Open and Affirming Statements

Eden United Church of Christ is an Open and Affirming (“ONA”) Congregation.

In 1995, we joined a growing number of progressive church congregations that have been recognized by the UCC Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Concerns for our commitment to being an inclusive faith community.

Our year-long study process conducted in the early 1990s led to the adoption of our ONA statement, and ultimately to recognition by the Coalition. Our ONA Statement appears in the heading of our Sunday worship bulletins and reads as follows:

We believe that all people are children of God; that persons of all ages, races, and sexual orientations are parts of our increasingly diverse culture; and we welcome all persons into the full life and ministry of this church.

Eden’s Cabinet adopted a resolution in 2004 supporting our Senior Minister’s decision to provide premarital counseling and to preside at rehearsals and weddings for same-gender couples, following principles and practices similar to those that she has applied in ministry with couples of the opposite gender for many years. Click here for more information about getting married at Eden Church.