What is a Welcoming Congregation?

Although on record since 1970 as supporting the worth and dignity of
gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons, in 1987, out of concern about how
gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons experienced Unitarian Universalism,
the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) formed the Common Vision Planning Committee.
The UUA charged this committee with studying how welcomed, affirmed and
safe gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals felt in their
congregations. The results of this study stunned many in our liberal
faith. The committee found many individuals felt unaffirmed,
unwelcomed, and unsupported in their religious communities. Often these
individuals would drift away from their religious organization, or stay
closeted in one or more ways. In further study, anonymous surveys of
thousands of individual Unitarian Universalists revealed many negative
attitudes, deep prejudices, and profound ignorance about gay, lesbian
and bisexual life and persons.

Out of the work of the Common Vision Planning Committee grew the Welcoming Congregation program. Based on the principles of our Unitarian Universalist faith, especially our first principle: "we covenant to defend and promote the inherent worth and dignity of all persons", the 1989 General Assembly voted to initiate the Welcoming Congregation program.

Becoming a Welcoming Congregation

A congregation that has completed the Welcoming Congregation program
has committed, after a great deal of education and process, to being
consciously inclusive and expressive of the concerns of gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender persons at every level of congregational
life. A Welcoming Congregation not only welcomes gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender persons however, it celebrates their presence
and recognizes we are stronger and richer for their inclusion in our
religious communities.

The process a congregation follows to receive the
honor of being named a "Welcoming Congregation" includes a workshop
series. Some of the educational offerings are:

• How Homophobia Hurts Heterosexuals
• Connections to Other Forms of Oppression
• Gender Socialization and Homophobia
• Biblical Perspectives on Homosexuality

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.

Qualities of a Welcoming Congregation

Welcoming Congregations have the following qualities:

• They include and address the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
  transgender persons at every level of congregational life—worship,
  programs, leadership, social occasions, and rites of passage—welcoming
  not only their presence, but the gifts and particulars of their lives
  as well.
• They assume the presence of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender
  people and celebrate this diversity by having inclusive language and
  content in their worship.
• They fully incorporate the experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
  transgender persons throughout all programs, including religious
  education.
• They include an affirmation and nondiscrimination clause in by-laws
  and other official documents affecting all dimensions of congregational
  life, including membership, hiring practices, and the calling of
  religious professionals.
• They engage in outreach into the gay, lesbian, bisexual,
  transgender community in advertising and actively support gay, lesbian,
  bisexual, transgender affirmative groups.
• They offer congregational and ministerial support for union and
  memorial services for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender persons, and
  for celebrations.
• They celebrate the lives of all people and welcomes same-sex couples, recognizing their committed relationships.
• They equally affirm displays of caring and affections without regard to sexual orientation.
• They seek to nurture ongoing dialogue between bisexual, gay,
  lesbian, transgender, and heterosexual persons to create deeper trust
  and sharing.
• They encourage the presence of a chapter of Interweave.
• They affirm and celebrate gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender issues and history.
• They attend to legislative developments and work to promote justice, freedom, and equality in the larger society.
• They speak out when the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people are at stake.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix is proud to be a Welcoming Congregation.

The UUCP at the Gay Pride Parade: