In the First Congregational Church of Stamford, Connecticut, we seek to live out the call of Jesus to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind . . .(and) love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39).

In addition, we re-affirm the following statements from the Declaration of Faith of this church: "We believe in the essential unity of Christendom, and we labor for the fuller realization of the kinship of all people in the worldwide Dominion of God. We affirm that Christ is our Savior, and rejoice that we are all one family."

Therefore, we, the First Congregational Church of Stamford, declare ourselves to be open and affirming. With God's grace we seek to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences such as but not limited to sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, gender, age, and mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic, or social-economic circumstances or background. We welcome all, no matter who they are, no matter where they are on life's journey, to share in the life and leadership, ministry and fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of participation in our congregation.