Affirming Ministries
At Lynn Valley United Church we believe that all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions are part of God’s divine plan and gift of diversity in humanity. In 2019 we began our process to become an offically affirming congregation of the United Church of Canada. This intentional process will lead us through thoughful discussion, story telling, education and compassion. Lynn Valley United Church wants to be known for radical inclusivity & generous hospitality so all may know the unconditional Love of Jesus Christ.
On January 26, 2020, the Affirming Ministry Committee held a workshop hosted by Rev Blair Odney on the topic of The Clobber Texts. Those are the 6 or 7 scripture verses used most often by people who wish to use the Bible as a weapon against the LGBTQ2S+ community.
There was a very large turn out for this workshop and those who attended were very moved by the information they were provided and the discussions that ensued amongst the attendees.
Thus began the creation of this booklet. It became Blair Odney’s final gift to this congregation to put his work from the workshop into a booklet form so we could circulate the information to all who are interested. Neil Fancourt took the words and combined it with beautiful images to produce a booklet that speaks to the heart of what we believe at Lynn Valley United Church.
Our hope is that you will read through the booklet to fully understand what the Bible really says about homosexuality. We hope that you will share this booklet with those in your greater circles of influence where it feels right to do so. We hope that you will keep this booklet as a memento of the work that Rev Blair Odney did to start us down this path to becoming a formally recognized Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Canada.
