Let's Keep This Momentum Going: We Need An Affirm Action Team!, Erica Young (Jan 18, 2015)

Affirming Update

In November 2013, UCiM became an "Affirming" congregation, pledging to work for the full inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities within our church and within society. We proclaim our commitment with a rainbow flag on our website, a small flag on the table inside the front door, a pink triangle on the minister's office door and by lighting the rainbow candle each Sunday, letting everyone who is here know that they are welcome. What else has happened?

• Three "monitors" were named (Rudy Ramchandar, Larissa Kanhai and Erica Young) to support our congregation in living out our commitment fully, to notice and lift up our successes and remind us to keep working at this.
• Deliberations around the best way to display the rainbow outside our building are ongoing. 
• The Gathering Circle led a worship service to mark the International Day Against Homophobia in 2014. 
• At Rendez-Vous (a national United Church gathering for youth, young adults and their leaders), Rev. Ha Na Park took part in workshops on Creating a Safer Space for Queer-Identified Young People and Creating Accountable and Accessible Communities.
• We supported the Rainbow Ministry fall supper with a donation of vegetables.
• One of the Small Group Ministry Book Clubs read and shared reflections on "Confessions of a Fairy's Daughter: Growing Up With a Gay Dad". 
• A conversation has begun with the Gay Straight Alliance student group at College Jeanne-Sauve about how we might support their work.

Let's continue this journey together. We can all take responsibility for unlearning our prejudices (so often subtle and unconscious!) and practicing the radical inclusiveness that Jesus modelled.

To keep the momentum going and take action on the next steps in our plan (see the poster near the sound booth or our website), we need an Affirm Action Task Group. Can you be part of a small group that will help our congregation implement the next steps, like outdoor signage and study opportunities? Please talk to Rev. Ha Na Park, Rev. Gordon Taylor, Jean Thorpe or Bev Hindle.

(Photo credit: Bruce Bullied, taken at UCiM Sanctuary during the photography workshop on Jan 10)