Open and Affirming Resolution Adopted (February 28, 2010)

WHEREAS Jesus Christ teaches us to love one another (John 15:7), and;

WHEREAS the Apostle Paul teaches us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:14), and;

WHEREAS the members of the First Congregational Church of Tempe, AZ United Church of Christ, Inc. covenant and struggle to be a Body of Christ “in which there is no dissension, but where members may have the same care for one another, so that if one member suffers, all suffer together with it, and if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26-27), therefore;

BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the First Congregational Church of Tempe, AZ United Church of Christ, Inc., in all aspects of its administrative, program and worship life, declare the First Congregational Church of Tempe, AZ United Church of Christ, Inc. to be Open and Affirming (ONA) of all persons.  We covenant with God and one another to extend welcome and Christian fellowship to all followers and seekers of Christ without fear, prejudice, or discrimination in regard to sexual orientation (including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender), gender identity, race, age, ethnicity, nationality, physical, mental or emotional condition, education, financial situation, biblical or theological interpretation, or any other circumstance that has historically been a barrier to full life, participation, membership, mission, work and ministry in the First Congregational Church of Tempe, AZ United Church of Christ, Inc..  We embrace all persons as equal partners in the Body of Christ with unlimited access to opportunity of service to God, and;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we of the First Congregational Church of Tempe, AZ United Church of Christ, Inc. will continue a committed, prayerful, and respectful dialogue with one another as we seek God’s guidance for greater biblical and theological understanding of important issues, including those relating to human sexuality, and; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the First Congregational Church of Tempe, AZ United Church of Christ, Inc. reaches this decision because we “affirm the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and in purity of heart before God.” (from Paragraph 2, Preamble, UCC Constitution.)

Implementation:

Implemented by legal passage of the Congregational Church of Tempe, AZ United Church of Christ, Inc., at the February 28, 2010, Annual Meeting and is immediately implemented and was immediately made a part of our by-laws.