What is Anchor Bay Church’s Posture toward LGBTQ Inclusion?

- Written by Pastor Brynn Harrington

We’ll share about our approach, using the terms “traditional” to describe a more conservative view that marriage is between a man and a woman, and “progressive” to describe a view that some might call “open and affirming.” But first, two caveats: 

1. Language is totally imperfect when defining these views, and those words “traditional” and “progressive” have lots of baggage associated with them. We typically refer to people in the way they’ve asked to be called - so while progressive types may have an aversion to the word “traditional” and traditional types don’t always like the word “progressive”, it’s what folks in our church in both of those groups prefer to be called. So we defer to their preferences. 

2. These terms often represent extremes, but everyone is on a spectrum of beliefs in between those views.

At our church, we hold to a centered-set theology, rather than a bounded set, which means that our views toward many non-salvific issues like sexuality are as varied as the people in our church. Like everyone, Anchor Bay members come into our community with a variety of different backgrounds, theologies, ethnicities, cultures, stories, wounds, relationships, and personalities. So you won’t find one singular view on this question represented in our community - you’ll find many views. We believe theology is best done in conversation, and that in cases where the Bible isn’t always crystal clear, our job is to lovingly, with grace and without judgment, learn together, grow together, challenge one another, and ultimately worship together - acknowledging everyone is on a journey in their understanding of many things (including sexuality). 

We hold a high view of Scripture, which means that in asking this question, we believe we are asking a question of biblical interpretation, not a question of biblical authority. At Anchor Bay Church, you’ll generally meet people who share the belief that the Bible is authoritative, but who interpret it differently when it comes to sexuality. 

You’ll meet people who hold a traditional view and people who hold a progressive view and everything in between - including among our pastoral staff and lay leadership. You’ll meet progressive folks who identify as straight, traditional folks who identify as LGBTQ, traditional folks who identify as straight, progressives who identify as LGBTQ, and everything in between.

Our denomination (the Covenant Church) officially holds a traditional view, which essentially means our clergy are not able to officiate same-sex weddings, but like many denominations, you’ll find clergy who hold a variety of views on this as well. The short answer is: it’s complicated!

We see our role as pointing people towards Jesus. Part of that, for us, means helping people engage with difficult topics (politics, sexuality, social issues, etc.) lovingly and hospitably toward those who currently hold different views. That means you won’t find anything on our website or hear sermons that state one particular view on this particular topic that we expect everyone to hold. Sexuality is so deeply intimate and personal for all of us that we hope instead to facilitate loving dialogue and two-way conversation about it in a safe space. In fact, we have held group workshops to talk about sexuality - with the requirement that all who participate must first attend a mandatory 3-hour workshop on reflective listening!

Mandy O’Donnell, ABC Partner “Better Together”

So you’ll see, our views on same sex relationships aren’t uniform. The Bible isn’t always clear on questions like these ones, and we’ve discovered that it’s possible to hold a high view of Scripture and disagree (passionately sometimes!) on what it says.

But here’s what is clear to us, and what all those who call themselves Anchor Bay members would agree on: 

We are committed to seeing one another as beloved children of God no matter what.

That means that we don’t see sexuality and identity as the same thing. We believe every person is made in the image of God, so we will never reduce a person to one aspect of their story. We believe that sexuality informs our stories, in the same way our hometowns, relationships, interests, ethnicities, cultures, and unique personalities do. But no matter what, our identities are as whole people, made in the image of God, and deeply loved as God’s children. Full stop. There’s nothing we can do to earn that love, and nothing we can do to change it. 

If every person is made in the image of God, then every person is radically welcome in our church.

While members of our community may not all agree about what the Bible says about same sex marriage, we are unified in the belief that everyone is welcome at our church, and we are committed to helping everyone feel safe, seen, and loved. And while any kind of sexuality can be used in harmful and unhealthy ways, we also believe that expressions of sexuality essentially come out of the God-given desire to know and be known - so in that light, no matter your sexuality or theological views about sexuality, you are welcome in the full life of our church - including partnership and receiving the sacraments. 

We approach one another with grace, truth, curiosity, and generosity.

Our culture and sometimes those in the Church want to pit one view against another. Our belief is that we are all doing the best we can with the tools, resources, and experiences we have, and that we are all on a journey toward understanding a Bible that isn’t always clear in a world that isn’t always black and white. So we have to approach one another with the generous assumption that we’re all doing our best.

Doing church this way is hard.

But so much of the New Testament is about a community of Christians who disagreed on all kinds of things and yet still loved one another because of Christ. It would be SO much easier if we could point to one doctrinal statement and find “like-minded people” who agree on everything we do, from sexuality to politics to public policy! Our hope is that we would speak with the kind of truth that helps one another grow in Christlikeness, and with the kind of grace that says: “I might be wrong on this.” And no matter what, even when we disagree, we still choose each other because Christ has chosen us. 

We hope that helps fill out our view - or maybe we should say - views!

Theology of Kids & Family Ministries

Adapted from Kara Stromberg, Superintendent of the Northwest Conference of the ECC

Children bear the image of God.  Genesis 1:26-27 gives a clear theology that humankind was created in the image of God. We have an ethical and biblical responsibility to respect, love and care for children simply because of who they are. In all our interactions with children, we remember that they are God’s beautiful, treasured, and holy creation, who bear the mark of our creator. 

Children are a blessing and heritage from the Lord.  In Genesis 1:28, as God’s crowning touch on creation, God instructed humankind to be fruitful and multiply. In Psalm 127:3, Solomon reminds us that “children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward from him.”  Truly a gift from God himself and bestowed out of God’s great and lavish bounty, children are to be cherished because they are an expression of God’s abundant generosity, and are an inclusion in the ongoing story of God’s redeeming work.  I John 3:1 states “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.”

Parents are to pass on faith to their children.  Just as we are born into a family and thus into God’s story, God created the institution of the family with the intent that parents would pass on faith to their children.  We are instructed in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. These commandments are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children, talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  Ephesians 6:4 emphasizes that parents are to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord.  The family unit is primarily where the legacy of faith is passed from generation to generation. 

The whole church bears responsibility for children and families as they become fully devoted followers of Christ. Similar to the Apostle Paul mentoring and investing in Timothy, his “spiritual son,” (I Timothy 1:2), the entire church body is involved in equipping children and families to live into all that God calls them to be. The church community shares the burden of raising up godly children and helping parents bring faith into the home.  Here, the acts of baptism and dedication are vital. To invite parents to bring their children for baptism and dedication is to ask them to believe that their kids don’t belong just to them, they belong first to God, then to the community - not just the community at this place and time, but the timeless community that represents all of God’s people. It is an invitation to mold and shape that child in the ways that represent being a follower of Jesus. The church is concerned for children in the congregation, in the community and around the world.

Children model faith formation for the community of believers. Children’s neediness, dependence and unfiltered curiosity is a beautiful inspiration for those who follow Christ. As Christ-followers pursue faith that is utterly dependent upon our ability to receive a lavish and unearned gift, we look to the example of children. Jesus himself said in Mark 10:13-16, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  That Jesus came as a helpless baby is a model for this, as was foretold in Isaiah 11:6, “...and a little child shall lead them.” This idea can be difficult for adults to grasp, as it is curious and counter-cultural, but we would do well to focus on the simplicity with which children love and trust Jesus as an inspiration for our own faith journeys.

Ultimately, we entrust the spiritual formation of children and families to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. Children’s faith formation is fundamentally about nurturing their relationships with God.  We are mindful and attentive to the Spirit’s work so we can be a part of it, and so we may help foster environments where children and families can freely encounter the living God who desires transformation.  God desires that all would be saved and understand the truth (I Timothy 2:4), so knowing that God is actively pursuing his creation, we are mindful to step back and encourage children to encounter God face to face. We are encouraged by Paul’s confidence in writing to the church in Philippi, “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).