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What is it?
What does it mean to me?
presented by
The UUA s Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns and
The Interweave Chapter of Unitarian Church of Bloomington, IL
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HISTORY
In 1987 the Unitarian Universalist Association established the Common Vision
Planning Committee. This committee found many negative attitudes, deep
prejudices, and profound ignorance about bisexual, gay, and lesbian people,
which resulted in the exclusion of bisexual, gay, and lesbian people from
their churches. As a result of these findings, the delegates of the 1989 UUA
General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to initiate the Welcoming Congregation
program to educate its members. Each congregation adapts the program to best
meet its goals and each unique situation can bring positive changes to
individuals and congregations.
WHAT IS THE WELCOMING CONGREGATION PROGRAM?
The Welcoming Congregation Program is a completely volunteer program for
congregations that see a need to become more inclusive towards bisexual,
gay, lesbian, and/or transgender people. It consists of a series of
workshops developed by the UUA. The goal of the workshops is to reduce
prejudice by increasing understanding and acceptance among people of
different sexual orientations. Some of the workshop titles include: How
Homophobia Hurts Heterosexuals; Connections to Other Forms of Oppression;
Gender Socialization and Homophobia; and Biblical Perspectives on
Homosexuality. Many congregations offer the workshop series several
consecutive times as an adult Religious Exploration curriculum open to all
members and friends. In some congregations the workshop series (and later
the entire program) is sponsored by a Welcoming Congregation Task
Force/Committee created for just this purpose, while other congregations
sponsor the workshop series through their Interweave chapters. In either
case, the workshops are best facilitated by those that have experienced the
curriculum.
WHAT IS INTERWEAVE?
(Unitarian Universalists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Concerns)
The mission statement for Interweave reads as follows: Interweave is a
membership organization affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist
Association. It is dedicated to the spiritual, political, and social
well-being of Unitarian Universalists who are confronting oppression as
lesbians, gay men, bisexual persons, transgender persons, and heterosexual
allies. It celebrates the culture and lives of its members. Interweave
membership is open to all interested UUs of any sexual or affectional
orientation. It has chapters in many Unitarian Universalist congregations
and districts, as well as a Continental chapter. Membership in Interweave
involves two primary goals:
the creation of local groups for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender
Unitarian Universalists for support, socializing, and sharing life issues,
and
outreach to the larger bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender community to
publicize the religious alternative offered by Unitarian Universalism.
WHY JUST BISEXUAL, GAY, LESBIAN, AND/OR TRANSGENDER?
Why single out bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender people? The Rev.
David Morgan Strong probably states it best in the Welcoming Congregation
manual: For centuries, the church has been a leading force against sexual
minorities. It is not surprising that gay people are reluctant to reach out
to the very institution that oppresses them. Yet, gay, lesbian,
[transgender], and bisexual people have no less need for warmth, caring, and
affirmation than anyone else who calls the liberal church their religious
home. In fact, as a subculture in society gay, lesbian, [transgender], and
bisexual people may need our support more than the general population.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WELCOMING CONGREGATION ?
Congregations who publicly and successfully welcome bisexual, gay, lesbian,
and transgender people have the following qualities:
Includes and address the needs of b/g/l/t persons at every level of
congregational life in worship, in programs, in social occasions, and in
rites of passage welcoming not only their presence, but the gifts and
particularities of their lives as well.
Assumes the presence of b/g/l/t people and celebrates this diversity by
having inclusive language and content in their worship.
Fully incorporates the experiences of b/g/l/t persons throughout all
programs, including Religious Exploration.
Includes an affirmation and nondiscrimination clause in our by-laws and
other official documents affecting all dimensions of congregational life,
including membership, hiring practices, and the calling of religious
professionals.
Engages in outreach into the b/g/l/t community in its advertising and by
actively supporting b/g/l/t affirmative groups.
Offers congregational and ministerial support for union and memorial
services for b/g/l/t persons, and for celebrations of...family definitions.
Celebrates the lives of all people and welcomes same-sex couples,
recognizing their committed relationships, and equally affirms displays of
caring and affections without regard to sexual orientation.
Seeks to nurture ongoing dialogue between bisexual, gay, lesbian,
transgender, and heterosexual persons and to create deeper trust and
sharing.
Encourages the presence of a chapter of Interweave.
Affirms and celebrates b/g/l/t issues and history during the church year.
Attends to legislative developments and works to promote justice, freedom,
and equality in the larger society.
Speaks out when the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people
are at stake.
Celebrates the lives of all people and their ways of expressing their love
for each other.
AREN T WE ALREADY A WELCOMING CONGREGATION?
Is it true that our church probably meets most of the qualifications for a
Welcoming Congregation? Our church by-laws state that we do not discriminate
on the basis of age, race, occupation, gender, past religious affiliation,
or sexual orientation. Our membership already includes bisexual, gay,
lesbian, and transgender persons who are active members, willing to give of
themselves and share their experiences with us. However, official
recognition as a Welcoming Congregation allows us to open our church as safe
space for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender persons; to take positions
on oppression in our larger communities; and to accomplish outreach.
HOW WILL BEING A WELCOMING CONGREGATION BENEFIT ME?
Confronting our prejudices in a non-judgmental, non-threatening group allows
us to explore their origins and offers an opportunity to replace those
prejudices with knowledge. Understanding our prejudices leads to individual
spiritual growth and congregational unity.
WHAT IS AHEAD OF US?
Our vision goes beyond the Welcoming Congregation Program. By taking this
first step, we hope to explore more issues than those presented here like
sexism, racism, ableism, to name just a few. Becoming a Welcoming
Congregation will act as a catalyst to learning more about ourselves and to
ending exclusion. Only when we are truly open to the wealth of diversity in
our world will the inherent worth and dignity of every person be affirmed
with a large voice.
Material above copyright © 1998, Unitarian Universalist Association
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Welcoming Congregation Home
What is the Welcoming Congregation Program?
Stands Unitarian Universalsits have taken regarding
gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people?
Unitarians and
Universalists in Canada Celebrate Gender and Sexual Diversity
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