Open and Affirming
“If God had wanted me otherwise, God would have
created me otherwise.”
Johann von Goethe
Open and Affirming (OnA): Committed to justice for all people, in 1999, BUCC voted to become Open and Affirming, an official designation in the UCC for churches that deliberately have chosen to commit to welcome, affirm, and advocate for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons. We welcome our LGBT family and know that we are all utterly beloved by God.
Earthwise
“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
We believe that God is revealed in all Creation, including our beautiful earth and its ecosystems, which we have recently discovered are more fragile than we knew, as well as in all other creatures. As people of faith we are called to care for our planet, because Earth is God’s precious creation, and in looking at the world around us, we can see God. We also have a great responsibility to future generations and to the poor, who are always hit first by environmental harm. We have declared ourselves an Earthwise Congregation, an official designation among UCC churches for those congregations committed to being green.
We preach and we also practice this commitment. Scripture tells us that creation is good, so we celebrate Earth Month each year. Beavercreek UCC has and will continue to implement ideas to become more green. We recycle and have reusable dishes, reducing the use of paper products. We have created a church compost bin to further reduce waste. We offer fair trade coffee every Sunday, often serve vegetarian food when we gather as a congregation, and encourage consumption of locally grown and organic foods. We also use environmentally friendly cleaning products whenever possible. The church has energy reducing ballasts, and we has taken on projects like installing new green windows in the parsonage.
Just Peace
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
Martin Luther King Jr
Beavercreek United Church of Christ declare ourselves to be a Just Peace Church.
We recognize the importance of promoting justice and peace in the world, in our nation, in our community, and in ourselves- communally and as individuals. We therefore covenant with ourselves and with God to seek the ways of justice and peace in order to make a difference in our lives and the lives of all who experience injustice and violence.
The 15th General Synod affirms that the UCC is a Just Peace church, and defines “Just Peace” as the interrelation of friendship, justice, and common security from violence”. Scripture affirms our responsibility to work for the common good. The Prophet Micah asked “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (6:8), and Jesus told his disciples that they served him when they fed the hungry, cared for the sick and visited those in prison, and loved others as much as they loved themselves.
We seek God’s peace, or shalom: the interrelationship of all people and creation in justice, wholeness, and well-being. Beyond mere absence of open conflict, shalom means universal flourishing and wellness. It is a vision of God’s peace, inseparable from justice and right relationship, for there can be no true peace without the flourishing of all.
Because Just Peace touches on so many justice issues, we recognize the importance of efforts in:
Peace-making, including freedom from political violence i.e. war, and from individual violence, including gang violence and domestic violence, and access to alternative dispute resolution;
Equality of opportunity, and freedom from discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, national origin, or other physical characteristic;
Freedom from hunger;
Shelter/freedom from exposure to the elements;
Education;
The right to a voice in government;
Health care;
Clean air, soil, and water, and an otherwise healthy earth;
Humane treatment for non-human animals;
An opportunity to work with fair pay and safe working conditions
Therefore, to promote and embody God’s Just Peace, we will
Engage in self-reflection to recognize and confront our own bias and privilege
Commit to spiritual growth in becoming people of peace
Pray for Peace in our communal worship and our personal prayers
Worship by celebrating Just Peace Sunday and highlighting peace other times
Educate ourselves on the relationship between peace and justice on various issues that impact peace
Encourage congregation members to peace and justice making
Witness publicly
As a Just Peace church, we commit to a continually evolving process, listening to our Still Speaking God and responding to our context.
We are called to Peace that passes all understanding, Just Peace.
Kiva
“[Neighbor is] not he whom I find in my path, but rather he in whose path I place myself, he whom I approach and actively seek.”
Gustavo Gutiérrez
Kiva is a nonprofit microlending service that funds a variety of causes around the world. These funds support people in pursuing their livelihood, and are commonly used for raw materials such as fuel, animal feed, fabric, etc., but can also be used for education or other needs.
Since these are loans—not donations—the funds can be reused to fund new loans when they are repaid.
Beavercreek United Church of Christ has been lending through Kiva since 2019, as well as donating to Kiva itself to sustain the service.
You can review our Kiva loans on our public Kiva profile.
Beavercreek United Church of Christ Anti-Racism Statement
“For all of you are the children of God. —Galatians 3:28 Each person is created in the image of God. . . . Racism is an affront to God.”
The UCC Racial Justice statement goes on to say, “The UCC's emphasis means more than simply challenging personal prejudices, but involves a commitment to in-depth analysis of societal policies and structures that either work toward the elimination of racism or perpetuate it.”
At Beavercreek United Church of Christ, we believe we are called to go further. Challenging personal prejudices and understanding our own and the church’s complicity in perpetuating white privilege—yes; analyzing the structures of systemic racism—definitely. And action to dismantle racist structures is also needed. In the face of explicit and implicit bias, centuries of racism built into the very foundations of our society, and the continual murders of Black men and women, we must do even more.
Black Lives Matter.
George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Stephon Clark, Botham Jean, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, and so, so many others. We say their names, and we commit to being agents of change.
Children do not belong in cages.
Felipe Gomez Alonzo, Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez, Jakelin Caal Maquin, Carlos Gregorio Hernández Vásquez, Mariee Juarez, and too many other children who died in ICE custody, or are languishing still behind bars. We say their names, and we commit to fighting inhumane immigration policies.
Water is Life.
Black Elk and Cheyenne and so many others, brutally attacked for peacefully protesting the Dakota Access pipeline. We say their names, and we commit to solidarity with First Nation people in the fight against resource exploitation and climate injustice.
Our support for racial justice requires action to change not only ourselves but also the structures that allow violence and injustice to God’s Black, brown, and indigenous people.
And so, in addition to transforming ourselves through conscious efforts to understand the experience of racism from the other side and the complicity of white people and the church in racism, we will speak truth to power, and seek to heal the wounds caused by racism.
As Jesus did.
Our faith demands no less.
As a church body and individually, we of Beavercreek UCC will take action, according to our abilities, our understanding of what God is calling us to do, and the needs of the moment. That will look different at different times and for different people.
Sometimes that may mean protesting in the streets, or supporting protestors with food and water, transportation, or bail. At times, we will be called to contact our elected officials to seek equitable and restorative justice laws. When we become aware that we have exhibited bias, either individually or as a church, we will apologize, and try to make amends. Beavercreek UCC will be intentional about where our “treasure” is, purchasing from minority-owned businesses, divesting from companies that support racism and climate injustice, and donating time and money to groups working to dismantle systemic racism. And we will look for opportunities to lovingly engage friends and family in difficult conversations about racism.
As a church, Beavercreek UCC commits to educating ourselves on structures of systemic racism. We will publicly post BLM and other anti-racist messages. We will learn about the first peoples who lived on the land where our church stands.
Jesus was a brown-skinned refugee, a member of an oppressed race. He ministered to the marginalized and the persecuted, saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28. For too long, people of color have been weary and burdened by the actions of white people, including white people claiming to act in the name of Jesus. We commit to being the hands, and feet, and voice, of our still-speaking God.
NOTE: Nothing in this statement is or is intended to be an exhaustive or exclusive statement about racism in our society, or the kinds of actions BUCC could or will take. That is, Black Lives Matter, Children do not belong in cages, and Water is Life touch on just a few of the ways racism permeates our society, and the list of possible responses is just a sample. As always, we will do our best to listen to what the Spirit is saying in the moment.
