Since our congregation voted to become an Affirming Ministry on May 6, 2018, we have endeavored to make this a public commitment through our BUC website, signage at the entrances of our building, our rainbow stained-glass window, our participation in the Muskoka Pride Festival, and our banner with the Affirm logo on our float in the Santa Claus Parade. We continue to add books in our library that focus on persons of various sexual orientations and gender identities.
Affirming Ministries work in many different ways toward the healing and wholeness of creation — challenging bias and discrimination based on appearance, culture, class, or age; working to end racism; promoting economic justice; increasing accessibility; or caring for the planet. These ministries declare, in words and actions, that God loves and celebrates all people. And they call upon the rest of the church and society to do the same.
Although the Affirming Ministry program focuses on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, it encourages ministries to broaden their understanding, awareness, and action to include justice, healing reconciliation for Aboriginal people and First Nations, and work to end racism.
Affirming Ministries acknowledge that God’s love is wider and more inclusive than they can imagine, let alone live out, and they commit themselves to sharing that news with others who may have heard a quite different message about what it means to be church. Because voices of condemnation, exclusion, and hatred are loud and persistent within the church and in society, Affirming Ministries make a public statement about who they are and what they believe. By doing so, we declare that it is important to be a public witness and to be a role model for other ministries.
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Bracebridge United Church
46 Dominion Street
Bracebridge, Ontario P1L 2A5
705i645i5713
Office Hours
Monday ~ Thursday 10:00am -2:00pm
Bracebridge United Church