Denominational Profile

History

	Brethren in Christ Church (1778)	continuedBrethren in Christ Church
		split into United Zion Church (1855)

The Brethren in Christ Church, a church out of the Mennonite tradition, was founded in 1778 in Pennsylvania. It took its current name in 1863. This group was commonly known as "River Brethren."

Membership Data

Year	Clergy	Churches	Members
1935	75	90	4,426
1937	-	100	4,443
1940	-	62	5,134
1941	-	126	5,129
1944	-	142	5,171
1947	-	109	6,013
1950	273	125	6,807
1951	192	105	5,680
1952	200	103	5,760
1953	343	112	5,950
1954	217	113	5,894
1955	224	114	6,017
1956	299	121	6,092
1957	191	136	6,453
1958	247	150	6,453
1959	245	151	6,698
1961	-	150	7,358
1962	-	156	7,578
1963	286	155	7,578
1965	302	159	8,251
1966	245	159	8,593
1967	245	156	8,806
1968	229	155	8,954
1969	230	155	9,145
1971	235	151	9,550
1972	197	151	9,730
1973	311	156	9,877
1974	256	157	10,255
1975	280	158	10,784
1976	279	159	11,375
1977	279	156	11,384
1979	266	164	15,283
1981	211	167	16,201
1983	236	172	15,058
1984	255	173	16,382
1985	235	185	16,783
1986	227	183	16,693
1987	241	186	16,877
1988	233	193	17,081
1989	239	189	17,240
1990	486	189	17,277
1992	284	184	16,697
1993	353	188	17,986
1994	290	198	18,152
1995	315	200	18,529
1996	318	199	18,424
1998	311	210	19,577
1999	343	252	20,070
2000	342	229	20,587
2001	295	232	20,739

Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]