Members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community have long been excluded from religious communities, or worse, denigrated by theists based on aspects of themselves they didn't choose but were born with. 

But a Vernon, B.C. church has taken steps to change that narrative and, surprisingly, has even found scriptural grounds to do so.

Trinity United Church recently received official certification from an organization called Affirm United, designating the church as an affirming congregation. It's a designation that signals that the church is inclusive to all, no matter a person's age, race, ability or, crucially, their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Rev. Robin Jacobson, the church's minister, could be seen chatting with members of his congregation and members of the local queer community at an event celebrating Trinity United's affirming status on Saturday, Feb. 1. Outside the church were a number of Pride ribbons, while inside a diversity-inspired art show served as a talking point for people attending the event. 

Jacobson was joined by Barry Dorval, the church's board chair and the chair of its affirming committee, in celebrating the church's new status. 

Jacobson told The Morning Star that Trinity United Church is a Christ-centred community, meaning it follows the way of Jesus Christ, which amounts to an ethos of "radically inclusive love" for all. 

"Unfortunately that doesn't always come to mind when you think of a Christian community and faith community. Very often you think of exclusion, and that's too bad. In fact, it's tragic," Jacobson said. 

The reverend said becoming an affirming church won't lead to any dramatic change in terms of the church's operations moving forward. Rather, he said the designation will only strengthen the church's commitment to emulating the spirit and teachings of Christ. 

"To be an affirming congregation means, as followers of Christ, we want to live out the basic tenets of his teachings, and that's the all-embracing love for all creation," Jacobson said.

Dorval said the church leadership developed an action plan that was required by Affirm United in order to secure the church's official designation as an affirming congregation. It was a process of collaboration with the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

"We spent a lot of time doing that, thinking about who we are, what are our current values, how we can live out those values," Dorval said. 

The only real change the church is making in becoming an affirming church, according to Dorval, is an effort to be clear and explicit when it comes to welcoming members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Some may question how a Christian church could affirm people of all stripes without divorcing itself from scripture. The Book of Leviticus, for instance, appears to prohibit same-sex relations and has led to fundamental rifts between Christians and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community that persist around the world to this day. 

But Dorval believes all scripture is open to interpretation. In fact, he believes that for any text, be it the Bible, Shakespeare or Harry Potter, interpretation isn't optional. 

Jacobson agrees, and asserts that Christian scripture can be interpreted in ways that champion inclusivity.

"It's understood by much of the Christian faith world that when a person is being inclusive, as we are and the community is, that somehow we're not scriptural, that somehow we've moved away from scripture. And I want to say that I'm profoundly scriptural and Christ-centred in the theology that I preach and that I teach," Jacobson said. 

"It's a fairly two-dimensional interpretation of scripture that leads you to a place where you're excluding people," he added. "(Being) radically inclusive as a faithful Christ-centred, Bible-believing community, you follow the ways of Jesus Christ, and there is no one on this planet who is as inclusive as him and the teachings that are revealed in scripture through him."

Dorval said now is an important time to show that marginalized groups are welcome at the church. 

"A story was shared today about the importance and power of communities being a place of welcome, a place of safety for folks who are being actively marginalized, hated, dismissed, erased," he said. "We know that that's actively happening in our world, and some of the people that are doing that are using a religious frame to do so."

Abbie Wilson, president of the Vernon Pride Society, was at Saturday's event. She said it was great to see a church in Vernon "being intentional about affirming and accepting and celebrating everyone, which I did not ever think was possible."

Wilson said it's been a healing experience to work with the church leadership on its inclusivity journey, given that a lot of queer people grow up with religious trauma. 

"To witness this happening, I can't even put it into words. It's really cool," she said. 

Jacobson said Saturday's event was "a party," and a chance for different groups to get to know the church congregation and to share experiences.

The Church worked with the Arts Council of the North Okanagan and on Saturday it hosted artworks that express artists' understanding of diversity and inclusion. People attending the event could vote on their favourite artwork with the winning artist getting a prize. 

Dorval said the art contest was a first step in building new relationships in the community.