Open to All
Open & Affirming means if you are a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered person, you are welcome here. If you are heterosexual you are welcome here. If you are straight, bent, rich, poor or in-between; lonesome or trying to escape the crowd; we welcome you. If you use a wheelchair, walker, cane or artifical limbs to make your moves, you are welcome here.
Every person is a beloved of God’s own. LOVE WELCOMES ALL!
For centuries the Christian community has excluded people for all kinds of reasons, some blatant and some subtle; reasons conscious and unconscious. We believe Jesus taught that all are welcome in the beloved community that seeks to follow his way of courage in reaching out and caring for LIFE ABUNDANT. We believe that Love welcomes all.
Our faith community supports marriage equality for same gender couples. We work to open minds and hearts to the reality of the grand diversity of the human family. We know Jesus welcomed and included people whom institutional powers rejected. Following him, so do we. “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12) is an invitation we joyfully accept.
Our open and affirming position includes persons of all races and creeds. Persons who are differently able, of diverse economic backgrounds, nationalities, marital status, family configuration, faith or age group–all are cherished by the good God and by us. We are building a barrier-free environment with the everyday acts of our lives. We ask to be conscious of the painful consequences of our barrier-building social attitudes.
Our original church constitution, unanimously approved by our founding council, incorporates the open and affirming, accessible to all position of this faith community from its very beginnings, based on our understanding of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, called the Christ.
Good Earth celebrating its Open and Affirming, Barrier-Free,
Just Peace commitment at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Roger Nathan, Pastor Simone Nathan, and member-at-large, Barbara Black, 2012.