From the Newsletter

By Jordan Michaud, member of the Welcoming Congregation Team

As we have often learned the hard way, traditionally privileged voices tend to drown out the others when the conversation is left unattended. Unfortunately, this can be true even in UU spaces. Power always protects itself if we do not recognize it and intentionally dismantle it. For this reason, the work of welcome to marginalized communities is never complete.

Our goal as the Welcoming Congregation team is to make sure May Memorial is on track to renew our Welcoming Congregation status. Maintaining this status is a proactive assurance to LGBTQ+ members and visitors that they and their families are welcome here as full part of our society. It is also a commitment to practice this welcome on an ongoing basis.

We minimally have five factors to address in our work:

Become a Welcoming Congregation. Good news: we have done this! hanks to the work of the original Welcoming Congregation Committee and the subsequent congregational vote, MMUUS acquired this status in 1996. This first step required MMUUS to make measurable progress toward a more LGBTQ+ affirming community. We aim to continue this work by examining how we as a community may still uphold gender and sexuality biases, and by considering ways to challenge them.

Worship with a focus on being a Welcoming Congregation. We affirm LGBTQ+ identities in our community, and will make intentional space for their voices and experiences in our worship calendar.

Days of Observance. Just as we observe holidays that reflect the faith diversity of MMUUS, we will observe days that uplift the joys and struggles of LGBTQ+ communities.

Learning Opportunity about Issues Related to being a Welcoming Congregation. This hasn't yet been decided, but it will be an annual education opportunity that is open to all members of MMUUS in the form of a webinar or local seminar.

Supporting a Welcoming Project. We are exploring financial contributions to Black Cuse Pride/CNY PRIDE who are working together to create a resource center for the community.

We appreciate the ways in which our community already welcomes members of all genders and orientations, but we recognize that all of us can do better, always. The UUA Welcoming Congregation Renewal program helps us make these practices a regular reality. We welcome comments and questions about our mission and look forward to sharing our progress as we work toward our goal. Contact us at welcomingcongregation@mmuus.org