What a Journey!
On Sep 16, 2007
The congregation voted unanimously (57 - 0) to affirm
that we are a
9-Part Workshop Series
2nd Tuesday of each month - at our Church
7:00pm-9:00pm
On issues and challenges facing Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender friends, members, and guests. ....and how each of us in the UUCSV can be in solidarity with 516 other UU Congregations in this important struggle for equality and civil rights.
Oct 10, 2006
- Come Take A Journey! Getting Started
- Monroe Gilmour, Deb Vingle
- 26 Attended
Nov 14, 2006
- Why Gay Rights Matter - co-hosted with The EqualityNC Foundation
- Prof. Shannon Gilreath www.uua.org/obgltc/wcp/wclexpln.html, Wake Forest University Law School - author of Sexual Politics: The Gay Person in America Today
- 93 Attended
Dec 12, 2006
- What We Know and How We Learned It
- Jerry Pope, Jen Stump
- 29 Attended
Jan 23, 2007 - Originally scheduled for Jan 9
- The Common Elements of Oppression
- Carolyn Shorkey, Pat Middleton
- 25 Attended
Feb 13, 2007
- Gender Socialization & Homophobia
- Deb Vingle, Jane Carroll
- 17 Attended - In Spite of Snow
Mar 13, 2007
- Religion & Homosexuality
- Tim Perry, Peter Boggs
- 31 Attended
Apr 10, 2007 - 6:00 pm
- Potluck for 30 youth
on the EqualityBus.
They will be sharing their experiences with us. - See www.soulforce.org for details of these Freedom Riders of the LBGT issue
Apr 24, 2007 - Originally scheduled for Apr 10
- Experiences of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and/or Transgender People
- Jane Carroll, Deb Vingle
- 33 Attended
May 22, 2007 - Originally scheduled for May 8
- How Homophobia Hurts Us All
- Angie Underwood, Monroe Gilmour
- 23 Attended
Jun 26, 2007 - Originally Scheduled for Jun 12
- What Now On Our Journey?
- Monroe Gilmour & Committee
- 26 Attended
Sep 16, 2007
- Congregational Vote
on Becoming a Welcoming Congregation
Approximately 57% of the members attended and voted unanimously (57 - 0) to affirm
- If approved, the UUA will give us a certificate which we can hang in the church, sending a message to members and guests that we have taken the journey and become an official Welcoming Congregation!
How did the journey come about?
The Welcoming Congregation (WC) certification program was created by the UUA as a way to put “intentionality” into congregation commitments to be a welcoming, safe place for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and/or Transgender members and visitors. To date, over 516 UU Congregations have been certified, including Asheville, Hendersonville, and seven others in North Carolina.
The UUCSV’S Social Action Committee began discussing the WC possibility in 2005 and in May 2006 sent a delegation to the UU Fellowship of Clemson which had just received its WC certification.
Upon the SAC’s recommendation, the UUCSV Board of Trustees voted in June 2006 to begin the WC process here in our congregation. The WC Committee had its first meeting in July and on October 1, 2006 celebrated WC Sunday with speakers from the UU Fellowship of Clemson.
Aren’t we already welcoming?
UU congregations, including ours, definitely are welcoming. Through the WC’s educational program we make sure that we understand issues and challenges facing GLBT people, and that we integrate that understanding into every part of our congregational life. By going through this year-long educational process, we say to GLBT members and visitors that we are serious about recognizing the societal prejudices and civil rights issues involved – and that we stand with you.
Why is strong congregational participation important?
Strong congregational participation in the workshops is important to the effectiveness of the program - the more people who participate, the more people who will share a common body of knowledge and experience. That shared commitment will give our congregation an even deeper ethic of reaching out, welcoming, and being-there for GLBT members and visitors.
We hope you will join us in this exciting journey.
Welcoming Congregation Resources & Activities
In the UUCSV library:
- The Welcoming Congregation Handbook: Resources for Affirming Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and/or Transgender People published by the UUA
- “Tying the Knot: The Union that’s Dividing America” a riveting 83 minute documentary about same-sex marriage. Our hope is for everyone in the congregation to see this powerful film! We started with a showing of it on September 10, 2006.
