The First Congregational Church of Sharon

Statement by the First Congregational Church of Sharon

An Open and Affirming Church of the United Church of Christ

“In the loving spirit of Jesus Christ, we, the First Congregational Church of Sharon, affirm the dignity and worth of each person. Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, whatever your race, color, ethnicity, country of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, family structure, physical or mental ability, health and economic circumstance, you are welcome in the full life and ministry of this church. We invite all to walk with us in the ways of the Lord, asking you to join in the blessings and responsibilities of our faith community.  All are invited to join us at Christ’s table.”

The members of the First Congregational Church of Sharon voted unanimously in 2013 to join the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ, adopting the above welcome statement which advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the UCC and beyond, and equips UCC congregations to become effective witnesses to Christ’s extravagant welcome. Over the past 11 years, we have lived by this commitment to receive all people into our community and to accept each other as we come to the table, as reflected in our Welcoming Statement above, written to echo the promise of God’s love for all.

Over the weekend of July 28, 2024, our church was targeted by a group that does not agree with the values and beliefs of an open and affirming church. The word SIN was taped over the front of the Pride flag on our front circle, and a Christian flag and banner with “Jesus is King” were left behind, presumably to replace both our Pride flag and Progress Pride flag. Copies of an anonymous letter focusing on biblical passages interpreted in a way that condemns homosexuality were found in our mailbox. 

We reported the incident to the Sharon Police Department; four other Welcoming churches in the area were also targeted by what appears to be the same group, given the similar actions at each location.

On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, our community gathered in our sanctuary to pray together, discuss what happened, and plan how we will move forward as a congregation. We decided on two actions: to make this Hate Crime public knowledge, and to reaffirm our commitment to being a welcoming, open, affirming, and loving church to all people, especially to our siblings in the LGBTQIA+ community. We will not be bullied into changing who we are and what we believe. And now more than ever, we will continue to proclaim the Good News of God’s unconditional love for all people, which we see reflected in God’s Rainbow.

Statement from the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Council of Churches: https://www.masscouncilofchurches.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024.08.02-FINAL-MCC-Church-Violence-Statement.pdf

Joint Statement from the Episcopal Dioces of Massachusetts, the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ: https://www.masscouncilofchurches.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024.08.02-DIomass-ELCA-UCC-statement-on-LGBT-Church-Violence.pdf