Welcoming & Affirming
armony proudly supports Community of Christ congregations seeking to begin the journey of education, awareness, and support in order to become a more welcoming and affirming community. Harmony's Welcoming & Affirming Program pairs participating congregations with a dedicated trained facilitator to assist them through the toolkit. Each congregation in the program will be led by a appointed Core Team to represent their perspectives and experiences by completing our questionnaire. Upon scoring the questionnaire, a Harmony representative will provide you with a recommended track that will best suit your congregation's unique needs. Harmony defines the term Welcoming & Affirming in a Community of Christ context to mean: A community that publicly, intentionally, and explicitly lives out its affirming policies following a purposeful Queer/LGBTQIA2S+ educational curriculum approved by Harmony.
Community of Christ, particularly the Salt Lake City congregation, espouses a welcoming and affirming ministry through several key principles and practices that emphasize inclusivity, acceptance, and the recognition of every individual’s worth, irrespective of their gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of their identity. Here’s how they put this into practice:
1. Open and Affirming Stance: The congregation declares itself as open and affirming, extending God’s peace to all individuals. This stance is foundational, indicating that everyone is welcome to participate in church activities without any form of discrimination.
2. Full Participation for All Members: They assure that all members, without exception, can fully participate in all church aspects. This means that involvement in sacraments, leadership roles, and community activities is open to every member, regardless of their 2SLGBTQIA+ identity.
3. Egalitarian Leadership: The leadership within the congregation is intentionally diverse, including persons from various backgrounds. This representation in leadership roles demonstrates a commitment to equality and diversity, ensuring that the church leadership reflects the community’s broad spectrum.
4. Unity in Diversity: The congregation upholds the principle of unity in diversity, believing in an honest commitment to living together in community, despite differing opinions or identities. This principle fosters an environment where individuals can be themselves, knowing that their unique identities contribute to the richness of the community.
5. Advocacy and Inclusion Efforts: On a broader scale, Community of Christ’s leadership in the USA has publicly supported 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy and full inclusion. This includes speaking out against legislation that infringes upon the rights of transgender individuals and emphasizing the church’s commitment to justice for 2SLGBTQIA+ persons.
These practices show a deep-rooted commitment to creating a space where everyone can feel welcomed, affirmed, and valued for who they are. By actively working to ensure full participation, represent diversity in leadership, and advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion, Community of Christ Salt Lake City exemplifies a welcoming and affirming ministry in action.