38 years ago, the United Church of Christ boldly lifted up the liberating love of Jesus, when the denomination ordained the first openly gay man, the Rev. William R. Johnson. Since that time, the UCC has been known as having sacred and safe spaces for LGBT people. It didn’t take long after the welcome was extended for a group of people in the denominations to gather in solidarity and support for each other. That group was the foundation for the Coalition as we know it today.

We have a rich history in the UCC and among all other faith-based groups that affirm and support LGBT people. The Coalition is a model and premier example of how to work alongside and within the context of a mainline denomination. Our organization is respected and admired by many because we show others what it is like for a marginalized group to find “sanctuary” in the church. Our relationship as a covenanted partner with the UCC offers hope to others who are fighting for acceptance in their denomination. The Coalition is essentially a role model.

I believe leadership also requires responsibility. We are taking the leadership role and responsibility seriously. The Coalition is once aging leading the caravan of pioneers as we position ourselves to settle on the next frontier. We are leaving the comfort of our safe space, and we are equipping ourselves to “fight the good fight” of local, state, national, and global political advocacy and activism. There are a number of local and state ONA groups and other LGBT justice workers who have already been organizing, demonstrating, and speaking out about various issues. For example, there has been a very visible and consistent presence of Coalition members and other UCC persons in California addressing Proposition 8. We have a strong viral campaign and other efforts to raise awareness and pressure Congress to sign the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) into law. The Florida Conference of the UCC has a group of people actively working to end Florida’s ban on same-gender adoption. And, I along with ecumenical partners of faith-based organizations, participated in a news conference to speak out against Uganda’s criminalization and persecution of LGBT people in that country.

We are doing good work, and there is much more to do. With support from our partners in the National Office and expert training in field organizing, we are going to do even more. Circle your wagons friends, we are heading to the frontier—again!

Gwen Thomas
Interim Executive Director

The Rev. Ann B. Day received the Pride Interfaith Award at this year's Pride Interfaith Service on June 12, 2010, at Old South Church, UCC, in Boston. She also gave the sermon, the first UCC minister to preach at the Pride service or to receive this award.

Well known to folks across the country as the face and the heart of the ONA Program, Ann was the first Open and Affirming (ONA) Program Coordinator for the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns, serving from 1987 through 2007. Assisted by her partner (and legal spouse!), Donna Enberg, who served as the Program's Administrative Assistant, Ann's ministry included the development of resources for ONA study and witness, preaching, pastoral support, and educational presentations. Her ministry has guided and influenced hundreds of UCC churches and settings over the years. Ann’s writings have been published the collections Flames of the Spirit, Shaping Sanctuary: Proclaiming God’s Grace in an Inclusive Church and will appear in the forthcoming, All Whom God Has Joined: Resources for Clergy and Same-Gender-Loving Couples. She is a sought-after preacher whose deep faith and disarming humor make hearing her a memorable experience.

She retired from active ministry in 2009 to devote more time to the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, a family organization of which she has served as president since the 1980’s. The foundation has helped to support theological scholarship and conversation, as well as programs and projects in faith communities, relating to LGBT understanding and inclusion.

Sponsored by the Pride Interfaith Coalition, the worship service is held each year on the morning of Boston Pride before the parade. Parade banners from many ONA churches and other welcoming organizations decorate the inside of the church.

Many of us remember the April launch of the Stillspeaking campaign, with the spiraling Language of God video. That initial wave of attention has been followed up in a number of ways.

The video still generates high daily traffic (read more at http://www.ucc.org/news/language-of-god-video.html)

A short study guide is available online at http://www.ucc.org/god-is-still-speaking/pdfs/language-of-god-study-questions.pdf.

Stillspeaking Voices campaign now includes more than 1,800 members and is spreading the word at the grassroots level (read more at www.ucc.org/news/success-of-stillspeaking.html or sign-up at http://www.ucc.org/god-is-still-speaking/).

Our Whole Lives – Sexuality and Our Faith is in the beginning stages of being evaluated.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive, lifespan, sexuality-education program, widely used in religious congregations and in secular settings. Versions are available for children in grades K–1, 4–6, 7–9, and 10–12, for young adults, and for adults of any age. To learn more about the UCC's commitment to age-appropriate, medicallyaccurate, curricula on human sexuality, visit http://www.ucc.org/justice/sexuality-education/.

Program leaders are currently looking for congregations and community organizations to have youth classes or groups participate in the evaluation project. If you would like to receive more information about this project or think your congregation or community organization would be interested in participating, visit www.churchstuff.com/sexuality/ourwholelives.aspx.

On the annual International Day Against Homophobia, a coalition of national faith leaders announced that they are launching a campaign based on the “Uganda Declaration” to begin mobilizing faith leaders to work for decriminalization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people based on their tradition’s human rights policies and official statements against violence. The coalition is asking faith leaders from all traditions to use their faith networks and official policies on human rights to challenge the more than 80 countries with laws against homosexuality—seven of them with the death penalty. The campaign will seek a cross-section of officials in denominations and faith traditions as well as LGBT faith leaders and concerned people to sign the “Uganda Declaration” and commit themselves to work proactively for decriminalization of LGBT people throughout the world.

Read more about the Uganda Declaration at http://uganda1declaration.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/uganda-declaration/.

Sign the Uganda Declaration at http://welcomingresources.org/uganda.htm.

In 2007, the United Church of Christ (UCC) set a goal of planting 250 new churches over the next five years and more than 1,600 new churches by 2021. As the fourth largest congregation in the denomination, the Cathedral of Hope (COH) felt called to be a leader in this effort. The South, including Texas, has the lowest density of UCC congregations in the nation, yet a large number of individuals expressed interest in response to the “God is still speaking” advertising campaign. In response, the Cathedral of Hope made a commitment to plant five new churches over the next five years. To date two churches have been established to include locations in Houston and the Mid-Cities area of the Metroplex.

Learn more about Cathedral of Hope's efforts at http://www.ucccoalition.org/programs/ona/who/list/ona_celebrations/201006/.

The United Church of Christ HIV and AIDS Network is closing down its Facebook group.  You'll want to "like" their new Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/UCAN-United-Church-of-Christ-HIV-AIDS-Network/106825409363308?ref=ts) so you can keep up with their postings.