Adopted September 27, 2016. Lived since.

As an inclusive, affirming congregation, we honour the diversity of God's creation. Our community is richer when we include people of all ages, gender identities, racial and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, abilities, economic circumstances and family configurations.

Adopted by Session and Congregation, September 27, 2016.

Who is "everyone"?

The statement names categories deliberately, because abstract welcome lets too many people slip through the cracks. We want each of these to be specific:

• All ages

  From the babies in the nursery to the elders who've been here since the 1960s, every life-stage is part of who we are.

• All gender identities

  Cis and trans. Non-binary and beyond. You are welcomed by name and by pronoun.

• All racial and cultural backgrounds

  Knox is predominantly white, and we know it. We are still learning, and we condemn racially motivated discrimination, full stop.

• All sexual orientations

  Straight, gay, lesbian, bi, queer, asexual, fully welcomed in life, leadership, witness, and ministry.

• All abilities

  Our building is fully accessible. We are committed to making worship, programs, and conversation reachable for every body and every mind.

• All economic circumstances

  Money is never a barrier to participation. Programs are free or sliding-scale; bursaries exist; ask.

• All family configurations

  Single, partnered, married, divorced, widowed; with kids, without kids, blended kids, chosen family. All real. All welcome.

What "affirming" means in practice

At Knox, you are eligible for membership, leadership, marriage, baptism, communion, ordination, and pastoral care regardless of any of the categories above. Affirming means we don't say welcome and then attach an asterisk.

We are imperfect. Our welcome doesn't always land the way we hope. We have learning still ahead. If you've felt left out at Knox or by Knox, please tell us. That kind of feedback is the only way the welcome gets truer.