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:
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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.
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Assumes the presence of b/g/l/t people and celebrates this diversity by
having inclusive language and content in their worship.
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Fully incorporates the experiences of b/g/l/t persons throughout all programs,
including religious education.
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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.
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Engages in outreach into the b/g/l/t community in its advertising and by
actively supporting b/g/l/t affirmative groups.
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Offers congregational and ministerial support for union and memorial services
for b/g/l/t persons, and for celebrations of...family definitions.
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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.
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Seeks to nurture ongoing dialogue between bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender,
and heterosexual persons and to create deeper trust and sharing.
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Encourages the presence of a chapter of Interweave.
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Affirms and celebrates b/g/l/t issues and history during the church year.
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Attends to legislative developments and works to promote justice, freedom,
and equality in the larger society.
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Speaks out when the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people
are at stake.
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Celebrates the lives of all people and their ways of expressing their love
for each other.
