Our History
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has been part of American life since the 1840s, with a rich heritage of worship, witness and service.
Nearly two centuries of the PBCC in America
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church traces its origins to the early 1800s in the United Kingdom, when a group of Christians became dissatisfied with the established Anglican Church.
They felt that the church of the day had drifted from the teachings of the New Testament, and they began meeting informally to study the Bible and share Holy Communion together without the trappings of institutional religion.
The first permanent meetings were in 1829, and the name Plymouth was adopted as some of the founding members hailed from the then port town.
By the mid-nineteenth century, members had immigrated to North America. Since then, church members have moved across the United States with locations including New York, Illinois and Connecticut.
Practices within the church have evolved over time.
The church has adapted to modern times by utilizing technology in business, education, and in practicing our faith by holding church services online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our community today is more engaged with the wider world than at any point in our history.
1800s
- In the 1840s, the first group of Brethren arrived in the United States.
- Many of these Brethren came from Ireland and England, hoping for a better life.
- Others came from France, Switzerland, and Germany, fleeing persecution.
- By 1870, there were Brethren communities in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Iowa, and Kentucky.
- By 1879, there were 32 meeting halls in the United States.
- During this period, Brethren established independent businesses in various industries including butchery, furniture, printing, publishing and textiles.
1900s
- In the 1900s, the Brethren continued to expand throughout the United States.
- Numerous meeting halls were established in the Midwest and on the West Coast.
- Brethren-owned businesses entered new industries including moving services, leather goods, dentistry, and upholstery.
- By 1990, there were 29 meeting halls in the United States and approximately 3,500 Brethren in the United States.
- In the early 1990s, members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church established the first American campus in Knoxville, Tennessee, as part of an independent network of schools serving children from the Church community.
2000s
- During the 2000s, the Brethren continued to grow and contribute to local communities where they live, work and worship in the United States.
- In 2014, the Rapid Relief Team, the humanitarian arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, was established in the United States.
- In 2019, the independent school network was rebranded under OneSchool Global.
- Currently in the United States, there are:
- More than 4,500 members in the United States.
- 29 meeting halls located across 21 states.
- Approximately 260 independent businesses owned and operated by members of the Church, employing thousands of Americans across a large number of local communities and industries.
- 21 OneSchool Global campuses across 17 states.
- Approximately 2,750 Rapid Relief Team volunteers serving communities and organizations in need across all 50 states.