Our Mission:
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation
of York is a religious community that inspires
the mind and spirit, honors religious freedom
and embraces diversity.
Its members minister to each other with love
and work for a just society.
Within the spirit and intent of
our mission,
ours is an intentionally diverse religious community.
We welcome each person regardless of theology, color,
class, age, sexual orientation or national origin.
Our Purpose:
A Welcoming Congregation is one which
recognizes and affirms in spirit and in practice
"the inherent worth and dignity of every person"
without regard to affectional/sexual orientation.
We seek to eliminate any barriers to full participation
by gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons
in all aspects of our congregational life,
whether such barriers are stated or implied, real or perceived
Inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons in every level of congregational life, in worship, in programs, in religious education, and in social occasions.
Recognition that not everyone is heterosexual and worship services should celebrate diversity by inclusivity of language and content.
Support of ministerial services of gay, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender unions, memorial services and child dedications.
Welcoming same-sex couples and evolving definitions of family.
Celebrating the lives of all people and affirmation of their ways of expressing love and affection for one another.
On May 30,1997 at the Congregational Annual Meeting the membership voted unanimously to obtain official recognition as a Welcoming Congregation within the Unitarian Universalist Denomination.
This action followed 2 1/2 years of study, program and efforts directed toward increased understanding and mutual acceptance of issues, concerns and people without regard to affectional/sexual orientation.
In 1987 The Unitarian-Universalist Association (UUA) Common Vision
Planning Committee was formed to collect
information about the extent
to which gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people felt welcome and
accepted in their Congregations. The Committee
discovered that many
felt unaffirmed, unwelcome and unsupported in
their liberal religious communities.
This exclusion, often subtle and unintentional, has made many feel they don't
belong in our congregations. As a result, many
gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender UUs either leave or stay "in
the closest".
This reality troubled many UUs committed to making our congregations
welcoming and inclusive places for all people.
Citing the principles of our Unitarian -
Universalist faith, especially the first, which affirms the inherent worth and dignity
of every person. The delegates voted overwhelmingly
to initiate the
Welcoming Congregation program recommended by the
Common Vision Planning Committee and the UUA Board.
