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Welcoming Congregation
The Unitarian Church of Edmonton is a Welcoming Congregation. We
are committed to being a community that is open to all, without
regard to sexual orientation, race, gender, age, ability or income.
HISTORY
In 1987 the Unitarian Universalist Association established the Common
Vision Planning Committee. This committee found many negative attitudes,
deep prejudices, and profound ignorance about bisexual, gay, and
lesbian people, which resulted in the exclusion of bisexual, gay,
and lesbian people from their churches. As a result of these findings,
the delegates of the 1989 UUA General Assembly voted overwhelmingly
to initiate the Welcoming Congregation program to educate its members.
Each congregation adapts the program to best meet its goals and each
unique situation can bring positive changes to individuals and congregations.
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.
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