In the past few weeks, we have provided several opportunities to join in the conversation around Tapestry Church officially becoming an Open & Affirming congregation. This designation means that we would publicly identify ourselves as an inclusive church that welcomes persons of all gender expressions and sexual identities into the full life and leadership of the church.
We hope that you were able to join us for one or more of these sessions. If you could not, please reach out to any of our Elders.
What does it mean to welcome all? What does it mean to be Open & Affirming?
When we WELCOME persons of all gender expressions and sexual orientations, we commit to including persons regardless of their gender expression or sexual orientation, welcoming all as Christ welcomes us. We do not use these attributes as a barrier to communion, membership, service, leadership, or employment in our ministry, nor as a barrier among those served.
A ministry is OPEN when it commits to communicating its welcome publicly. This may come in many forms, and most ministries do this in several ways: communicating their O&A status to Regional and General Church leadership, placing signage on their church building, publishing their O&A statement on their website, in their Sunday bulletin and in their newsletter, and wherever possible naming itself ‘an Open & Affirming Congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
A ministry is AFFIRMING when it commits to preaching and teaching a gospel which understands that God does not reject or condemn people solely for their gender expression or sexual orientation (nor any of the other attributes listed in their Open & Affirming statement).
Does every member of our congregation or ministry have to be
Open & Affirming?
No. We are Disciples, after all, and we don’t expect every member of our congregations to agree about much of anything! Open & Affirming is an attribute of the congregation or ministry as a whole: what it teaches and preaches, how its members treat one another, how its members welcome newcomers, whom it serves, and what policies it adheres to when hiring, evaluating, and compensating staff.