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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