SEXUAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

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Welcoming Congregation Designation

According to the Canadian Unitarian Council:

Welcoming Congregations

are those which have completed a Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) program and have passed a congregational vote to affirm that they welcome the membership and active participation of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and/or transgender people.

In 2008 the Unitarian Congregation of Niagara (UCN) obtained its Welcoming Congregation designation. Since then it established the Sexual and Gender Diversity Committee (SGDC), an ongoing committee, to carry on the work. The committee welcomes all suggestions from church members as to how to better serve the sexual and gender diverse community.

2009 Achievements

• Promoted the Day of Pink in February.

• Organized a group for senior gay men; lack of attendance forced the cancellation of the group.

• Lay Chaplain Ed Gilbert , a member of the SGDC, delivered a sermon in the spring, examining the "hammer verses" in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Leviticus, that pertain to the gay community.

• Attended the rainbow flag-raising at St. Catharines City Hall.

• Planned a regional conference for Oct. 17 called UUnity and Diversity to focus on LGBTQ issues, particularly the Welcoming Congregation curriculum; unfortunately, the conference was cancelled because of low registration.

• Marched in the Toronto Pride Parade in June with the UCN banner.

• Celebrated a sermon delivered by Joan Wiley, that won an international competition for UU sermons that focus on LGBTQ issues; Joan was invited to deliver the sermon in Salt Lake City in June — she was unable to attend because of conflicting commitments — and she will be delivering the sermon to the UCN in May 2010.

• Doreen Peever continues to represent UCN at the St. Catharines Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); she is secretary.

• Members of the SGDC support or are active in one or many LGBTQ-related organizations such as AIDS Niagara; OUTniagara; TransParent Canada; Brock Pride; Positive Space at Brock University; Transgender Niagara; the Regional Municipality of Niagara Public Heath Advisory Committee on Issues of Gender Identification and Sexual Orientation; Niagara Pride Support Services.

2008 Achievements

• Examined Unitarian Congregation of Niagara bylaws to ensure that the language is inclusive of the sexual and gender diverse community. The recommended changes were implemented at the 2008 Annual General Meeting.

• Held workshops on sexual and gender issues.

• Attended the raising of the rainbow flag at Saint Catharines City Hall in June; a picture of several members of the church holding the Unitarian Congregation of Niagara banner was published in the Saint Catharines Standard.

• Installed a Rainbow flag in the sanctuary to indicate approval of the sexual and gender diverse community.

• Attached a rainbow-coloured strip to the outdoor display case on the church property.

• The first film shown for the church's Film Night was "Trembling Before G*d", a documentary that examined the conflict experienced by Jewish men and women as they tried to reconcile their homosexuality with the teachings of the Jewish faith.

Sexual Gender Diversity Photo Album

To view the photo album go here §.

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