LGBTQIA+ Affirming
LGBTQIA+ Affirming
Embedded Files
Hear one Plymouth member's inspiring story of their experience with our open and affirming church:
Hear one Plymouth member's inspiring story of their experience with our open and affirming church:
"Open and Affirming" is the way many in the United Church of Christ (UCC) declare welcome and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) persons into the full life and ministry of the church.
The message of love and compassion, justice and peace are at the very core of the life and ministry of Jesus. Open and Affirming ministries and resources are rooted in that Gospel message. The testimonies of these ministries proclaim the truth of God's power to transform cultures of hate and violence into communities of healing and reconciliation. They give witness to God’s continuing testament and how the gifts of God are being liberated for service in the world.
The first national UCC body to affirm civil rights for LGBT people did so in 1969. The Council for Christian Social Action, a predecessor body to Justice and Witness Ministries adopted the "Resolution on Homosexuals and the Law." In 1972, the UCC ordained the first openly gay person into ministry, the Rev. William R. Johnson. In 1985, the UCC's General Synod declared itself to be "open and affirming" and called upon all settings of the church to become similarly poised to welcome LGBT persons as full members of the church.
Plymouth Church became one of those Open and Affirming congregations in 1991. In the decades since we've joined in the struggle for civil rights, blessed many couples, and celebrated the 2015 ruling for same-sex marriage rights. We continue to work for the full inclusion of people regardless of sexual orientation and gender expression.
OPEN AND AFFIRMING RESOLUTION 2025
We, the members of Plymouth Church, are a diverse group of people and embrace that diversity is both a treasure and a power, calling and compelling us to greater knowledge, understanding and acceptance. We have declared ourselves to be a Just Peace Church. We know that the Christian church has often perpetuated discriminatory practices and has been unwilling to affirm the full Christian integrity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other people (LGBTQ+). We are aware that there are many active, faithful members of our church who have been hurt, isolated, and ostracized by this type of discrimination to their family members or themselves. At times this oppression has been open, but more frequently has taken the form of subtle nonacceptance of the whole individual. Too often we have remained conspicuously silent despite the continuing injustice of institutionalized discrimination, instances of senseless violence and setbacks in civil rights.
We believe that the calling, mandate and source for the inclusive church is the life and word of Jesus. Further, we recognize that in the life and word of Jesus we find a healing manifestation of God’s love and presence in the world. Finally we accept that part of our purpose in life is to augment and enhance the spirit of Christ that nourishes and guides us.
As a community of Christian people, we seek to work together in the light of the Gospel to define principles of human relationships and behavior that are based on nurturing each other as whole persons with love, responsibility, accountability, and trust. As a congregation and as individuals, we lift up the following as evidence of our openness and affirmation:
1. We affirm each diverse form of the family and every human relationship based on principles of love and justice.
2. We affirm that LGBTQ+ people are welcome within the community of believers upon making the same affirmation of faith that all other members have made. We encourage all members to actively share their talents, gifts and energy in the liturgy, life, employment and leadership of the church.
3. We pledge to develop and implement strategies to address homophobia and sexism in the life of Plymouth Church and in the community at large. We further pledge to implement opportunities for serious studies about the role and responsibility for sexuality in our lives.
4. As a Just Peace church, we condemn all acts of discrimination and violence (physical, emotional, economic or legal) against persons because of their sexual orientation, just as we condemn such acts against people because of race, age, gender, religion, ethnic background, or who are differently-abled. We pledge to support advocacy efforts designed to assure that ALL people enjoy the same rights and privileges.
Therefore, we, the people of Plymouth Church UCC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, declare ourselves to be an Open and Affirming Church.
Google Sites
Report abuse