Open and Affirming Certification Process

Note: Links to UCC and HRC resources are included at the end of this document.

A brief history of the beginnings of the Open and Affirming movement in the UCC began as a way churches certified and declared themselves ready to call pastors no matter their sexual orientation:

In 1972, Rev. William R. Johnson was the first openly gay minister ordained in the United Church of Christ. UCC members founded the UCC Gay Caucus, which later became the Open and Affirming Coalition.

In 1982, the Rev. Anne Holmes was the first openly lesbian minister ordained in the UCC.

In 1985, the ONA became a movement, with funding to manage and grow the movement toward congregations to be certified as Open and Affirming.

In 1987, the first 15 congregations certified as Open and Affirming.

Over time, as more congregations became ONA, it became clear that LGBTQ people had come to feel rejected and shamed by congregations. The ONA certification process has come to represent much more than a congregation’s openness to call pastor’s no matter their sexual orientation. ONA is understood as an essential commitment LGBTQ people, their families, and their friends.

Not Alone

Other Christian denominations share this history. The ways they have responded are particular to their systems of governance, and the many variations in these denominations are too complex to enumerate. The Human Rights Campaign provides an index of stances on ordination and inclusion of LGBTQ people. This HRC index includes other faith traditions (eg, Muslim).

Two Tracks for ONA Certification

There are two tracks for ONA certification. One is for a congregation to undergo a process of discernment resulting in a congregational vote to approve an ONA covenant, the other is for a congregation to certify that it is already ONA in practice, so a process of discernment is not needed.

Process of Discernment for ONA Certification

The UCC ONA Coalition offers Building an Inclusive Church (BIC) Toolkit and an Open and Affirming Planning Guide. The recommended steps in the ONA process detailed in these resources are summarized as a 16 step process.

This 16 step process has been developed based on the experiences and needs of congregations embarking on this journey.

Among the many steps outlined, there are three key outcomes:

One, the congregation writes an ONA covenant (example covenants).
Two, the congregation develops a program to study and discuss ONA.
Three, the congregation takes a vote to certify the ONA Covenant.

Upon vote for approval, the congregation reports the vote to the Wisconsin Conference, which then allows congregations to be designated as ONA for future Search and Call processes. ONA congregations are also listed and searchable to people looking to find ONA churches.

List of Open and Affirming Links

ONA Coalition Home Page:
https://openandaffirming.org/

Why Should My Church Become ONA?
https://openandaffirming.org/ona/why/

History of ONA
https://openandaffirming.org/about/history/

ONA Resources Page
https://openandaffirming.org/resources/issues/

Building and Inclusive Church (BIC) Toolkit
https://openandaffirming.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/BIC_Toolkit_2021Edits.pdf

Open and Affirming Planning Guide with 16 Steps
https://openandaffirming.org/ona/how/guide/

Example ONA Covenants
https://openandaffirming.org/ona/how/covenants/

Searchable ONA Congregations Database
https://openandaffirming.org/ona/find/

Human Rights Campaign Links

Index: Human Rights Foundation Faith Resources
https://www.hrc.org/resources/faith-resources

United Church of Christ
https://www.hrc.org/resources/stances-of-faiths-on-lgbt-issues-united-church-of-christ