SAFE SPACE

Value

Those who feel marginalized, pushed aside, or unheard should feel safe at AVC. In God’s love there is justice, compassion, equity, equality, intrinsic worth, and dignity for all. AVC is a community where all followers of Jesus — young to old, single, married, divorced, widowed, of any ethnicity, of any ability, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity — who regularly participate in the life and Guiding Values of AVC are welcomed to consider all areas of leadership and service. The ground before the Communion Table is level for all, and all are welcome there.

Practice

We do our best to meet all people with love and inclusion, wanting to hear their story, share in their journey, and learn from them. People are given space to share and join in service together as they are comfortable.

One of AVC's nine Guiding Values

A SAFE PLACE

We are working to make AVC a place where everyone has an opportunity to explore what it means to follow Jesus, and we want that to include our LGBTQ+ siblings. Whether this is you or someone in your family, we want to do our best to create a safe space for you to join into community with us.

We know that language matters. Please introduce yourself with your preferred name and pronouns.

In 2020 our church began a process of discernment to answer the question, “What will LGBTQ+ inclusion and hospitality look like for us?” The process included sharing, listening, learning, prayer, study, and conversations. After two years we adapted our existing Safe Place Guiding Value to reflect the result of our communal discernment.

The global church over the centuries has changed its mind on issues, been shaped by cultures, and been faced with new experiences and questions, all while working to be true to the leading of Holy Spirit, the study of Scripture, and the history and communal conversation of the global Church. Many of the recent discussions surrounding LGBTQ+ inclusion have been contentious, people have been hurt, and relationships have been strained or worse. Our own process led to us severing from our denomination. In this we understand that people hold to different convictions and are on different points in a journey. At AVC, we recognize that people may hold different convictions but are together committed to conversations and a community characterized by the fruits of the Spirit. We are committed to collectively working together toward making our Safe Place Guiding Value an ever-increasing reality in our church.

We recommend the following resources for your own study and for a small window into our church’s discussions. There are many and more current resources that we’d be happy to share if you’re interested.

Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire Demanding Justice, by Sylvia C. Keesmaat & Brian J. Walsh. The New Testament letter of Romans, specifically chapter 1, contains some of the most explicit comments on the issue of same-sex relationships found in the Bible. Keesmat & Walsh devote an entire chapter to this discussion. They address the cultural surroundings of Paul’s words and provide an excellent challenge for the church to address sexuality in our current context.
Changing Our Mind, by David P. Gushee. Within the evangelical world this is probably the definitive work calling for the full inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community into the church. In this book Gushee also responds to arguments and those who criticize the affirming position.

We also welcome you to come and chat with us, to meet people, and to learn more fully about our process and our hopes for the future.

We are now a part of a new group of churches committed to these same values of inclusion called The Good Table.