Open and Affirming

Open and Affirming Statement of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Madison, Wisconsin

Preamble

Throughout its history Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ has sought to welcome into the membership of this community of faith all seekers who accept baptism and make public confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Our services of worship are open to all who enter our doors. Yet we confess that in our human frailty we have failed. We have not spoken often enough in ways that enabled the deaf to hear; we have not shown God's love sufficiently that the blind could always see; we have not enabled those who cannot walk to join us with ease in our journey. We have at times excluded by attitude and oversight, those who came to us seeking the mercy of God and revelation of the love of Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that much of the Christian Church in its long history has often judged and excluded from the community of faith gay and lesbian persons, in which action this congregation has been complicit by its silence.

Declaration

In faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ this congregation has sought always to celebrate the diversity of its membership and to affirm the worth of each individual in the sight of God. Proclaiming our desire to be an intentionally inclusive community of faith, we, therefore, join with other congregations of the United Church of Christ and the 15th General Synod of the United Church of Christ and declare and make publicly known that we are a congregation which seeks to be open to and affirming of all people, regardless of sexual orientation.

Doxology

Acknowledging the full diversity of God's whole creation before which we stand in awe-filled wonder;

Proclaiming the truth of the Gospel of God's love for all people perfectly revealed in Christ Jesus, whose ministry valued the disenfranchised, the downtrodden, and the outcast; and Seeking the wisdom and guidance of God's Holy Spirit to lead us into ministries of growing faithfulness:

We praise God that the waters which divide us, are parted by God's grace;

That the walls which separate us are destroyed by God's love;

And that we are given this ministry of reconciliation through which we may grow in grace and love, and in faithfulness to Jesus Christ who is sent that our lives might be lived in the fullness of joy and in the constancy of God's redeeming power.

Affirmed by the Congregation January 21, 1996