Open and Affirming (ONA)

certificate

The Congregational United Church of Christ (CUCCVC) is an Open and Affirming (ONA) church and is recognized as such with the ONA Coalition of the United Church of Christ. We have made a commitment to welcome all people into our church; a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, race, financial status, or physical/emotional ability does not determine entry into the CUCCVC.

  • To achieve ONA status with the United Church of Christ, a congregation must explore what ONA means to its members.
    • The process can take up to a year and involves learning about the LBGTQ culture through guest speakers, readings, and discussion led by an ONA committee comprised of five to six church members.
      • The committee also drafts a covenant explaining how and why their church constitutes an ONA place of worship.
    • The journey ends with a congregational vote in which members decide whether or not they want to formally announce to the world that they are ONA.
      • The covenant is then introduced to the congregation.
    • The CUCCVC is proud that our ONA status is the result of a unanimous vote which took place in March 2017.
Our covenant reads as follows:

The Valley City Congregational United Church of Christ welcomes you into our family. What do we mean when we say we are a family?

  • Does it mean we only want you if you conform to our expectations? This is true in some families but not our family.
  • Does it mean we will not accept you because of your sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions? This is true in some families but not our family.
  • Does it mean we only accept certain races, ethnic backgrounds, or nationalities? This is true in some families but not our family.
  • Does it mean we only accept those of a certain financial status? This is true in some families but not our family.
  • Does it mean we only accept able-bodied persons, free of physical, cognitive, or emotional disabilities? This is true in some families but not our family.

This is what is true in our family:

  • Our family accepts you for who you are, as you are, in this and any moment.
  • Like other families, our family has values. We value the wisdom of other traditions, communal worship, and social justice action inclusive of the earth and all living things.
  • As a beloved community of the people of God, we enjoy each other's company as we work, play, and study together to continue as followers of our Lord Jesus.
  • We understand that families do not always agree despite their love and concern for one another. Hence, our family strives to settle differences of opinion with respect and understanding.

Welcome to our family.