National ONA Gathering - June 2018
Registration is now open for the National Open and Affirming Gathering, June 27-30, at the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, TX! Join us for this annual family reunion of our growing movement of LGBTQ-affirming communities in the United Church of Christ. Help us welcome ONA church #1500 (which happens to be the Lancaster Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, right here in NH) and renew our commitment to become a church where everyone is welcome, wanted and needed, and no one left behind!
This year's theme is "Living Our Covenant Beyond Boundaries." We live in a time of great danger and great opportunity. The Trump Administration is threatening the basic rights for which the LGBTQ community and our allies fought for years. Violence against transgender Americans is on the rise. Research shows that anti-LGBTQ feelings, which had been declining steadily for two decades, is creeping upward again. And ONA congregations are challenged not only to defend their LGBTQ neighbors, but all whose lives and human dignity are under attack.
If there was ever a year when the National ONA Gathering was needed, this is it!
Visit the website, www.openandaffirming.org/news/ona-gathering/, to learn more.
NHCUCC's Open & Affirming Resolution
In 2005, at the 204th Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Conference, United Church of Christ, adopted A Resolution Declaring the NH Conference to be OPEN and AFFIRMING.
RESOLVED: That the 204th Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ declares the New Hampshire Conference to be an Open and Affirming Conference, and that all people, no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identity, are fully welcomed into the life of the Conference.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 204th Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ reaffirms the action taken at the 187th (1989) Annual Meeting to encourage local churches to become Open and Affirming, and commits the New Hampshire Conference to a non-discrimination policy with respect to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities in every aspect of employment by the Conference, including, but not limited to, the calling of pastoral leadership.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 204th Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ joins the Fifteenth General Synod in "Calling on United Church of Christ Congregations to Declare Themselves Open and Affirming" and to adopt a policy of non-discrimination with regard to sexual orientation as well as a Covenant of Openness and Affirmation of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and heterosexual persons within the community of faith.
Open and Affirming Churches in the New Hampshire Conference, UCC
UCC Coalition: ONA Resources
Open and Affirming in the UCC