The St. Paul's United Church in Grande Prairie, Alberta, is one of the churches in Canada that affirms the LGBTQ+ community. Recently, they were granted membership in Affirm United and other churches and ministries in their country.
St. Paul's United Church Receives Affirm United Membership
Affirm United has been working in collaboration with the United Church of Canada since 1992 to assist local congregations in becoming more welcoming environments for individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Based on a report from MSN, over 300 local ministries are part of Affirm United, including churches, colleges, assisted living homes, and other organizations.
On Sunday, Jun 18, the St. Paul's United Church will take the necessary steps to become a recognized affiliate of Affirm United. Additionally, Whitehorse, Regina, Toronto, and Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia, are the locations of some other congregations that will join Affirm United in June. On the other hand, in the Peace Country, located in the northwest region of Alberta, St. Paul's Church is the first inclusive ministry. Accordingly, nearly seventy-five percent of the congregation, which included 125 families, voted in favor of the Affirm United membership in March.
Becoming An Affirming Ministry
The United Church of Canada stated that Congregations, presbyteries, Gatherings, institutions of learning, and other United Church ministries are considered to be Affirming Ministries if they make a public declaration of their dedication to inclusiveness and equality for individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Even though Affirming Ministries has made an explicit claim about questions of sexuality and gender, the scope of their commitment to justice is far more extensive. They constantly develop and change as they work to more fully embody God's way of inclusion, love, and justice for all of creation.
According to Yahoo News, Karen Scott, head of the council of St. Paul's United Church, stated that becoming an accepting ministry is about establishing an environment of safety for everyone, with the LGBTQ+ group receiving special attention. As mentioned, the procedure was first carried out at St. Paul's in 2020. Scott claimed that efforts toward inclusivity are also made outside of the weekly Sunday service. She represents St. Paul's by showing up at the yearly Grande Prairie Pride festivities, much to the astonishment of those who attend those activities. Moreover, an affirming education week was held at St. Paul's United Church in conjunction with organizations supporting LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities as part of the church's journey toward becoming an affirming ministry.
The council's head of the church also asserted that becoming an official Affirm United member would not end the job. The committee that was previously responsible for affirming the ministry has been renamed the social justice committee, and it will reportedly continue to plan events and strive toward including more people. Furthermore, Rev. Gord Waldie expressed his delight at the emergence of the discussion around affirming ministries, yet he emphasized the significance of the congregation's role in the decision-making process. According to Waldie, Affirm United fights for change beyond LGBTQ+ issues, including truth and healing.
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