Who We Are

The Association of Reconciling Christians and Congregations is an ecumenical network of gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexual christians, their friends and supporters, who believe that sexual orientation and expression is no barrier to God or to full participation in the life of the church.

	The goodness of God’s creation of all people
	God’s unconditional love and grace offered in love to all people
	An open table in the tradition of Jesus Christ
	Affirmation of gay men, lesbian women, transgendered and bisexual people as full participants in our churches.

The following statement was adopted by ARCC Christchurch in 1997:

All people are created by God and all that God has created is good. God’s unconditional love and grace are offered to everyone. The Church, the community of God’s people, is called to be a loving and reconciling community of faith and to invite others to enter into a covenant relationship with God.

We, of Canterbury ARCC, seek of be God’s witness to all people, regardless of race, gender, age, family status, national origin or sexual orientation. We affirm lesbian women, gay men and bisexual people as full participants in our churches. We will advocate their rights as human beings and as

Christians.

We recognise that gay men, lesbian women and bisexual people are discriminated against in our society. We regret the actions of those who fear these brothers and sisters. We believe that God has made all people of equal worth and that all God's people are to be treated with respect and dignity.

We believe that we have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ and we seek to be a reconciling community; to offer reconciliation between God and humankind, and between people with each other. We invite others to join with us as we seek to bring about a just and caring society.