Welcoming Congregation

by Peg Horne

December, 2002

What is a “Welcoming Congregation” and what does it mean to our church? As members of the Welcoming Congregation Task Force, we have been hearing this questions a lot lately. We are pleased to have a format to provide an overview of what it means to become a designated Welcoming Congregation and what our goals are to help facilitate this process.

What does it mean to be a Welcoming Congregation? In 1989 the UUA Assembly voted overwhelmingly to initiate a program that would educate its members on the wide range of prejudice, ignorance and social injustice that lead to the exclusion of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) people from their churches.

Aren't we already a welcoming congregation? Our members often express the notion that we are a very welcoming congregation. Gay, lesbian and bisexual people are welcomed members of our church and play a very active role in our community. But to be a designated Welcoming Congregation does not simply mean that we know our door is open.

As a Welcoming Congregation we go beyond an open door. First is our commitment to reach out to our GLBT community as a safe and supportive spiritual home. Further is our willingness to understand the depth of oppression that is the GLBT experience and to actively support social justice and equality for out GLBT community. We see a deepening of the connections we as members of the Meeting House have to each other by sharing important life struggle.

What are some of these religious prejudices and social issues and how can we promote change? Churches have historically been a leading force in perpetuating prejudice against sexual minorities. Even today the GLBT community is assaulted from church pulpits. Right now the Catholic Church is working to rally its members to fight any legislation what would allow same sex marriages and publicly voices an agenda to deny gays ordination to the priesthood. While we share the same desire of most people for a safe spiritual home , it is our past experience that makes it difficult for us to seek out a refuge where we have long experienced spiritual violence.

Every day GLBT people are at risk as they live the continual process of coming out to family, community, coworkers, health care professionals and friends. We face prejudice, risk personal injury and suffer rejection for our partners, our children and ourselves. We are denied basic human needs of love and caring and we are denied basic human rights by law. Can we, as a congregation, say that we know and understand these daily struggles? Can we say that we have made a commitment to support social change for the GLBT community?

The Welcoming Congregation Task Force has developed a plan to provide a wide range of venues to allow our congregation to explore the oppression of the GLBT community. By providing sermons and speakers, talk back forums, topics for Small Group Ministry, Welcoming Congregation Workshops, art exhibits, inclusion of these topics in the Children and Adult Religious Education Programs, a bulletin board with literature and local social issues, and a dedicated group of informed people available to take questions and share experience, we hope to bring a deeper understanding to our church community.

How will this benefit our church? By providing venues to inform our members of oppression and injustice of the GLBT community we hope to experience both spiritual growth and congregational unity. And by going beyond a friendly open door to a commitment to reach out to GLBT people in need of a safe and nurturing spiritual home, we hope to experience an even greater enrichment of our church community.

How long will this process take? The goal of the Welcoming Congregation Task Force is to provide venues for the sharing of questions, information and experiences during 2002-2003. Our congregants' active involvement in these venues will help forward our goal. Ultimately we will seek a church-wide vote to become a designated Welcoming Congregation. This is an important process for our society and commitment for our congregation. We urge your questions, ideas and participation in this process and we thank you for your support.

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 2/21/05)