The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) was formed in 1977, in Brazil. It owes its origins to a successful evangelistic programme conducted by a Canadian missionary in the Pentecostal tradition.
The Pentecostal movement started 100 years ago in California and has roots in the Methodist movement in 19th century England. It is currently the fastest growing section of the Christian faith.
Pentecostal churches place great emphasis on the Holy Spirit (which, according to the New Testament, came upon Jesus' disciples seven weeks after the crucifixion and resurrection that we commemorate at Easter). They believe that just as the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples at the first Pentecost, so it can empower and benefit people today.
UCKG is an international Pentecostal church, active in over 176 countries.
UCKG was established in the UK in 1995. It operates the UCKG HelpCentre as a registered charity (registration date 7 February 1995) and Christian spiritual centre, with headquarters at Finsbury Park in North London
The objectives of the UCKG HelpCentre are to:
- advance the Christian faith
- implement such general charitable purposes as the executive committee shall from time to time decide. In practice it helps such well-known charities as Crisis and Barnardo's. It also supports the National Blood Service, the Blood Pressure Association, prison authorities, detention centres, and local Job Centres.
The UCKG HelpCentre has churches and runs ‘special works' in various locations in London and the south east. These comprise Brixton, Croydon, Kilburn, Southall, Willesden Green, Hackney, Stratford, Stamford Hill Shepherd's Bush, Peckham, Tooting, Woolwich, Lewisham and Gravesend, Kent.
It is also active in other parts of the UK and is currently providing ‘special works' in Wimbledon. It has a church in Birmingham, Luton, Nottingham and Manchester.
UCKG ‘special works' operate from such venues as hired community halls, cinemas or libraries, are open just a few days a week and offer a smaller range of spiritual and temporal services than a fully fledged HelpCentre.
UCKG is entirely funded by charitable donations.
UCKG actively seeks converts through its missionary activities. It promotes its work through a free newspaper, City News, a magazine, Faith in Action, its website, and the media.
