UCC Welcoming Congregation Program

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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

..:: UCC Community » Welcoming Congregation/INTERWEAVE ::..

WE ARE NOW AN OFFICIAL WELCOMING CONGREGATION!!

Come join us as we start an Interweave Chapter to further the goals of our Welcoming Congregation.

INTERWEAVE

Interweave is a membership organization affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association, dedicated to the spiritual, political, and social well-being of Unitarian Universalists who are confronting oppression as lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender or queer persons, and their heterosexual allies; and facilitates the celebration of the culture and lives of its members.Check out Interweave's website, where you can find the online newsletter "Interweave World," join and/or support Interweave, learn about Interweave's annual Convocation (held this year in Oakland, CA), or contact an Interweave Board member to find out about how you can get involved!

Interweave Activities

"In The Life" is a monthly television show aired on PBS stations across the country-but not in SC-that documents the full range of the LGBT experience and the issues that impact our lives and our communities through stories on politics and public policy, personal and community health, religion and spirituality, and more.

AFFA has arranged with InTheLifeTV for advance copies of the show to air here in a project co-sponsored by AFFA and INTERWEAVE, the GLBT outreach of the Unitarian Church at Gage Hall from7 to 9 pm on Friday, October 17 this month, November 7 next month. Light refreshments. Admission is free..

Thoughts on Becoming a Welcoming Congregation

Welcoming Congregation is a way for a congregation to come out, a way of standing tall in the community and saying to our neighbors, we are a church that tries, in every way possible, to embrace people of all sexual orientations . (Thomas Mikelson)

Unitarians oppose anti-gay marriage ballot measures

Unitarian Universalists ended their annual General Assembly meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with a call to oppose ballot measures in Florida and California that would outlaw same-sex marriages.

Delegates also called for an end to what they called the ''present day slavery'' of undocumented immigrants. ''Our vision of justice is not limited to concern for one oppressed group,'' said the Rev. William Sinkford, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, at a rally. ''It's a vision of justice in which all American families are valued. We say that the Beloved Community must have room for all of us.''

UUA members, who have historically been vocal advocates of progressive social justice causes, voted to oppose initiatives in Florida and California that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. California began allowing same-sex marriages on June 17.

Useful Links

AFFA -Alliance for Full Acceptance

Gender of God Sermon

UUA BGLT Community

Gay and Lesbian News

Virginia Delegation Rejects Gay-Inclusive Guidebook

The Virginia delegation to the Republican National Convention had to brave the Minneapolis–St. Paul area without a handy guidebook, all because the guide included information on gay-friendly local attractions. According to ABC News, a campaign official from the Virginia lieutenant governor's office canceled an order for 150 of the guidebooks because they included six to eight pages dedicated to gay and lesbian nightclubs.

"Having a section dedicated solely to GLBT will be a BIG problem for many of our folks," office aide Melissa Busse wrote to Rake Publishing, who distributed the guides. "We simply can't hand them out."

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling later told ABC News he was unaware of the decision and said later in a statement he wishes "it had not happened."

Even without the books, owners for LGBT clubs in the Twin Cities say that they've seen an uptick in business during the convention.

Welcoming Congregation Announcements

Senate Committee to consider benefits for Gay Federal Employees

Senate committee to consider benefits bill
Legislation would grant benefits to gay federal employees
By CHRIS JOHNSON, Washington Blade | Sep 4, 12:57 PM

The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Sept. 24 on the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act.

The legislation would grant the partners of gay federal employees the same benefits that are available to the spouses of straight counterparts.

The committee, which is chaired by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), has yet to finalize its list of witnesses, according to Seamus Hughes, a committee spokesperson.