Passed at the May 17, 2003 Annual Meeting of the
Metro Association
Any setting of the United Church of Christ
(congregation, association, conference, campus ministries, national
settings) may become an "Open and Affirming" setting. To be "Open and Affirming" is
to make public statements of welcome into their full life and ministry
to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities. After
prayerful consideration, delegates to the May 17, 2003 Annual Meeting
of the Metro Association, New York Conference, UCC, voted the following
resolution declaring the Association to be "Open and Affirming".
This declaration is not binding on the churches which are members
of the Association. Each congregation must make its own decision.
Calling on the faithful to declare the Metropolitan Association "Open
and Affirming"
Whereas, we affirm with Jesus Christ that we are to love our neighbors
as ourselves (Mark 12:31), that even those whom some count as outsiders
are entitled to the blessings of the Christ's realm (Matthew. 15.22-28),
and that we are called to act as agents of reconciliation (Matthew.
5:23-24) and wholeness (Luke. 11:34-36) within the world and within
the church itself; and
Whereas, we affirm with the apostle Paul that as Christians we
are many members of same body in Christ (Romans 12:3-5), that each
has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another
a different kind (1 Corinthians. 7:7), and that there are a variety
of gifts but the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4); and
Whereas, we recognize that many persons of non-heterosexual orientation
and diverse gender identities are already members of our united
church through baptism and confirmation and that these people have
talents and gifts to offer the United Church of Christ, and that
the UCC has historically affirmed a rich diversity in its theological
and biblical perspectives; and
Whereas, the Fifteenth General Synod of the United Church of Christ
(1985) adopted a resolution to encourage "a policy of non-discrimination
in employment, volunteer service and membership policies with regard
to sexual orientation;" and called on congregations, associations,
Conferences and all related organizations to adopt a similar non-discrimination
policy and affirm a Covenant of Openness and Affirmation of persons
of lesbian, gay and bisexual orientation within the community of
faith; and
Whereas, at its 33rd Annual Meeting (1996), we of the New York
Conference of the United Church of Christ adopted a resolution
of Openness and Affirmation, and so joined other Conferences, churches
and individuals who by boldly affirming, celebrating and embracing
the gifts of ministry of lesbian, gay, bisexual persons and by
continuing to work for justice in the church and society have declared
themselves to be open and affirming; and
Whereas, many parts of the church remain silent despite the continuing
discrimination and the senseless violence and denial of basic civil
rights which people of non-heterosexual orientation experience;
and
Whereas, Christian churches through the ages and throughout the
world have often perpetuated the discriminatory practices and been
unwilling to affirm the full humanness of clergy, laity and staff
who are transgendered individuals or those of lesbian, gay or bisexual
orientation, many of whom experience isolation, ostracism and fear
of (or actual) loss of employment; and
Whereas, we join together as a covenantal community, to celebrate
and share our common communion and the reassurance that we are
indeed created by God, reconciled by Christ and empowered by the
grace of the Holy Spirit;
THEREFORE be it resolved that the Metropolitan Association of New
York Conference, United Church of Christ is now an Open and Affirming
Association, fully accepting, supporting, and affirming the gifts
of ministry and the integrity of being of all members of our Association
regardless of their individual sexual orientation, gender identity,
race, physical ability, age, marital status, class, ethnicity or
cultural background, and that as an Association we will labor to
actively encourage congregations, church instrumentalities and
secular governmental bodies to adopt and implement policies of
non-discrimination, openness and affirmation that address the needs
and advocate the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered
people in our church and in society.
Return to top of page
|
