Open And Affirming (ONA)

Mission Hills United Church of Christ formed a subcommittee of the Christian Education Commission to plan and present a study process and eventual congregational vote for our church to become an Open And Affirming (ONA) congregation.  This process concluded on Sunday, June 18, 2006 during the Ecclesiastical Meeting when the congregation voted to officially become an Open and Affirming Congregation!  The official ONA Statement is below.  The statement draws on our previously affirmed "Principals of a Progressive Church" statement, and incorporates some commonly held theological principals of the United Church of Christ, as well as those unique to our congregation. 

Mission Hills United Church of Christ is an Open and Affirming congregation whose primary purpose is to proclaim and extend God's extravagant welcome to all people. We are a church family committed to nurturing spiritual growth by providing a safe and welcoming worship with fellowship experiences for all to share. We respect the many and varied faith backgrounds of those who worship with us. We support peace, justice, and equality in our community, the nation and around the world. We welcome and celebrate all who seek the experience of God's unconditional love regardless of their ability, age, cultural background, economic status, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religious heritage, or sexual orientation. All are welcome at the Table and into the full life and ministry of our church. We believe that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul; and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Some have questioned the wisdom of putting so much energy into writing a statement like this, "We have always been a welcoming community. Why do we need a statement?" Please remember, comments like this come from those of us who regularly benefit from our community life. We love our church and value the covenantal ties we have established here, but visitors don't have that same knowledge or experience - particularly visitors who have been ostracized by other churches, those who may be filled with suspicion about church in general. Statements like this help to open the door to others inviting them to try again. But statements that are not grounded in reality are mere "ditties on the wall." It is critical, as we think carefully about words in a statement, that we also evaluate how they are lived out in offering God's extravagant welcome to all - visitors and members alike. 

• Diane Edwards-LiPera, Chairperson

• Lynn Barnes-Wallace

• Judy Carter

• M. Juanita Hill

• Santina Poor

• Jean Rudd

• Anne Sarsfield

• Jason Sauberan

• Dorothy Schmidt

• George Waller

• Susan Waller

THE PROCESS

• On October 2, 2005 the ONA Committee hosted a kick-off forum after church to which all were invited to learn more about the process, plans for the next few months and ask questions about the process and about ONA in general.  Following that, members of the committee facilitated a series cottage meetings which provided a more intimate setting in which members and friends were  able to voice concerns, ask further questions and talk with each other candidly about the possibility of becoming an ONA church.

• On November 14, 2005, the committee met again to synthesize what was learned during the cottage meetings.  In addition, samples of other churches' ONA statements will be posted in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, November 20th along with a copy of the church's principles of a progressive church. 

• On January 23rd, the committee met to plan a panel discussion, discuss and finalize the draft ONA and planned next steps in the process.  A DRAFT version of MHUCC's ONA statement was written and will be posted on this website the week of  January 30th and will be published in the Pilgrim Congregationalist. Also a large copy of the DRAFT Statement is available on a bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall along with a copy for members of the congregation to write comments and suggestions about the statement.  We seek and welcome input from everyone. Remember, the statement will continue to evolve as we move through the education process.  

• The Open and Affirming (ONA) committee hosted a forum on Sunday, April 30th with speakers discussing issues facing the LGBT Community. Approximately 45 members and friends were in attendance.  The forum included a speaker from the LGBT Center of San Diego, a member of the board of PFLAG (Parents, Friends & Families of Lesbians and Gays) and a licensed social worker from Children's Hospital who specializes in LGBT kids and straight kids with LGBT Parents. 

• This process concluded on Sunday, June 18, 2006 during the Ecclesiastical Meeting when the congregation voted to officially become an Open and Affirming (ONA) Congregation! 

• Just because we have officially become an ONA Congregation doesn't mean our work is done. This milestone only marks the beginning of our work to reach out to our community and let them know that our church is a safe and welcoming place to worship, fellowship and receive God's unconditional love.

View the October 2nd ONA Forum Presentation 
(Click Mouse or use Page Up/Down Keys to advance through slides.)

What Is ONA?

ONA is "shorthand" for Open and Affirming, the designation for congregations, campus ministries, and other bodies in the United Church of Christ which make public statements of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities. 

If you have any questions about the ONA Study Process, please feel free to contact any of the committee members who will be happy to talk with you, answer any questions you may have, or provide further resources to help you in this learning process.

Links to Further Resources

The Coalitions Open And Affirming Program

The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center

Return to Christian Education Home Page