Our Mandate
What We Do
Education – to promote greater awareness of sexual orientation and gender identity issues.
Action – to work to end discrimination against people in church, society and our own organization.
Support – to help people of all sexual orientations and gender identities find support and community within the United Church.
How We Work
Affirming Ministries Program – We established and continue to operate this church-wide network
Website, www.affirmunited.ca
Newsletter
Three-day conference featuring speakers, workshops, entertainment, and worship, in a different Canadian location each summer, in conjunction with our annual general meeting
Advocacy and Information – We write letters, submit briefs and proposals, and meet with church and government decision-making bodies. Our displays, information tables, workshops, and educational resources support this work.
Council and Governance
Affirm United/ S’affirmer Ensemble (AU/SE) relies on a volunteer Council that meets twice a year face to face and by conference call every month or so. Members are drawn from all over the country and together represent a wide range of gifts, skills, and experiences. They oversee the overall direction and strategic planning for the organization.
Our annual reports offer a great overview of our work, and the work of hundreds of Affirming ministries and ministries in process. Once a year AU/SE gathers the whole community at its annual conference, to which everyone of good will is welcome, no matter your identities. The Conference includes our annual general meeting. We’re a membership-based registered charity, and all members are welcome to vote at our AGM.
Your membership as an individual or ministry keeps our movement strong and diverse; please consider joining us.
If you’re really interested in us, check out our bylaws.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Council co-chairs at cochair@ause.ca
(Note that inquiries and updates related to the Affirming Ministries program should be sent to affirmingministries@ause.ca)
Your 2024/2025 Council
Executive (as of January 2025)
Co-Chairs: Kim Curlett & Michelle Henry
Past Chair: Julian Munro
Secretary: Mallory Brennan
Treasurer: Vacant
Members-at-Large (as of January 2025):
David Hall, Jake Girton, Ruth Bramham, Michelle Landry, Grace Wedlake.
Staff:
Executive Director – Ruth Noble
Communications & Marketing Coordinator – M Chorney
Accountant - Peter Kelsch
Some of our 2023-24 Council, past Council members, current and past Staff, and Affirming ministry coordinators at the AGM in Beaconsfield for 2023!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I be LGBTQIA+ or Two Spirit and Christian? Yes. And yes. And yes. You are a cherished and beloved child of God. Affirm United/ S’affirmer Ensemble believes that all gender identities and sexualities are a gift from God and that churches should be a safe and fully welcoming space for LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit people to worship.
What is the Affirming Ministry Program? The Affirming Ministries Program is a network of United Church of Canada ministries of all kinds that strive be fully inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. And it asks each ministry to take action. Affirming ministries are at the heart of the Affirming movement. There are over 200 Affirming ministries and ministries in the process across Canada. The program was launched in 1992. The United Church officially endorsed the program in 2000 and encouraged its ministries to participate. The program encourages all United Church bodies, and other Christian traditions, to study and discern what it means to be publicly welcoming and inclusive in their context. (Ministries include communities of faith, community ministries, chaplaincies of all kinds, care homes and supported living, outdoor ministries/ camps, Regional Councils, and more.) The Affirming program also encourages the study of other United Church resources that promote the inclusion of other marginalized groups.
How do we start the Affirming process? Have a look at the Affirming Ministries site section and the many resources there. (For example, the requirements page will give you a snapshot of the process.) Contact an Affirming Ministries coordinator about the process. They will help you get started. Get approval from your church or organization board to begin the process of inquiry, so that everyone is on board. Then your ministry will begin a time of discernment and study to determine if you are ready to become Affirming, and what this will mean in your community and context. Our free resource, Open Hearts, will explain the process and accompany you through it; click here for the table of contents or to download. We are happy to assist you throughout the process and to help you get in touch with other Affirming ministries.
What’s the difference between being “Welcoming” and “Affirming”? Most congregations do their best to be welcoming, but being affirming goes deeper and is public, intentional, and explicit, in their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Think “PIE”: Public, Intentional, and Explicit. Public: An Affirming Ministry uses symbols and signs which are echoed outside and inside the church building, in worship, and in all other facets of church life. The broader community should also know what it stands for; a witness to the wider community that God’s love extends to everyone equally and without reserve. This is still a radical message! Intentional: An Affirming Ministry is deliberate in their process of study, education and dialogue with members of their faith community (both during the Affirming process and as a piece of their ongoing work), to 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. Explicit: Affirming Ministries should explicitly indicate in their Mission and Vision statement – and everywhere else! – that the LGBTQ+ community is a part of and embraced in all facets of church life. And as part of the Affirming process, their faith community will explore and explain how to live out that commitment.
I need help! Whether you need more resources or need support in coming out, we will do our best to support you. There are many resources available to you – you are not alone! Find an Affirming ministry in your area. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Canada (PFLAG) is another excellent resource. Kids Help Phone can be accessed here: 1 800 668-6868 Trans Lifeline (crisis) line for Canada is 1 877 330-6366
Our Logo
Any Affirming ministry is entitled and encouraged to use the AU/SE logo! Use it publicly and proudly in any way that suits your needs– but only if you are an Affirming ministry or about to hold your celebration. (The logo can be used for educational purposes in some situations.)
Our logo was designed by Joyce Cosby; it reflects the Christian fish that is integral to both Christianity and the United Church of Canada logo, and it unites both cross and rainbow. It’s an important reflection of our movement’s belief that God’s love includes all, and that the church must welcome all.
How do we access the logo?
We use Dropbox, a free file sharing service, because some of the files are too large to email. The Communications Coordinator will send you the link; email them at communications@ause.ca
When can my ministry start using the logo?
Your ministry can begin using the logo when you announce the details of your Affirming celebration and at any point after. Again, we encourage you to use the logo early and often.
Are there restrictions on how we can use the logo?
As long as your ministry is Affirming, there are no restrictions. In fact, we include all sorts of formats to make it easier for you to use the logo just about everywhere. Signs, banners, decals, custom t-shirts with your ministry’s name and website, mugs, pins: all are great. And please make sure the logo is on your ministry’s website and letterhead!
What logo formats do you have?
Our logo is available in many different formats, such as JPGs (for use online) and vector files (EPS) that allow you to create large versions of the logo without resolution loss. The Dropbox folder also contains different designs. Some logos include Affirm United/ S’affirmer Ensemble’s full name; others don’t.
So we can’t use the logo if we are not Affirming?
In a word: No.
But we can help you become Affirming! email affirmingministries@ause.ca to start the process!
Our
History
In 1982, Affirm was formed to support individual lesbian and gay members of The United Church of Canada and to advocate with the church for their full inclusion.
Affirm worked with the support of allies within Friends of Affirm, a separate organization.
Later these two groups joined to become Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble; to this day, we welcome all people of all identities as members. And our own understanding of “LGBTQQIATT” and Two-Spirit folk has widened and deepened.
Then as now, we spoke at church and community meetings, advocated, cared for one another, and offered educational events and resources. We also continue to welcome people of goodwill of all identities, whether as formal members or as supporters.
Since 1982, we have both struggled and collaborated with the United Church of Canada. Now we celebrate the changes in the denomination, and we continue to challenge the church to be true to its calling — to seek justice and resist evil. We do this in many ways, but the principal one remains our Affirming ministries program, which accompanies diverse ministries through the process of becoming publicly, intentionally, and explicitly welcoming of all gender identities and sexual orientations.