Mission Statement for the Open and Affirming Process

Affirmed by the Church Council on March 23, 1992

As a People of Faith, we are bound by the covenant between ourselves and the Creator. To that end, we are constantly challenged to view the world with critical eyes, prayerfully exploring the ways our generous God invites us to witness to our society, our world and each other. We acknowledge that we are on a journey of discovery, in which the Spirit of God unfolds before us the paths of compassion, mercy and justice in the face of a world that sometimes oppresses, rejects and isolates.

As a People of Community, we believe that humankind represents a rich diversity, filled with uniqueness and wonder. The rich tapestry of life is a vibrant gift of the Creator, made whole by the Redeemer and supported by the Spirit. We confess that we, individually and collectively, have a history of exlcluding those who are different from us. Whether openly hostile, or subtly minimized, we have failed to treasure each other, binding together in spite of, rather than joyfully embracing, our genders, our colors, our history, our politics, our lifestyles, our differences.

As a People of Diversity, we are faced with difficult questions. How do we heed the call to proclaim God's love and salvation to all peoples, while holding precious the uniqueness represented in each of the Creator's creations? How do we reconcile our differences, when we are uncomfortable with some, or find others in contradiction to our core beliefs? How do we build bridges, when we are unsure that we want to be truly connected?

As a Questioning People, we believe that it is time for our particular community of believers, the First Congregational Church of Pasadena, to explore who are truly welcome to our community. In general, are we a Church that supports the full range of diversity offered by the Creator? In specific, are we a community that will openly invite, support, and cherish fellow believers whose difference is noticeably in their sexual orientation? Are we, as a church and as a part of the Body of Christ, willing to openly support our denominational call to be a church open to differences and affirming of each individual's sexual orientation?

As a People of Prayer and Study, we recognize that this is a beginning of a process -- one where each believer as well as the entire church family will be invited to explore their range of experience, values and beliefs. We affirm the need for Church-wide participation in a journey of prayer and study around the issues of human sexuality. We commit to the need to respect and honor each member's story as God revealing God's love through them. We individually and collectively dedicate ourselves to achieving a conscious decision and commitment, not an intellectual exercise that develops shallow roots and bears no fruit. We respond to the call to be prophets in a God-silent society, trembling at the implications but bolstered by our shared witness.

As the People of God, we accept this call and begin on this journey of faith.