Affirming Updates
Have questions or comments for the Eden Affirming Team?
Contact us here: affirmingeden@edenunitedchurch.com
The Affirming Journey at Eden United Church
in April 2022, Eden United Church entered a time of learning, listening, discernment, and reflection as we work to become a recognized “affirming ministry”.
What does that mean?
What is the difference between being a welcoming, inclusive or open ministry, and being an officially “affirming” ministry? From
Open Hearts: Resources for Affirming Ministries in the United Church of Canada:
"Affirming Ministries are congregations, presbyteries, Conferences, educational institutions, and other ministries within the United Church that publicly declare their commitment to inclusion and justice for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Although Affirming Ministries make an explicit statement about issues of sexuality and gender, their commitment to justice is far broader. They continually grow and change as they seek to live more fully into God’s way of welcome, love, and justice for all creation."
Eden and the Affirming Team have been continuing this affirming journey by engaging in activities such as the following:
- Themed worship services (Pride Sunday, PIE Day, Transgender Day of Remembrance)
- Webinar Scripture study
- Guest speakers (Pflag Peel region, Rainbow Camp, Rainbow Sauga Alliance)
- Conversation during hosted refreshment/social time after worship services
- Monthly "Affirming Moments" during worship service
- Continually updated bulletin board
- Attending a local Pride event (Halton Pride)
- Networking and allyship opportunities with community 2S/LGBTQIA+ group
- Partnering with affirming United Churches
- Much more planned for the coming year...stay tuned!
To learn more about the Affirming Process, visit the
Affirm United website.
Affirming Vote – Sunday May 4, 2025
On May 4 at our AGM Pt 2, we will vote to join Affirm United and officially be recognized as an affirming faith community. Here is a recap of our Affirming journey:
- April 2022 - Affirming journey began with formation of an Affirming Team
- June 2022 - Affirming Team led Pride Worship Service followed by a brainstorming session to identify priorities and plan our path forward
- September 2022 - Affirming process launched with an Affirming table at Welcome Back Sunday, new Affirming bulletin board, and introduction of monthly Affirming Moments during Sunday worship
- January 2023 - Began a 5-week online Bible study on the subject of what the Bible teaches (or doesn’t teach) about homosexuality with appx 40 participants
- March 2023 – Affirming Team led PIE Day service with guest speakers from Peel Pflag
- June 2023 – Affirming Team led Pride Service with guest speakers from Rainbow Camp
- August 2023 – Affirming team began work of reviewing and revising Marriage Policy, developing an Affirming Vision statement, and developing an Affirming Action Plan
- November 2023 – Affirming Team led Transgender Day of Remembrance worship service
- March 2024 – Affirming team, led PIE Day worship service with guest speakers from Rainbow Sauga Alliance
- April 2024 – launched a survey for the Congregation to provide feedback, concerns, questions about the Affirming process.
- May 2024 – received approximately 70 responses to survey; responses used to guide on-going Affirming journey and communication to the Congregation
- June 2024 – In partnership with Erin Mills UC, hosted “Key Change; A Journey from Divo to Diva” with Christina Vegas, a transgender actor, singer, and producer sharing her personal experience of transitioning from male to female; appx 120 people from Eden, Erin Mills, and wider community attended
- June 2024 – Affirming Team led Pride worship service
- September 2024 – Affirming team refurbished and erected the driveway sign displaying the progressive Pride flag colours which includes a message of welcome to all and is a public declaration of Eden as a safe space for the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community.
- December 2024 – revised Marriage Policy, Affirming Vision Statement and Affirming Action Plan submitted to and approved by Affirm United
- Feb 2025 – revised Marriage Policy and Affirming Vision Statement approved by Eden Congregation at AGM Pt 1; final vote on Affirming announced for May 2025
- March 2025 – Affirming Team led PIE Day worship service featuring participation by all Eden’s music groups
In addition to these milestones, the Affirming Team has spent the past three years encouraging reflection, discernment, learning and listening around topics related to the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community, the place of that community within the Eden family, and the importance of embracing all marginalized communities in an affirming faith community. The team has shared information, videos, articles and reflections on many related topics, hosted conversation groups, and encouraged questions, conversations, and feedback. The team has also represented Eden in the greater community by attending Pride events, networking with the queer community in Mississauga, and networking with affirming faith communities
Eden is now ready to hold our vote. It is crucial that we have as many Eden members and adherents as possible attend and vote. Your voice and your vote matter. Please watch these Eden Life Updates over the next few weeks for more details about what joining Affirm United and what publicly being an Affirming church will mean to Eden, or stop by the Affirming table after Sunday services this month for more information.
Thank you,
Jon Dobbin
On behalf of Eden’s Affirming Team
Affirming Team
In 2022 a committed team of Eden folks joined together to lead Eden United Church through the Affirming journey.
One of our first activities was a fun brainstorming and team building session where we shared ideas about what the Affirming journey should look like.
These first ideas helped us get started and continue to influence our time of education, listening, discernment and reflection.
I Spy...a Rainbow
In the summer of 2024, Eden members were encouraged to watch for signs and symbols of allyship for the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community. Eden's allies responded with some wonderful photos from our local community, from across Ontario and across Canada, and even from overseas.
Thank you to everyone who contributed photos from your summer journeys.
See the photos in link below:
Pride Sunday Worship Service, June 11, 2023
Eden United Church celebrated the Pride season with a worship service, featuring a visit from the founders of Rainbow Camp (https://www.welcomefriend.ca), Harry Stewart and Chris Southin.
The sanctuary was decorated with plenty of rainbows for the worship service which included beautiful music, an interesting and informative discussion about Rainbow Camp's important work with queer youth, and a time of reflection and remembrance during the prayers of the people.
The affirming team hosted refreshments afterwards, and our guests from Rainbow Camp stayed for a question and answer opportunity.
Pride Sunday Worship Service, June 9, 2024
Led by Affirming Team members, our Pride Service this year included a discussion of where we are on our Affirming journey, a key message presented by Affirming Team member Elizabeth and a beautiful anthem performed by our Eden choir.
The Affirming Team loves decorating the sanctuary with plenty of rainbows, and this year was no exception.
The Affirming Team hosted refreshments (including cake!) during our social time after the worship service.
You can view the Pride service below.
PIE Day Worship Services
PIE Day Sunday, March 10,2024!
This year's theme for PIE Day was "PIE in the Public Square". We took this opportunity to invite leaders from Rainbow Sauga Alliance, a community social and advocacy group in Mississauga, to join us during our worship service. Our guests Tom Lebour and Ron Cameron-Lewis shared with us about the history, work and plans of this social and advocacy group. (Tom Lebour and Ron Cameron-Lewis of Rainbow Sauga Alliance are seen below in conversation with Alison Andrew and Jon Dobbin, Eden Affirming Team members). For more information about Rainbow Sauga Alliance. click the Button below.
PIE Day 2023
A group of 16 to 20 people then stayed after the social time for a casual conversation and Q&A, during which our guest speakers shared their personal stories of how they got involved with Pflag and founded Pflag Peel Region. Click here to learn about Peel Pflag: Pflag Peel region .
So...What is "PIE" Day?
Borrowing from the mathematical PI (3:14, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, which is always constant regardless of how large the circle is), "PIE" day is celebrated on March 14 (3rd month, 14th day) every year. For affirming ministries, “PIE” is an acronym that outlines the goals for an affirming congregation:
- P – Be Public: Being out and proud! Using symbols, signs and words which are echoed outside and inside the church building, in all facets of church life.
- I – Be Intentional: An Affirming ministry is deliberate in their process of study, education and dialogue with members of their faith community. They ensure that the history of oppression and discrimination by the Church is both understood and acknowledged, and that continued growth, education, and celebration are part of its ministry.
- E – Be Explicit: - An Affirming ministry is very clear about who it welcomes. It names queer, trans, and Two Spirit people and the gifts they bring.
Click here to learn more about PIE Day: Pie Day
Watch our YouTube video from Sunday, March 12, 2023, to see the PIE Day message. Click below link:
