by Lex Thomas
At their annual meeting on January 22, the members of the congregation of First Church in Sterling, numbering well over 200, voted unanimously to adopt the Open and Affirming Covenant (ONA), which states that, “We recognize the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) community has been the target of discriminations and judgment and we consciously choose to renounce any discrimination and judgment, by declaring ourselves an open and affirming church, embracing justice and welcoming all people, including people of diverse sexual and gender orientation into the full communion of our church and our friendship.”
In her opening remarks, The Rev. Robin Bartlett, pastor of First Church in Sterling, stated that, “Our decision as a congregation means a lot. It actually saves lives.”
Safety was a recurring theme among those who offered testimonials and support for adopting the covenant.
First Church in Sterling now joins over 1,000 parishes that have adopted the covenant.
Photo by Lex Thomas: The Rev. Robin Bartlett preaches at First Church in Sterling.