The Church of God Reformation Movement was founded in the 1880s in the mid-west United States by Daniel Sidney Warner.  The Church of God, with U.S. offices in Anderson, Indiana, began in 1881 in earnest as a movement emphasizing unity and holiness. Early leaders such as Daniel S. Warner and Mary Cole moved away from denominational hierarchies, trusting solely in the Holy Spirit as their overseer, and the Bible as their statement of belief. They saw themselves as the forerunners of a movement to restore unity and holiness to God’s church. 

 

Missionaries from the Church of God USA first came to the British Isles in 1893, and subsequently, the first Church of God meeting was held in Birkenhead in 1894 one year later. 

 

Birkenhead is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool.  Since then, there has been a Church of God witness in the Merseyside area, northern part of the UK. 

 

Similarly, in southern UK, during the late forties, throughout the fifties and into the early sixties there was a steady migration of people from the West Indies to the United Kingdom.  Many of these immigrants settled within the London area – the capital and largest city of the UK. Among the immigrants were many who came from a Church of God background.  Having arrived here, they missed the vibrant worship and fellowship they experienced ‘back home’.

 

‘Back Home’ was mainly linked to the island of Jamaica where the Church of God—not to be confused with the New Testament Church of God—is a Jamaican church body founded by the missionary couple the Rev. George and Mrs. Nellie Olson in 1907.  The Olson’s came to the island of Jamaica from Anderson, Indiana USA, home of the Church of God worldwide. 

 

The Church, like other Churches of God, is a Holiness Christian body and, strictly speaking, is non-denominational. Unlike the others, however, the Church of God is not a Pentecostal church.  

 

In 1927, Mrs. Olson began a school on High Holborn Street in Kingston.  With the funding of the Church, the small school was relocated 2 years later and the Ardenne High School was created.  The school has remained one of the island’s premier High Schools even today.  

 

Out of the longing for a similar setting and experience by the migrants from the West Indies, the Church of God in London emerged.  We honour our seven (7) pioneers who held the vision, stood the test of time and ran with it from the humble beginnings of worship in a member’s home in 1959. They are:

Pastor Gerald Handy,  Pastor Gertrude Handy, 

Deaconess Gladys Mullings, Rev. Shirley Miller, Sis Ivy Miller, 

Bro. Clem Miller,  Sis Esmie Miller

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We recognise too, all those other members who supported the pioneers right from the beginning until today from the USA, Jamaica, other West Indian islands and from the UK.   They have all left a lasting legacy for this generation of believers to follow. To God Be the Glory. 

 

Today even though our vision and mission have expanded, we continue to evolve around the changing needs of our society remaining focussed on sharing the love of God to those around us, providing a home away from home for many who come to the UK not only from the West Indies but from other parts of the world. Hence our new mission statement is: 

“Connecting People to God through Jesus Christ by demonstrating His Love to each other” 2 Cor: 5 v 18

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The Church in the UK, keeps abreast with the General Assembly of the Church of God USA who restructured its national ministries of the Church of God in North America in 1996 and 1997.  As a result, the Church of God worldwide deepens it’s spiritual focus in which Jesus remains the main subject of our lives.  

 

The Church of God Reformation Movement UK continues to influence the ever-growing community to which it intrinsically belongs, and under God’s guidance is determine to keep aflame the gospel light of Jesus Christ ignited by our pioneers and reflected in the Song: “The Bible is our rule of Faith and Christ Alone is Lord.”