Why are we open and affirming?
In response to the call of the Gospel, the leadership of the United Church of Christ, our own Connecticut Conference, other local churches, interdenominational groups, and the pastoral needs of people we know and love, we join with our sisters and brothers everywhere in the continuing struggle to build communities of justice for all people.
What does affirming mean?
In the context of our statement, affirming means asserting that all are equally children of God. An affirming church declares that all are entitled to the same rights, privileges and responsibilities. We want to value, uphold and support each other in our church family with dignity and equality. We affirm that God intended each one of us to become the person we were created to be.
Why make a public statement?
Just as we have other statements that capture the essence of our basic beliefs as members of the family of God, so there is a need to declare publicly some important practical conclusions that arise from our beliefs about our life together. The open and affirming statement puts us on record as committing ourselves not to prejudge each other on the basis of color, ethnic background, age, economic or marital status, physical/mental/emotional situation, gender, or sexual orientation. The welcome and affirmation we extend reflects God’s grace and love made known in Jesus Christ. Jesus ministered mainly to the outcasts, but he also preached to insiders.
How does being an open and affirming congregation affect our children?
We help foster in our children standards of justice and compassion and provide for them a more loving and equitable environment than is possible in a setting of silence. We begin to break down walls of prejudice as we learn to accept each other for our God-given gifts and honor one another for our God-given differences. No child is too young to understand that each one is part of God’s mosaic.
What changes do we hope will occur as we move into our commitment to be open and affirming?
We will seek to combat negative sterotypes, derogatory language and other forms of bias which deny full potential and keep people in the shadows. We hope to understand better the realities faced each day by others in our midst. We commit to extending equal opportunity to all persons seeking employment, volunteering for church work, or desiring to participate in other ways in the life and ministries of First Church.
We look for ways to make known in our community and denomination that we are an open and affirming congregation and are called to live in ways that promote understanding and justice for all people.