HOW BEING AN OPEN AND AFFIRMING CHURCH MIGHT AFFECT OUR CONGREGATION

EFFECT ON CURRENT MEMBERS

First of all, we hope it does have an effect on current members! We hope the membership sees this as a decision that comes from a theological foundation. As one of the churches of Jesus Christ, we are mandated to follow Christ’s teaching and example. Since Christ invited and welcomed all people to follow him, we need to do the same. Since Christ encouraged the outcasts and unwanted of his time not only to follow him but to become leaders, we, the church of Jesus Christ in the present day, are obligated to do the same. So we hope our members will examine this decision in light of their own understanding of Christ and their own faith in Christ. We hope they will see this as an opportunity to examine their own faith and how they live it out in their daily lives, and ultimately grow even greater in their faith.

We are also well aware of the anxiety some members may feel. This is to be expected. Whenever an individual or a group does something that involves some risk, there will be anxiety. Anxiety is a sign that people are involved and care deeply about what happens to their church. That anxiety may come from disagreeing with the desire to be open to people of all sexual orientations. It may come from concern that declaring ourselves ONA may lead to an embrace of “gay marriage”, which is currently a controversial topic not only in our denomination but in the larger church and larger society. It may come from a desire to keep silent rather than be public with an ONA mission statement. It may come from the challenge of having to explain to others why our church is taking such a step. It may come from the fear that the essential nature of UCC Valley Forge is about to experience a radical change into something quite different from the church family we currently enjoy and embrace.

It is also possible that some may want to leave the church or become less active in the church because of this decision. That would certainly be regrettable, and the pastor, Council and other members would do everything in their power to let any such individuals know that we want them to continue to be part of this family of God. We want them to be part of us and be in dialogue with us, not only on this issue, but on any and all issues that may affect this congregation we care about so much.

Churches that have become officially ONA have usually not experienced a decrease in membership. Most often they have experienced an increase. Typically this increase does not come so much from the gay/lesbian population as it does from people who are seeking a truly inclusive church that is committed to diversity and social justice. Other congregations that have become ONA have typically found that the church’s interest and activity in social justice issues has been strengthened.

EFFECT ON FUTURE MEMBERS

We hope a decision to become ONA will attract people to our church. In particular, we are thinking about people who have felt deserted or hurt by the church in general. We hope they will see UCC Valley Forge as a congregation where they will be welcomed, accepted, included and affirmed, and not merely tolerated. As we indicated above, we hope individuals from the heterosexual population will be attracted by the prospect of belonging to a diverse church that is committed to social justice in line with the teachings and example of Christ.

It is certainly possible that people could visit our congregation, see that we are an ONA church, and decide that this is not the place for them. We would still invite such people to be part of our church family. . . after all, to be open and affirming means to be welcoming even to those who differ on this issue! However, it is probably unlikely that those individuals would be very interested in becoming part of UCC Valley Forge even as it is today.

EFFECT ON CHURCH FINANCES

One of the old axioms about the church is that people vote through their wallets. In other words, people tend to give less when they are in disagreement with the church’s actions, and tend to give more when they are in agreement. It is impossible for us to calculate whether becoming officially ONA will affect us financially. All we can do is share information about other congregations who have taken this step. UCC denominational surveys have indicated that those congregations which have declared themselves Open and Affirming have, in the long run, experienced increased membership, increased giving, and increased participation generally.

EFFECT ON UCC VALLEY FORGE’S CHURCH LIFE AND SELF IMAGE

We do not want to change what makes UCC Valley Forge unique and special. We still want to be a church family centered on Jesus Christ. We still want to be a place where all people can come to worship and practice their faith in an environment of care, concern and friendship. We still want to be a place where people can reach out to others who are in need, and help them not only with financial contributions but with hands-on, personal experiences. We want to be a place where people have the opportunity to be as involved as they care to be with the life, fellowship and leadership of the church. We still want to be a place where people can come and learn about God, faith, themselves, and the critical issues facing the world, the church and their own lives.

We view becoming ONA more as a process of evolving, rather than suddenly changing into something entirely new. The way we practice Christianity by welcoming all who come to our door, naturally leads us to making the commitment to be ONA.

We also see this as empowering to the church and the congregation. Whenever people take a stand and make a risky decision, there is a feeling of empowerment that comes to them. It is the power to be bold followers of Jesus Christ.

VULNERABILITY

Will our becoming an ONA church cause us to experience any negative backlash in the community? It is impossible to guarantee the actions of others, but the likelihood of our experiencing vandalism, picketing or the like is remote. Charlie Holt, currently a pastor of Collenbrook United Church, a joint UCC/Presbyterian Church USA congregation in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, has been associated with two congregations that went through the study process and voted to become ONA, and neither experienced any such backlash. The same is true for Old First Reformed Church in Philadelphia, which also officially became an ONA congregation in recent years.

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