A Welcoming Congregation

We are a Welcoming Congregation. This means that that our congregation is committed to the following:

Being inclusive and expressive of the concerns of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons at every level of congregational life in worship or social occasions, welcoming not only their presence, but the unique gifts and particularities of their lives as well.

a. Not assuming that everyone is heterosexual, using a vocabulary of worship that reflects this perception and celebrates diversity by inclusivity of language and of content.

b. Understanding that the experience of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons will be fully incorporated through all programs, including religious education.
Including an affirmation and nondiscrimination clause in the bylaws and other official documents of the church affecting all dimensions of congregational life such as membership, hiring practices and the calling of religious professionals.
Engaging in outreach into gay, lesbian and bisexual communities, both by advertising and by supporting other gay, lesbian and bisexual affirmative action groups.
Offering congregational and ministerial support for services of union and memorial services for gay, lesbian and bisexual persons and celebrations of evolving definitions of family.
Celebrating the lives of all people and welcoming same-sex couples, recognizing their committed relationships and equally affirming displays of caring and affection without regard for sexual orientation.
Nurturing ongoing dialogue between gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual persons to create deeper trust and sharing.
Being actively represented in the Joseph Priestley District UU Lesbian and Gay Concerns group and participating in their programs.
Affirming and celebrating gay, lesbian and bisexual issues and history during the year [possibly including Gay Pride Week in June].
Advocating for gay, lesbian and bisexual people, attending to legislative developments and working to promote justice, freedom and equality in the larger society, and speaking out when the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons are at stake.
Celebrating the lives of all people and their ways of expressing their love for each other.

At our Congregational Meeting in 1993, we voted on the following resolution:

"Whereas the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church established a Welcoming Congregation Committee in 1990 to inform and sensitize people to the issues and concerns of gay, lesbian and bisexual people; sponsored a broad program of classes, workshops, Sunday services, social actions, movies and discussions; holds a tradition as leader in both the community and the Unitarian Universalist Association for taking early stands in matters of conscience concerning minorities, BE IT RESOLVED that the membership of Mount Vernon Unitarian Church takes cognizance of suggested guidelines developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association as a foundation from which to continue the process of welcoming gay, lesbian, bisexual and all minorities and declares for the record that it is A WELCOMING CONGREGATION."

The vote, by show of hands, was approximately 180 for and 4 against. Becoming an official welcoming Congregation is one of the important accomplishments in the history of MVUC. Soon after this historic vote, the Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns of the UUA sent us an attractive poster proclaiming that we are a Welcoming Congregation. It was framed and placed in a prominent place in the Commons.

The Welcoming Congregation Committee continues to function in order to be sure that the above commitments are put into action. It has done many different things over the years, including service, education, witness, advocacy, and community organization programs. For the last 2 years, the focus has been to develop and maintain the Safe Haven program.

We welcome new members to the committee. You can read our history, written by Pete Bloom.

Last updated March 12, 2007 14:27