Second Church was very proud to be one of the first churches in the United Church of Christ denomination to adopt an Open and Affirming Covenant. In 2012, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the covenant’s adoption. The covenant was amended to become more inclusive in 2016.
STATEMENT OF OPENNESS AND AFFIRMATION
OF THE SECOND CHURCH IN NEWTON, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
AS ADOPTED AT A SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
OCTOBER 18, 1992
CALL
We are in covenant with other churches in the United Church of Christ and with the churches of the Massachussets Conference of the UCC. The General Synod of the UCC and the Massachusetts Conference of the UCC have called upon congregations to adopt a statement of openness to and affirmation of persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
RESPONSE
We are a community of faith. We take seriously the Biblical call to love God and our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 12:31) and recognize that although we are many members, we are one body in Christ (Romans 12:4).
We recognize that many within our society suffer the pain of oppression, discrimination and injustice for reasons such as their race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, age, physical or mental condition, and/or economic circumstances.
We openly affirm the God-given worth and dignity of every individual as our brother or sister in Christ; we celebrate the uniqueness of all who participate in the life of Second Church; and we rejoice in our diversity of views and understandings of our shared faith.
Recognizing that all attitudes, which lead to injustice, discrimination, violence and hatred work against peace and wholeness, we affirm that it is our call to work to overcome these attitudes in ourselves and others. We believe that as we meet each other in Christian love, God’s spirit frees us all to give, to grow, to be ourselves and to accept one another. We affirm relationships based on love, commitment and mutual respect. In this spirit, we welcome all persons including those of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender orientation to the full life and ministry of The Second Church in Newton, United Church of Christ.