MEADVILLE (December 8) –– At its December 7 annual congregational meeting, members of the Meadville Unitarian Universalist Church voted to become what the U.S. Unitarian Universalist Association calls a "Welcoming Congregation" for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. Through an overwhelmingly majority vote, church members officially agreed to proclaim an alternative, prophetic and life-affirming message of "welcome, inclusion and love of the other," in response to the prevailing anti-gay and inhumane voices in our communities, whose message is "fear, exclusion and hatred of the other." The church will now take on the UUA "Welcoming Congregation" designation, officially proclaiming to the rest of the community its status as a spiritual community for all people, and an open and welcoming religious community for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.

"Over the past two years we have worked diligently toward the goal of creating a welcoming church community and safe religious space for persons who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender - a space available in very few other places in our world, and in no other places in our immediate area." explained Rev. Kate R. Walker, the church’s Minister. "We have always believed that we are a spiritual community where people can really be themselves. And at our annual congregational meeting, we stated emphatically and officially that we are that kind of community."

The "Welcoming Congregation" program is a nationwide effort of the UUA. To date over 400 UUA-affiliated churches have decided to become Welcoming Congregations.

The Meadville Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 346 Chestnut Street at Diamond Park in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

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