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Open and Affirming

We perceive that God shows no partiality.

Peter said that, according to the book of the Acts of the Apostles. It was early in the church history, when the crisis question was, "Can we welcome Gentiles into the church?"

Truly we perceive that God shows no partiality, that in all times and places anyone who does what is right is acceptable to God.

In 2000, after two years of study and discussion, we answered the identity crisis question for the church in our age, "Can we welcome Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgender people into the church?" Yes, we can and we do.

But to us, being an Open and Affirming Congregation goes beyond extending the invitation to come and participate in the life of the church. It also means, "We commit ourselves to oppose discrimination and prejudice in our attitudes, our personal relationships, and our congregation. We will seek justice and advocate redress of the wrongs committed against sexual minorities in our local community and in society at large."

God is still speaking,
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Open and Affirming

Declaration of Openness and Affirmation
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Brainerd, Minnesota

As a congregation we seek to know and share God’s love within us. We believe that each of us has a right and responsibility to seek our own Spirit-guided understanding of the Holy Scriptures. We acknowledge that our understandings are incomplete. We respect those whose prayerful consideration of scripture and tradition lead them to conclusions other than those in this declaration. We trust that, by grace, God grants us all a growing understanding of God’s universal truth. Despite our differences, we affirm the good news proclaimed by Jesus Christ, that God’s love is an inclusive love for all creation and all people.

We declare ourselves to be an Open and Affirming Congregation in response to the resolution adopted by the 15th General Synod of the United Church of Christ in July, 1985. We welcome all persons seeking to know and share God’s love in a Christian community without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, economic class, physical condition, or mental ability. We seek to be a uniting church, encouraging all people– including those who have difficulty accepting all of this declaration– to experience the costs and joys of discipleship as members and leaders of this community of faith.

We celebrate the diversity of human nature and human relationships. We recognize sexuality and sexual orientation as gifts of God. We seek to support relationships and families based on the Christian principles of love, justice, fidelity, trust, and mutual care.

We acknowledge that, in history the Christian Church has often condemned or excluded gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender individuals. We commit ourselves to oppose discrimination and prejudice in our attitudes, our personal relationships, and our congregation. We will seek justice and advocate redress of the wrongs committed against sexual minorities in our local community and in society at large.

Adopted at a Congregational Meeting on November 19, 2000.
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