We’re Open. You’re welcome!
Here, like in many congregations of the United Church of Christ, we like to say, “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.” And we know that many congregations make the same claim, without finishing that statement:
In 2007, First Congregational Church of Palo Alto became an Open & Affirming Congregation, extending our extravagant welcome to intentionally name LGBTQ persons and their families. As new understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity has emerged, we have actively engaged in expanding our welcome to include the whole spectrum of gender expression -- including genderqueer, gender nonconforming, and gender nonidentifying folks.
The United Church of Christ, through our neighboring Golden Gate Association of the Northern California Nevada Conference in 1972, ordained the first openly gay man to Christian ministry in modern times (William Johnson). And then, in 1982, the first openly lesbian woman ordained to Christian ministry was ordained by the Shenandoah Valley Association of the Central Atlantic Conference.
Since the 1970s, the UCC has been at the forefront proclaiming Christian witness for the embrace of all God’s children as beloved creations. At our General Synod in 2005, we became the first Christian denomination in the United States to call for marriage equality nationwide -- and when the Supreme Court decision finally made that equality the law of the land in 2014, it was while our General Synod was meeting in Cleveland, and was celebrated by a sustained standing ovation throughout the convention hall.
Our formal Statement of Welcome, posted as you enter the Sanctuary, reads:
As we, the members of the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, seek to embody God’s extravagant welcome to all, we declare ourselves to be an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, welcoming into the full life and ministry of our church all who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
But that’s simply a long way of saying: We’re open. You’re welcome. Just as you are -- you, your whole self, and all those you love and embrace are welcomed, affirmed, and celebrated here.
Here, like in many congregations of the United Church of Christ, we like to say, “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.” And we know that many congregations make the same claim, without finishing that statement:
- You’re welcome here… only so long as you come to believe the same way we believe.
- You’re welcome here… only so long as you were born with the right skin tone.
- You’re welcome here… only so long as you hold the right academic credential.
- You’re welcome here… only so long as you come from the right family.
- You’re welcome here… only so long as you love the correct gender.
- You’re welcome here… only so long as you present the gender of your birth sex.
In 2007, First Congregational Church of Palo Alto became an Open & Affirming Congregation, extending our extravagant welcome to intentionally name LGBTQ persons and their families. As new understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity has emerged, we have actively engaged in expanding our welcome to include the whole spectrum of gender expression -- including genderqueer, gender nonconforming, and gender nonidentifying folks.
The United Church of Christ, through our neighboring Golden Gate Association of the Northern California Nevada Conference in 1972, ordained the first openly gay man to Christian ministry in modern times (William Johnson). And then, in 1982, the first openly lesbian woman ordained to Christian ministry was ordained by the Shenandoah Valley Association of the Central Atlantic Conference.
Since the 1970s, the UCC has been at the forefront proclaiming Christian witness for the embrace of all God’s children as beloved creations. At our General Synod in 2005, we became the first Christian denomination in the United States to call for marriage equality nationwide -- and when the Supreme Court decision finally made that equality the law of the land in 2014, it was while our General Synod was meeting in Cleveland, and was celebrated by a sustained standing ovation throughout the convention hall.
Our formal Statement of Welcome, posted as you enter the Sanctuary, reads:
As we, the members of the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, seek to embody God’s extravagant welcome to all, we declare ourselves to be an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, welcoming into the full life and ministry of our church all who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
But that’s simply a long way of saying: We’re open. You’re welcome. Just as you are -- you, your whole self, and all those you love and embrace are welcomed, affirmed, and celebrated here.