Dear Friend,

As we arrive at the final day of the year, I want to pause with gratitude—and share just a glimpse of what your support made possible in 2025. These are not all the stories, but they are some of the moments that mattered most.

This was a year of growth, public witness, and courageous movement for the Open and Affirming Coalition.

OPEN AND AFFIRMING CHURCHES
• Certified 40 new Open and Affirming churches in 2025
• First church certified this year: First Christian Congregational Church (FCCC), Swansea, MA
• Last church certified this year: Second First Church, Rockford, IL
• Nearly 1,950 Open and Affirming churches nationwide, each with a public covenant of welcome and affirmation

AFFIRMING TRANS LIVES IS HOLY
• Launched the Affirming Trans Lives Is Holy campaign in response to escalating attacks on trans people and the erasure of trans history
• Named clearly what our faith teaches: trans lives are sacred, holy, and worthy of protection.  Read more: https://openandaffirming.org/erasing-trans-history/

INTERFAITH PARTNERSHIP AND PUBLIC WITNESS
• Helped found the Lavender Interfaith Collective (LInC), a multifaith network of LGBTIQ+ and allied faith leaders committed to intersectional justice, shared resilience, and resistance. Learn more about LInC: https://lincollective.org/

• Hosted a Transgender Day of Visibility virtual panel for LInC, “Beyond Visibility — The Power of Love in Defending Transgender Lives,” centering faith-based resistance and affirmation
• Participated in an ecumenical LGBTQ+ faith partners retreat in October, strengthening collaboration and shared strategy across traditions

• Participated in WorldPride 2025 in Washington, DC, representing Open and Affirming churches at multiple events
• Hosted a shared booth along the WorldPride parade route in partnership with Alliance Q (Disciples of Christ), helping people connect with affirming faith communities in their own regions.  You can see the WorldPride resource card we shared to help people find an Open and Affirming church here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17v4JCfiwH/

FAITH IN ACTION AND MOVEMENT LEADERSHIP
• Helped organize and participated in a Holy Week public witness on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol with over 70 participants from across the country
• Spoke out against the criminalization of trans and nonbinary people, the violent treatment of immigrants, attacks on healthcare and safety nets, and the abuse of power
• Participated in the National Trans Day of Visibility March in Washington, DC, offering a sacred text written for the moment
• Read the sacred text: https://openandaffirming.org/national-trans-day-of-visibility-sacred-text/

EDUCATION, VISIBILITY, AND CHURCH LEADERSHIP
• Hosted a powerful Annual Gathering in Kansas City, Missouri, just ahead of the United Church of Christ General Synod
• Presented at the Horizons on Aging Summit on LGBTQ+ resilience and wellness
• Participated in the 35th General Synod in Kansas City with a Coalition booth, hosted a free BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) gathering space for attendees, hosted a powerful, sold-out Open and Affirming Coalition gala banquet, and shared a message with the Synod marking the 40th anniversary of the Open and Affirming General Synod resolution. Watch the Synod address here:
https://openandaffirming.org/40-years-of-open-and-affirming-from-resolution-to-revolution/
• Addressed conference annual meetings across the country, including the Southeast Conference (speaker and workshop leader), the New Hampshire Conference (keynote speaker), and the Living Waters Association of the Heartland Conference (keynote speaker)

• Attended the GatewayONA annual Convocation in St. Louis, MO

A STRONG FINISH TO THE YEAR
• Successfully met and exceeded our $10,000 matching grant goal for The Beloved Fund and unlocked a $20,000 matching grant!!!!
• Raised more than $12,000 so far to strengthen training, advocacy, crisis response, and accompaniment for churches and communities facing increasing pressure and risk.  You can check our progress here: https://openandaffirming.networkforgood.com/projects/265515-the-beloved-fund-2-for-1matching-grant

None of this happened by accident. It happened because people like you chose to stay connected, invest in shared work, and believe that affirmation is not symbolic—it is life-saving.

Thank you for helping us reach this goal. Thank you for sustaining this movement. And thank you for standing with LGBTQ+ people and affirming churches at a moment when courage matters deeply.

In solidarity and shared purpose,

Rev. Derek Terry
Acting Executive Director
Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ

Dear Friend,

This week, many of us are observing Kwanzaa—a time rooted in reflection, shared values, and collective responsibility. As that observance unfolds, three of Kwanzaa’s principles feel especially meaningful for the life of the Open and Affirming Coalition right now: Umoja (unity), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), and Nia (purpose).

The Open and Affirming Coalition was founded in 1972 out of unity and purpose. People came together across difference, geography, and theology because they believed LGBTQ+ people were worthy of dignity, safety, and full inclusion in the life of the church. That collective commitment has grown into a movement of nearly 1,950 Open and Affirming churches—each one having written, adopted, and lived into a public covenant of welcome and affirmation.

That did not happen by accident. It happened because people chose to stay connected, to work together, and to remain rooted in a shared purpose even when affirmation was costly.

Umoja (unity) reminds us that movements are sustained not by perfection, but by commitment—by choosing one another again and again, especially when the work is difficult or uncomfortable.

Ujamaa (cooperative economics) names a truth we live every day. Less than four percent of the Coalition’s funding comes from the United Church of Christ denomination, and even that support is not part of a regular, ongoing budget allotment. While we are grateful for a regular grant from a foundation, sponsorships, and occasional support from other organizations, the vast majority of this ministry is sustained by churches and individual supporters who believe this work matters.

At the same time, over 75 percent of Open and Affirming churches have never made a financial contribution to the Coalition. That reality places real limits on what we are able to do—how many churches we can support, how quickly we can respond in moments of crisis, and whether we can hire the staff needed to meet growing demand. It also affects our ability to show up for smaller congregations with fewer resources and for communities where affirmation carries real risk.

Nia (purpose) reminds us why the Open and Affirming Coalition has existed for 53 years. From the beginning, this work has never been symbolic. It has always been about survival, dignity, and truth. In every generation, LGBTQ+ people—especially trans and gender-expansive people—have faced political, legal, and cultural efforts to erase, silence, or end their lives. Open and Affirming churches exist because silence costs lives. They are places of refuge when the world turns hostile, places of clarity when lies are preached as faith, places of courage when standing up carries risk, and places where life-saving affirmation is proclaimed without apology.

This work continues only if our community commits to sustaining it.

Now through December 31, we need to raise $10,000 to unlock a $20,000 matching grant for The Beloved Fund—tripling the impact of every gift. In this moment, each contribution has an outsized effect, strengthening the education, advocacy, and direct support that Open and Affirming churches depend on as they face increasing pressure and risk. These funds allow us to train pastors and lay leaders, accompany congregations navigating fear and conflict, respond quickly when LGBTQ+ people are under attack, and remain present in communities where affirmation is not symbolic, but life-saving and costly.

You can check our progress and give here:
https://openandaffirming.networkforgood.com/projects/265515-the-beloved-fund-2-for-1matching-grant

Umoja (unity) built this movement by bringing people together across difference. Ujamaa (cooperative economics) sustains it through shared commitment and shared resources. And Nia (purpose) calls us forward—grounding our work in faith and guiding us toward the future we are still building together.

Thank you for being part of a community that understands that affirmation is not optional—it is holy, necessary, and worth investing in, especially now.

With gratitude and resolve,

Rev. Derek Terry
Acting Executive Director
Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ

Click here to Donate Now!

On this third day of Christmas, we are still lingering in the glow of the manger. Advent has given way to Christmas, and we are slowly making our way toward Epiphany—the season when the light keeps building, even if the nights still feel long.

This year has been hard.

Many of us are tired in ways that feel deeper than exhaustion. We are watching harmful legislation move forward, listening to cruel rhetoric grow louder, and bracing ourselves for what the coming year may bring—especially for transgender and gender-expansive people, immigrant communities, and all who already live close to the margins. With the passage of the “Big Ugly Bill,” rising insurance costs, renewed attacks on gender-affirming care, and expanded enforcement powers for I.C.E. expected to take effect in 2026, fear feels closer to the surface for so many families. These are not abstract policy debates—they are questions about safety, healthcare, stability, and belonging.

And still, Christmas comes anyway.

As a child, my Christmas lists were filled with things I wanted and hoped for—small joys, simple delights. But this year, my Christmas list looks different. It’s a grown-up Christmas list. A faithful one. A list shaped by love for God’s people and concern for the world we are living in.

This year, my Christmas list includes churches brave enough to speak clearly when silence would be easier. It includes sanctuaries where LGBTQ+ people—especially trans and gender-expansive people—are not just welcomed, but affirmed, protected, and named as beloved by God. It includes pastors and lay leaders equipped with theology that heals rather than harms. It includes families finding courage because their church stood with them when the world did not.

My Christmas list includes Open and Affirming churches doing more than symbolic inclusion—churches practicing courage, education, accompaniment, and advocacy. Churches willing to say out loud and without apology: you are beloved, your life matters, and God is not confused about you.

These churches are necessary.

They are necessary for young people navigating fear and misinformation. They are necessary for parents searching for safety and truth. They are necessary in communities where compassion is being criminalized and care is being politicized. And they are necessary in a time when too many churches are being pulled toward exclusion rather than transformation.

This is why the work of the Open and Affirming Coalition matters so deeply right now. And it continues only because people like you believe that affirmation is not optional—it is holy.

As we move through Christmas toward Epiphany, the light is building. But light needs tending. It needs fuel. It needs people willing to help carry it forward.

Through December 31, your gift to The Beloved Fund will be tripled through our 2-for-1 matching grant. Every contribution strengthens the coaching, education, advocacy, and resources that help churches live out their calling with clarity and courage in fearful times.

You can give here:
https://openandaffirming.networkforgood.com/projects/265515-the-beloved-fund-2-for-1matching-grant

Another powerful way to support this work is by becoming a Sustainer through Faithful Resistance: The Sustainers Circle. Monthly giving—at any level—provides steady, reliable support that allows the Coalition to plan ahead, respond quickly, and remain present where affirmation is costly but life-giving. Even a sustaining gift of $5, $20, or $50 a month helps ensure that Open and Affirming churches continue to be places of refuge, resistance, and radiant love in the year ahead.

You can join the Sustainers Circle here:
https://openandaffirming.networkforgood.com/projects/264217-faithful-resistance-the-sustainers-circle

Thank you for walking this journey with us. Thank you for believing that love still matters. Thank you for helping the light grow—even when the world feels fragile.

With gratitude, hope, and resolve,

Rev. Derek Terry
Acting Executive Director
Open and Affirming Coalition of the UCC

Across the country, we are witnessing a renewed and coordinated effort to restrict and criminalize gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-expansive young people. Just yesterday the U.S. House passed legislation that would make it a federal crime for doctors—and in some cases parents—to support gender-affirming medical care for minors, despite the consensus of major medical organizations that such care can be appropriate and lifesaving when provided responsibly, as reported by
The Guardian and CNN.  

As NPR reports, efforts to restrict gender-affirming care increasingly rely on misinformation and alarmist language, sidelining medical expertise and the lived realities of transgender youth and their families.  

These attacks rely on misleading language about “protecting children,” while disregarding the voices of parents, medical professionals, and faith leaders who know that denying care causes real harm. Reporting from Out Magazine highlights how these proposals would criminalize doctors, terrify families, and further isolate transgender youth rather than protect them.  

Research consistently shows that affirming care reduces anxiety, depression, and suicide risk among gender-diverse youth, while forced denial increases distress and danger—realities that are too often absent from political debate. (Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care)

In this moment, Open and Affirming churches are being called to something deeper than politeness or symbolic inclusion. Open and affirming churches can and should provide hope—not merely through welcome (WELCOME IS NOT ENOUGH), but through affirmation, protection, education, and sustained commitment. This means clearly naming gender-expansive people as beloved by God, offering concrete pastoral care to families navigating fear and uncertainty, and grounding our communities in theology that resists shame and exclusion.

Across the country, Open and Affirming congregations are doing this work every day. They are accompanying families who are frightened. They are educating their members in the midst of misinformation. They are showing—through action—that faith can be a source of life rather than harm. But this work requires support. Churches need resources, coaching, training, and theological tools to respond faithfully and courageously—especially in places where political pressure makes affirmation costly.

That is why the work of the Open and Affirming Coalition matters now more than ever.

At the heart of this movement is a simple truth: every person is BELOVED.

From now through December 31, 2025, your generosity can help that truth shine even brighter. The Coalition has received a 2-for-1 matching grant from a generous supporter. When our community raises $10,000, the donor will add $20,000—bringing $30,000 of support, strength, and hope to this movement.

Because this is a true 2-for-1 match, every contribution is tripled:
• A gift of $25 becomes $75
• A gift of $100 becomes $300
• A gift of $1,000 becomes $3,000

Your support directly fuels the coaching, education, advocacy, and resources churches rely on to affirm gender-expansive people and their families with clarity and courage—especially in a time when care is being politicized and compassion is being criminalized.

Every contribution—large or small—strengthens the ministry that strengthens all of us.

Will you join us? Will you help grow The Beloved Fund and triple your impact today?

Give here:
https://openandaffirming.networkforgood.com/projects/265515-the-beloved-fund-2-for-1matching-grant

With gratitude and resolve,

Rev. Derek Terry
Acting Executive Director
Open and Affirming Coalition of the UCC

At the heart of the Open and Affirming movement is a simple truth: every person is BELOVED!

Click here to Donate to help us unlock our Matching Grant Goal!

IT’S GIVING TUESDAY! 

Today is Giving Tuesday, a day when people across the country invest in the causes and communities that matter most. For us in the Open and Affirming Coalition, this day is about strengthening a broad and growing LGBTQ+ movement of faith—one rooted in affirmation, justice, and the sacred dignity of every person.

This year, your generosity goes even further.

From now through December 31, every gift to the Coalition will be tripled through a 2-for-1 matching grant. For every dollar you give, a generous supporter will contribute two more—up to $10,000 raised. If we meet our goal, the match will add $20,000, bringing $30,000 into this movement at a time when it is urgently needed.

Today, we’re also excited to offer something special in gratitude.

A Giving Tuesday Thank-You Gift

The first 30 people who give $250 or more will receive a complimentary copy of The Story of Bob | The Life and Times of Rev. Robert W. Wood by Steven C. Law.
You can see the flyer for this campaign above and share it widely.

Who Was Rev. Robert W. Wood?

Rev. Robert Wood was one of the earliest and most courageous pioneers of LGBTQ+ faith activism in the United States. In 1960—decades before “affirming” language entered church life—he published Christ and the Homosexual, the first book by a Christian pastor openly affirming LGBTQ+ people without demanding their silence or celibacy. He marched in early gay-rights protests, preached inclusion from the pulpit, and lived openly with his partner Hugh at a time when such visibility was nearly unheard of. Rev. Wood’s ministry helped lay the foundation for the LGBTQ+ faith movement we inherit today, and the Coalition has long regarded him as one of our most prophetic ancestors. Honoring his legacy this Giving Tuesday is a reminder that our movement exists because brave leaders paved the way with truth, courage, and love.

The biography releases in February 2026, and we will ship copies to qualifying donors as soon as it is available.

Click here to read Bob’s Biography from the LGBT Religious Archives Network website

Why Your Giving Tuesday Gift Matters

Your support today strengthens a national movement that:
• Accompanies congregations committed to LGBTQ+ affirmation, not mere welcome
• Supports ministries across traditions working for justice and inclusion
• Provides coaching and care when churches face hostility or backlash
• Equips leaders, volunteers, and communities with resources and training
• Builds networks of advocacy, solidarity, and transformation
• Helps queer and trans people find spiritual homes where they are fully known and celebrated

This work extends far beyond any single denomination. Your gift strengthens a movement of faith rooted in liberation, courage, and radical affirmation.

Give Today and Triple Your Impact

Your generosity on Giving Tuesday keeps Rev. Wood’s legacy alive and fuels the next generation of LGBTQ+ faith leadership and justice work.

Click here to Donate Now!

Thank you for standing with us—and for strengthening the movement so LGBTQ+ people everywhere can live, lead, worship, and thrive with dignity and joy.

With deep gratitude,
Rev. Derek Terry, Acting Executive Director
Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ