Affirming

an affirming smile and approving nod

We remain because we are not without hope that the liberating spirit of Christ will make itself known through our insistence upon sharing fully in the life of the church as lesbian and gay Christians. We also stay because of the vital experiences of community with other lesbian, gay, bisexual and affirming Christians — community made possible by our mutual willingness to become visible to, and vulnerable with, one another.

For Paul would readily admit that as a Christian who is gay he knows first-hand what it means to experience the grace of God, divine grace that is received in the context of a welcoming—but not automatically affirming—church.

The majority of Episcopal churches that you’re visiting will be fairly affirming.

The Church of the Nazarene should be an affirming church because, as Wesleyans, we believe the Spirit shapes us and can even help us enter the process of reconciliation when we have been wrong.