This mistake led to a flurry of discussion over the fact that our church is already a welcoming place for all—including gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. Opinions were voiced that if a special effort was made to include gays, then this would be exclusive to other groups who aren’t being pointed out for recognition. The GLBC Task Force has realized that this typographical error led to an important misunderstanding which we wish to address here.

WHAT IS THE “WELCOMING CONGREGATION” PROGRAM?

In 1987, a UUA committee was formed to collect information about how welcomed and accepted gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons felt in their UU congregations. Many individuals reported that they felt unaffirmed, unwelcomed, and unsupported in their liberal religious communities. This hurtful exclusion—much of it very subtle and most of it quite unintentional—has made many people feel that they don’t really belong or have a safe space in our congregations. As a result, many either drift away or stay “in the closet”, hiding basic facts about who they are from other members of their congregations.

This reality troubled many UU’s who have committed to making our congregations welcoming and inclusive places for all people, especially minority groups who have traditionally experienced exclusion, discrimination, and misrepresentation within our society. Citing the principles of our UU faith—especially the one that affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every person—the 1989 General Assembly voted to initiate the Welcoming Congregation program. Other denominations have similar programs.

Basically, a congregation that is part of this program commits to being inclusive and expressive of the concerns of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons at every level of congregational life—in worship, in programs, and in social occasions—welcoming not only their presence, but also the unique gifts and particularities of their lives as well.

Information: info@uua.org