First Parish Wayland had a successful Welcoming Congregation experience in the early 90's using the UUA's "Faith in Action" materials. We put our pledge for inclusiveness on an official plaque in the front entry hall in 1993. At that time the Welcoming Congregation Committee said this commitment is a continuing process and that we need to be persistent - as evidenced by the incidents of 2001 in Sudbury.

Nationally, UU's have been demonstrating that since 1970. Here's a list by year of resolutions by the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations on the issue of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Rights:

1970 - Condemnation of Discrimination Against Homosexuals and Bisexuals
1973 - Creation of an Office on Gay Affairs
1974 - Organization of Office of Gay Concerns
1975 - Continuing Funding of Office of Gay Concerns
1977 - Support of Gay Human Rights
1980 - Commitment to fairness in Ministerial Employment Opportunities
1984 - Need to Provide Gay and Lesbian Services of Union
1986 - Opposing AIDS Discrimination
1987 - Supporting Legal Equity for Gays and Lesbians
1989 - Proposals of the Common Vision Planning Committee
1990's - Welcoming Congregation activity throughout the decade
Click here for more details from the UUA web site.

This decades long record is an important part of the progress toward human rights regardless of sexual orientation. The struggle has been long and dangerous, and it is not over. Restrictive and inhumane definitions of human sexuality have persisted in spite of continuing positive contributions by gay and lesbian people to their communities and the world. One common conclusion is that a major role compassionate straights can play is as allies to Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender people in their struggles for equality and dreams of universal acceptance.

We need to confront injustice and hatred in our civic and community life. UU's in places like Wayland can play an important part by keeping our commitment to inclusiveness for individuals who peacefully exercise their right to live according to their natural preferences. Any other course can only be destructive - not just of the individuals whose rights might be violated, but of the community, political values, and religious traditions we claim to espouse.

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