In keeping with the life and teaching of Christ Jesus, we joyfully and unconditionally welcome and invite into full membership and participation in the life of the church all people of any race, ethnicity, language, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, physical ability, mental ability, neurodiversity, socio-economic status, family configuration, and faith background. We celebrate all loving and committed relationships and the special gifts that each person brings to the life of the congregation.

Lakewood United Church of Christ is proud to be an Open and Affirming congregation since 2001. Open & Affirming (O&A) means we welcome everyone who identifies as queer, straight, non-binary, transgender, lesbian, bisexual, gay. We do more than welcome everyone on the spectrum of sexuality and sexual expression, we believe God made sexuality in a rainbow of expressions and called it good. We believe each person is loved by God, and God works through them, no matter their sexual orientation, expression, or identity.  

O&A means everyone is invited into full participation in the life of our church – worship and sacraments, singing in the choir, serving in leadership, teaching Faith Formation, and more.

In 2021, we celebrated 20 years of being an Open and Affirming church by celebrating all year long. Not only did we celebrate, we used this anniversary as an opportunity for whole church engagement as we asked ourselves, “How are we continuing to live into our Open & Affirming identity?” Through celebration, education, and advocacy & allyship, we continue to widen God’s welcome.

We are grateful for the work and resources offered by the United Church of Christ’s Open & Affirming Coalition. Find out more here – https://openandaffirming.org/