Gateway ONA’s Eighth Annual Convocation

Event Date: 03/02/2019

Open & Affirming: In Challenging Times

Saturday, March 2, 2019 | 9:00am – 4:00pm
Registration begins at 8:30am
Hosted by Parkway UCC

Registration: $20 per person (includes lunch) or $120 per church with 6 or more attending

If you are an Open and Affirming congregation, talking about Open and Affirming or thinking about starting the conversation, if you want to explore how to be effective allies, there will be something for you and your church. Come be in conversation with others, learn what it means to be Open and Affirming and how to fully express extravagant welcome to all God’s children.

Open and Affirming (ONA) is the United Church of Christ’s (UCC) designation for congregations and other settings of the UCC which make a public covenant of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

There will be some new workshops and some new leaders as well as some returning leaders.

This year, we welcome Jeanette Mott Oxford as our preacher/keynoter. Jeanette is the Executive Director of Empower Missouri. She is a graduate of Eden Seminary, a former Member of the Missouri House of Representative and a member, with her wife, Dorothy Gannon, of Epiphany United Church of Christ in St. Louis. Jeanette and Dorothy make their home in the Benton Park neighborhood.

Our worship leader is the Rev. Dr. Christopher Grundy, Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship and Associate Dean of the Chapel at Eden Theological Seminary. Christopher, his wife, Carla, and their children make their home in Webster Groves and are members of Peace United Church of Christ.

In addition to the workshops listed below we will have the Eden Theological Seminary Bookstore and other displays, as well as fellowship, food, and fun!

The morning worship will include the sacrament of Holy Communion. An offering will be received on behalf of the United Church of Christ Open and Affirming Coalition.

Additional information will be emailed to all registered participants just prior to the event.

Questions? Contact: Lorin Cope, Convener, Gateway ONA at lcope@eden.edu