Church of the Advent Vestry Resolution Affirming LGBTQ+ and Gender Inclusion

In the first century, Jesus of Nazareth inspired a movement. This movement became a community of people whose lives were centered on Jesus Christ and who were committed to living the way of God’s unconditional, unselfish, sacrificial, and redemptive love.

As Episcopalians, we believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world. As Episcopalians, we believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Episcopal Church has worked for decades to build a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being. Christ called his disciples to judge a tree by its fruit and we commit to Our Lord’s command to do this work of discernment. As part of the Episcopal Church, we believe that committed LGBTQ+ relationships bear the fruit of holy love. Such relationships are fully capable of displaying for the world the nature of Christ’s own selfless love.

The Episcopal Church teaches that Ordination and the offices of bishop, priest, and deacon are open to all without discrimination. Laypeople and clergy work together as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.

We believe that God loves us all – no exceptions. We acknowledge that the Church has excluded and done harm to racial minorities, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals in the past. Therefore, it is resolved that the Vestry of the Church of the Advent supports diverse leadership without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

It is also resolved that the Vestry of the Church of the Advent supports actively welcoming LGBTQ+ individuals to our church and to the LGBTQ+ community in our diocese, city, and parish.