Welcome the newest ONA church in the Southwest Conference!
From Rev. Bill Utke, Pastor at Desert Garden UCC:
On February 4, 2024, Desert Garden UCC accepted, overwhelmingly, an Open and Affirming Covenant. It comes at the end of a year long process of prayer and study. We are thankful to join the community of churches who make this important witness to welcome and affirmation.
Response from Rev. Dr. Toni Hawkins, Transitional Conference Minister:
Congratulations on the overwhelming acceptance of your Open and Affirming Covenant. What a blessing it is to witness the culmination of a year-long journey of prayer and study, leading to this significant step forward in your community.
Your commitment to welcome and affirmation speaks volumes about the inclusivity and compassion that defines Desert Garden UCC. By embracing this covenant, you not only affirm the inherent dignity and worth of every individual but also stand as a beacon of hope and acceptance within your broader community.
As you join the ranks of churches advocating for openness and affirmation, may this milestone be just the beginning of a journey filled with continued openness, understanding, and love. Know that your witness is making a profound impact, and may you continue to shine brightly as a beacon of love and acceptance in a world that sorely needs it.
It all became official this past Friday, February 9 with this email from the UCC ONA Coalition’s Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Katrina Roseboro-Marsh:
Dear ONA family:
Please join us in welcoming Desert Garden UCC in Sun City West, AZ as a newly-certified Open and Affirming congregation!
As ONA church #1,857, Desert Garden UCC is now part of the largest and fastest-growing LGBTQ-affirming church movement in the world! We’re proud of the congregation and grateful to the church’s leadership for the hard work that led to this milestone in their history.
Please join the entire Open and Affirming movement in celebrating Desert Garden UCC, and join us in prayer that their ONA covenant will be a blessing to their LGBTQ+ neighbors.
The church’s ONA Covenant reads:
Desert Garden United Church of Christ believes that we can love alike, though we may not think alike. This church celebrates the gift of diversity by affirming everyone. Through God's love, we welcome and affirm all, including those who have known the pain of exclusion or discrimination in the church and society, regardless of: • Mental or physical ability • Age • Gender • Race or ethnicity • Gender expression or identity • Sexual orientation • Cultural and religious beliefs • Marital status and family configuration • Social or economic status • Political affiliation We embrace and affirm the dignity and worth of every human being as we journey together in God's unconditional love and grace.