- Home
- New!
- About Us
- Open & Welcoming
- KoG (Kids on God)
- Ministry Team
- Find Us
- Worship
- Calendar
- Photos
- Chat Space
- Links
Open and Welcoming
The people of St. Andrew's Haney United Church strive to be open and welcoming to all who seek God and want to be part of a Christian community. One of the times we work especially hard to be a welcoming community is during our times of worship.
This is one of the 'core values' of our congregation... one that is not always easy to live out. We recognize that the intersection of faith and life is very personal. Each person who is a part of this community may have a different understanding of where God is calling us to be, and how God, through the Christ, is calling us to live. We are working to be a community that celebrates our diversity with respect and love for all God's people.
In that light, we recognize that the Church has not always welcomed (and in many places still does not welcome) our brothers and sisters who have lived 'in the margins' of our society and community.
While we continue to learn about some of our blind spots, and pray that God will help us to open our eyes and our hearts, the congregation has made a conscious choice to be as open, welcoming and affirming as possible.
Specifically, we recognize that the Church has often denied gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons a place in the Christian family and community. We believe that God shows no partiality to people of a particular sexual orientation. Rather, God bestows love equally on all people. We gladly and proudly affirm the lives, the worth, the relationships and the spiritual gifts and ministry of people of all sexual orientations.
The marriage policy of St. Andrew's Haney United Church is consistent with the above belief. Any two persons in possession of a valid British Columbia Marriage Licence may have their marriage solemnized by ministry personnel under the auspices of St. Andrew's Haney United Church.