In 2017, Port Wallis began our affirming ministry journey.
Affirming Ministries are at the heart of the Affirming movement. There are almost 200 Affirming Ministries and ministries in process across Canada and Port Wallis is now one of those ministries in process.
Affirm United a justice-oriented organization of people in The United Church of Canada.
AU/SE works for the full inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in The United Church of Canada and in society. The program was launched in 1992. The United Church officially endorsed the program in 2000 and encourages its ministries to participate.
The program encourages all United Church bodies (congregations, presbyteries, conferences, educational centres, camps, chaplaincies) to study and learn what it means to be publicly welcoming and inclusive. The program provides support for sexual orientation and gender identity issues but it also encourages the study of other United Church resources that promote the inclusion of other marginalized groups.
Diversity and inclusion goes beyond the LGBTQ community… The program asks congregations to consider a variety of areas that may be barriers to those coming to your community – age, gender, race, ability, class, culture, language, economic status and, in particular to the Affirming Ministry, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Stay tuned for our events and activities as we work on this journey.
We ask that everyone be open to hearing about what it means to be affirming and welcoming to all. To listen to new ideas, new information and new people during this process. You can get some ideas on being welcoming on this page on our website.
The following words are from a hymn, we have sung here at Port Wallis, words that can change lives…
“Turn Wounds into Blessings, To Walk Beyond the Boundaries,
and Open the Doors to a World that Colours Outside the Lines.”
There are people on the other side of our doors who would love to come in, they just do not know where the door is, not yet anyhow. We can change that, together.