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Preface
All human beings--male and female; black, white,
red, brown, yellow; old and young; homosexual and heterosexual;
educated and illiterate; persons with fewer disabilities and persons
with more disabilities--are made in God's image, loved by God, and are
persons offered God's salvation. As the staff of the Ohio Conference,
United Church of Christ, we seek to have our language and actions
reflect this understanding. In the church we recognize that God breaks
down barriers among people and between people and God. We are called
to witness to this reality and take action ourselves to break down
barriers.
Inclusiveness in our life together in the church
means that no person is excluded from participation in leadership,
decision-making, or other aspects of church life. Inclusiveness in our
language means that we will expand our images of God in order to
assist in breaking down barriers between God and God's people.
Language in the church, and the imagery it reveals, needs to proclaim
the message of God's love for every human being.
I. Guidelines for Worship
We commit ourselves to using intentionally
inclusive language about God and God's people whenever and wherever we
lead or participate in worship. We will do so in the following ways:
*In all the written and spoken words of
worship--liturgy, scripture, sermon--we will use either a balance of
masculine and feminine images of God or images that are not gender
specific.
*In all of the written and spoken words of
worship, we will use language about the people of God that is
inclusive in terms of gender, race, age, differing abilities, and
sexual orientation.
*We will select hymns and music for worship that
use inclusive language about God and God's people.
When sharing the creation and/or leadership or
worship with others, we will share the Conference staff commitment to
inclusivity and provide or recommend inclusive language resources,
including these guidelines.
II.
Guidelines for All Written Communications and
Audiovisual Materials
We commit ourselves to using intentionally
inclusive language about God and God's people in all written
communications and audiovisual materials of the Ohio Conference,
United Church of Christ. These include all materials printed, produced
and distributed by the Ohio Conference.
In creating and selecting text and musical verses:
*We will use inclusive language resources, such as the New Revised Standard Version of
the Bible or the Inclusive Language Lectionaries and the New Century
Hymnal.
*We will, when on the internet, use language that
is inclusive and respectful of all people.
*We will include language and illustrations that
offer parity.
Examples: "men and women" instead of
"men and ladies (or gals or girls)"; "Isaiah, Ruth,
Amos, Esther" instead of "Isaiah, Micah, Amos,
Daniel"; "husband and wife" instead of "man
and wife"; "Dr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Brown/John Smith
and Mary Brown" instead of "Dr. John Smith and Mary
Brown."
*We will avoid male-only terms, pronouns, and
images for people.
Examples: "people" instead of
"men"; "humankind" instead of
"mankind"; "give to each person his or her
Bible"/"give the people (or participants or church
members) their Bibles" instead of "give to each person
his Bible"; "sons and daughters (or children)"
instead of "sons"; "chairperson (or chair)"
instead of "chairman"; "forebears" instead of
"forefathers"; "when I became an adult"
instead of "when I became a man."
*We will include images that are not pejorative
for persons of color.
Examples: "washed clean" instead of
"washed white"; "lies" instead of "white
lies"; "discriminated against/excluded" instead of
"blacklisted"; "the presence of evil" instead
of "the darkness of evil."
*We will include images that are not pejorative
for persons with disabilities or make assumptions about persons with
disabilities.
Examples: "person in a wheelchair"
instead of "person confined to a wheelchair";
"person with a disability" instead of
"crippled"; "persons with leprosy" instead of
"lepers"; "All who are able may stand" instead
of "All stand."
*We will include male and female or
gender-neutral language for God.
Examples: "God in God's wisdom"
instead of "God in his wisdom"; "O God, who watches
over us as a Father and nurtures us as a Mother" instead of
"O God, who watches over us as a Father"; "Creator
God" instead of "Father God;" "Our
Creator" or "Our Father and Mother" instead of
"Our Father."
*We will avoid stereotypes.
Examples: blacks as being poor or always the
people in need; women as being weak or auxiliary to the work of
the church; old people as being infirm, doddering, or not useful;
young people as being rash or important only as the future of the
church, American Indians as being mascots or as blood-seeking
warriors, seminarians as being only white, male, newly graduated
persons from college
*We will avoid defining women only in relation to
men.
Examples: "two couples" instead of
"two men and their wives"; "immigrants and their
children" instead of "immigrants and their wives and
children."
*We will avoid referring to the gender, marital
status, race, age, or ability of persons unless it is specifically
relevant to the story.
Examples: "pastor" instead of
"black pastor (or woman pastor)"; "John, a
representative from First Church" instead of "John, a
blind man from First Church."
When working with others in the creation or
selection of printed and audiovisual materials, we will share the
Conference staff commitment to inclusivity and provide or recommend
inclusive language resources, including these guidelines.
III. Guidelines for Program Leadership
We commit ourselves to using intentionally
inclusive language about God and God's people whenever and wherever we
take part in program leadership. We will do so in the following ways:
*When speaking to any person or group, we will
use inclusive language and imagery.
*We will avoid stories and illustrations that
stereotype people.
*We will avoid using exclusive language or
imagery and then apologizing for it.
*We will avoid assuming (erroneously) that women
are the only ones who care about sexist language and imagery, and
that racial/ethnic minority persons are the only ones who care about
racist language and imagery.
*We will avoid "blaming" or
"crediting" others, an institution, or these guidelines
with our choice of language and imagery, but we will make it obvious
by how and what we say and do that inclusivity is important to us.
*When preparing workshop materials, we will make
every effort to use or produce those resources that are inclusive.
(See especially the guidelines for printed and audiovisual
materials.)
*When engaged in committee work, we will avoid
using the smaller, more intimate setting as an excuse not to use
inclusive language and imagery.
When sharing program leadership with others, we
will share the Conference staff commitment to inclusivity and provide
or recommend inclusive language resources, including these guidelines.
Concluding Covenant
We, the staff of the Ohio Conference, United Church
of Christ, covenant together to use these guidelines in our common
discourse. With God's help, we will seek to model inclusiveness in our
lifestyle, language, and ministry.
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