Open and Affirming
Open and Affirming means that we are an open people on a faith journey together with Jesus Christ. We welcome into community and membership, with all its privileges and responsbilities, all persons regardless of age, gender, education, economic status, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, ethnic origin, or physical condition. We seek to overcome all barriers used by people attempting to separate God's children from one another and from God.

Statement of Love and Community
We, the people of Southside Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), seek to affirm God's truth as revealed in Jesus the Christ. Recognizing that God alone holds all truth, we remain dependent on the grace, forgiveness and mercy of God as we seek to live faithfully in the body of Christ. Toward this end:

1. We declare that we are an Open and Affirming congregation, affirming the dignity, importance, worth, and personal gifts of all people. We welcome into community and membership, with all its privileges and responsibilities, all persons regardless of age, gender, education, economic status, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, ethnic origin, or physical condition. We seek to overcome all barriers used by people attempting to separate God's children from one another and from God.
2. We choose to be a Covenant to Care congregation, accepting into worship and into our community, persons who have tested positive for HIV, those who have AIDS, and their families, partners, and loved ones who are affected by these conditions. We celebrate the strengths and gifts of all persons in every stage of health. We accept Christ's call to ministries of healing and love.
3. As we grow together in Christian community, we celebrate our differences, work for inclusiveness, open ourselves to question and challenge, and strive to express and receive love in healthy and appropriate ways. We pledge to provide a safe and supportive community in which all persons may worship, study, serve, and seek God's guidance as they face the decisions of life and faith.
4. We condemn all acts of discrimination, persecution, and violence against any person, regardless of the reasons, whether those acts are physical, emotional, economic, or legal. We shall oppose such acts wherever and whenever we become aware of them. In faith with Jesus' commandment, we strive to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our strength, and all our mind. We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves.