Open and Affirming (ONA) is the United Church of Christ’s (UCC) designation for congregations, campus ministries, and other bodies in the UCC that make a public covenant of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
OPEN and AFFIRMING COVENANT
Adopted on Sunday, May 22, 1994
“Let us love one another because love is from God;
Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. . . .
If we love one another, God lives in us.”
John 4:7 & 12
We the people of Sixth Avenue United Church believe that our task as a church is to live out the affirming and transforming love of God.
We acknowledge that the historic church has often judged or excluded gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons from the community of faith. We seek now to affirm and welcome men and women of all sexual orientations into our community of faith.
We invite all persons—without regard to sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, marital status, age, disability, or material wealth—to join us in the full life and ministry of this church, including membership, leadership, and employment. Together, one with another, we seek in covenant to be responsible to God, to one another, and to the wider world.
We, therefore, declare ourselves an “Open and Affirming Church,” confirming our open and affirming spirit toward all persons, including gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons. As a loving community of faith, we invite all persons to share the encouragement, strength, and ministry of this diverse church.