About Anne Arundel Affirming Alliance

Eastport United Methodist Church is called to be a beacon of hope and a place of profound welcome – a lighthouse guiding all people, without exception, to the transformative love of Jesus Christ and providing a nurturing community for discipleship. In a world where many still experience marginalization and hurt, this calling compels us to be explicitly and actively affirming, particularly towards the LGBTQ+ community. This is not merely a matter of social trend; it is a matter of life and faith, underscored by heartbreaking data and a deeper understanding of the Gospel.

Data from organizations like The Trevor Project reveals a challenging reality: LGBTQ youth experience significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation compared to their non-LGBTQ peers. Their surveys consistently highlight that discrimination and lack of acceptance, including within religious contexts, contribute directly to these devastating outcomes. For example, recent data shows that LGBTQ youth who reported feeling high social support from their family and communities reported attempting suicide at significantly lower rates. This underscores the life-saving power of acceptance and belonging.

It's important to understand that there's a meaningful difference between being "welcoming" and being "affirming." A welcoming church opens its doors and treats all who enter with hospitality and respect. It's a good and necessary starting point, offering a basic level of acceptance. The welcoming church offers a smile, it accepts an offering, it extends a hug, it invites you to participate. However, an affirming church goes further. An affirming church doesn't just welcome LGBTQ+ individuals; it celebrates their identities as gifts from God, intentionally includes them in all aspects of church life and leadership, blesses their relationships, and actively works for their dignity and equality both inside and outside the church walls. Being affirming means actively pushing back against the forces of exclusion and declaring that LGBTQ+ people are not just welcome guests, but fully belonged and valued members of the body of Christ.

As Christians, we are called to embody the radical love and welcome of Jesus, who consistently reached out to those on the margins of society. A careful and honest look at Scripture, through the lens of God's unwavering love and desire for covenantal relationships, supports the full affirmation of LGBTQ+ people. That one must choose between fidelity to the Bible and affirming LGBTQ+ individuals is a false choice. A truly biblical sexual ethic is centered on covenantal love, not on outdated or misinterpreted prohibitions.

As traditionalists practice it, the "fruit" of exclusion is damaged lives and alienation from God and community, while the "fruit" of affirmation is wholeness, belonging, and flourishing. By this measure, the call to be affirming is a call to bear good fruit, as Jesus commands.

Our being an affirming church, and our active partnership with Anne Arundel Affirming Alliance, is a direct response to this. Anne Arundel Affirming Alliance is a vital coalition of faith communities in our area committed to being openly and unequivocally welcoming and affirming to LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. Our involvement with them is a powerful statement and a vital avenue for action.

Our connection with Anne Arundel Affirming Communities means that we are not standing alone in our commitment to be a place where LGBTQ+ individuals are not just tolerated, but celebrated and empowered. Together, we are:

• Creating Safe Havens: In a world that can be hostile, our collective efforts create faith communities where LGBTQ+ individuals can find refuge, healing, and a place to explore their faith without fear.

  
  

• Offering Authentic Christian Community: We are working to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals know they are wanted, valued, and have a place to belong within a Christian context, pushing back against the spiritual harm caused by exclusion.

  
  

• Amplifying a Message of Hope: By visibly living out our affirming faith alongside other congregations in the Anne Arundel Affirming Alliance, we send a clear and consistent message that God's love is for everyone, helping to counteract the damaging messages of rejection that contribute to the struggles faced by LGBTQ youth.

  
  

• Strengthening Our Witness: Our commitment to affirmation, lived out in community with other congregations, strengthens our collective witness to a more just and inclusive expression of Christianity, one that is so very needed in our world today.

  
  

Some churches, based on their interpretations of Scripture and tradition, hold non-affirming views regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion. Some churches have sought to leave the United Methodist Church, even suing the denomination because of it. That's how strongly they feel. For individuals who hold these beliefs and are seeking a faith community that aligns with that perspective, there are churches that will be a better fit for them, and we trust that they are delightful communities for those who share those views.

We believe that our call to be a lighthouse compels us to shine the light of God's unconditional love into the places where darkness and exclusion have prevailed. It is a commitment rooted in the Gospel, supported by the urgent needs revealed by data, and lived out in collaborative action.

We invite you to learn more about the vital work of Anne Arundel Affirming Communities at https://www.annearundelaffirms.com/. We also extend a heartfelt invitation to experience the radical welcome and affirming love that awaits you at Eastport United Methodist Church.

Come and be a part of a community that believes that everyone means everyone, and that in Christ, there is a place of belonging for all.