At vigils and prayer services, congregations are reading out the names of the 49 who were killed Sunday at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Most of the victims were Hispanic. It is becoming a common practice for churches to sound a bell for each name….
We’ll be updating this list as we receive new information. To add your event, please write ed@openandaffirming.org. Alabama Pray for Orlando 8 pm Wednesday, June 15 Beloved Community Church 131 41st St. S., Birmingham, AL Prayer Vigil 7 pm Wednesday, June 15 Cornerstone MCC 1007…
The following statement was released Monday morning by the Open and Affirming Coalition and the National Officers of the United Church of Christ. Later today, we’ll email suggestions for actions ONA congregations can take in response to this tragedy. Please post your own responses, prayers,…
The Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ is launching this week a campaign to encourage ONA congregations to display their welcome effectively through rainbow images posted at or near the entrance of the church. “Our research shows that ONA churches that…
Coalition leaders Rebecca Voelkel and Phil Porter are offering a long-weekend retreat exploring the relationship between sexuality and spirituality called “Sacred Intersextions” March 31 to April 3 at the Oak Ridge Conference Center, a beautiful setting near Minneapolis/St. Paul. Rebecca and Phil have both spent many years looking at,…
We’ve just welcomed Open and Affirming church #1300! That means exactly 26 percent of UCC congregations are Open and Affirming. We’re the largest and fastest-growing LGBT-affirming church movement in the world! But 26 percent is not 100 percent. Let’s work together to build an Open and Affirming…
CLEVELAND, Oct. 26, 2015—In a joint statement, the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ and the UCC Collegium of Officers urged congregations to join local observances of Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20 and to renew their commitment the following…
We’ve changed the date for our ONA Evangelism 101 webinar! Join ONA Coalition executive director Andy Lang at 7 pm Wednesday, Nov. 4, to learn best practices from growing ONA churches. How can congregations effectively reach their LGBTQ neighbors, and how can churches revive their…
Black Lives Matter Minneapolis held a vigil and press conference on recently to deliver the signatures of 45,000 people, including 3,000 faith leaders from around the country, to Bloomington City Attorney Sandra Johnson demanding that charges be dropped against the organizers of the peaceful protest…
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