Our church was founded in March 1970 in San Franscisco Ca. by two brothers (from different parents) looking for a place to practice their faith and to partake in the sacrament of communion.
In 1971, with a congregation of 50, the two brothers decided to go in different directions. The Church of the Most High God remained in San Francisco with 30 members.10 members disbanded into the world, to spread the truth and gospel of the U.C.M.H. as disciples, hopefully building 10 churches based on its tenants!
Brother John B-High and the 5% group (as they were later referred to, even though numerically, they were 20% of the church's population)set off to spread the word in the Northwest. Stopping 1st in Eugene, Oregon where Brother Carl B-High and his new
lovely bride, the former Sister Astrid Gaunter, were requested by a small congregation of former Children of God members (AKA Jesus Freaks) to head their church. With the blessing of the U.C.M.H. Brother Carl stayed on.
Next stop was Seattle where again, with the blessing of the U.C.M.H., Sisters Joanne and Karisma set up a WICCA shop/meeting house and blossomed into their true selves.
Sister Chyanne and Brother John left behind "the final four" and headed north to Canada. Seeing a vibrant and deja-vu flavored "scene" Brother John and Sister Chyanne immediately sent for the rest still thriving in Frisco.
Setting up shop around Gastown & Chinatown, the new Underground Church was formed and passed on to a Brother who was a native Vancouverite. The Final Four though, still had more work to do. With Brother John B-High as guide(even though he had never even learned about Canada let alone been there.) The 4+1 set off, setting up single person churches in Calgary and Moose Jaw in Alberta, and Regina and Saskatoon in Sask.
Spending 4 months in Saskatoon, watching the New Thought Church of Saskatoon grow from a meeting room in a squat to a 20 person service twice a week in a paid for rented apartment, Brother John was high in the spirit as he set out for Vancouver B.C.
Stopping in Banff and sharing the spirit of communion in the height of the Goddess' work, known to mere mortals as "Mother Nature" nothing could have prepared Brother John for the trials ahead. Sister Chyanne was arrested for procuring the Church's sacrament and the house rented from the hippies was in extreme disrepair. After praying on it, and a chinatown vision, within 2 weeks bail was paid, rent was paid, and things were looking up. But 1st there would be another trial. While attempting to get a cure for a very sick friend, Brother John was arrested and sentenced to 30 days OR UNTIL DEPORTATION!! at the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Facility, AKA Ocala Prison Farm!

With each challenge we have encountered, we became stronger in our faith.

After 90 days, bannished from his new home, a dejected and alone Brother John was flown back to the Big Apple! He became active in the legalization movement from the periphery. He renewed his anti-war/peace contacts that he had made during the 1970 March on Washington, The very 1st Earth Day Celebration and the Yippie led Be-Ins (Later to become the Smoke-Ins, then the Ganja Fest and finally, the Cures Not Wars Sponsored March for Medical Marijuana)
But, the times, they were a changing and it became easy to sit back and become complacent. The Underground Church moved underground and became the N.Y. Church of Independent Thought, more of a meeting place and sanctuary then a formal church, with the only "formal" church activity being the performing of Nudist Weddings, Unusual Wedding Requests and the occasional Park Wedding!

In 2000 Brother John interviewed Marc Emery, Publisher of Cannabis Culture, and Revolutionary Seed Seller! Invited back to cover the Cannabis Culture Cannabis Cup, Brother John met and spoke with Brother Chris Bennett as well as Rev.Damuzi Cannabis Cultures Religion Editor. Brother Bennet was well researched and knowledgeable. His book Green Gold and his and Rev Damuzi's articles spoke of the factual purpose Cannabis has in religion and other ministers who were embracing the Sacred Sacrament! We attempted a dialog with our Church(Issuing) about bringimg cannabis into the tent! A religion founded on freedom MUST be able to deviate from established doctrine! We were denied 16 times!! So.. after much soul-searching and consternation, The Underground Church of the Most High formally broke relations with the issuing Church, who's dogmatic approach to Cannabis and Religion was causing major concern among the elders and threatening our very Church Charter. The problem was there were no (Christian Based) Cannabis Friendly Religions, let alone one that believed in the sanctity of the Sacred Statement! (*Note: This IS NOT a slam or dig or disrespect towards the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, as, by this time, the EZCC was but a distant memory and virtually a debit in a new religions attempt at recognition as the "untrue" preception in the "real world" is that EZCC was a front for rich white drug smugglers! Because of these and other external reasons It was then decided that the formal task of coming up with a Creed and starting a NEW ARM Religion, a new beginning, was set into motion. Because of the weight the supreme court holds for "Established" religions the UCMH referenced several established religious documents including the Kebra Negast & the original translation's of the King James, then decided to go it alone.

In 2002, The Statement of the Elders, a treatise on religious freedom and the new direction of The Underground Church of the Most High is expected to be a GROUNDBREAKING, EXCITING PARYDYM SHIFT in Religious Conscienceness! From there ALL MEMBERS of the Undergroud Church will become ACTIVE participants in THEIR faith!! Peace and Love to all.

We may provide links to other sites that provide more detail on our history.