Open and Affirming
The Congregational Church of Needham is an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. That means that we have completed a process of study and have voted as a congregation to adopt a statement welcoming lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as well as those in other marginalized groups, into the full life and ministry of our church. The ONA Program is part of the UCC Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns.
|
Our Open and Affirming (ONA) Statement
As a covenant community we are committed to the belief |
|
In affirmation of the inclusive love of Christ Jesus, |
|
We strive to reflect these beliefs in the language |
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BOSTON PRIDE - Saturday, June 12, 2010
March with the MA Conference ONA churches for LGBT Pride this year. We always have a great time - chants, rhythm instruments, church signs, a red and black God Is Still Speaking ONA Church banner, streamers, beads... To sign up, please email Kathie Carpenter kacarp@comcast.net ASAP but no later than June 1. If you need a Needham ONA shirt, let her know.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
10 YEARS of Open and Affirming in Needham - 2010!
ANNIVERSARY EVENTS
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Transgender Explained for Those Who Are Not - Sunday, April 11, 2010
On Sunday evening, April 11, 2010, Joanne Herman, a nationally known writer, rights advocate, Board member, member of Old South Church, UCC in Boston, and transgender woman presented a program and read from her new book, Transgender Explained for Those Who Are Not. She told of her life experiences as she transitioned from biological male to female. It was certainly about understanding the realities and concerns of transgender people. But she informed listeners about the importance of understanding the concepts of gender identity and gender expression, something that we all have. It increased our understanding of how our church's welcome could be broader and more specific. It was a marvelous experience.
We Are Family: A Panel - Sunday, March 21, 2010
We heard the compelling personal stories told by families in our church who have a lesbian, gay, bisexual or trandgender member. Pam Garramone, Executive Director of Greater Boston PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) spoke about her work in creating safe schools and communities for LGBT children and youth.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ONA Sunday was Sunday February 7, 2010
A worship service marking the 10th Anniversary of our ONA vote took place on February 7. The service included special music, liturgy and messages about our ONA ministry and our church's commitment to God's Extravagant Welcome, as well as a marvelous sermon titled "On the Side of Love" by the Rev. Susan Cartmell. You can read the sermon by selecting the "sermon" tab on the left hand menu.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
25 Years of ONA in the MA CONFERENCE UCC - 2009
2009 marked the 25th anniversary of the passage of the first-ever ONA resolution passed by a Conference annual meeting in the UCC, which happened right here in Massachusetts. The 1984 Annual Meeting Resolution coined the term "Open and Affirming," and led, the following year, to the national Open and Affirming Resolution that started the ONA Program in the UCC. The aniversary was celebrated at the Conference Annual Meeting in Worcester October 16-17, 2009. The first ONA churches were listed nationally in 1987. Our church was ONA church #322, listed in 2000. There are now over 840 active ONA churches in the UCC.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS - Subscribe to SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER’S NEWSLETTERS
Here’s a great way to keep up with the activities of groups that threaten the rights of individuals and groups because of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, or religion.
Go to http://www.splcenter.org/center/subscribe.jsp
The Southern Poverty Law Center, founded in 1971, by Morris Dees and Joseph Levin, is internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups. It publishes “Teaching Tolerance,” an educational program to help K-12 teachers foster respect and understanding in the classroom.
(information from the Center’s website http://www.splcenter.org/center/about.jsp)