inclusive faith communities in calgary and southern alberta
We believe in the full inclusion of all 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the life and ministry of any faith community.
Based in Canada, Affirming Connections seeks to support and enhance the positive voices of people of faith, ministries, and organizations who work to eliminate religious discrimination and to provide spaces of belonging for people to explore their spirituality without any fear of exclusion. Queer folks deserve to participate in the spiritual and religious practices and spaces that are meaningful to them. This is not simply an altruistic statement but is grounded in theology, human rights, love, and the firm belief that healthy religion invites us to be more of who we are, not less. Visit our resource page for more information on these intersections.
Vision:
A future free from religious discrimination, where 2SLGBTQIA+ people and families are safe, celebrated, and valued in every faith community.
Values in Action:
Queer Virtue: Queer people are the church, with wisdom that strengthens the faith of all.
Public, Intentional, Explicit (PIE): Affirmation must be visible and lived out.
Faithful Activism: Advocacy for queer rights is inherently spiritual work.
Preaching What You Practice: Faith communities must model inclusion through action, not just belief.
Affirming Connections is supported through Fish Creek Shared Ministries, Chinook Winds Region, and Pacific Mountain Region. Our efforts are both local and national. We are based in Southern Alberta, and acknowledge the lands that we inhabit known as Mohkínstsis, Wîchispa-Oyade, Guts’ists’I, Otôskwanihk (ᐅᑑᐢᑿᓂᕽ), or Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on Turtle Island. We honour and value the culture, spirituality, and traditions of the first peoples of Treaty 7; and acknowledge the ancestral stewards of the land, and our shared stewardship as treaty people: the Niitsitapi (the Blackfoot Confederacy, including the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations); the Îyârhe Nakoda of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations; and the Dene of the Tsuut’ina First Nation. Southern Alberta is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Calgary Elbow District.