How many of you go to an open and affirming church?

[dsc]

We are begining to think about becoming an open and affirming church. I was wondering how many here go to such a church.

[Critters2]

1. I'm pastor of an ONA church.

Good luck with your process! We've been growing since our decision. A lot of people need churches that accept them for who they are.

[dsc]

4. I am still tired from last night

I had a long weekend with our pride worship service interupted by the Phelps clan and then when discussing it at church last night one member called us sinners. It was a pretty emotional night. I have been pretty raw since.

[JuniperLea]

2. I've never heard the term

I assume it means it accepts everyone with open arms without judgment.

Personally, I've always thought that no church should judge since the Bible tells us not to. And I have always thought it blasphemy to go against the true nature of the person that God made.

[deathdog]

10. "Open and Affirming" refers specifically to GLBT people

Other terms (depending on denomination) are "welcoming", "supportive congregations", "new light churches", and others I can't think of right now. I belong to a Supportive Congregation in the Mennonite Church.

[JuniperLea]

14. I pray for the day when GLBT is a lost term

I'm tired of the social lines we draw to keep ourselves in neat little groups.

[deathdog]

16. I'm tired of being kept OUT of so many groups

because I'm the "L" in GLBT. I'd love to not have to wear a label. I didn't choose it, it was given to me.

[JuniperLea]

18. I guess my perspective is different than a lot of folks

I was born in Long Beach, CA... and have never lived more than 20 miles from here. Long Beach is extremely progressive. You can't throw a rock without hitting an "L". G's and L's are a fact of life here. We rarely talk about it because there's nothing to say about it. We live our lives as God made us, period.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

28. Blame the politicians, not the lexicographers.

"Labels", i.e. words, are the only way we can communicate with one another. The problem is how people respond to them, not that they exist.

[MadMaddie]

3. I would join such a church.....

[dsc]

5. spoiler

An open and affirming church is a church that has officially decided to welcome all comers including LGBT parishoners.

[LiberalEsto]

6. Unitarian Universalist

We're not just open and affirming, we are welcoming. And we actively lobby for the right of any two consenting adults to marry.

[dsc]

7. Part of being open and affirming is that kind of lobbying

[deathdog]

8. How would "affirming" not mean "welcoming"

I understand the issue with "tolerant", but to affirm someone is to welcome them. Even more, it's telling them you see them positively--welcoming means you let 'em in. If I had to choose, I'd rather be affirmed than just welcomed.

[LiberalEsto]

11. Sorry if I used the wrong words

I was just so proud that UUs have taken such a strong stand on this issue.

[dsc]

12. The UUs were there when no one else was

I am not that comfortable with the lack of emphasis on Jesus or I would have likely gone with a UU congregation.

[deathdog]

13. My partner is UCC

and tells me they started ordaining GLBT pastors very early--early 70's, I think. She's very proud of what they've done.

My own church is lightyears behind on this issue, but I can't give up the peace witness. Priorities, I guess.

[dsc]

15. My church is the Disciples of Christ

which is a partner of the UCC but we aren't as far as long as they are. My church is at a crossroads and I am waiting to see the turn it takes.

[deathdog]

17. I think your church is still ahead of mine

Some Menno churches are still debating allowing glbt people to be MEMBERS! Not pastors, not married...CHURCH MEMBERS! My love thinks I'm crazy to stay with it. But the UCC won't take a clear pacifist stand. So, here I stay.

There are no perfect churches. We have to find the one that meets our needs.

[dsc]

19. Mennonites seem to be fairly socially conservative

but they sure are there on issues of peace.

[deathdog]

20. It's what I love about my people

and why I stay. And the way "peace" means more than the absence of war--working for land stewardship, prison reform, opposition to the death penalty, concern for the poor. So much I love that I'm willing to stay and work on the other things.

[dsc]

21. Good for you

I think a church as forward thinking on those issues is likely to come around on our issues.

[deathdog]

22. I do hope

but I sometimes wonder. Either way, I'm not leavin'!

[deathdog]

9. In my church we call these "supportive congregations"

And yes, I belong to one. It's a lifesaver for me.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. I'm not sure of my church's actual status, but the homepage of its

websites features a GLBT link, and the list of upcoming events includes a banner ad for National Coming Out Day.

I do know that we have lots of gay and lesbian members, a couple of transgendered people, and the bisexuals aren't talking, at least not in my presence. :-)

Will that work? :-)

[kwassa]

24. Despite the approaching schism .... the Episcopal church

has many gay members and many openly gay clergy. The ordination of the first openly gay bishop has racked the church internally, and may ultimately get us kicked out of the Anglican communion, but we won't back down, either. It's a done deal, and the majority of ECUSA supports it.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

25. Yes, Gene Robinson was approved by both his fellow bishops and

by a majority of the lay delegates to General Convention.

The schismatics are in the minority in the West, and in the developing world, they're kidding themselves by acting as if homosexuality is an import from the West and didn't exist before Western contact.

[kwassa]

27. I have heard it stated that in some of the African countries

that bishops actually believe that no homosexuals actually exist, and that it is only in the decadent west that it is found.

They are both homophobic and deluded.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. Definitely. One of the former priests on our staff

(an out lesbian) hosted a Ugandan observer during General Convention. He insisted that there was no homosexuality in Uganda.

[JerseygirlCT]

26. I don't know that we have an official policy

But I do know that it is our feeling that our beliefs ARE such a policy.

[polmaven]

30. We don't use the term Open and Affirming

but we are a "Reconciling Congregation". The UMC is not, as a denomination, designated as such, but each individual congregation is free to take that designation.

We took a vote in our local church more than 10 years ago to make the statement that no matter what your sexual orientation may be, you are welcome to become part of our family.