LGBT Welcoming Congregation Committee

The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.” -- Howard Zinn

The First Unitarian Society of Madison welcomes a diversity of people. We intentionally welcome people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender. We made this commitment by becoming an official UUA Welcoming Congregation in 1997.

The goal of the LGBT Welcoming Congregation Committee is to help ensure that FUS is an inviting place for LGBT people looking for a spiritual home. The Committee meets on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 P.M. Please join us!

Betsey Day, co-chair, at 827-5834
Kris Gunderson, co-chair, at 441-0638
Wendy Cooper, SJ Coordinator, at 233-9774, extension 125,

You may have noticed the rainbow on each page of our website, and many of us have a rainbow on the name tags we wear at services. The rainbow makes obvious our commitment to welcoming LGBT people into our community. The rainbow comes from the flag designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a San Francisco artist, in response to a local activist’s call for a community symbol and is now used in many variations.

Support for LGBT Families

FUS offers members and nonmembers three ceremonies to mark life passages. Many commitment ceremonies have taken place at the church over the years. Children of LGBT and other couples are dedicated during Sunday worship services, and memorial services make no distinction between LGBT and other members. In addition, our ordained and lay ministers have demonstrated a strong commitment to meeting the pastoral needs of LGBT members of the FUS community.

Religious education classes intentionally represent different kinds of families and avoid showing stereotypical gender roles. The human sexuality courses offered to middle-school children, “Our Whole Lives and Mind, Body, Soul,” have been recognized as a model for inclusive sexuality education among liberal Protestant denominations. The Church School staff is committed to creating a safe environment for children from all families and welcoming all members as teachers.

Networking in the Community

Members of the LGBT Welcoming Congregation Committee have reached out to ministers at the First Congregational Church, James Reeb UU, and the Prairie UU, to Outreach, and to others in the community to learn from and establish relationships to broaden our welcoming efforts. If you have information to share or want to take part in these efforts, please contact Betsey Day.

History of Our Society as a Welcoming Congregation

The Unitarian Universalist Association has a process for certifying Unitarian congregations as welcoming toward LBGT people. We are pleased that the First Unitarian Society of Madison was certified as a Welcoming Congregation of the UUA over 10 years ago, on October 28, 1997. 

In order to obtain this certification, an evolving committee at FUS:

• engaged various councils and the Board of Trustees in serious discussions;
• developed new policies (pertaining, for example, to avoiding heterosexist language in FUS documents, and using books in religious education classes that avoid stereotypical gender roles);
• offered various educational opportunities for both youth and adults;
• developed connections with local lesbian, gay, and bisexual groups in the community;
• generated publicity;
• engaged in various other endeavors.
  

This process included a survey-based process of the congregation’s attitudes about LGBT persons, and a parish vote that directed the church to seek certification as a Welcoming Congregation. Having been recognized by the UUA as a Welcoming Congregation is an important and encouraging step for FUS. However, we believe this is only a first step. We have much work ahead of us to further reduce homophobia and prejudice in Madison and within FUS, and to continue to transform FUS into a spiritual and social community in which all lesbian, gay, transsexual, and transvestite people feel safe and valued.

The FUS document that led the UUA to recognize FUS as a Welcoming Congregation can be found at this link:

FUS Madison Request for Recognition as a Welcoming Congregation.