Two New Open & Affirming Congregations
Two more congregations have joined GLAD’s Open & Affirming Ministry Program.
- Monte Vista Christian Church in Albuquerque NM voted to become Open & Affirming without a single No vote. They have been welcoming LGBT people for a while now. Adding their name to GLAD’s Open & Affirming Ministry Program is one more step in their open welcome of all.
- Firestone Park Christian Church in Akron OH added welcome for LGBT people to their constitution with a unanimous vote. When the Gay Games comes to their corner of OH this summer, they plan to publicize their welcome of all and several church members will be volunteering at the Games.
Is your congregation on the journey towards being Open & Affirming? Do you know of a congregation that welcomes LGBT people and is ready to take one more step towards an open welcome and join GLAD’s Open & Affirming Ministry Program? Contact Mark Johnston, Executive Director of GLAD’s Open & Affirming Ministry Program and let us know.
Even if your congregation isn’t ready to begin an Open & Affirming Process, GLAD has many resources to move a congregation towards more welcome and affirmation. Be sure to browse the Resources tab on GLAD’s website, read more about the Open & Affirming Ministry Program, and no matter where your congregation is on its welcoming journey, contact Mark Johnston for suggestion on how to take one more step towards welcome and affirmation.
This brings the total of Open & Affirming Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to 123. Several congregations have been removed due to closures and mergers. These 123 include 118 congregations, one general unit (the Disciples Historical Society), one seminary (Brite Divinity School), one region (Northern California-Nevada), and two related organizations (Disciples Justice Action Network and Disciples Peace Fellowship).