Recently, we interviewed Rev Ellen Sims from Open Table UCC on our podcast where she read her congregation's open and affirming public statement. I though it was a beautiful affirmation of the type of inclusiveness we are advocating for, and so I wanted to give it a permanent home on our blog.
Open Table is an Open and Affirming congregation that affirms the worth and dignity of every human being, extending extravagant welcome to all persons. We affirm lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in particular and assure them full inclusion in the life, leadership, and ministry of our congregation. We acknowledge the suffering they have endured in the context of the larger society. We aspire to develop an increasingly sensitive and informed understanding of God's good gifts of human sexuality, gender, and relationships. We believe that all people are created in God's image and thus are loved and blessed equally by God.
