United Pentecostal Churches of Christ

Disambiguation: This wikipage is about a group of churches holding Trinitarian beliefs. For the Oneness Pentecostal movement called United Pentecostal Church or United Pentecostal Church International or UPCI, see United Pentecostal Church International.

United Pentecostal Churches of Christ was a name used from 1992 until at least 2004 as the name of a Pentecostal Holiness denomination in the United States of America.

The organization was formed during 1992 as a result of a meeting convened by Bishop (now Archbishop) J. Delano Ellis.^[1] The offices were at Cleveland, Ohio.^{[notes 1]}

See also:

• Pentecostal Churches of Christ, an organization based at Cleveland, Ohio, and led (as at 2014) by Bishop Ellis. (Please note omission of the initial word "United").^[2]
• United Covenant Churches of Christ, an organization now (2014) based at Brooklyn, New York, and led (as at 2014) by Bishop Eric Daniel Garnes.^[3]

Distinguishing characteristics

A notable characteristic of the United Pentecostal Churches of Christ is that they have sought to combine Pentecostal Holiness teaching and practice with an ecclesiology and theology that is at once evangelical, pentecostal, sacramental, ceremonial and celebratory.^[4]

There are similarities with the Convergence Movement and with aspects of the independent sacramental movement.

A specific and notable feature of the approach adopted by United Pentecostal Churches of Christ has been a desire to honor the ancient apostolic succession through the laying-on of a bishop's hands during ordination.^[4]

Notes

1. Bishop Ellis was (and, as at 2014, still is) Pastor of the Pentecostal Church of Christ at Cleveland, Ohio. He led the United Pentecostal Churches of Christ until June 2004. (Source: reports published on July 9th 2004 by Associated Press and World Religious News). Currently (2014), Bishop Ellis leads Pentecostal Churches of Christ. He is archbishop metropolitan of the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops. (Source: www.collegeofbishops.org)

References

1. Website of United Covenant Churches of Christ. The meeting was held at Cleveland, Ohio on May 29th 1992. Bishop Ellis was appointed general overseer and president on August 22nd 1992.
2. "Pentecostal Churches of Christ" in Linder, Eileen W. (ed) Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches 2012. National Council of Churches of Christ in USA (2012)
3. Bishop Garnes is senior pastor at Tabernacle of Praise (Cathedral), East Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. He was installed as general overseer and presiding prelate of United Covenant Churches of Christ on October 30th 2009. Bishop Ellis was the chief installer. A congregation of 2,500 was present. Source: www.loveexpressonline.com/ericgarnes.html
4. Ellis, J. Delano (2003). The Bishopric: a handbook on creating episcopacy in the African-American Pentecostal Church. Trafford.