Open and Affirming Coalition UCC

“Open and Affirming” (ONA) is a movement of more than 1,400 churches that welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) members. Nearly 300,000 members of the United Church of Christ belong to ONA churches—and our movement is growing.

After a time of study, dialogue and prayer, churches adopt an ONA “covenant” committing their members to welcome LGBTQ seekers, support their relationships, and advocate for their basic rights. ONA churches take seriously the Bible’s admonition to “accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:7, NIV)

If you’re looking for a church family, visit our Where page to locate an ONA congregation near you. If your congregation is curious about ONA, visit the Why and How pages for more information. If your church or other setting wants to explore new ways of living into your ONA covenant and reaching out to the LGBTQ community, visit the Next page.

Scholarships are available for young adults, persons of color, and others who may need financial assistance. Please apply for a scholarship when you complete your online registration. If you’ve any questions about scholarships or anything else, contact us at ona@openandaffirming.org or call 216-736-3228.

We need your help to assure our reserve of scholarship money can cover all requests! You’ll have a chance to contribute to our Gathering Scholarship Fund when you register online.