Welcoming Congregation

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A mission of our fellowship is to be a welcoming community of diverse individuals.

Toward that end, in the Spring of 2010 the UUFCM began the process of seeking the official Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) designation of "Welcoming Congregation" - a congregation where people of any sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression can feel at home. Our goal is to have completed the educational trainings, community outreach and policy initiatives by May 2011.
Welcoming Congregation program congregations
​make a public commitment to:
  • Be inclusive and expressive of the concerns of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender persons at every level of congregational life.
  • Celebrate the lives of all people and welcome same-gender couples, recognizing their committed relationships and equally affirming displays of caring and affection with regard to sexual orientation.
  • Nurture ongoing dialogue between bisexual, gay, heterosexual, lesbian, and transgender persons, and create deeper trust and sharing.
  • Advocate for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people, attending to legislative developments and working to promote justice, freedom, and equality in the larger society.
We have continued to meet our commitment as a Welcoming Congregation through a variety of ongoing actions: our minister officiating same-sex weddings; providing several vigils for the community such as one for the Orlando shooting and each year Transgender Remembrance Day; using inclusive language in all aspects of our congregational life; and sending a number of our members to trainings such as those provided by Inclusive Justice.
Our next efforts will be to educate our members and friends about transgender lives and issues through an all-congregation retreat on Saturday, January 28. We will meet to deepen our understanding of gender identity and learn how to better support the issues facing people who are transgender. We are very fortunate to have with us Kathleen Campisano, the Faith and States Organizing Manager of the National LGBTQ Task Force, who will lead us in a number of exercises and discussions.  As well, we will provide a number of print and video resources so that members and friends can individually continue to learn.
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