The Affirming Church Team is encouraged and excited by the responses to our recent survey. We will be taking the next steps in the Affirm United / S'affirmer Ensemble process to becoming an Affirming Ministy. We thank everyone for their enthusiastic participation in our Worship and Work service and for the very positive response to all of our activities so far.
The Affirming Church Team presented a Worship and Work Service with a soup lunch on Sunday, October 29th, 2023. This was an opportunity for the congregation to express their thoughts and feelings about our Affirming journey so far, in conversation around tables, with guidance from the Team, and with good food as fuel.
A survey about our progress towards the goal of Trinity becoming an Affirming Ministry was distributed there and by email from the Trinity office. The results are coming in, and they are very encouraging and exciting! Many people are hoping to become Affirming as soon as possible.
The Affirming Church Team is following the Affirm United/S'affirmer Ensemble (AUSE) Affirming Ministry Process. With this strong support, we will be taking the next steps. We need to adopt an Affirming Statement and create an Action Plan for our ongoing commitment to living out that statement. These must be approved by AUSE first and then by the congregation. We become members of AUSE.
Once all the steps and requirements are complete, Trinity will hold a big public Service of Celebration which will include our whole Trinity community, our wider community, all of Newmarket, including 2SLGBTQIA+ groups in our area, and the wider United Church community. We'll also invite the media. At this service, Trinity will receive a certificate from AUSE to mark this step within our ongoing commitment. Following this celebration, we join the growing list of Affirming Ministries throughout Canada (200+) and will be listed on the national AUSE and United Church websites. We will display the AUSE logo prominently so that everyone will know that we are a safe sanctuary.
An Affirming Ministry declares itself to be fully inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and to be publicly welcoming and inclusive of other marginalized groups.
