“In Christ . . all are one.”

We of the Holladay United Church of Christ, Salt Lake City, Utah are of diverse origins and opinions.  We honor this diversity.  We embrace the legacy of our church as a community resource for Christian outreach and social justice in Utah since our founding in 1953.  We accept the teachings of the Bible as the primary resource of our faith.  We acknowledge varying interpretations of the Bible but believe that the message of Jesus Christ is one of mercy, justice and compassion.  With Jesus, we affirm that we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves and to act as agents of reconciliation and wholeness throughout the world and within the church.

In our effort to be faithful to our understanding of the implications of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we affirm that God loves all humankind—people of all genders, ages, races, ethnic origins, religious backgrounds, physical and mental abilities and sexual orientations.  We seek to be inclusive, accepting all who would join in a pilgrimage of faith with us as we seek the meaning of mercy, justice and compassion in living our lives in this place and at this time.

At Holladay United Church of Christ we have always believed that we are “open and affirming” to any and all persons who honestly seek a Christian community within their own spiritual journey.  We therefore welcome all people who desire a church home for spiritual growth.  Specifically, we welcome persons of every gender, age and racial and ethnic identification, people of all religious backgrounds and mental and physical abilities and people of all sexual orientations (straight, gay, lesbian and bisexual) into the full life of the church including membership, leadership and employment.

As we strive to live our faith in the world, we affirm that all parts of God’s creation are connected.  We acknowledge our brotherhood and sisterhood with all persons as children of God.  We condemn all acts of discrimination and violence against any person.  We especially condemn those acts of discrimination and violence that are based on gender, age, race, ethnic origin, religious background, physical and mental ability or sexual orientation.  We pledge to maintain a policy of non-discrimination within the life of the church and to oppose discrimination when it occurs around us.

Holladay United Church of Christ therefore declares that it is open and affirming of all God’s children.  We strive to live more fully as Paul suggested to the Galatians (3:28):  “In Christ . . all are one.”  We make this covenant with God and with each other.

APPROVED BY HOLLADAY UCC COUNCIL ON APRIL 7, 1999

ADOPTED BY HUCC HAVING VOTED BY WRITTEN BALLOT ON APRIL 11, 1999