Speakers: Barb Greve and Paige Getty, UUA Office of B/G/L/T Concerns

Whether your congregation is thinking about participating in the Welcoming Congregation program, or has completed the program and is wondering what's next, this workshop provided interesting and inspirational answers. Barb Greve and Paige Getty, from the UUA Office of B/G/L/T Concerns, led a lively, free-form discussion which included information on both Welcoming Congregation I, newly revised this year and available from the UUA Bookstore, and Welcoming Congregation II, currently being field tested. Participants shared their congregational stories - both challenges and successes - while staff gave guidance and advice for dealing with sensitive issues which might arise.

When asked what the specific requirements were to become an officially designated Welcoming Congregation, the answer given was deceptively simple. A congregational vote is the only real requirement the UUA asks congregations to meet. But the vote can only be justifiably taken after the real work of participating in the curriculum is experienced by a sizeable portion of a congregation's membership. In Massachusetts, one congregation goes so far as to require that all its lay leaders complete the series of classes.

Welcoming Congregation II assists congregations who have completed the first series in continuing dialogue in three realms: the personal, the congregational and the larger community. Welcoming Congregation II is not arranged chronologically, so that at any one time, small subgroups could be addressing issues in any or all of the three areas. This unique curriculum is still being field tested, and will be available only to churches which are already officially designated with UUA as Welcoming Congregations.

Discussion ranged from how to confront the fears members may have of becoming thought of as a "gay church," losing their identity as a "family church," to how straight allies can best help the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered members in their churches feel most like family. Other questions which were addressed had to do with conducting the sessions in closed or open groups, what percent of members needed to have taken the series before holding the vote, and whether to invite youth to participate in the process. In closing, Barb and Paige stressed that it was important to take the first steps, no matter how tentative they might be, and have the faith and courage to see this important work come to fruition.

Reported by Gina Whitaker, formatted for the web by Margy Levine Young

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