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For information on the activities of the Open & Affirming Committee of the Board of Social Action click here
UCC Statement of Faith, the Covenant of Rock Spring Church, and our steadfast belief in Christ's message of healing love;
Deepening appreciation of the mystery of God's creation, in all its marvelous complexity;
Long-standing advocacy of the principles of peace, justice, and equality, as evidenced by our designation as a "Just Peace" Church;
Mission of support and healing to those in need or pain;
Abhorrence of hatred and violence against people based on sexual orientation;
Prayerful consideration of the UCC 25th General Synod resolution “In Support of Equal Marriage Rights for All”;
Declare our church to be Open and Affirming, and we welcome people of every race, gender, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, and age to join us in the full life and ministry of Rock Spring Church.
We invite all people to share fully in our life together; in worship and service, in employment, in lay and professional leadership and in affirmation of personal life passages, including ceremonies of holy marriage for all couples regardless of gender.
We promise our support to all individuals, children and families -- traditional, extended, single-parent, gay and lesbian. We continue to affirm human relationships based on love, support, responsibility and trust.
We affirm Rock Spring Church’s commitment to witness to full civil rights for all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, including access to the rights, responsibilities and protections of legally recognized marriage, in broader public and political arenas.
We pray for God's blessing and grace as we strive for renewal and, in the words of our Rock Spring Church Covenant, "the realization of our one human family."
To view the original open and affirming statement, adopted in 2000, click here
For sermons related to marriage equality or if you want to know more about the process by which the community of Rock Spring explored, prayed, debated & voted on the new O & A statement please click here.
What does it mean to be an open and affirming congregation in practice? How is Rock Spring viewed in the community? How do we live into our commitment to marriage equality? What more should we be doing, besides keeping our doors open to all?
The Open & Affirming Standing Committee meets regularly to consider these questions and explore ways in which Rock Spring can demonstrate its commitment to witness to full civil rights for all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The committee is considering the following activities in 2008:
• Regularly featured column in Rock Spring News on marriage equality and other related issues
• Participation in Capital Pride 2008
• Viewing of films on sexual orientation and gender identity
• “Affirmation Sunday,” re-affirming our commitment to Rock Spring’s Open & Affirming statement
Twelve Rock Spring members and friends, and several from other UCC churches, marched through the streets of Washington in the Capital Pride Parade on June 14. Our banners and signs proclaimed that Rock Spring is a "Just Peace, Open and Affirming Congregation," that "We Support Marriage Equality," and that "God is Still Speaking." Despite persistent rain, large crowds lined the parade route and applauded vigorously when the UCC contingent passed. Shouts of “Amen, God is Alive,” “Go God!”, “Thank you,” and “YES! That’s right! (pointing to marriage equality)” were heard. Several Rock Springers commented that "people's reactions were powerful" and they made the whole experience worth the effort.
The next day, Rock Springers jointly staffed an information booth at the Capital Pride Festival on Pennsylvania Avenue with three other Northern Virginia UCC churches (Little River, Hope and Bethel). We did a brisk business at times, handing out literature on Open and Affirming and a list of all "ONA" churches in the Potomac Association. We also answered questions about Rock Spring's stand on marriage equality.
Rock Spring also was represented at two interfaith worship services related to Pride Week. At Foundry United Methodist Church on June 10, an astonishing variety of faith traditions publicly expressed their love and support for the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender people of the Washington metropolitan area. Rev. Janet Parker was one of the worship leaders, and four other Rock Springers were in the congregation.
At Hope UCC in Alexandria, on June 16, a smaller but spirit-filled group gathered from many faith communities to share worship and fellowship with the GLBT community of Northern Virginia. Rock Spring Church was listed in both programs as a sponsor, and both events provided an opportunity to make new friends and renew old ties.
Rev. Dr. Janet Parker participated in a congressional briefing on “Religious Support for Comprehensive Sexuality Education” on March 13, 2008. The event was sponsored by the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing. For the text of Reverend Parker’s testimony, click here for the Word document. For more information on the event, click here.
Sermons
Winner of the Pride Service Sermon Award, The Ties That Bind, delivered on June 10, 2007.
The award is sponsored by the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing and co-sponsored by HRC, GLAAD, NGLTF, the Black Justice Foundation, and the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation.
For more information about the work of the Open & Affirming Standing Committee or any of the events above, email socialaction@rockspringucc.org.