback Machine