There is a big difference between a church that ‘Welcomes Everyone’ and one that is ‘Affirming’.

Churches will often advertise that they “Welcome Everyone”, which for a queer person seeking out a church community, can be very misleading. Often a “Welcoming” church will allow anyone to come into their church but will set limitations on participation for those who have a sexual orientation that is different from heterosexual, or who those who a transgender, intersex, or non-binary.

“Welcoming but not affirming” tells me that it is okay to come to your church, and while you might not stand for homophobic language and abuse, you are still likely to be praying for me to change into someone who you consider to be “right”. “Welcoming but not affirming” leaves room for people to tell me that my “lifestyle” is contrary to the will of God, or that my relationship and/or family are not “God honouring”. 

Affirming a queer person is celebrating the person that God has created and allowing that person to fully participate in a church community. Affirming someone is recognizing them as fully human and that I am a child of God created equal to others in the church, capable of living a Christian faith as a queer person with a partner and family.

The churches we have listed below are affirming churches.