Open and Affirming

New Ark United Church of Christ

An "Open and Affirming" and "JustPeace" Congregation

"Open and Affirming" Statement

The New Ark United Church of Christ seeks to be a diverse, faithful community in which a person finds support and nurture for spiritual, emotional, and intellectual growth. As an Open and Affirming congregation, people of all sexual orientations are welcome in our life and ministry. The circle in our symbol is left open as a visible expression of our invitation to you to join us in the fellowship of the New Ark -- a congregation that aims to fulfill the commandment to love the Lord our God and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

The New Ark United Church of Christ's statement of openness, inclusion, and affirmation of Gays and Lesbians.*

We are called upon to love one another. When we do so, we are being faithful to God's revelation in Jesus Christ, who personifies the new humanity. Knowing and acknowledging who we are is basic to the faith encounter with Jesus Christ, who sees, calls, and loves us as we are. It is as we struggle to recognize our identity that we begin to grow into the persons we will become in Christ. Made in God's image as persons loved by God, we are called to fully accept ourselves and our sexuality. Recognizing that our Christian faith is the foundation of our values in human relationships, we t a community in which each person will grow up knowing, enjoying, and having confidence in her/himself as a sexual being. Our sexuality is a gift from God which enriches our lives and deeply touches the reality of our own and another's humanity; it is a channel through which we experience an abundant life.

We seek to work together in the light of the gospel to define principles of human relationships and behavior that are based on relating to each other as whole persons, with love, responsibility, accountability, trust, and mutual nurturance. We reaffirm the traditional family, and we further recognize and embrace single persons and covenanted Lesbian and Gay relationships between two people. We support these relationships founded on the principles of love and justice.

Because Lesbian and Gay persons are often scorned by society and alienated by the church, we wish to reaffirm that Lesbian and Gay persons are welcome with the membership of New Ark United Church of Christ upon making the same affirmation of faith that all other persons make, and, as members of the body of Christ and the New Ark UCC, Lesbians and Gay persons are expected and encouraged to share in the liturgy, general life, employment, and leadership of our congregation.

All people have a right to respect and justice. Living in Jesus Christ requires that we act so that Lesbian and Gay persons should not suffer from prejudice against their basic human rights. Hatred, ignorance, and fear breed homophobic violence, both physical and psychological. Therefore, the New Ark United Church of Christ must stand against violence and injustice perpetrated against Lesbian and Gay people in our city and society.

Further, the New Ark United Church of Christ will:

1. Condemn acts of harassment, intimidation, and violence against Lesbian and Gay people. These acts violate Judeo-Christian principles.

2. Call on all officials and agencies concerned with crime and its victims to research, document, and combat violence against Lesbian and Gay people, and urge the specific inclusion of Lesbian and Gay people in laws aimed at deterring crimes motivated by bigotry.

3. Support guaranteed civil protections for Lesbian and Gay people in employment, housing, and child custody, enabling more of them to report homophobic crimes to seek legal redress.

4. Develop and implement strategies to address homophobia and sexism in its programs.

5. Continue to develop educational programs in church and community to foster understanding and respect for Lesbians and Gays.

6. Implement programs that will involve members of the congregation in a serious study of their own sexuality.

*This statement is adapted by the New Ark UCC Congregation from the "Statement of Openness, Inclusion, and Affirmation of Lesbian/Gay Persons" written by the Riverside Church (UCC) in New York City.

Copyright 2002

	New Ark United Church of Christ An "Open and Affirming" and "JustPeace" Congregation
	"Open and Affirming" Statement
	The New Ark United Church of Christ seeks to be a diverse, faithful community in which a person finds support and nurture for spiritual, emotional, and intellectual growth. As an Open and Affirming congregation, people of all sexual orientations are welcome in our life and ministry. The circle in our symbol is left open as a visible expression of our invitation to you to join us in the fellowship of the New Ark -- a congregation that aims to fulfill the commandment to love the Lord our God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The New Ark United Church of Christ's statement of openness, inclusion, and affirmation of Gays and Lesbians.* We are called upon to love one another. When we do so, we are being faithful to God's revelation in Jesus Christ, who personifies the new humanity. Knowing and acknowledging who we are is basic to the faith encounter with Jesus Christ, who sees, calls, and loves us as we are. It is as we struggle to recognize our identity that we begin to grow into the persons we will become in Christ. Made in God's image as persons loved by God, we are called to fully accept ourselves and our sexuality. Recognizing that our Christian faith is the foundation of our values in human relationships, we t a community in which each person will grow up knowing, enjoying, and having confidence in her/himself as a sexual being. Our sexuality is a gift from God which enriches our lives and deeply touches the reality of our own and another's humanity; it is a channel through which we experience an abundant life. We seek to work together in the light of the gospel to define principles of human relationships and behavior that are based on relating to each other as whole persons, with love, responsibility, accountability, trust, and mutual nurturance. We reaffirm the traditional family, and we further recognize and embrace single persons and covenanted Lesbian and Gay relationships between two people. We support these relationships founded on the principles of love and justice. Because Lesbian and Gay persons are often scorned by society and alienated by the church, we wish to reaffirm that Lesbian and Gay persons are welcome with the membership of New Ark United Church of Christ upon making the same affirmation of faith that all other persons make, and, as members of the body of Christ and the New Ark UCC, Lesbians and Gay persons are expected and encouraged to share in the liturgy, general life, employment, and leadership of our congregation. All people have a right to respect and justice. Living in Jesus Christ requires that we act so that Lesbian and Gay persons should not suffer from prejudice against their basic human rights. Hatred, ignorance, and fear breed homophobic violence, both physical and psychological. Therefore, the New Ark United Church of Christ must stand against violence and injustice perpetrated against Lesbian and Gay people in our city and society. Further, the New Ark United Church of Christ will: 1. Condemn acts of harassment, intimidation, and violence against Lesbian and Gay people. These acts violate Judeo-Christian principles. 2. Call on all officials and agencies concerned with crime and its victims to research, document, and combat violence against Lesbian and Gay people, and urge the specific inclusion of Lesbian and Gay people in laws aimed at deterring crimes motivated by bigotry. 3. Support guaranteed civil protections for Lesbian and Gay people in employment, housing, and child custody, enabling more of them to report homophobic crimes to seek legal redress. 4. Develop and implement strategies to address homophobia and sexism in its programs. 5. Continue to develop educational programs in church and community to foster understanding and respect for Lesbians and Gays. 6. Implement programs that will involve members of the congregation in a serious study of their own sexuality. *This statement is adapted by the New Ark UCC Congregation from the "Statement of Openness, Inclusion, and Affirmation of Lesbian/Gay Persons" written by the Riverside Church (UCC) in New York City.
Copyright 2002