Open & Affirming Statement
Adopted on June 29, 2025
Jesus said: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”As a faith community, we acknowledge the importance of reflecting on and committing to how we are called to walk together in faith, grounded in that love.
The command of Jesus calls us to the full inclusion of all our siblings, including those who are neurodiverse, living with mental health challenges, those with disabilities, immigrants, and refugees. We practice a theology that embraces our LGBTQAI+ with an explicit welcome to transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming siblings, recognizing that each person is made in the beautiful, diverse image of God. This means honoring people by their chosen names and pronouns.
We denounce the ways pulpits have been used to harm God’s beloved, especially those marginalized, minimized, and ignored. We believe that every aspect of church life is open to all people, including leadership, marriage, and the sacraments of baptism and communion. We celebrate the God-given gifts of every person. We seek to be a faith community that authentically reflects both who we are and who we are becoming. With joy and conviction, we declare the United Church of Christ in Tuscaloosa to be an open and affirming faith community.
Love is our measure, and it looks like:
- Staying present when it’s hard.
- Celebrating joys and mourning losses.
- Listening and caring with humility.
- Extending grace and forgiveness.
- Refusing to give up on love.
But love doesn’t just abide—it moves. As this new community, we are called to move forward together. Like water, if we stop moving, we stagnate. We commit to meeting new people and welcoming them into this progressive faith community in Tuscaloosa, one that dares to do things differently. Our community is committed to listening deeply and seeking to understand how the church has caused harm.
As we walk together, we make space for one another, even when we disagree. We create emotional space for honesty and vulnerability, knowing that building a place of safety and grace is a process that requires ongoing commitment. We refuse to let disagreements tear us apart, choosing love over one-sided winning. This means:
- Learning to pray side by side, even when our traditions differ.
- Standing up for justice and compassion, especially for those the world overlooks or marginalizes.
- Choosing relationships over rightness.
- Staying in the room—not to win an argument, but to remain in love.
We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, embodying love in how we live, listen, and worship.
This is the covenant we share.
This is the love we offer.
This is the movement we embrace.