Norman Grindley/ Staff Photographer
North Street United (formerly Congregational) located across from the Kingston Public Hospital , North Street.Anthea McGibbon, Religion Feature Co-ordinator
The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands is rather unique.
Like the divine Trinity spoken of in Revelations, three churches have become one. This despite the increasing fragmentation of local churches into new denominations, as Jamaica seems to be fast patterning America - where new churches are formed with increasing regulaity .
In 1965 the Congregational and Presbyterian churches (mostly found scattered in southern and central Jamaica) became united and, in 1992 the union extended to include the Disciples of Christ church (mostly found in Eastern Jamaica). Prior to 1992, the churches independently existed here for over 150 years.
For Rev. Norman Francis, one of the most recently ordained ministers in the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, the fact that "three different distinctive traditions have merged into one confessional identity" is more than impressive.
According to Rev. Lennox Scarlett, the union in 1992 was birthed out of the prayer of the churches leadership that "all may be one" (John 17).
The Moravian and Methodist churches were also considered but declined. The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands has 250 congregations islandwide and is headquartered at Carlton Crescent in Kingston. However, its synod office is at Webster Memorial United Church on Half-Way Tree Road, and remains a part of the Jamaica Council of Churches.
The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands believes in only two sacraments -- the Lord's supper and baptism of believers. Its other doctrinal beliefs include:
- the Trinity
- importance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to the church as a body
- the primacy of the word of God as contained in the Bible
- the equality of all believers
- the priesthood (everyone having equal access to God) of all believers.
- Justification by faith alone and not works or rituals i.e. idea that one's relationship with God can be set right by one's performance of rituals.
Outside Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, these three churches are still independent units, but remain partners with the local church here and in Cayman.
Congregational churches had deacons and the Government was autonomous (without a synodical body to oversee the church). Presbyterian churches had elders; Disciples of Christ churches had elders and deacons.
In 1999, the synod recommended one designation of elders to govern the United Church force, although prior to that each congregation was allowed to practise its traditions such as communion.
Communion in the Disciples of Christ was weekly and in the United Church is now once monthly.
