Iridesce: The Living Apology Project Final Report - July 2020

The United Church of Canada has had a long history of challenging itself to examine issues that have allowed it to explore how it might respect, support, encourage, and engage the gifts of all of its members in the life and work of the whole Church. Reports on sexuality that were compiled in the 1980s, lead to the 1988 Membership, Ministry and Human Sexuality decision at General Council 32, that “all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, who profess their faith in Jesus Christ are welcome to be or become members of The United Church of Canada” and that “all members of the United Church are eligible to be considered for ordered ministry.”

In 2009, the 40th General Council, in response to a perceived lack of movement on the 1999 consultation with LGBTQ+ ministry personnel and the continued emergence of challenges related to the inclusion of LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit members, mandated a National Consultation on Homophobia and Heterosexism in the Church. The final report from this consultation was presented to the General Council Executive in January of 2012. This final report speaks to the work undertaken in the following way, “The participants in this consultation believed that the goal of creating an inclusive church is a broad agenda that is critical to the future development and soul of the United Church. Ultimately, the participants reminded us that inclusion is not about providing some members of the Church with special treatment, but rather recognizing all people, including people in the sexual orientation and gender identity continuums, as vital members of the family of God.”1 Iridesce: The Living Apology Project (Iridesce) grew out of the 2012 consultation as a way for the church to examine, through the sharing of stories, lament, education, and prayer, what next steps were needed and how the Church might best move forward.

Read the full text attached below.