Dear Open and Affirming family!

Fifty years ago, in 1972, a courageous and visionary band of queer leaders in the United Church of their Christ (with their straight allies) founded the "UCC Gay Caucus," the forerunner of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ.

Earlier that year, the Golden Gate Association in California ordained Bill Johnson—the first openly gay man to be authorized for ministry in an historic Protestant denomination.

This year's National ONA Gathering will celebrate this milestone in our beloved church. We'll celebrate the past 50 years and the extraordinary growth in our movement from small beginnings, honor our elders, and learn from each other the ways our movement needs to expand its vision at the beginning of our second half-century.

Join us on Zoom August 5, 6, 7 for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Events will be scheduled in the evenings, enabling Hawai'i and western time zones to participate. We'll announce registration in the spring, but in the meantime please mark these dates on your calendar!

As with National Gatherings in the past, there will be soul-expanding worship and mind-expanding keynotes. I'm looking forward to seeing each of you!

With every blessing,

Andy Lang
Executive Director
Open and Affirming Coalition
United Church of Christ