Open and affirming

This church […] declares itself open to all persons, and affirming of each person without regard to race, sex, color, physical or mental abilities, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Open and Affirming Statement

In the spirit of the 15th and the 23rd General Synods of the United Church of Christ, Robbinsdale Parkway United Church of Christ covenants to be open and affirming to all people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, and questioning people.

We believe that people of all sexual orientations and gender identities share the worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God;

We recognize the presence of ignorance, fear and hatred in the church and in our culture, and covenant to not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and we seek to include and support those who, because of the fear and prejudice, find themselves in exile from a spiritual community;

We seek to address the needs and advocate the concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning people in our church and in society;

We join together as a covenantal community, to celebrate and share the reassurance that we are equal participants in the love and grace of God.

This church further declares itself open to all persons, and affirming of each person without regard to race, sex, color, physical or mental abilities, sexual orientation or gender identity.

We welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning people to join our congregation in the same spirit and manner used in the acceptance of any new members;

Genesis 1:27, 31 (CEB)

God made us as a diverse people in God’s own image, and God celebrated.

God created humanity in God’s own image,in the divine image God created them,male and female God created them.God saw everything God had made: it was supremely good.

Matthew 22:37-40 (CEB)

Everything boils down to loving God and each other.

[Jesus] replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  The second is like it: You must love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Galations 3:28-29 (CEB)

We all receive God’s love equally, no matter who we are.

There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.

1 Corinthians 12:14-15, 24-26 (CEB)

We are all a part of the community of God’s people.  Nobody can take that away.

Certainly the body isn’t one part but many.  If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” does that mean it’s not part of the body?  […] But God has put the body together, […] so that there won’t be division in the body and so the parts might have mutual concern for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part gets the glory, all the parts celebrate with it.