Yuma United Church of Christ

Open and Affirming Statement (ONA)

April 1, 2007

We the members of the Yuma United Church of Christ, acknowledging the Gospel message of God’s extravagant welcome to all humankind, covenant to be a congregation open and accessible to all people who suffer intolerance in the wider world.  In particular we aim to be especially welcoming to those of us who identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or transgender into the full life, membership, leadership and employment of this church.  We commit to doing all possible to achieving this goal.

Objectives for achieving the goal:

We commit to on-going efforts to educate ourselves about issues of importance to those who so identify, to try to discern specific ways that our faith community can change the way we do things, or try new ways, to make GLBT persons feel truly safe and welcome in this congregation, and to seek effective ways in which we can struggle to end the oppression of these persons in the wider society.  We commit to increase our use of inclusive language in hymns and liturgy.  We commit to listen to God’s leading; we commit to listen to the voices of those who identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or transgender.