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Open and AffirmingMarriage Brochure Now Available!A new resource that affirms marriage for same-gender couples from the MA Conference Open and Affirming (ONA) Task Force
Open and Affirming (ONA) churches are congregations in the United Church of Christ which publicly welcome gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people into their full life and ministry. The 185th Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Conference adopted the first Open and Affirming resolution within the United Church of Christ in 1984. Read the text here. The resolution was submitted to General Synod
XV, which adopted it the following year. (See the text here.) You will see that the 1984 MA Resolution and the 1985 General Synod ONA Resolution refer only to "gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons." The UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns and the national setting of the UCC have, for a number of years, encouraged the inclusion of "transgender persons" or "persons of all gender identities and expressions" in the full life and ministry of the church. There are now 95 ONA churches in the Massachusetts Conference and one new church start that is ONA.There are also 3 settings that have adopted an Open and Affirming statement: Massachusetts Conference, UCC; the Andover Newton Theological School; and the Harvard Divinity School. There are more than 700 ONA congregations in the United Church of Christ nation-wide. In deciding whether to become an ONA church, most congregations enter a study process which involves prayer, reflection, educational events and discussion designed to involve all members and friends of the congregation. (To find a list of Massachusetts ONA congregations, go here.) Numerous resources for local churches considering becoming ONA, and other information can be found through the web site of the United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns. For links to specific pages on that site, please see our LGBT Resources page. Resources available from the Massachusetts Conference include: Open and Affirming Study Packet This study packet has a six-session curriculum for use in local churches that seek to understand the open and affirming process in the UCC. Includes: Attitudes about sexuality; Understanding sexual orientation; Sexism, heterosexism and homophobia; Family and relationships; Youth and gay/lesbian/bisexual issues; and the ONA process. The cost is $59. To order, contact the UCC Coalition
The Open and Affirming Task Force is available to provide guidance and assistance to local churches exploring this issue, and are available for workshops, consultation, inquiries and referrals. Please feel free to be in contact with folks on the task force.
ONA Task Force 2008-09 Ms. Kathie Carpenter, Chair (kacarp@comcast.net) The Rev. Dr. Frances Bogle Ms. Donna Collins Ms. Ginny Curll
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