All Are Welcome

What is the Affirming Ministries Program?

The Affirming Ministries Program is a network of United Church of Canada ministries of all kinds that strive to be fully inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities - and it asks each ministry to take action. The program was launched in 1992, and The United Church officially endorsed the program in 2000 and encouraged its ministries to participate. The program encourages all United Church bodies, and other Christian traditions, to study and discern what it means to be publicly welcoming and inclusive in their context. Currently, there are over 200 Affirming ministries and ministries in the process across Canada. Jesus’ ministry included all, and the Gospel calls us to do the same!

At the June 7, 2023 Christ First Council meeting, Council approved the formation of an Affirm Study Group to undertake the journey towards becoming an Affirming Church according to the program defined by Affirm United. Nearly two years later, at our June 1, 2025 Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting, we voted “YES” to becoming an Affirming Congregation.

So, what’s next?

We already have many values and practices at Christ First that align with that of an Affirming congregation. We strive to be a welcoming space to all people who walk through the doors for the first time. We celebrate Pride Month. At our core, there is not much that will change. What will change though, we hope, will be how we are perceived by the wider community. With so many religious spaces being anti-LGBTQ+, our hope is to make it more obvious from the outside that we are an inclusive space. This means displaying the Pride flag outside and throughout the building, having the rainbow colours more prominent in common spaces, and working with the community more by hosting public events.

Our Affirming Declaration

Christ First is welcoming of all people, and strives to ensure that all are treated equally. On October 5, 2025, through a special service, we officially became an Affirming Ministry within Affirm United and The United Church of Canada. As an Affirming congregation, we commit to being an inclusive community of faith, where all are treated equitably and with dignity, through the welcoming and celebrating of all people, including but not limited to: persons of any age, colour, ethnic origin, gender expressions, identities, genders, sexual orientations, social or economic circumstance, abilities, and family configurations.

Questions?

If you have any questions throughout this process, or would like a representative from our Affirming Study Group to meet with a group that you are involved in, please reach out using the form below.