The United Holy Church of America (UHCA) is the oldest African-American Holiness-Pentecostal body in the world. It was established in 1886, with the international headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Origin

During the late nineteenth century, the Holiness Movement was quickly spreading. Many Holiness associations were forming throughout the United States, due to their excommunication from many churches because of the doctrine of sanctification. The United Holy Church of America (UHCA) was founded as a result of a meeting on the first Sunday in May of 1886 (May 2, 1886), in the village town of Method, North Carolina. Among those persons who met were L.M. Mason, G.A. Mials, Issac Cheshier and H.C. Snipes.

On October 13, 1894, in Durham, North Carolina, the first convocation was organized; it was at this meeting that Elder L.M. Mason was chosen to be its first president. Those present were G.A. Mials, H.C. Snipes, S.S. Freeman, G.W. Roberts, and L.M. Mason. On October 15, 1900, a convention was called by Elder C.C. Craig in Durham, North Carolina to prepare a discipline for the government of the churches. Those present at this meeting were H.C. Pettiford, H.C. Snipes, L.M. Mason, G.W. Roberts, Mrs. Emma E. Craig, and Mrs. L.J. Roberts

It was in 1907, during the tenure of Elder W.H. Fulford, when the United Holy Church felt the effects of what God was doing in that season. It was then when the church “embraced the Pentecostal doctrine of initial evidence”. On March 28, 1907, Bishop Henry L. Fisher wrote an article to the Azusa Street mission, titled “In Durham, N.C.”. He wrote: "Some of the Lord’s people here have received their Pentecost and spoken in tongues. Glory! A red hot meeting is now going on. Bro. Fulford, who has the gift of tongues, is leading it under the direction of the Holy Ghost. The saints are being baptized with the Spirit. I too have received Him and have spoken in some kind of language, I know not what. It is glory here now. What we are now praying for is to have the nine gifts of the Spirit here in full operation. This city has been mightily stirred on account of the tongues. Nearly the whole North Carolina is being stirred among the Holiness people, white and colored.”

The church was first known as the "Holy Church of North Carolina" and later as the "Holy Church of North Carolina and Virginia". In September 1916, a convocation assembled at Oxford, North Carolina, and the name was changed to the United Holy Church of America. On September 25, 1918, the Church was incorporated in the state of North Carolina under the name of The United Holy Church of America, Incorporated.

Districts

The United Holy Church of America is divided into 17 separate districts, with 4 districts being established for international jurisdiction.

The Districts are:

  • Southern District - Goldsboro
  • Southern District - Henderson
  • Northern District
  • Northwestern District
  • New England District
  • West Virginia District
  • Central Western District
  • Western District
  • Southeastern District
  • Virginia District
  • Western North Carolina District
  • South Carolina District
  • Central Pacific District
  • Bermuda District
  • Barbados District
  • Ghana District
  • Philippines District

Divisions and Reunification

thumb|left|Faith Tabernacle United Holy Church of America, located in [[Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., in April 2025]]

Mount Sinai Holy Church of America

In 1924, early member and pioneer of the Northern District, Elder Ida B. Robinson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania felt that ministry opportunities for women in the UHCA were limited. After fasting and praying for 10 days, she founded a new denomination, Mt. Sinai Holy Church of America, where women could obtain full clergy rights. The establishment was of mutual agreement and many leaders of the UHCA attended their first convocation in 1925, where she was consecrated a bishop.

Mount Calvary Holy Church of America

In 1928, Elder Brumfield Johnson of Summit, New Jersey, was serving as a pastor of a local congregation of the Northern District, when he conducted a revival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where many souls were saved. Many of the new converts desired that he serve as their pastor. In 1929, after a conference he conducted in New Jersey, twenty ministers joined him and later that year he chartered the new denomination, Mt. Calvary Holy Church of America.

The Split of 1977 & Reunification

Beginning approximately in the late 1960s, tensions began to form between the Southern District leadership and the leadership of the General Church, when the Southern District began to be divided into other districts (In 1969, the General Church authorized the formation of the Virginia and Western North Carolina Districts.)

On April 5, 1972, The United Holy Church of America (#16427) was dissolved by unauthorized action of Southern District officers. Although the UHCA had been incorporated since 1918, the Southern District leadership drew up a separate charter of incorporation (#199398) on April 5, 1972, which in essence, nullified the existence of the UHCA. As a result of this, tensions began to increase between the Southern District and the General Church (UHCA).

In 1975, signs of a split became more evident. As a result many effort to foster unity between the two factions. Tensions increased when General President, Bishop Walter N. Strobhar and Bishop James A. Forbes, Sr., President of the Southern District, began making certain demands. A main point of contention was the Southern District wanting to have their own charter, a part from the general body of UHCA.

In 1977, on May 2, during the General Convocation in Cleveland, Ohio, Bishop Forbes delivered what many call a farewell address; and at the conclusion of the speech, he and the delegates of the Southern District walked out of the Convocation, thus splitting the UHCA. All, but seven churches of the Southern District withdrew from fellowship with the parent body.

As a result of this Bishop Forbes organized the Original United Holy Church, International (OUHCI). The same doctrine and polity was followed in the OUHCI as in the United Holy Church of America. Other districts were formed, church planted, and bishops were made. Though the two organizations were separated many efforts, by laity and bishops, on both sides were made to reunite the Church.

In 1998, after many meetings, Bishop Odell McCollum, General President of the UHCA, Bishop Ralph Houston, General President of the OUHCI, and Bishop Ralph E. Love, Sr., President of the Southern District came to an agreement that The Original United Holy Church and the Southern District would reunite with the parent body, The United Holy Church of America. On June 1, 1999, the organizations officially became one body again.

On May 8, 2000, in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina, during the Quadrennial Session of the General Convocation, a Reunification Service was held with Bishop J. Delano Ellis presiding to celebrate this historic moment.

General Presidents

  • Elder L.M. Mason (1894-1901)
  • Elder W.H. Fulford (1901-1916)
  • Bishop Henry Lee Fisher (1916-1947)
  • Bishop General Johnson Branch (1947-1949)
  • Bishop Henry H. Hairston (1949-1963)
  • Bishop Walter Nathaniel Strobhar (1963-1980)
  • Bishop Joseph Thomas Bowens (1980-1992)
  • Bishop Thomas Edison Talley (1992-1996)
  • Bishop Odell McCollum (1996-2005)
  • Bishop Elijah L. Williams (2005-2016)
  • Bishop Harry Leonard Cohen (2016-2024)
  • Bishop Gregory K. Hargrave (2024-Present)

Polity and Government

General Administration

  • General President - Bishop Gregory K. Hargrave
  • General Vice President - Bishop Kenneth White
  • General Second Vice President - Bishop James Derrick Johnson
  • General Recording Secretary - Sister Charmaine Grafton
  • Assistant Recording Secretary - Sister Nan Holland
  • Corresponding Secretary - Minister Esther Walker
  • General Financial Secretary - Sister Louise Bagley
  • Assistant Financial Secretary - Sister Irene Courts
  • Treasurer - Elder Scottie Rodgers

Members of the General Board of Bishops

  • Bishop Gregory K. Hargrave - General President & Presiding Prelate
  • Bishop Kenneth White - General Vice President
  • Bishop J. Derrick Johnson - General Second Vice President
  • Bishop Dennis W. Ball - Secretary of the General Board of Bishops
  • Bishop Carolyn P. Horton - Secretary of the Council of Bishops
  • Bishop Fred L. Bridy
  • Bishop Victor J. Rush
  • Bishop Anthony M. Tucker
  • Bishop Craig Purchase
  • Bishop Devin C. Pickett
  • Bishop Johnnie B. Felton
  • Bishop Wayne N. Bullock
  • Bishop Brian E. McKnight

Emeritus Members of the General Board of Bishops

  • Bishop Elijah L. Williams - General President Emeritus
  • Bishop Harry Leonard Cohen - General President Emeritus
  • Bishop Elroy Lewis
  • Bishop Terry McZeke

The General Board of Elders

The General Board of Elders serve as the judicial branch of the denomination. The members are one elder from each district.

  • Elder Luther Bullock - Chairman
  • Elder Leonard D. Thompson - Vice Chairman
  • Elder Roger Carson - Secretary
  • Elder Jacqueline Williams
  • Elder Jerome Clemmons
  • Elder James Leath
  • Elder Ralph Lawrence
  • Elder Calvin Young
  • Elder Viola Watkin
  • Elder Donna Jackson

References