At the time, the congregation, formerly in Bucks County, was formulating its own new identity. It had been founded in 1957 as Warminster United Church of Christ. For years, some members had tried to pass a resolution that the church welcomed the LGBT community, but the attempts had floundered amid controversy. In 1985, the national denomination had called on its congregations to declare themselves open and affirming, although individual churches weren't forced to do it.