We believe in the full inclusion of all 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the life and ministry of any faith community.
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.
The origin of Affirming Ministry work is inspired by the legacy of Affirm United/S'affirmer Ensemble, an organization that works for the full inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the United Church of Canada and in society. Affirm United leads the Affirming Ministries Program: a network of primarily United Church ministries that declare themselves to be fully inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. You don’t have to be United Church to take part, though!
Affirming Connections doesn't duplicate the work of Affirm United, they are awesome enough! (If you want to pursue becoming an Affirming Ministry and wonder why it matters, you can read their super helpful info sheet here.)
Rather, our work is to be tuned into Southern Alberta, British Columbia, and elsewhere when possible to support existing Affirming Ministries in living out their Affirming commitments, providing partnership and educational opportunities to those who are in process, give a signal boost to Affirming events and people, and to be in the public and political square, advocating alongside values-aligned community organizations to further the message of radical love and inclusivity. We also provide support and resources to 2SLGBTQIA+ identifying people who are seeking to reconcile their faith identity with their gender identity and/or sexuality.
What do we mean by the term “Affirming”?
Capital “A” Affirming for us, means something a little different than “inclusive”. When we speak of Affirming faith communities and ministries that have been officially recognized by Affirm United, Affirming is shorthand that their entire community has gone through an intentional process of education, reflection, and storytelling in order to understand the historical and present day harm that toxic religious ideologies cause. They hear stories from queer folks about what they’ve personally experienced in different religious settings, and take time to understand the role that people of faith can and should play in providing spaces of healing and support for everyone who has been traditionally marginalized by religion. This process is customized for each community, typically takes 1-3 years, and culminates in a vote where the community decides together if they are prepared to publicly commit to the actions and values that make them officially “Affirming.” There’s much more to the process, but that’s the short version!
We choose to use the word Affirming to broadly mean: a person, faith community, or organization, that believes in and actively advocates for the full rights and dignity of all 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, without conditions.
We love the word Affirming because it steps away from any illusion of power that we could ever choose to not believe and respect someone when they tell us who they are. For example, “welcoming” still assumes that there are people on the inside who welcome those who are “other”. Affirming means at its core: if you tell me who you are, my only role is to say YES! We don’t ever see ourselves as the arbitars of who gets to be in or out, but as champions of dignity and belonging.
This initiative is only possible because so many people of faith believe wholeheartedly in the full equality of all people to be able to access the spirituality that resonates with them, and to be celebrated, not just tolerated. The scope is large and this is an evolving adventure where we are breaking ground. Our ultimate goal is that all 2SLGBTQIA+ people can access the personal and spiritual resources that they deserve; to be able to belong to an Affirming faith community if they desire, and to know they are deeply and truly loved, as they are.
If you'd like to get involved in what we're doing as an individual or organization, contact our Director or Program Coordinator here!
In gratitude, we acknowledge that our work is supported by Fish Creek Shared Ministries (Calgary area), Chinook Winds Region (Central and Southern Alberta) of the United Church of Canada, and Pacific Mountain Region (British Columbia & Yukon) of the United Church of Canada.