The History of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley with the 

GLBT community…

 In 1998 a small committee met for the first time to discuss ways to support the congregation’s GLBT members, educate the church community at large to GLBT issues.  With the 1990 UUA published resource book edited by The Rev. Scott Alexander entitled The Welcoming Congregation Resources for Affirming Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and (Transgender) Unitarian Universalists, the committee began to put it’s contents to work within the church.   Both the work of the committee and the workbook set out to answer the question “How can a congregation today honor the ‘inherent worth and dignity of every person’ and become more welcoming to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and (transgender) people?”

What is the Welcoming Congregation Program?

The Welcoming Congregation Program is a completely volunteer program for congregations that see a need to become more inclusive towards bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender people. It consists of a series of workshops developed by the UUA. The goal of the workshops is to reduce prejudice by increasing understanding and acceptance among people of different sexual orientations. Some of the workshop titles include: How Homophobia Hurts Heterosexuals; Connections to Other Forms of Oppression; Gender Socialization and Homophobia; and Biblical Perspectives on Homosexuality. In some congregations the workshop series (and later the entire program) is sponsored by a Welcoming Congregation Task Force/Committee created for just this purpose, while other congregations sponsor the workshop series through their Interweave chapters. In either case, the workshops are best facilitated by those that have experienced the curriculum.

At the UUCLV the founding committee sent a letter to the congregation to announce it’s intentions and to state it’s goals. The letter read, “As the members of the Welcoming Congregation committee, it is our goal to “nurture an ongoing dialogue between gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and heterosexual persons, and to create deeper trust and sharing.  Then we can clearly covenant to affirm and promote “justice, equality and compassion in human relations”.” After the letter the committee enacted a congregational survey to explore the communities’ understanding of and level of comfort with GLBT issues, offered a film series, workshops, introduced GLBT education in religious education classes, from the pulpit, in “Spectator” articles, and made written materials available in the church library and in the community room. 

As the community became more aware of it’s own internal GLBT issues, so too did it become more aware of the issues in the local community. A rainbow flag was handmade by the outgoing president and hung in the community room. The Welcoming Congregation committee made t-shirts that stated “Hate is Easy Love Takes Courage” and sold them all over the Lehigh Valley .  Members marched in the first Lehigh Valley Pride Parade, had a booth at Pride Fest and sold homemade stained glass rainbow flags.

In 2001 through a congregational vote, the UUCLV officially became a “Welcoming Congregation” to the GLBT. It declared it’s mission statement to read: To challenge the members of the UUCLV to be open to all people and to fostering a nurturing community of mutual acceptance, respect and love.  

So, 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:

•  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. 

•  Assumes the presence of b/g/l/t people and celebrates this diversity by having inclusive language and content in their worship.

•  Fully incorporates the experiences of b/g/l/t persons throughout all programs, including religious education.

• 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.

• Engages in outreach into the b/g/l/t community in its advertising and by actively supporting b/g/l/t affirmative groups.

• Offers congregational and ministerial support for union and memorial services for b/g/l/t persons, and for celebrations of...family definitions.

• 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.

• Seeks to nurture ongoing dialogue between bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender, and heterosexual persons and to create deeper trust and sharing.

• Encourages the presence of a chapter of Interweave.

• Affirms and celebrates b/g/l/t issues and history during the church year.

• Attends to legislative developments and works to promote justice, freedom, and equality in the larger society.

• Speaks out when the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people are at stake.

• Celebrates the lives of all people and their ways of expressing their love for each other.

 With the community’s support firmly behind them, in 2000 the Welcoming Congregation committee and the UUCLV continued to be a more vocal and visible liberal voice on GLBT issues in the Lehigh Valley .  We co-sponsored the formation of a Lehigh Valley youth group for young adults ages 14-20, which later inspired the creation of HAVEN, organized a 2003 “Speak Out” event as a diversity supportive response to local anti-gay protests. In that same year, the UUCLV sponsored a GLBT youth group, HAVEN.  HAVEN became a safe space for GLBT and questioning youth.  At this point, Welcoming Congregation focused much of it’s energy on organizing and promoting HAVEN.  In 2003 a well established HAVEN entered a float in the Pride parade and in 2004, HAVEN hosted the first ever Lehigh Valley gay prom.

In June 2004, the UUCLV “Interweave” chapter held it’s first meeting. As a committee under Life Span Religious Education, “Interweave”, will work together with the educational components of Welcoming Congregation and with the youth/young adult focus of HAVEN. Together, we can be more than we are apart.

HAVEN  

             (Hope, Acceptance, Validation, Equality, Nurturing)
A Group for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth

HAVEN is the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Youth Group hosted and sponsored by the UUCLV. Although part of the UUCLV, HAVEN it is not a religious group. And while it does operate under UU principles, this does not conflict with any other religious beliefs. HAVEN is not about conversion and all religious backgrounds are welcome.

Meetings and planning are run by the youth however, there will always be a minimum of two professionally trained adult volunteer facilitators to supervise all meetings & events.

Open to GLBT youth, their Allies & those questioning (ages 14-20 yrs.), HAVEN’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive environment, provide positive role models and peer support, & sponsor social and recreational activities. Weekly meetings occur on Wednesdays 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at UUCLV. And HAVEN activities have included:

• Movie nights
• Dances
• Participation in community events, such as the Lehigh Valley Pride Festival & Parade
• Hosting guest speakers, artists, & musicians
• Outdoor events such as hiking
• Trips to plays, films, or other cultural events.

HAVEN encourages parent involvement. However, in order to protect confidentiality, parents are not allowed at meetings. They are encouraged to talk with facilitators outside of the meetings. 

HAVEN is a non-profit organization. There is little cost to hold meetings. The church provides the space for free. Food served at meetings is donated. Costs to hold other events are acquired through various fundraisers & donations.

So, together we are Interweave

Interweave Continental is a national membership organization affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association, dedicated to the spiritual, political, and social wellbeing of Unitarian Universalists who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender.

The Interweave chapter at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley welcomes the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex community and their allies by offering community, support, opportunities for socializing, spirituality, advocacy, education and outreach. It extends beyond but yet incorporates the UUA sponsored educational program “Welcoming Congregation”, which focuses on education around GLBT issues.

The UUA History of “Interweave”…

Interweave began as “UUs for Gay Concerns” in the early 1970s as a grassroots support network for sexual minority people and clergy in the UUA. In 1973 it advocated successfully for a UUA “Office of Gay Affairs” (now the Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Concerns) and for the Office’s funding in 1975.

“UUs for Gay Concerns” held its first Convocation in 1983, with workshops and speakers designed to raise awareness of gay and lesbian issues. In 1993, the name  “Interweave: UUs for BGLT Concerns” was adopted and Interweave merged with the UU Bisexual Network to emphasize its commitment to inclusion for all identity groups and to encourage individual and chapter memberships.

In 1994 Interweave resolved to address institutional racism by creating an outreach to people of color, and in 1999 became the first UUA affiliate to begin the Journey Toward Wholeness anti-racism process.

Interweave continues to promote interfaith dialogue through participation in the National Religious Leadership Roundtable, Equal Partners in Faith, and other multi-faith organizations. Interweave is dedicated to becoming an anti-racist, multi-cultural institution, working to end all forms of oppression within the UUA and society at large.

And as an “Interweave” chapter we hope to…  

1.  create a safe and welcoming community for both the GLBTIA members of the UUCLV as well as the GLBTI community in the Lehigh Valley in order to support and enrich each others lives. 

2. Work within the UUA “Welcoming Congregation” program to further educate the community to GLBTIA issues. 

3. Advocate for equality in all areas of life through political involvement, community sponsored activities and events, and an overall education of the public to the legal, political and social issues of concern to GLBTIA individuals.

4. support the work of HAVEN in the efforts to work with GLBTIA and questioning youth.

5. contribute to a transformative grassroots movement that celebrates GLBTIA culture and people.

6. be part of an organization that represents a welcoming, liberal religious voice within local, regional, and continental GLBT communities.

7. effect positive change within the UUCLV as well as the UUA in general through our involvement with “Interweave Continental”.

8. attend National and Regional Interweave-sponsored events.

9. be represented at the UUA General Assembly.

10. receive Interweave-World, a newsletter about other “Interweave” chapters throughout the UUA

 MEET SOME REALLY GREAT PEOPLE AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN!!!!!