In 1990 Westminster Unitarian Church began a journey towards greater understanding, support, and affirmation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender persons when we started investigating the newly published Welcoming Congregation Program. Two of our members attended a Ballou Channing District workshop and came away inspired. With the support of other church members and our minister, they asked the Board of Directors for approval to start the program. They not only received approval, they also came away with several new committee members.

At their earliest meetings, the committee set several goals, including adding a non-discrimination clause to our by-laws and adding non-discrimination statements to the Sunday order of worship, the Chimes newsletter, other church pamphlets, and our weekly newspaper announcements. Other goals included setting up an information table at coffee hour and scheduling a ten-week Welcoming Congregation workshop series, beginning with a “kick-off” sermon by our minister.

The committee also participated in several community programs such as the annual Rhode Island Project AIDS Walk for Life fundraiser and letter-writing campaigns to Rhode Island state legislators encouraging passage of the Civil Rights bill to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The ten-week workshop series was a great success, with 15 to 20 participants. At the last session, the group brainstormed 19 suggested actions for the following year.

Many successful activities occurred during the 1991-1992 church year, including Sunday services dealing with growing up gay, a Men's Group workshop on homophobia, and potluck suppers with “Pink Triangles” video showings and discussion. A meeting was held with the 4th grade church school class and a four-week workshop series for the Religious Education personnel took place. The committee set up a permanent Welcoming Congregation bulletin board and organized church-wide participation in the Rhode Island Project AIDS Walk for Life fundraiser.

In 1992-1993 many of these activities continued, with the addition of our Youth Group participating in a big way in the Walk for Life fundraiser. Another ten-week Welcoming Congregation workshop was held, and on Get-together Sunday, the Welcoming Committee members wore pink triangle signboards to highlight activities and accomplishments. The committee sponsored an “In The Pink” gender-free dance night at the church.

By the 1993-1994 church year, the committee was collecting useful items for the local AIDS hospice Sunrise House, as well as continuing all of the previous activities. In addition, the committee sold Welcoming Congregation T-shirts, affirming the Inherent Worth and Dignity of Every Person. Four members of the committee attended the March on Washington.

Continuation of the committee’s work in the 1994-1995 year culminated in the committee recognizing that Westminster Unitarian Church had amply fulfilled the commitments and actions outlined in the Welcoming Congregation Guidelines. It was time for congregational action! The congregation voted unanimously at the May 1995 annual congregational meeting to request official designation as a Welcoming Congregation. Our request was made to and granted by the UUA office of UUs for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns.

In 2004, reacting to the ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Westminster Unitarian Church took two important actions. The first was hosting a press conference attended by clergy of several denominations, affirming that marriage should be open to all people. This press conference received national attention as well as postings on the Worldwide Web. The second was the Social Responsibility Committee and Westminster’s Interweave chapter circulated a petition among church members requesting passage of a statement supporting same-gender marriage. Once again our congregation acted unanimously at our annual meeting, passing a resolution sent to the State of Rhode Island supporting the right of marriage for all individuals, including same-gender couples.