Our Values
We welcome you here, whoever you are, wherever you are on life's journey. Our worship is a blend of contemporary music, traditional hymns, and progressive theology. We don’t simply tolerate our differences; we also celebrate the wonder of the sacred in our differences – not only regarding age, race, gender, ability, and orientation, but politics and theology too!
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Harmony Creek is a unique community of faith identified by extravagant welcome, progressive and engaging theology, and passion for justice. These qualities come alive as one explores and discovers more deeply the gifts of our community.
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As part of the United Church of Christ, we share in a rich tradition of ground-breaking firsts and justice-seeking extending back centuries. Click on any of the links below to get a more detailed description about the values of Harmony Creek Church.
Our History
Harmony Creek Church is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Our mission is to be a community of progressive Christians sharing our journeys, doing ministry, seeking justice, and living God’s love.
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We have a clear vision: we seek to embody the ministry, message, and hope of Jesus of Nazareth, serving as a vital and leading voice for progressive Christianity in the Miami Valley.
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Harmony Creek Church is a new church, but it has long and historic roots in the Miami Valley dating back to 1833. Here is more on our history:
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Oak Creek UCC was formed in 1963, the result of a merger between Central United Church of Christ, which was located on Ludlow Street in downtown Dayton, and the Fair Lea United Church of Christ, which was located in an old mansion at 456 Whipp Road in Centerville. Central United Church of Christ (1922 – 1964), was formerly called Central Evangelical and Reformed Church, and before that, Central Reformed Church. Central Reformed Church was formed as the merger of the First Reformed Church (1833 – 1922), the Trinity Reformed Church (1886 – 1922) and the Fourth Reformed Church (1892 – 1928). Fair Lea United Church of Christ (1859 – 1963) was formerly known as Fair Lea Evangelical and Reform Church, and before that as Second Reformed Church, which was located at Cass and Clay Streets in the Oregon District in downtown Dayton.
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In 1960, the Central United Church of Christ sold their building to the Rike-Kumler Company. The Central UCC building was torn down to make way for a new parking garage. After the church was sold, two congregations were formed and two buildings were built. Half of the Central UCC went north to form the Mt. Olive United Church of Christ, located at 5501 Olive Road, just off of SR 49 near the old Salem Mall. The other half of the old Central UCC went south, merging with the Fair Lea UCC to form the Oak Creek United Church of Christ. The Oak Creek UCC building was completed in 1964 at 5280 Bigger Road in Kettering.
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Cross Creek Community Church, United Church of Christ, was formed in 1997 as a new church of the United Church of
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Christ and the Alliance of Baptists. Cross Creek Community Church was founded to be contemporary, progressive, and an open and affirming congregation, welcoming and reaching out to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. The church was started in a storefront at 5800 Bigger Road and later purchased a 5600 sq. ft. building at 667 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Washington Township in 2001. Cross Creek Community Church quickly outgrew that facility. However, expansion of that building was going to require an investment of 4 to 5 million dollars.
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After becoming aware of Oak Creek UCC’s declining membership and the struggles of that decline, Cross Creek Community Church UCC approached Oak Creek UCC to see if they might be interested in exploring a possible merger, which they enthusiastically embraced. The merger of our two congregations was overwhelmingly embraced by both congregations. Oak Creek UCC gained an influx of parishioners as well as pastoral and programmatic staff for children and youth from the merger. Cross Creek UCC gained a 32,000 square foot building for growth and expansion and also eliminated $500,000 in mortgage debt. Both congregations have been strengthened by this merger, and we continue to see new energy and many new visitors and members.
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In November 2022 the Bigger Road church building was sold, and in December 2022 the Congregation moved to space in Good Shepherd Lutheran church at 901 East Stroop Road, Kettering, Ohio.
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