Dear Open and Affirming family: I’m writing with the news that I will retire from my ministry as Executive Director of the Open and Affirming Coalition effective on December 31, 2022. Serving the Coalition for more than a decade has been the greatest experience in…
By the Rev. Bethany Joy Winn It’s the 10 year anniversary of my coming out. Well, this past week or two was. Because it didn’t happen all at once, and it took a particular set of conditions for me to acknowledge who I was and…
These are the churches celebrating Open and Affirming anniversary this week:
“You are not alone here, don’t fearYou are not alone here, no wayThere’s plenty more others here, yeah yeahMy friend, oh you are not alone” “I am utterly spent and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart… My heart throbs, my strength…
On January 12th, 1987, actor Naya Marie Rivera was born in Valencia, California. A child star, Rivera was best known for her role on the television show Glee where she played reformed mean girl Santana Lopez – one half of a same-gender-loving couple on the…
On January 11th, 1973, An American Family documentary series premiered on PBS. The show featured the real daily lives and experiences of the Loud family from Santa Barbara, California – decades before the Osbournes or the Kardashians were on the air. Over seven months, producers…
On January 10th, 1980, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence formalized their organization in San Francisco. The order of transgender and queer nuns states that since their first appearance on Easter Sunday, 1979, “the Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those…
These are the churches celebrating Open and Affirming anniversary this week:
On January 9th, 1941, Joan Chandos Biaz was born. The Mexican-American, bisexual folk singer has been speaking and working for justice for decades. She stood with Cesar Chavez to fight for migrant farm rights and she performed during the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s…
The Open and Affirming Coalition advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the United Church of Christ and beyond, and equips UCC congregations to become effective witnesses to Christ’s extravagant welcome. Read more