8 May 2026 Baptist minister Rev. Jacki Belile recommends a three-fold task for congregations seeking to welcome LGBTQ people: “Take into account the depth of people’s betrayal and pain at the hands of the institutional church in all the dimensions of fellowship, preaching, teaching, and pastoral care”; Offer “significant opportunities for LGBT people to have […]
30 April 2026 Once your congregation has made the decision to welcome and include LGBTQ people, don’t keep the news of your welcome within the walls of the congregation – spread the word! There are many effective ways of doing this, including regular congregational advertisements in the gay and straight press (both online and print); […]
24 April 2026 Your congregation may have decided to welcome people of all sexual orientations before there was a significant awareness about including gender identity. You may have already talked about and worked on including gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, but not transgender people. Now is a great time to revisit those conversations and expand […]
16 April 2026 Let’s face it: everyone needs to use the restroom. You can make your congregation more welcoming by providing non-gendered restroom spaces. These make an important statement about your openness to transgender and gender non-conforming people. Studies have shown that transgender people face significant harassment and violence in public restrooms; you can counter […]
10 April 2026 While it is important to recognize and affirm key dates and events within the LGBTQ community, your welcome is even greater if you do not limit LGBTQ visibility to those times. LGBTQ people and their families who come to your worship services, teachings, or programs will notice the presence of others who […]
3 April 2026 What issues are of the most concern to your local LGBTQ communities? How could they best be addressed in your area? You might want to consider hosting an online community forum to raise awareness and discuss how this issue is affecting people in your neighborhood, town, or city. You can invite community members, local decision […]
27 March 2026 Did you know that half of LGBTQ people in this country live in states where there are no protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity? Many people think such discrimination is already illegal, but only 21 states and the District of Columbia ban discrimination in employment and housing; one […]